Hobie pro angler 12

I am new to the hobie forum and have a couple questions. Well I hate to do it but I am selling my Ranger bass boat and getting a Hobie pro angler 12. Tired of putting money into a boat. Anyways how will the Pro Angler compare to fishing out of a larger boat? I am interested in your opinions. Have any of you done this and wished you had not? What do you all think of the Outback vs the Pro Angler for bass fishing on small and large lakes.
Thanks

Paul

I have never owned a bass boat so I cannot honestly comment on making the transition. I have fished a lot on my buddy's SmokerCraft boat, out on Lake Michigan and some large inland lakes, but that is not bass fishing. FWIW, on big water the boat can get you to the fish a lot faster than the PA can. It is nothing to head out a couple miles in his boat and then drop lines. Getting to that same spot in my PA14 takes me half an hour or more so that is fishing time lost (or good exercise, depending on your point of view). Once on the fish, it is a lot more fun in the PA than on the boat, though. In terms of licensing, registration, overhead maintenance, etc - PA comes out way ahead. If you were to go PA14 you will probably end up with a trailer at some point, which comes with an extra level of maintenance headaches. PA12 or Outback can probably be thrown in the back of your truck more regularly than a PA14, again simplifying things from your current bass boat and trailer setup. I am not a bass guy, but when I catch them it is always fairly close to shore anyway and the stealth factor of the PA in getting around in the shallows is a big plus, especially if you get a 2017 with the new 180-reverse drive.

Paul,

I'll repost my response here under your thread in the Pro Angler forum from the other thread under "Kayak Fishing".

----------

I sold my Pro Craft 22 foot bass boat back in 2012 and bought a PA 14 and have never regretted the decision. After fishing for 3 plus decades out of a bass boat, I found myself not getting out as much as I wanted to. A lot of the bigger lakes that I could use the boat in were an hour or more away. We have a 225 acre private lake in the subdivision I live in, but you can't run a motor bigger than 30 hp in it. The cost of gas for the boat and hauling the boat were key factors as well.

A friend said "Have you ever thought about a Hobie kayak?". I started researching and realized that if I was going to get a Hobie, it had to be Mirage drive driven. It was a toss up at the time between an Outback or the Pro Angler. I sold the bass boat and purchased a 2012 Pro Angler for myself and a 2012 Revolution 11 for the wife.

In retrospect I should have switched sooner. There are some similarities to fishing from a bass boat. You can stand and cast in the PA. You can sneak up on fish and not spook them, but instead of using that trolling motor on the bow, you're using your feet to quietly pedal up to a spot. Instead of screaming along at 65 mph to get to a fishing spot, you're using your feet to glide through the water at a totally different but relaxing pace.

I probably average 15 hours a week fishing out of a Pro Angler. There are so many areas than you can get that you would never be able to with a bass boat and the flexibility to fish almost any body of water cannot compare to a bass boat. The same amount of fishing gear I took in the bass boat can be hauled in the PA. You can get insurance from most insurance companies to cover the PA and your gear at a very reasonable rate to give you piece of mind for your investment.

I'm on my 3rd PA 14 now. I had my 2013 PA 14 up for sale. I thought a 2017 Outback along with my 2015 PA 14 would be the best of both worlds. I would have the new Mirage Drive 180 that I could use in both. After testing the Outback out a few weeks ago, I decided to keep the 2013 PA 14. I could not see myself giving up the nicer Vantage seat and the floor/storage space for an Outback. If someone went fishing with me and used the 2013 PA 14, I wanted them to enjoy the same comfort and conveniences I had in the 2015 PA.

I'm in my early 60s and look forward to any time I can get on the water in a Pro Angler. Once you start you will be hooked and understand why it's referred to as an "Addiction".

_________________
Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass

I own a ranger z21 a Parker 1801, a hobie pro angler 12 and a floattube fishing from the hobie is kinda soulful. No big boat to trailer, no launch ramp traffic, no gas, no big motor, just quiet paddling....... simplicity. I love fishing skinny water, in and around even under docks. It's very comfortable good storage and just fun. One downfall is the ability to run and gun. With my ranger I'll pull up the trolling motor and hall ass to the other end of the lake without a second thought.

I have a 2012 PA12
I also have a ob 22' walkaround cuddy cabin boat
I mostly fish in saltwater
I prefer the PA over the boat if I can reach the spot in the PA
I feel comfortable pedaling up to around 15 miles round trip. 6-8 mi. is common
Like others have said, you can't be in a hurry getting there.
But once there, you are stealth and can thoroughly fish a spot without spooking the fish
The PA is great for my lake fishing when I do go.