Pelican Catch 100 First Kayak

weagle

Senior Member
Weagle,

Thank you for your posts. I just bought a 10 foot Pelican Catch from Academy in large part because of your enthusiam. I have it parked on the bank of a neighborhood 4 acre pond. My inital reaction is that I really like the boat. At 10 feet and 55 pounds, it was easy for an old foot like me to load and drag it the few hundred yards to the pond. I am having a little buyer's remorse now that the boat is at the pond that maybe I should have gotten the 12 foot model (20 lbs heavier and $100 more expensive) to have more room in front of me for gear. I'm glad for the 10 footer though when I pull it up the bank and will really appreciate it if I want to throw it back on the car and fish with it at another location. The seat is very comfortable and the boat is very stable. Perfect for a pond. Probably would want something more responsive if my primary use was a river or a bigger body of water.

Don't regret the 10 footer. The 12 footer doesn't have any more space in front. It just has a bigger hatch. Actually the 12 footer has a little less space up front because it has a small console/mount right between your feet.

I'm going to get the Catch 130 with the peddle drive when it comes out in the spring. I don't need extra room, I just want to be able to cover more water on the bigger watershed lakes.

I'm keeping the 100 though and I expect 80% of my fishing will be from the 10 foot.
 

almoore

Senior Member
Don't regret the 10 footer. The 12 footer doesn't have any more space in front. It just has a bigger hatch. Actually the 12 footer has a little less space up front because it has a small console/mount right between your feet.

I'm going to get the Catch 130 with the peddle drive when it comes out in the spring. I don't need extra room, I just want to be able to cover more water on the bigger watershed lakes.

I'm keeping the 100 though and I expect 80% of my fishing will be from the 10 foot.
Thanks. Great intel on the space in the 12 foot. I'll be looking at that peddle drive. Hope it's not too expensive.
 

weagle

Senior Member
Thanks. Great intel on the space in the 12 foot. I'll be looking at that peddle drive. Hope it's not too expensive.

MSRP is $1499

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Offroad

Senior Member
Great stories, I enjoyed reading. I purchased mine 3-4 months ago and really enjoy fishing now more than ever.
I am 6' 1 200 lbs. And have it loaded with tackle, anchor and trolling motor.
 

weagle

Senior Member
I don't usually get to fish on my birthday, but almost 70 degrees yesterday and I dropped the Pelican in the Hooch to fish Willeo creek for some bass. There was one other guy fishing in the creek in a kayak, and I saw him catch 1 small bass. I had one hit the senko, but he spit the hook about half way in. If you are cruising these threads and you haven't bought a kayak yet. Get in the game! Even when the fish aren't biting it is an awesome experience.
 

weagle

Senior Member
Well, I had planned to buy the new Catch 130HD with the peddle drive as soon as it came out, but yesterday a used Catch 120 popped up on a local classified at a price to good to pass up. I picked it up yesterday and hit the water today at Hard Labor Creek reservior in Social Circle.

It hangs a little further out of my old 4Runner, but it is still a cinch to load and unload. I really can't tell much difference in paddling it vs the C100, but the seat sits a few inches higher and I like that.

Since my goal was to get a kayak that would allow me to cover more water on some of the bigger watershed lakes, I think I will install a trolling motor on the C120.

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weagle

Senior Member
The Chattahoochee was low and slow today so I put in the 120 hoping for some trout. I paddled up river about a mile and was pleased with the speed/tracking this kayak.

After spending a year fishing from a C100 and now having had a chance to fish from the c120, I would say that they both paddle about the same and the stability seems about equal. I don't really have any more room in the cockpit area of the 120 vs the 100. The 120 seat is a little higher and that is slightly more comfortable. That also means there is more storage space under the seat. The 120 really isn't any harder to load or get up and down the river bank.

The Catch 120 will be a good platform for my Big Water Kayak as it has a little more weight capacity and I plan to add a trolling motor & battery. Should be less of a workout to get to the back end of the bigger water shed lakes.

The trout had lockjaw, but I did manage to put my first fish in the new yak.

