Old Town (Johnson Outdoors) Old Town Sportsman PDL 120
A genuinely excellent, rock-stable pedal fishing platform held back mainly by its bulk and a pedal stroke that doesn't suit everyone.
Best for: Anglers fishing lakes, ponds, and flat or skinny inshore water who want hands-free, stand-up-stable pedal fishing and have a way to cart or trailer a heavy boat.
The good
- DoubleU hull is exceptionally stable — reviewers and owners repeatedly describe it as a confident stand-and-fish platform that's hard to flip
- Award-winning PDL Drive delivers strong torque with true instant forward/reverse and precise steering/tracking — widely rated among the best prop-style pedal drives
- Comfortable, breathable Element seat and well-placed forward-facing rod holder make long sessions and casting natural
- Build quality and finish are praised as a notch above; 500 lb / ~384 lb usable capacity swallows gear and bigger anglers
The bad
- Heavy — 116 lb fully rigged means most solo users need a cart to launch, and it doesn't fit standard cargo trailers well (cited across multiple reviews as the #1 drawback)
- Pedal ergonomics are awkward for taller paddlers (over ~5'8"): heels drag the hull, forcing an arch-of-foot stroke per the Happiness Without review
- Modest sustained speed — tops out around 5.2 mph and can't hold it past ~20 minutes; not suited to multi-day or 10+ mile runs
- Sparse stock accessories (only one cup holder) and some owners report frustrating Old Town warranty-service experiences with claim denials
The Sportsman PDL 120 earns its reputation as one of the best mainstream pedal fishing kayaks: the hull is genuinely stable, the PDL drive is smooth and powerful, and fit-and-finish is strong. The honest catches are physical — at 116 lb it's a two-person lift or a cart-and-trailer boat, and the bicycle-style pedal motion cramps taller anglers. Speed is fine for fishing but not for covering distance. Reviewer sentiment is overwhelmingly positive on the boat itself; the recurring real-world gripes are weight, pedal ergonomics for tall users, and inconsistent warranty service — none of which are dealbreakers for its core lake-and-flats use case.