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I've hauled this SOT bad boy all over to fish off-shore, paddle and surf the waves on Lake Michigan with my young nephews, to fish in a variety of inland lakes and streams around the state. It's been easy to transport and quick to outfit, with plenty of storage and rod holders for my tackle and gear and enough deck space for electronics. I particularly appreciate the foot-controlled rudder for maneuvering in current or wind, so my hands are free to cast and retrieve. We have more kayaks, but this one's "mine."

I'd been mainly using a SOT for lake fishing, but took out my Dirigo this weekend and was reminded how great this little boat is to paddle. It tracks really well and responds quickly. I was probably most struck by how much faster it was off-the-line compared to the SOT. There was plenty of hull surface to work with when I added fishing rod and paddle holders, so I'll be using the Dirigo more frequently to fish, especially for longer paddles on flat water where its speed and paddling ease will really make a difference. I should mention that the boat is over 10 well-used years old and has remained rock-solid.