The kayak I have now, is my first. But, I don't think I'd like anything shorter than 12'. A 10' is going to be slower to paddle, and squirrelier.

I have a $400 (on sale) Field and Stream Eagle Talon. There are much, much nicer kayaks out there, but this is probably the best $400 I've ever spent. I had a canoe, but no other boat. This gets me on the water, and in my opinion, is perfect for crappie (or other panfish) fishing. As long as you can launch fairly close to the places you want to fish, I think it's hard to beat a kayak. You can really get up in some tight spots.

That said, there are a few cons:

It's not going to be as comfortable as sitting and moving around in a larger boat.
Limited range. You can't zip to the other end of Guntersville (although you can load up and drive easily enough).
No live well. I just use a cooler. It works fine except on those days where I only catch 2 or 3. But, it's usually pretty easy to find someone who will take my fish.