Kayak Fishing and Paddling - The New Standard in Fishing Kayaks. Fishing Kayak Reviews, and Kayak Fishing Trip Reports, Movies, Pictures and Articles By and For Kayak Anglers.
Donavan Campbell is a stream kayak angler from North Carolina, who got his W300 in the summer of last year. He took his time to write a review, and it was worth waiting for…:
I wanted to share my review of the W300 with you…
-”Look at the teeth on that Muskie!”
I use the W300 on the New River in the NC mountains (Sparta, Jefferson) for smallmouth bass fishing.
I was very impressed with the stability of the W300 for river fishing and it’s tracking.
Water depths range from 10′ to 6″ on the New River and the W can handle either along with occasional sharp rocks.
I keep the rigging light for easy maneuverability out of the water and plan to add an additional rod holder and the “wheels” I see from other owners. I fish with other standard kayaks and am glad I purchased the W, I strongly recommend the W to everyone that asks, thanks.
Donavan Campbell
Statesville, NC
Added some fish pictures, first calendared fishing trip for 2010 is March 26th & 27th!
PS- If anyone in western NC wants to check out a wavewalk I would be happy to help them…
Most people think that paddling a kayak in flat water isn’t very interesting. They are right, when sit-in and SOT kayaks are considered, but flat wrong when W kayaks are:
This movie is one of my favorites. It shows the W300 performing like no other paddle craft before, and highlights some of the W important advantages for paddling, touring and kayak fishing.
The reason I chose to post it again on this blog is because I recently discovered how to add annotations to YouTube videos
Here are a few pictures and a longer report on my new 500:
As a 72 year old who tries to stay active, I have been kayaking for about 10 years and have both sit in and sit on top kayaks. The problem has been that after an hour or so of paddling, the fun turns to a search for a place to land and take a stretch and get the circulation back in the lower half.
I have been following the evolution of the W kayak on it’s web site for several years as a possible solution to this problem and the introduction of the 500 really got my attention. The moving sale pushed me over the edge and I sent my order in.
Here are a few photos. On the maiden voyage, the first impression was of excellent stability and all kinds of room to move around and stretch or change position. After paddling around for a short while I just had to try the stand up mode. Initially that felt a little shaky but I found bracing ones legs against the seat firmed things up and made some stand up paddling fairly easy.
Best of all after quite a long paddle, the ability to move around kept me feeling fresh.
Next was a salmon fishing trip in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The bench seat or even standing up made long cast easy.
But, as usual, the wife ended up catching the salmon. I did net it for her though, and the high seating position and great stability of the 500 made for a successful capture.
Thanks Yoav for making available a design that can extend the enjoyment of kayaking for us seniors for many years.
Jesse got his W300 fishing kayak in January. He fishes mainly in the ocean near San Diego, in the harbor and in the lagoon. In this short cellphone movie Jesse is showing a 6 lbs spotfin croaker he caught:
Here is a collection of fish Jesse caught on another good day, including (top) a sand bass and (bottom) another 6 lbs spotfin croaker.
Jesse mounted a trolling motor on his W300, and he gets to speeds up to 10 mph with it. This picture shows the transom mount Jesse built:
Jesse also rigged his W300 fishing kayak with carry wheels: Sometimes Jesse takes his dog for a ride in his kayak:
Jesse likes to paddle his W300 standing up, and fish standing as well. Jesse also likes to fish for halibut. His favorite lures are Berkley Gulp Alive, and he recommends smearing the lures with Uni Butter (sea-urchin flavored butter) that attracts fish better than anything, both in saltwater and freshwater.
Had a great summer, and looking to a better fall with the W and the grandson.
We really have been doing a lot of fishing from Narragansett Bay to exploring new fishing ponds and lakes. Luke hasn’t caught the real big lunker yet, but plenty of nice fish like this calico bass.
The W500 is ideal for me and the kid, easy to move and plenty of room for fishing. He can spin around, stand and paddle like a pro.
Planning many more trips before winter sets in. I can’t wait to see him struggling to pull in the big 5 lb bass - It’s gonna make a great picture!
