Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:20 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:38 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:26 am
Posts: 3
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


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:39 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:20 pm
Posts: 2
I am also new to the forum. I am currently waiting for my 2017 PA14 to arrive. I have rented and paddled several kayaks over the past 2 years and I always come back to the PA14. I prefer the PA over the Outback because I like the room to move around and storage. I fish larger lakes and rivers in Texas. The kayak community are a bit friendlier than the local bass club where your status is measured by the type of boat you drive. Everyone is a friend.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 5:54 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:41 pm
Posts: 951
Location: Lake Park, GA
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".

Image

_________________
Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:40 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:26 am
Posts: 3
Thanks for the reply's! That is exactly what I wanted to hear. Just was not sure if I would like fishing from a kayak. But now I am looking forward to it. Selling the boat tonight :( Picking up a Hobie in the Spring :D

Thanks again


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 10:34 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:41 pm
Posts: 951
Location: Lake Park, GA
antlertwo wrote:
Thanks for the reply's! That is exactly what I wanted to hear. Just was not sure if I would like fishing from a kayak. But now I am looking forward to it. Selling the boat tonight :( Picking up a Hobie in the Spring :D

Thanks again


In case you didn't see it, there is a Pro Angler specific section in the Hobie forums where you can get tons of input on the Pro Angler. Here's the forum link.

viewforum.php?f=78

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

_________________
Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group