Has anyone tried a 12 or 14 ft Freedom Hawk kayak? I am looking for a kayak to fly fish out of and am curious if they are really as stable when standing as the advertisements claim. It seems to me that they are very pricey for a large piece of plastic ($1000+). Is it worth the extra cost or are there better options? Thanks.
I have a friend on their Pro Staff. They are pretty darn impressive. the first generation was ok, second gen is better.
I’ll still take my Wilderness Systems Ride 135 over a Freedom 14. I just like the feel of the Ride.
For what it’s worth, in the real world I only know about a dozen people who stand in their yaks much. Lots say they want to, but don’t. Visibility is better when you’re standing, so spotting fish is easier.
On the flip side; Kayaks can be so stealthy that you can ease up on fish much, much closer than you can in a power boat before you spook them. shorter casts from a seated position are easier to manage than a longer casts standing in the yak (for me at least)
Who’s ready for a sleigh ride?
www.kayakfishsc.com
Hey livin to run i was looking at them also im new to sport but have been a fly fishing ■■■■■■■■ since 1972 what i liked is pontoons come off so i could hall it in my pickup and its very light i just wonder if it tracks well and if its a hard one to paddle i has also looking at the hobie revo thanks jcm
Thanks Too Busy. I got this mental picture of myself landing the catch of my life while standing in a kayak, only to lose the fish and all my equipment due to the fact that I am 6’2" and very clumsy. If I were to catch a fish of any appreciable size, it would make more sense to fight it sitting down. The kayak will probably be dragged through the water, with or without stabilizing pontoons, so there is a strong possibility that I will eat it. For my money, a stable kayak with more space and storage capability, like a WS commander or ride, makes a lot more sense. But I could be wrong. Hopefully I’ll get to try a freedom hawk at the east coast canoe and kayak festival. JCM, I haven’t tried the Revo, I’ll have to check that out too.
“He told us about Christ’s disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first class fishermen on the sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman.”
I love the Commander. It’s an awesome yak, definitely intended for protected waters though. Super stable, great standup fishing platform, but it’s basically a modified 12 foot canoe. If all I did was sheltered flats fishing I’d be on a Commander in a heartbeat. My personal boats and what I use in the guide service are the Tarpon and Ride.
I feel comfortable putting anyone on a Ride 135.
Who’s ready for a sleigh ride?
www.kayakfishsc.com
Looked a bit at that Freedom kayak that was in the lobby of the fly fishin festival and wasn’t too impressed with it to say the least, too many parts to hold the pontoons on, poor fitting of parts, looked like a bear to paddle as well. Concept is good and has been around for some time but that one looked like it needed a bit more r&d.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
Get you a Tarpon 140 or 160 and just sid sideways when you are fly fishing… Works great for me… I do most of my fly fishing on the flats looking for tails so I don’t really need to be up that high… if I am not wading I just sit sideways and blind cast. I only do that in the salt though… too many gators around to do it in the sweetwater like Bushy park. I am looking at a ride 135 for my next boat. IMO the best all around kayak for fishing but the Commander IS awesome for sheltered waters like TooBusy said.
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
Drop me a PM if you want to trade e-mails with the FH Pro. He doesn’t hold back when you ask questions.
Who’s ready for a sleigh ride?
www.kayakfishsc.com
I have a Freedom Hawk 14’ and absolutely love it. In fact, I have been so impressed by it that I had to get involved with the company. FH has appointed me Ambassador to the Charleston market. With this, I can give anyone a demo and I’m able to get you one of these Yaks at special rate. I’m not a distributor, but I can have these delivered factory direct to your house.
I had the 14’ model at the recent Drake FF film tour stop in Charleston. Lots of interest. I think this is the perfect craft for fishing the Charleston area, fly or conventional. The push pole that stores in the hull allows you to travel in skinny water at a quiet pace and SIGHT FISH. I’ve been killing the flats this winter. The 14’ tracks great. There is a nasty rumor that is does nto paddle well, I have to disagree. The 12’FH poles a little better through the flats. The winter Red fishing has been great, but I cannot wait for the summer flood tides!
I currently have the 14’ and the 12’ should be here next week if anyone wants a demo. PM me for demo and costs. More on this to follow. I’m still getting everything together. Check out the brochure.
http://freedomhawkkayaks.com/download/FHK_2010.Brochure.pdf
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14’ Freedom Hawk Kayak
Thank you all for your input. I’ll have try out a couple of your suggestions and see which method works best for me. Sunbird, I’m temporarily living in the northeast, but will be back in Charleston in April and would definitely be interested in trying out a FH kayak.
“He told us about Christ’s disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first class fishermen on the sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman.”
Would love to try one of em out Sunbird as I have never paddled one of those. My comments weren’t meant to slam the kayak whatsoever, just were my observations on the one there in the lobby. After having spent more years then I can remember in the kayak industry I guess I can be a little critical of any kayak, to this day I still find faults in the ones I designed years back! We allmost came out with a similar pontoon kayak years back when people still said “You want to fish from a kayak?? Why on earth would you want to do that??” Silly people! 
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
Livin2run - you got it.
Now worries Russ. You need to check out this 12’ model I’m getting in a week or so. I wish I had that model for the show last week.
I’ll keep everyone posted when its available for Demos. http://freedomhawkkayaks.com/download/FHK_2010.Brochure.pdf
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T2B-
What happened to the fishing yak you were soliciting input on a year or so ago?
I’ve seen sunbird out at the fishing grounds a few times this year on the fhawk 14, and he would basically run circles around me while working the area. I’m polin a 17 action craft and he was dartin all over the place working it well. I guess that’s the advantage of not having to worry too much about oyster beds.