I have back pain and and have to say my w-500 is the most comfortable boat I’ve ever paddled. I had an unfortunate encounter with a bad chiropractor and have issues with L5 and sciatica now, and had tried SOT kayaks with bad results… but I could see the w kayak is entirely a different story after only one outing!
After I’ve had my w500 out for only 4 times and I could see that once you get your technique down it’s FAST, easily as fast as a 13′ kayak (if you’re in the aggressive mounted position)… and the leaning into a turn works really well, especially if you’re seated near the stern. I have gotten used to a milder cruising stroke in the seated position that allows me to paddle for literally hours with no problems or back pain (holding the paddle closer towards the center and letting the paddle and gravity do some of the work).
Last night I took it out into some choppier, high traffic areas and got a lot of inquiries from some sea-kayakers who were very impressed with a boat you can stand up in.
I am loving my w-500… After I’d been out about 6 times, took it out with a 230lb friend… I am an intermediate paddler and my friend had minor experience. After several failed attempts to paddle together I had him try it solo. He had a good sense of humor, and I’m not deterred! Good times indeed!
I am very comfortable paddling it by myself now and spend 1/3 of the time paddling it standing, and get tons of inquiries. I’m getting questions from Salmon fishers and sailboats (mostly because I row near a fishing/sailing boat moorage now).
I did not try my W500 first before I ordered it, I simply did TONS of research and asked many people I know who are experienced. I am one of the very satisfied customers who’s incredibly happy with his decision, it was not hasty.
I was asked last night by some kayaker where he could try a w-kayak… i said “right here, right now… pull up to that dock and I’ll let you give her a spin”
The last 3 times I’ve been out on my w-500 was to lurk outside the fish ladder and watch the salmon return to spawn, kind of fun watching 24″ fish jumping all around you, oh but I have a better view than everyone else!
I have still yet to try my w-500 for fishing, but will soon once I find a few good nearby spots, and will be sure to take more pics.
Well got the first one out of the way this morning. Headed on over to what is now Genung’s Fish Camp and put in right around sun up. I had the hope the first fish would be some dramatic catch of a trophy sized game fish but alas it was a jack.
Followed by a dozen more through the course of the morning. Lately the area seem to be a stalking ground for schools of these little devils. They fight very hard and pull like tractors, far out of proportion to their size. All of them were caught on topwater plugs either the Chug Bug or a Super Spook.
The W500 is wonderful fishing in the grass nothing else can move through it so easily and then allow the angler to stand quickly. Stability even while using bait caster was superb and fishing those jacks standing was simple with no feeling of tipping or losing ones balance. I fished just over four straight hours before getting out to cool off wading a little bit. The boat tracks very well and handles the wakes from the ocean going yachts without any issues. Over all comfort was great and the feeling of being able to fully relax is really something.
I’ll add a foam headrest at the rear of the cowling. That’s for nap time and resting after a big catch.
The new paddle clips are removable and the same type as was on the other W kayak. This time I added a poly tubing bumper under the door hook surface so it snaps in place but can be removed easily. This is because with the others strap tied in I was snapping them off when I had to drag the boat through brush to reach the water. The hooks never broke but the ties did.
All in all now being back in a W is such a relief. Everything is easier and in fact safer than the sit insides or the sit on tops in the fleet. Next week we may have shot at a tarpon or two down in Crystal River. Wow, come to think of it the trip will have two W500’s fishing together.
The boat is one you can sit and in an just wonder, “wow, what would happen if I did this” then just fill in the crazy stunt you are about to try. Chances are afterward you would still be dry and still in the W500. When I tried the slide to the rear to pin the tail trick I could actually lift the front end out of the water and still was just fine sitting nose in the air. The feel is awesome and for sure the boat can be paddled by almost anyone with no rear learning curve. This boat will change the kayak world for sure. It’s going to be a blast putting time in this one.
–Jeff
Gary Rankel, a kayak fishing aficionado from Florida, got his first W kayak back in 2006 (see his first kayak review). Since then he had spent countless hours in it, until recently, when he got himself a new W500 fishing kayak, that he rigged to perfection.
