Best Fishing Kayak under 1500

The growing popularity of kayak fishing is bringing more and more people to look for a kayak for their newfound sport.

With this ever-growing popularity, kayak manufacturers have taken to the task of producing the best kayaks for most budgets and turning their plain kayaks into fishing kayaks that have fishing rod holders and many other gadgets for our fishing needs.

We all have different budgets, and we all want the best item within that budget, so in this article, our aim is to find you the best fishing kayaks under 1500.

We have laid out the best kayaks under $1500 below all based on their features build quality and price in this case they must be less than 1500, beyond this we have put together a mini buyers guide to point you in the right direction on what features to look for when buying a new fishing kayak.

So let’s get into it and show you the best kayaks under 1500

1. Elkton Outdoors Auklet Sit On Top Fishing Kayak

Fishing from a kayak can be both a fun and relaxing adventure. It allows you to get to the fishing spots you simply cannot get to from land. That is why Elkton has created an optimal fishing kayak that is designed to both last a lifetime and gives you the features you demand out of a modern fishing kayak. The Elkton Outdoors Auklet Sit On Top Fishing Kayak has multiple rod holders, a comfortable seat, and a flush one-piece construction made to last.

Kayak Specifications

• Dimensions: 30”x10’
• Weight: 50lbs
• Weight capacity: 400lbs

This kayak has two active rod holders and four vertical rod holders so when you find the perfect fishing spot, you can capitalize. It has an innovative paddle steering system that allows you to make precise steering adjustments with your feet. It also includes a modern, lightweight aluminum kayak paddle so you can hit the water right away. The 400lbs capacity means that you can load down this kayak with supplies for a full day out on the water, or leave room to bring in a big haul after a successful day.

• Multiple rod holders allows you to easily bring and store your rods
• Comfortable seat and paddles included
• Big weight capacity and size allows for a lot of versatility for your load out

2. Perception Outlaw 11.5 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak

Perception has been making affordable, quality fishing kayaks for many years and have added yet another addition to their critically acclaimed line up. The Perception Outlaw 11.5 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak is a perfect blend of comfort, functionality and form and all for a price that is significantly less than some of the competition.

This kayak is designed to keep you comfortable on the water. It has comfortable stadium style seats that are much more form fitting than a simple molded seat. Also, it includes molded cup holders and trays to keep your drinks and snacks secure and within easy reach while fishing. It has rod holders that can hold up to four rods at once. It has large storage tanks that can hold fish, drinks, snacks or whatever else you want to bring out on the water with you. With the Perception Outlaw Kayak you will be comfortable and efficient out on the water.

• Plenty of space for drinks and snacks as well as essential fishing equipment
• Comfortable seat included, no uncomfortable molded seats here
• Large 425lbs weight capacity

3. Wilderness Systems ATAK 120 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak

The Wilderness Systems ATAK 120 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak is a premium fishing kayak that is designed to keep you comfortable, safe and successful out on the water during your fishing sessions. The Wilderness ATAK 120 is an award winning design that features many innovative features and upgrades. For example, ATAK stands for advanced tactical angling kayak. Other fishing kayaks are simply kayaks that have rod holders bolted to the sides. This kayak is specially designed for advanced angling.

Kayak Specifications

• Boat length: 12’3”
• Boat weight: 83lbs
• Max capacity: 400lbs

The attention to anglers is immediately visible in the detachable pod that is made specifically for advanced fishing equipment. This kayak is made to mount fish finding equipment such as transducers and more. You can mount your equipment in or on this removable pod giving you a powerful platform in which to attach your equipment. Most kayaks do not have this level of advanced technology in mind in their design.

Serious anglers are going to spend a lot of time out on the water, which is why this kayak is built for comfort. It has Phase 3 AirPro Seating which is designed to enhance airflow keeping you cool and cradled while out on the water. The seat is mounted on a high grade suspension system that keeps you feeling fresh after hours of fishing.

Like any good fishing kayak, the ATAK 120 hosts plenty of storage and customization options that allow you to load out, kit out and gear up your kayak for whatever trip you have in mind. Load it down with food and drinks for a casually relaxing day on calm waters or load it down with empty coolers and extra rods for a serious day of bulk fishing.

