Looking for input on Kayaks

I'm looking for any suggestions on buying a one person Kayak .
Mainly for floating local rivers for pleasure . 
Know nothing about them. What's good , safe , easy to use , load ?
Any tips on do's or don'ts or suggestions is welcome.
Don't need the most expensive , but don't want something cheap that's junk. 

Sit on top is a lot easier to get in and out of. Try renting a few times to get a feel of what style you like. My wife prefers the sit in only because she feels less likely to fall out.

Fish getting alittle too deep for you?

I've heard good things about the Old Town Vapor Angler

Tell her to keep an eye on Dunhams. They run kayak sales all the time and she should be able to grab one up for a decent price. Walmart in greenville has decent ones outside in front of the store for around 270.

Sit on for ease of on/off, but will get wet.  Sit in, if looking to use in cooler temps, and want to stay dryer.
 
I have a cheapo 10'er sit in as someone noted above.  It has sat behind my shed unused for probably 6 years...  My kids are getting to the age, where they might want to use, so might as well keep a hold of it.  Being out $200 is much better than being out $800!  Although, that $200 balloons out a bit after roof carrier, paddle, vest and fishing accessories can more than double your boat price...  It works just fine as a small fishing boat, but prefer the boat that I have now, that I can walk around on, and motor from spot to spot.  I got a good 4-5 years of fun out of it though.
 
A nice seat is a good thing.  That said, you can buy padding to make the cheaper ones more comfy.  The newer cheap ones seem to address the seat comfort.  I can be on the most comfortable chair in the world, but sitting straight up with legs straight out like that for more than 2-3 hours, is going to be uncomfortable regardless.  The sit on tops allow you to move around a little more.  I got to the point with mine, that I could sit with my legs out of my sit in, and even kneel.  To me, nothing beats standing though.
 
One thing to note about the 10'ers, they are only good for people about 6' tall or less.  Taller than that, the leg room is lacking.  
 
I had a few friends with nicer yaks.  On float trips and fishing, mine did just fine compared.  If your daughter is Ms. Outdoors, and you know the thing is getting used a ton, buck up and go for the top of the line.  Many are more expensive for a reason.  Same thing, if you were buying for yourself to fish from a lot.  Those Hobie sportsman models with the foot controls are really nice looking.  One of my biggest complaints while using a yak, was getting to a good fishing spot, and by the time I had my anchor ready and down, I was 20' away.  Don't even think about tying on something new or baiting up, without an anchor down, or you'll be a 2-3 minute paddle back to your spot if any wind.  Those Hobie's look like the foot controls would address that.
 
Canoes hold more beer, BTW...

Last summer as I was fishing Shenango Lake I had the pleasure of meeting Wayne, , and got to see how he and his buddies had their kayaks set-up for fishing.   Since then, anytime a angler in a kayak passes by my boat I pay attention noting how the kayaks glide across the water and how easy (it appears) to control the boat.
 
Actually catch myself thinking how nice it would be to float the Shenango River, French Creek and maybe even, the Allegheny at Franklin once again.
 
That is until reality set's in and I'm reminded that sometime or another, hopefully during the same day, I will need to leave the confines of my buoyancy device and one again, attempt to walk, standing up.
 
So if in your search Captain, you should find a kayak fitted with the same device now used in La-Z-Boy's Power-Lift chairs, please let me know.
 
Kayaks are sold everywhere, it seems, and they do look like fun though I'd be cautious on Shenango,  when the shirtless old fat hairy dudes are out sporting about.

Was at Cabela's today, 15% off all kayaks.

treesparrow
There is a boat shop in Franklin that also sells Kayaks. I  believe they let you try models out. I trust the boat shop as boat mechanics and when I went in to the Canoe-Kayak shop for running lights for my canoe they sent me to another store because what they had was "not what I  needed."  They know the products they sell. It might be advantageous to talk to knowledgeable people instead of a dept store.  

I know this ain't the thread and I don't mean to trash it however, after my Evinrude Jet destroyed itself via a faulty oil pump and warning system but it was my fault for using "stale gasoline", I'll take the advice of the dept store.