Gary’s favorite game is redfish, and here’s an account of his latest fishing expedition:
-”Not the hottest day yesterday, but was out for 6 hrs in 90 degree heat and much sun. Got a nice red while it was too dark to take a picture, and then this smaller one. Also one shot of my two fishing buddies after we got back. We’ve had some pretty slow days this summer, but things should pick up as water cools this fall. –Gary”
Well here is an update with me launching and standing and paddling. I did this for a fellow in Georgia, on another site, he is very interested in the W300 and W500.
The Traffic noise was at its peek today, sorry its hard to hear me, well maybe not.
You’ll see in the video just how smooth it paddles while I’m standing.
And when I land, I just paddle full steam ahead, and shift my weight to the rear as I hit the shore line where I launched, and remember, it was steep. But the landing is not on the Video, I ran out of room!
The hulls just glide up the bank, I move forward, stand up, and walk out. Again, never getting my feet wet.
Ben Ciliberto, a kayak carp fisherman from Pennsylvania, rigged his 3 W300 kayaks especially for stand up carp fishing. This is a picture of two of them:
Ben writes:
“Back’s improving albeit slowly.
The two kayaks, sided by side in the garage have gotten many comments and inquiries, but unfortunately not much use! The new one has still not touched water (but is rigged),– I have had mine out twice so far—high water, work, vacations have really crimped my schedule! I’m ready to roll when time permits!
Sure has been great that even with a ruptured L4 disc, and bulging L3—I can paddle and use the W without pain or aggravation!!
-”After my wife Jeanne caught on easily on her first trip we decided to head to big water in beautiful door county Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. We faced almost record cold temps for this time of year, highs in the fifties and light showers.”
-”We didn’t venture out the first day but I snuck a little fishing in the second day on the mink river off of Rowley’s bay, lake Michigan. I had a little action with smallmouth bass and perch on leeches and a splitshot. The second day was all about taking in the scenery at cave point.”
-”Calm weather on that side of the peninsula allowed us to take in the beautiful scenery and take a little break, We did land up answering a lot of questions about the w kayaks from the on lookers at cave point state park.”
-”Something tells me that more orders from Wisconsin are going to be pouring in…
That evening on the other side if the peninsula the wind calmed down also.”
-”We headed to Ephraim bay and enjoyed glass like conditions and a wonderful sunset.”
-”We had a great trip thanks to our new w kayaks which made it enjoyable, comfortable, and safe.”
-”I also learned a lesson. The water may be calm, but don’t loose sight of the big picture, especially on the great lakes. I was standing at Cave point when a rogue wave snuck up behind me. I didn’t have a chance, the swell propelled the w forward and I went backwards. It was a clean dismount and the w did not flip. It was totally my fault and not the boats. I forgot for a second that I was on the big water. Always be aware what is going on around you knew before we headed out though that the water was a tolerable temperature, or of course I would not have been standing at all. Jeanne was entertained and I told her to snap some photos while I found a spot to empty the w kayak and get back in a wiser man.
Have a great fourth!
John and Jeanne”
-”We just got back from Huntsville State Park, about 45 minutes north of Houston. It is home to Lake Raven, a beautiful, serene and clean lake. We camped overnight there (warm night) and went kayaking this morning. Here are a couple of clips. We tried fishing, but it’s so much fun paddling & trolling that it’s mostly what we did. I even stood up while trolling and got a few stares.. At least 7 people asked me “What is it?” and I told them…”
-”This 4th of July weekend, we will be going down to the coast to try it in the bays. I can’t wait to see how it does in the surf & small waves/wakes from boats and oh, maybe do some fishing.. Will keep you posted. Noel”
Robert Fisher is a kayak fisherman from Texas who bought his first W kayak in 2007 - It was a W300 model in today’s terms. A few weeks ago Robert ordered a second fishing kayak for himself, and this time it was a W500. Here is what Robert wrote us:
-”I have had my new W500 kayak out 4 times. The first time was just to see if there was a difference from the older Wavewalk, the next three times it was used to go fishing.”
-”The new W kayak seems to move through the water easier at higher speeds and in a straight line than the old one, it is more stable and easier to stand up in. The extra room is a welcome advantage.