• A kayak specifically designed for advanced anglers and serious fishermen
• Large capacity with tons of versatile storage and accessory hook ups
• Comfortable seating keeps you cool and relaxed all day
• Ready to accept fishfinders and other electronic fishing technology

4. Wilderness Systems Radar 115 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak

Wilderness Systems is back with yet another award winning fishing kayak designed with advanced and serious anglers in mind. The Wilderness Systems Radar 115 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak is a premium fishing kayak that has all of the features you demand from a modern fishing kayak in this price range. It is built for safety, comfort and capacity and will be able to handle whatever configuration you can throw at it.

Kayak Specifications

• Boat length: 11’8”
• Boat weight: 85lbs
• Max capacity: 450lbs

For the angler, it has ample storage and rod holders. It has a ton of tankwell capacity, two hatches and Slide Trax rails that allow for easy set up of rods. The capacity is further bolstered by the massive 450lbs weight capacity of this kayak which allows you to bring along as much gear as you want with the hopes of hauling back many pounds of fish.

In terms of comfort, this kayak features a cool and comfortable padded seat designed to keep you feeling fresh after hours on the water. It has large padded footwells which keeps your leg and back happy after hours of bracing during paddling and steering. You will not get sore or feel achy after extended use like you would with some other, lesser, kayak brands.

• Large storage capacity and weight capacity allow for tons of gear and customability
• Comfortable seating and footwells keeps you on the water longer
• Advanced upgrades and features included at every level
• Built to mount fishing technology such as transducers and fishfinders

Picking the best kayak under 1500 guide

Its all well and good knowing your budget when it comes to buying anything but knowing what to look for is the most important aspect of making any purchase and that is why we have put together this little guide to help to see what I feel is important when buying a kayak.

Kayak Speed

A kayaks speed is determined by the design of the kayak, so a wide bulky kayak will be much slower and harder to get moving than a slim kayak. But just because a kayak is slow or fast it doesn’t really matter if it doesn’t meat your fishing needs.

I would go with a bulky slow kayak if I was fishing for larger fish and on a small body of water this way you are less likely to be pulled round the water by the fish when the fight gets going.

A fast slim design are great for large bodies of water that take some getting around and this design will make it much easier it must be kept in mind that lager fish will likely move you and the kayak so this is something to keep in mind, setting your gears is crucial.

Kayak Storage

So you know about design but where are you going to store all your fishing equipment ok we tend to fish lighter on gear when kayak fishing but we still need gear so storage is important.

You want rod holders one as a minimum, then I would say at least one hatch for storing baits and terminal tackle, you can get dry hatches to store electric equipment like a mobile which is a nice bonus you can turn any hatch into a dry hatch.

Kayak Build Quality

Most kayaks that are under 1500 will be built with high-density polyethylene which is perfectly fine and will last you for year’s maybe even a lifetime as it’s a strong and durable material. High-density polyethylene should cope well with rocky shores pretty well, it’s worth checking if others have found them to be ok as some have seam joins that weaken them so soothing worth keeping in mind (above have all past the test)

Kayaks Stability

Stability is all down to the design a lot of people first starting out just want the most stable kayak and that is perfectly fine and for this you will want to find the widest kayak you can as this will give you the most stability.

That’s not to say you can’t get a stable kayak that is thinner in design as you can as in the build and design stage they will design the bottom to make them more stable but a rule of thumb is the wider the more stable they will be.

Conclusion

So now we have some important factors on what to look for when it comes to buying the best kayaks under 1500, you may have to compromise on little things like storage but with a budget like this you should be able to find the perfect fishing kayak for your fishing trips.

We really like all 5 of the kayaks that we have suggested above but if we have to pick as an all-rounder then it would be the Wilderness Systems Radar 115 | Sit on Top Fishing Kayak it gives you everything your likely to need and also gives you the best deal overall in my eyes.

So we hope you enjoyed this article and that it helps you find the right kayak for your fishing trips and we wish you luck on your fishing adventures with the new kayak that you pick.