I've decided on my watercraft! Old Town Solo Sportsman 119!

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I finally picked which kayak I'm buying, and the funniest part is that it isn't even a kayak. I was dead set on a Hobie, despite the high price. It had all the features I could ever want - and that was the problem. All the features I could ever want isn't the same as all the features I actually need.

While the Hobie is an amazing kayak, I can do with much less. My main concern is the weight, as I want to be able to load and unload the watercraft unaided and without a wheel system. Enter Old Town Canoes. As soon as I found the Old Town Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman I was in love. At only 56 pounds I can carry it easily to the water and back. With a total length just under 12 ft (11 ft. 9 in.) I can transport it in the back of my F-150 with nothing more than a few straps.

It holds 354 lbs, which at first worried me because I wasn't sure if that was the "oh shit" maximum, or sitting a hair's breadth above the waterline. I contacted Old Town customer service and had my inquiry responded to in just a few hours. The rep said that he was about my weight and height and could carry all of his gear with him and still sit well above the waterline. A YouTube video confirmed it for me, and the rest of the features are just icing on the cake.

With a width of 32.5 inches, and with the seat being so low in the vessel, it doesn't feel as precarious as other canoes. While still tippy if you go nuts in it, it is incredibly stable for such a small canoe. I can't attest to this personally, as I haven't bought it yet, but I've watched tip tests and seen people fighting large fish in it and it seems to be true.

You can use a kayak paddle efficiently, because of the positioning and height of the seat, and a well respected kayak/canoe tester on YouTube named Aliex Folgueira was able to safely paddle the canoe at about 5.5 mph though he was getting some drip and splash action going.

Old Town's canoe seat design in the solo sportsman looks amazing, with a contoured and padded seat and low seat back that allows you to comfortably use their branded PFD, the Lure Angler (Amazon link below) and not have an issue with the PFD's padding interfering with the seat's comfort.

With much more open area that remains reasonably dry depending on how you paddle and the water conditions, you can pack enough gear to take a fishing/camping trip and still not be completely bogged down depending on your weight. If you are looking for a similar canoe that can hold more weight then check out Old Town's Discovery 119, with the same length but a carrying capacity of 500 lbs!

There are two flush mount rod holders just behind the seat, and on the bow thwart (or as I like to call it the wooden stick you put your feet on/under) there is a built in accessory track to mount fish finders, extra rod holders, etc. There's even a spot next to the padded arm rests (you won't find that on many canoes or kayaks!) that can be used to hold baits or even shotgun shells if you like to duck hunt.

Adjustable foot rests, carry handles, seat back adjustment - the list goes on and on, but we have to cover some cons too. It's a canoe, so while you might be skilled enough to stand and fish it just isn't feasible for many people who are starting out. Being entirely open means that any water that gets in won't drain out through scupper holes like on a kayak, so big waves and bad weather don't mesh well with this canoe, and unfortunately for most of us it means rapids are a no-go.

While you can always modify your canoe to fit your needs, you'll find less aftermarket accessories than are available for a kayak. That's honestly fine by me, as I'm a tinkerer and have fabricated many of my own tools and workshop pieces, but for many of you it could be an issue.

Overall the Solo Sportsman 119 from Old Town is about as solid an entry level fishing watercraft as you're going to find, though it definitely isn't right for everyone. At the time of writing this article it retails for $1000, and for the features you get I think that's a fair price. Some people have reported catching it on sale for around $900, but at the rate small watercraft are getting bought up I think you'd be lucky to get it for any price.

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