I am 66 years old and am retired, so I use it to go fishing in 2 to 3 times per week.
The only negative I have found is it’s turning radius is larger than the old Wavewalk, this is probably due to the extra length of the W500, but I think with a little more use, that will become unimportant.
It is my opinion that more seniors should look at the W kayak as a source of exercise and entertainment. It is a great source of recreation.
Robert Fisher”
-”I am enjoying both of the W kayaks, but I really do prefer the W500.
I am taking the W300 to Indiana to leave with my son for my use while I am vacationing there.”
Noel put his design engineering skills to action, and came up with this perfect motorized W500 fishing kayak:
-”Problem solved with the trolling motor steering. I rotated the handle 90 degrees outward, turned around in my seat, so now the trolling motor is in the back. With this setup, you can turn at will, see the (cellphone) pics & video.”
-”My son Rainier also took it out for a spin and he’s very comfortable with it too.”
-”Sorry about the video quality, will have to do better…
Also getting more used to the weight/balance of the boat; standing is almost natural now and the boat does not feel tippy, unless I take my son in it with the trolling motor mounted. It then becomes a little top heavy. 1 person is best with the motor/battery mounted.”
-”The motor mount consists of a 2 ft long treated wood, 1×6 base & a 2×4 upright mounted with stiffening brackets from Lowes. Used 4x 1/4″-20 bolts x 3″ long with fender/spring washers/nut. Drilled 4x 3/8″ holes in the hull to allow for flex, then bolted from inside using another piece of 4″ wide 1×6, thus sandwiching the thickness of the HDPE hull between the pieces of 2×4. This, I hope, will prevent the holes in the hull from tearing out. I’ve run aground twice so far at the bank at v. low speed and it held without any problems or getting loose.”
-”Check out the anchor mount quick release set up, I don’t fish shallow water so this comes in handy. I don’t usually let the anchor hang as shown in one of the pictures, as it creates additional drag; I just pull it into the boat; it’s a 3.5 lb folding anchor.”
-”For the paddle holder, I took closet hanger wire and bent it to fit, it works great; simple solution.
-”I can’t say enough good things about the WW. When I washed it down yesterday, I flipped it over to get the water out of the hulls, and fully expected that some water would remain in the cockpit rim, but sure enough there was none; and then I noticed the drain hole in each end…also the hulls are sloped so that all the water will drain out of the boat when flipped over on the grass! As a design engineer, I appreciate those little thoughtful features that Wavewalk has incorporated…most excellent!”
-”Had an awesome father’s day on the water with the family and the WW.”
-”My son Rainier is a natural kayaker, and is paddling standing, sitting, fishing sideways, turning in circles, reversing, stopping, actually landing at the launch point where we put in, he is already well on his way.”
-”We had a lot of people watching today, taking pictures and passing cars were honking as they went past, it was great!”
-”I mounted a trolling motor, anchor, battery box and crate with fishing rods.. See the attached pictures.
With the trolling motor mounted in the front (I reversed the trolling motor handle to point towards me), at the 3 setting, it was moving along pretty quick. On the 5 setting, I was leaving a good size wake! Steering was a different matter though, as I kept doing S-turns or going in a circle no matter what I did with the trolling motor. I think it has to do with the flow channeling effect and the prop wash between and against the hulls. The reverse on the trolling motor is very poweful, so I’m just going to turn around in my seat & operate it like that for now. That will negate the hull effect, as I was able to steer very well in reverse.”
-”The battery location is critical. On the saddle, it makes the WW top heavy, esp. with 2 people on board and stability/balance became tricky. I moved it to the right hull, moved the anchor itself to the left hull and it stabilized. After that it was smooth trolling!
In between tryouts, my wife Nini happened to notice a Mayfly next to her, so I picked it up & took a picture.. now that’s a perfect fly fishing picture.. a mayfly & the WW!”
-”I played around with the moving (side mounted on pulleys) anchor trolley this morning again and could not figure out a way to easily stop the rope once the anchor hit bottom (and still be able to operate the trolley), so I bought an anchor stop & mounted it between the hulls in the rear, it works great, as I can release the anchor & haul it up real quick, and I have full control of the rope. I bought this in the boat section of (all places) Walmart.”
