I would pick a Wilderness Systems kayaks. I have one from them and they are really amazing. My first model was Prowler Big Game by Ocean Kayak, which was pretty cheap and it was in a mid-range when it comes to how heavy it is. I could easily lift it on top of my head (and I'm not a strong dude by any means). As for now, I still use Wilderness Systems, but have gotten one of the best models they have - ATAK 140, which is almost $2000 on their website. Really great kayak though, so if you have more money to spend, then I would surely recommend it. It's 95 lbs, but I can lift it without any problems. The Big Game was like 70 lbs as far as I remember. So, depending on which car you are driving, you shouldn't really encounter problems with putting this one on crossover either, and if you were to go with The Big Game, you surely won't.

I would first really get into reading some articles about choosing a correct paddle. That is if you decide to ditch the oars. Although, you should probably get more knowledgeable about it as soon as possible, because it will only help you with your fishing performance in general. First thing, as Vladimir said, would be to look at paddle's length. Then, I would take a look at tweener sizes. For example if your torso is pretty short, it is better to go with a longer paddle. Also, there is low-angle/high-angle paddles to consider too. This depends on your style really, for example in case of low-angle paddles, your hand stays below your shoulder level, the high-angle stroke on the other is better suited for getting more speed. There is a lot of factors to consider really, and they mostly depend solely on you and your kayak.

I would go with the second one for sure. I would go for something like Okuma Halogen 7 1/2' and 2lb flourocarbon leader, which will surely do well in any kind of environment. The Ugly Stik Cat also looks pretty good, but I would still go for the Okuma. Maybe because I have one and I'm doing really okay with it :)

Hi! What fish are you mostly interested in? Also, why did really get you into fishing? Was it the impact of your friend, that decided that you want to join a fishing board and get more knowledgeable about this process or was it just a spontaneous decision based on necessity of finding some hobby? I'm asking because it was both in my case actually.

Cheers and nice to meet you bro!

Of course nature is important. But there is far more to a good cabin than just beautiful nature to explore. Lately, I have been renting quite a nice cabin that looked very oldschool and classic both on the outside and the inside, but it really had everything that I would need, making it a beautiful place to stay with a family - I stayed with wife and two kids. Despite classic design, it had all needed modern accomodations and some nice features like can opener, steel plates, BBQ utensils, oven mitts, literally everything we wanted. And as long as we usually aim for an escape from fast-paced, demanding city life, renting a space with most comfort is a really smart move, especially when you will be staying with a kid.

Yes, many good tips here - I didn't apply most of them though and I have been finishing extensively for 15 years, both on land and on a boat. That said, there is a couple more things that I believe would be of value for others. The most important thing, at least for me, is to have really solid gloves. My skin tends to flake off very quickly when it gets wet and I have also pretty bad blood circulation both in my hands and feet, although hands are a disaster, so any exposure to cold and I can barely move them. That's why for fishing activities, and even all kind of summer sports actually I really need good gloves. I tried a couple of them and so far the only type of gloves, which have actually worked flawlessly for me are those made of Gore Tex.

Second thing I would add is to not eat too much. Snacks are great and all, but eating too much can be a disaster when fishing. Firstly I tend to get sleepy, which is not a good thing, especially if you go out fishing for long hours on boat. Secondly, once I am full - and I mean, really full, I kind of fell like the heat from my body is evaporating. I tend to get sleepy, adrenaline levels drop down and I'm feeling cold more than ever. So remember beginners... do not eat too much. Eat to not keep your stomach empty and that's it. Besides that, enjoy fishing. Unless you fish in warm climate, then eat your fill and enjoy your day!

The ideal scenario is when you feel like the rod is an extension of you arm and the process is just extremely natural. Beware though, that it will take you many, many years of fly casting in order to grasp this feeling. After so many years spent on fishing, I still never felt like this but in of the books I read this was the comparison used to determine whether you have mastered the art of fly casting or not. Anyhow, I'm not really worried about improving my skills. I'm fishing mostly for the fun of it, and if the skills improve - well, I can't be mad about it, right?

I will never be some kind of great angler and I don't have aspirations for that either to be honest. I will not be a second Lempke or Kinsey no matter how much I try. I know it's not about the talent, but the hardwork, yet still... in every kind of activity there are people that are extremely good at it and have the abilities to improve their skills further than most. I'm just an average fisher and I'm okay with that. Have no intention of really getting amazing in it.

You are right, Vladimir. Many women, even if they say they like fishing, it actually bores them, but everyone loves to get some quiet time and enjoy a great nature, so I would say this is their biggest motivation to go on the fishing trips actually.

I wouldn't worry too much about the reel though. This will be cheap and you can grab a decent one for less than $50. The most important thing to consider here is a line. You can literally cast a good line with basically anything, but trying to cast good rods with a fairly bad line wasn't either easy nor pleasant. You can get a really decent gear for like $80 in total, so if I were you, at this point, I definitely wouldn't spend as much as $300. Of course, we get what we pay for, but at this level it doesn't make nearly as much of a difference as it does when you are more experienced.

You have the basics to cover for now and that's what you should focus on. Good luck!