Ocean Prowler 13

[Grumpyfoot]

I am a wade fisher, and have been for years now. I am wanting to get into a kayak, and have been researching for a month or so now. I would appreciate any opinions, and or experiences on the Ocean Prowler 13 kayak. Of all the yaks I've been looking at, I like the lay out and potential for accessories this one seems to have. The price is also in my range. Thanks for the help.

[David Weber]

I have done a done of research and it is on top of list. Many really like them. It is not the best for going through the surf, but will do that also. If I were just in bays, for the price, I think its a good value. And, they tend to sell quickly on Craigslist, if you decide to get something else down the road.

[Claybob]

The Prowler 13 is an awesome kayak for the money.
The seat is terrible, but if you do a lot of wading it's not too bad.

The width is a wee bit narrow @ 28".
I'm 5'10 @ 180lbs and it seems plenty stable to me.

It tracks well without a rudder and is fast too.

[MNsurf]

The Prowler and Trident kayaks were designed for big water and surf so I'm not sure where one may have heard they dont handle surf well? The hull has an exceptional amount of rocker which makes it great for cutting waves. If you look around at what most of the serious BTB and offshore guys are using, you will see the Prowler/Trident boats at the top of the list.
If you are looking for a great all around fishing kayak, the Prowler 13 is about as good as it gets for the price point. Does it have the best seat and all the latest gear attachments? No, it doesn't.
I have upgraded the seats in all of mine because, to be honest, they aren't very comfortable for any amount of time. You can add all the rails and gear track you want because they have an open hull which makes access for mounting just about anything a breeze. Are they stable? I stand and fish in mine a lot with no issues. Stability though, depends a lot on experience and confidence. I think the Prowlers are very stable but I've heard a lot of people say they aren't.
The type of fishing you want to do will have more to do with what kind of kayak you need. I like the Prowlers because of their versatility. They are a fast boat that will handle any type of water you want to fish. They lack the glitz and glam that many of the more recent kayak designs have, but they are still seen as one of the best hulls ever designed.
For a first kayak I would highly recommend one. At worst, you will see the things you like and don't like which will make choosing your next rig a lot easier. Or, you may end up like me and realize the Prowler/ Trident gives you everything you need/ want and you just keep buying more of them. Either way, I think you would be very happy with the Prowler 13.

[Grumpyfoot]

Thanks for the input. I plan on fishing back bays and channels I can't get to by foot. It sounds like this kayak will do what I want it to, and give me the option to venture further when I build more confidence.

[texnomad]

Check out all the places Aggroman takes his Prowler yaks and you will find it a very versatile yak.

[mikewood]

I have one. I like it a lot for bays as well as just off the surf.

[MNsurf]

I mainly fish either the marsh or the surf. I use my Trident 15 for both most of the time.