Ben Ciliberto is a kayak carp fisherman from Pennsylvania, who got his first W300 last year, and this year ordered two more…
Ben doesn’t like to sit at all in his kayak - He prefers to stand up as much as possible, and that’s why he designed and built this amazing stand-up fishing rig.
Says Ben: -”The rig is great for stability, getting in and out, a rail to grab if you get tipsy, and holds everything - I’ve completed it on all three W kayaks now—third one in half the time.”
Norm Craig, a from Rhode Island, had serious back surgery only months ago, and realized he couldn’t go fishing in a canoe or a regular kayak. He became the first fisherman to use our new W500 for kayak fishing. He wrote this fishing kayak ‘mini review’ immediately after taking it on water for the first time, and today he sent us his second impression:
-”Beautiful morning with the big W:
Friday, I went fishing this morning. The fish weren’t biting but the weather was beautiful and I spent over 4 hours in the kayak. I can’t believe I lasted that long. I was a little sore but not bad. Until today I thought that standing and paddling was a neat trick but now it is my preferred way of paddling. I’m getting very confident, and it feels great on the back.
I’m Working on a few new gadgets for the kayak. Had some great ideas today.
Saturday; Went fishing and the fish were biting. I had one of the best fishing days days I ever had. Lost track of the bass and pickerel I caught. Being able to stand and look into the water you can see the fish strike the lure sure is a thrill. I spent about 3 hours on the water and again the back was not a problem considering I had a spinal fusion 5 months ago.
Yak works fine, no problems. I noticed a little noise from the wake when I paddle fast. — Norm”
Craig Masterman, a Massachusetts W kayak fly fisherman who contributed a great review of the W kayak last year, sent us fresh stories and rigging ideas:
-”Hey Yoav!
I just returned from my first trip to SW Florida since I got the W last summer. We drove the pick up all the way down and back from Massachusetts with the W on top secured with just two heavy duty web straps. It rode absolutely securely on 4 foam blocks sold by several outlets for just that purpose. I figured out a way to stop the straps from loudly humming like guitar strings on the highway I thought others might find useful. I simply cut some one inch diameter foam pipe insulation to fit over those parts of the straps that angle down from the top of the kayak to the vehicle, which silenced the hum caused by the wind rushing past the taught straps. Problem solved for about 4 bucks! But that’s not the main reason I’m writing you.
As we made our way around SW Florida with the W on the truck, we were followed, stopped and questioned by at least twenty people about the “really cool and unique looking kayak”. It actually started in South Carolina and continued throughout the two week trip. By the end I had my speech singing the praises of the W pretty well memorized. I gave out the website to all of them after describing the W as the ultimate fishing platform. Most were surprised at the fact that it is only 25 inches wide. They were also surprised to learn that I was not a sales rep for the company, but just a satisfied customer! I had guys climbing up on the tailgate, taking pictures of the cockpit “saddle” and the 9 foot paddle. I would be happy to put a decal of the website on the boat. It would certainly generate some inquiries, and give my voice a rest!!!
A much time as I spent talking about the W, I actually did get a chance to fish out of it too! I was fortunate enough to land several fish on the flyrod. The boat performed beyond expectations and felt solid under foot as I stood and made cast after cast to sighted fish on the flats and under the mangroves. One day, I paddled a total of six miles casting to and prospecting for fish. By day’s end I was understandably a little tired, but not at all sore or stiff owing to the comfort of the cockpit and the ability to change paddling positions at will. I can’t wait to get the W in the water again later this spring on Cape Cod!
It’s the third W fishing kayak review we get from Wisconsin, which strengthens the notion that while northern fishermen have never fully adopted traditional kayaks (sit-in and SOT) as fishing platforms, they can see the advantages offered by the W kayak over other popular fishing crafts, such as canoes, dinghies and Jon boats.
When you read John’s review, please notice that he remembered Wavewalk’s instructions for first timers, and that made his learning curve short and effortless.
Sometimes Jesse takes his dog for a ride in his kayak: 
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Good times indeed!
