My first fishing kayak

[bkyak]

We the wife and I are looking into buying yaks. We think we are sold on Hobie with Mirage Drive. Is it worth the extra money ? We could get 2 paddle type kayaks for about the same price as 1 mirage drive unit. I like the proangler and I think she leans toward the outback. I love to fish she will fish if they are hitting. I know this is vague, I am new to this site and kayak fishing.
We are open to suggestions/recommendations
THANK YOU for any and all replies

[fishnut]

bkyak. As in ALL previous posts. Demo,demo,demo. Pro angler is heavy but stable.Would not have this as a primary yak. All mirage drives are great for trolling(leaves hands free) and folks with bad shoulders. Also
depends on what type of fishing your doing and distances you're going. I have aRevo and it's great. Ocean kayaks makes some fine paddle yaks. Just DEMO and take your time to make the right decision. search previous posts.

[ndogg]

I second what fishnut said.  The more boats you try the more likely you are going to get the right one. 

[pdxfisher]

Definitely what Fishnut and Ndogg said. The good news is that there is no such thing as a bad fishing kayak. However, there is also no such thing as a perfect fishing kayak. Think about what you want, try models that meet your criterion and take the plunge. It is a very shallow optimum. Once you decided peddle or paddle you are into shades of gray.

[Justin]

I disagree with the posts above..... RUN AWAY AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!!!!!! lol 

Whatever you decide to get, welcome to the addiction.

[Zee]

The Pro Angler is awesome. It's absolutely amazing for ponds, lakes, bays, and slow moving rivers. If that's what I was going to be fishing all the time it would be PA all the way. If you want to cast from a standing position the PA is the best Hobie for that. The Outback is similar but lighter and less stable. Pedaling performance is very similar but the PA's turning radius is far smaller compared to any other Hobie kayak. The Outback can handle rougher water and the ocean as well.

Like the guys said, demo as many as you can and find what works for you.

[sherminator]

bkyak -

my wife loves the water, and she was open to getting a kayak, but I was blown away at how quickly she was sold on a Hobie. We demo'd an Outfitter and an Oasis (both tandems) and she was ready to hand over the credit card before we got off the water. The Mirage drive makes a huge difference to us, probably because at 50+, our legs are definitely stronger than our upper bodies. It has been well worth it. The hands free aspect is also a huge bonus.

[D rock]

DEMO!! Get in as many boats as possible!  If you do that the right boat will find you! 

[INSAYN]

Be forewarned though, kayaks breed like bunnies.  It doesn't take long before you find yourself looking at a family of kayaks in your yard/garage.   

[CraigVM62]

"Paddle, Set Down Paddle, Pick Up Rod, Cast, Reel, Set Down Rod, Pick Up Paddle, Repeat as Needed"
 

I should have read the instructions before I bought 3 paddle kayaks.    I now stare at the Hobie brochure each night before I fall asleep so I can have dreams where I just cast, cast and cast.
 

[sumpnz]

"Paddle, Set Down Paddle, Pick Up Rod, Cast, Reel, Set Down Rod, Pick Up Paddle, Repeat as Needed"
 

I should have read the instructions before I bought 3 paddle kayaks.    I now stare at the Hobie brochure each night before I fall asleep so I can have dreams where I just cast, cast and cast.

Assuming that I turn out to enjoy kayak fishing as much as I think I will, my hope is to get as a second (or third) yak a tandem Hobie.  That way I can take one or more of the kids at a time out fishing.

[troutnut]

Back when gas prices flew out of control the first time back in 2007, I started looking for gas free alternatives. Just starting the bass boat cost me a $20, and driving to the marina, launch fees, soda, lunch and beers and boat fuel was running $100 to $150 a day. Add in $250 a month for covered boat storage, and I could have a Tahoe rental house for the same money I was bleeding to go fishing a month in the delta, in order to "save money" not driving to the Hat Creek area to trout fish. I had pontoon boats before but wanted something to cover more ground. I saw some guys fishing the delta and Clear Lake from kayaks, and I thought it would be perfect. My first kayak was a Cobra Fish n' dive, just like theirs. Paddle kayak. Big and fat like a barge. And slower. Met a guy with a Ocean Kayak Trident 15. I was filled with kayak envy, it was much faster and better laid out for the type of fishing I did. Sold my Cobra in less than a month and bought an Ocean Kayak Trident 15 Angler. Paddle kayak. Loved it. Showed the Striped Bass and black bass in the California delta NO MERCY. Great for longer distances, the rudder made crosswinds a breeze to fight, I could surf launch and rockfish, it opened tons of new waters to me that didn't entail 400 miles and $150 of roundtrip driving to fish trout streams (remember, I lived in The Peoples Socialist Republic of Kalifornia) per trip.  I was fat and happy  with "Big Yellow"( my nickname for my Trident) until those BASTARDS  at Hobie came out with the Pro Angler and had a test drive session in SF Bay where I was Striper fishing. I fell in love. Not only was it twice as fast and easier to operate, but I could fish and travel at the same time. Standing up and sight fishing was easy. Seat was comfortable.  So I maxxed out a Visa card and took one home. LOVE IT. Best one person platform that is human powered for less than class II water. I drift the Willamette for smallies and LM, salmon, I have drifted the John Day, Columbia, punish the salmon and rockfish at the coast ( surf launches are pretty easy, you need a paddle too), and Crane Prairie trout fear me. I was originally "worried" about the weight, but you NEVER benchpress the boat onto the roofrack, and with a set of wheels it goes everywhere. My only wish was my garage door was higher so I could drive into the garage with it on top, I would never take it off at home and fish even more. Then those BASTARDS at Hobie went and improved the steering, added a grab bar to make standing up and fishing easier yet, and now I almost feel the need to buy another new one. 5 people have "dibs" on my PA the minute I want to pull the trigger on a new PA. I guess I better do my taxes soon to see where I am for the year.

I keep my Trident to work out my upper body and rougher surf launches, but here in the PNW I mostly use my Pro Angler. Pedal, Pedal, Pedal. 

Get a Pro Angler, bite the bullet and drink the Koolaid. You better get the wife a Hobie pedal boat too. If you don't the first time she tries you PA, you'll never get it back.