BTDT, i thought you would be a professional yaker by now.
 
Cpt'n, i've owned and used the $300 sit in recreational and the $1k+ sit on fishing yak and 1 in between.  as with anything, budget and intended use will/should drive your decision.  looking for cheap? intending to only occasionally use? pick out a dicks/dunhams sub $200 yak and have at it.  you can always add a $20 rod holder and it instantly becomes a fishing yak.  if you're budget is more and you think it'll get used more frequently, you can find better ones at the big box stores or you can look for used higher end yaks.
 
best piece of advice i can offer... sit in anything you plan to buy before buying it to check it's comfort level.

I kayak often and have used many brands a good seat is a must that old town vapor is a great yak but I would upgrade the seat alot of us just throw a Turkey seat pan in and it helps alot depending it you want storage and where I fish out mine regularly I can put a bucket behind my seat for fish and have 2 selves to hold rods but yea check Wal-Mart Dunhams dicks etc the ones at Wal-Mart are actually really nice for the price

i have a perception pro 12 sit on top....it has a stadium type seat that has an upper and lower position...the seat is very comfortable...i have spent over 4 hours at a time fishing in it without issue...  the kayak itself is very stable. it tracks well and paddles easily... it weighs 63 lbs...i have 3 rod holders and a fish finder on it...so far i love it and have used it on lake erie walleye fishing in spring at nite and on some inland lakes as well...i have not tryed it on french creek but have plans to do so.......i did alot of research and read tons of reviews before i bought the kayak..this brand seemed to be the best overall fit for lake and river fishing... i bought it in franklin they had the lowest price even beating the online prices...i paid about $800 for it..and a paddle for $50.... so tax and all just about $900 ....seems like alot but it will get me on the water after ice out before the docks are in for my bigger boat and in the fall when the docks are pulled.... i can recomend  this kayak without hesitation  ....good luck 

Lots of tips on buying and rigging on this site.
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/
 
One of the members landing a 55", 42# cobia BTB (beyond the breakers).  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA_iMC_IFFA
 
Lots of the Texas kayakers regularly take their kayaks several miles out into the gulf of mexico for snapper, sharks, kings, cobia, etc.  
 
One of my buddies down there would regularly land 5-7' sharks and TONS of bull reds.

eyesandgillz
 
Lots of the Texas kayakers regularly take their kayaks several miles out into the gulf of mexico for snapper, sharks, kings, cobia, etc.  
 

If I can ever convince the wife to move to Florida or any saltwater area, I'd have to invest in a wave runner and trick out for fishing.  Any wind picking up a few miles out on a yak, and you're playing with fire.  Those fishing modified wave runners are awesome.  You can buy 20 kayaks for the price though...

Porktown

eyesandgillz
 
Lots of the Texas kayakers regularly take their kayaks several miles out into the gulf of mexico for snapper, sharks, kings, cobia, etc.  
 

If I can ever convince the wife to move to Florida or any saltwater area, I'd have to invest in a wave runner and trick out for fishing.  Any wind picking up a few miles out on a yak, and you're playing with fire.  Those fishing modified wave runners are awesome.  You can buy 20 kayaks for the price though...

What are you going to do when you are 10 miles out on the jet ski and it breaks down?  :-)  Several guys do that too and definitely looks like a lot of fun and way more economical than a boat.  I think I would sill opt for a boat though if / when I live on the coast.  Hard to beat a nice 26'+ CC with T-top and twins fully rigged for 60 miles in....
 
If you get a top of the line Hobie kayak with foot pedals, you could handle most of what the gulf could throw at you within a couple miles from shore (if you are smart about picking your days of course and watch for pop up storms).  You can get those things going pretty fast with foot and arm power.  A nice, stable, SOT is the best for that type of fishing and if you do turtle it, you can flip it and get back into it.  I did dump a few times in 5+ footers in the surf taking shark lines out and I was able to get back in but, that was 10+ years ago now....not sure I could fight the waves and "gravity" right now and do it.
 
Man all this talk of the salt made me miss days like this!  This wasn't even one of our best days.
http://extremecoast.com/reports/report091104.php