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weagle

Senior Member
First test run with the front mounted trolling motor on the Catch 120. I don't have a skeg or rudder mounted yet and the kayak fishtails a lot. I'm happy with the initial results. I didn't know how fast a 24lb motor would push the Kayak, but it's plenty fast. I couldn't get my GPS to work, but I'm guessing around 4 -5mph. I would prefer to not fool with the motor, but the motor will be a great help getting to the distant end of some of the bigger lakes. The temporary steering system is just a removable extension handle.

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Danuwoa

Redneck Emperor
Did the price of these things go up or something? Ive been wanting a kayak for a while but did t know what kind to get and talking to people really wasn't a lot of help. They always are pretty vague for some reason.

Anyway, after reading in this thread I decided on this type. But I checked on it and the listed price was $700.00. I was hoping it was going to be closer to $300.00.
 

weagle

Senior Member
Did the price of these things go up or something?
Anyway, after reading in this thread I decided on this type. But I checked on it and the listed price was $700.00. I was hoping it was going to be closer to $300.00.

MSRP last year for the Catch 100 was $649. Now I think it's $699. I think it's a testament to how well people like them, that they are going up in price rather than down. (almost every other kayak maker is coming down on their prices) , and even used they usually aren't much of a discount. I did find a really good deal on the used Catch 120 I bought by keeping an eye on craigslist and facebook marketplace.
 

jocko755

Senior Member
Just curious, once you put the trolling motor on, do you have to register the boat and get a hull ID number as with any motor boat?

If you added a skeg that would help eliminate the fishtail. Or you could just dip your paddle in and use it as a rudder.
 

weagle

Senior Member
Yes I had to register it once I added the motor. I have a rudder on the way. I'm sure it will make it track straight. I was thinking about making the motor fixed and using the rudder to steer, but I think it will work better to have a fixed skeg and use the motor to steer. I'll move the power controls back to the seat area and have a steering set up something like this.

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It would be simpler to just put the motor on the rear, but I want the trolling motor on the front so I can hold the kayak against the current while facing upstream on the river. Also I want the skeg still available for when I'm not using the motor.
 

RamblinWreck

Senior Member
Just curious, once you put the trolling motor on, do you have to register the boat and get a hull ID number as with any motor boat?

Yes, it's required by law for any boat using a motor, but it ain't much $$ for a 'yak. $30 I think I paid for the NuCanoe F12? I forget. I fish a lot of public waters so I don't fool around - I'm always legal. Money WELL spent.
 

jocko755

Senior Member
I think it's awesome up front. Not many would try that but I bet it performs better pulling rather then pushing . Good job.
 

weagle

Senior Member
I took both kayaks and met up with my brother to fish a private pond. He had never fished from a kayak before and really enjoyed it. We were targeting bass, but there was flat where we could literally catch crappie on every cast. Got my brother hooked on kayak fishing now.

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BowanaLee

Senior Member
I got the Pelican Catch 120 a few weeks ago for 699.00. Only had it out one time and that was a trial run in a local pond. Haven't had it in a river yet. Its 34" wide. I'm only 170 lbs. I can stand and do the hokey pokey but its hard to turn myself around. Putting outriggers on it today. I have a 27 lb thrust trolling motor mounted on mine. Works great. It even folds back out of the way when not in use. It handles the battery and motors weight fine. I built the rod holder, motor mount and modified the dolly. Added a hatch and adding hod holders and outriggers today.
 

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weagle

Senior Member
You are going to love it. I have a similar cart that I modified to work with the tunnel hull, and it works awesome. It fits both my Catch 100 and Catch 120 perfect. I swapped the pneumatic wheels/tires out for some lightweight wheels off a golf pull cart.

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jocko755

Senior Member
Lee, the only thing I'd be concerned about is that trolling motor blade - if it hit the side of the boat, it could cut right into it. Hopefully it extends out far enough that couldn't happen. That would be a disaster. Nice set up.

I enjoy paddling mine. It combines exercise with fishing. Although I hate a head wind! A trolling motor could extend my range.
 
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