Ordered my Pro Angler today - and have a few questions...

Hi Everyone,

I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a pro angler. They didn't have the ivory dune at the shop so it will be about a week till I get it. I am going to buy an evolve. I got a great deal on one used. I am going to carry the PA on top of my Volvo. Volvo makes its own roof rack system for kayaks. I know that everyone seems to move to trailers. I might go there in the future. But, for now, it is what it is...

I have been following these posts trying to get info about needs vs. wants, and where to put things. My questions are these...

1) Since I believe I will use the evolve to travel distance and the mirage drive to fish, changing them out on the water, where do you put them while not in use. The video's that I have seen puts them in the front hatch. However, that is where the fish goes... right? mmmm... lash them behind you?
2) Does anyone actually have a fish finder/GPS with side imaging sonar?
3) Do you have the transducer set up through the scupper hole or on an arm?
4) is the side imaging worth the extra price and hassle of having to put the transducer into the water?
5) Does anyone use the Bimini shade?

Thanks guys...

I'm sure that I might ask more dumb questions in the future. But, I find that asking folk with more experience than me definitely shortens my learning curve and lessens the impact on my wallet...

Has a week gone by yet??!!!

I never keep any fish so my front hatch remains available for storage. The Mirage Drive travels well inside the boat during transport. Not sure about the Evolve, it's physically much larger than the motor set up I use. It may come with a travel case or something. No idea. Someone else will have to chime in on this one.

I mounted my FF transducer onto the inside bottom of the hull. Hobie now offers a nice foam pad already cut out perfectly for the transducer that comes with most Eagle/Lowrance units. I put a small rubber hose into it at the bottom and ran that up along the inside of the gunwhale and poked it through the hull near the seat. I can add a cap full of water at the beginning of the day and it'll run down into the foam block and displace any air that might be between the transducer and hull. Works like a charm.

This is my preferred method of mounting a transducer because it's out of the way, can't get knocked off and generally just stays out of sight and mind.

No doubt there are equally good alternate opinions on what and how to mount your transducer.

After using a Humminbird side scanning sonar I don't think it is worth the extra money. my side scan FF sits at home unused while I use my internal GPS Humminbird every trip. I have a Mad Frog Liberator with a transducer arm mounted on my Pro Angler, works great and no holes to drill...

Thanks for the mad frog info, atavuss. I will look into that. It seems that side scanning is not the "must have" that a salesman told me about. LOL. I'm still up in the air as to where/how to mount a gps/fishfinder. I guess that will depend on what I get.

Tom, I don't plan on talking fish home on every trip. I will take more photo's than anything else. But, on the day that I'm going to bring home dinner, I was wondering if everyone used that hatch space up front. Or, did everyone bring a cooler for the back of the PA... or maybe a stringer... ? Anyway, thanks for the transducer tip. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet...

I can't believe that it's not the weekend yet! I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas...

Like Tom I too release almost all the fish I catch so the front hatch is where I keep most of my stuff. I just got the Evolve V2 for my PA and the motor fits nicely in the front hatch as does the Mirage Drive. I have leash clips on my Mirage Drive and the Evolve so anytime it is out of storage compartment and in use it is leashed as I don't want it going overboard if I ever momentarily remove it from the drivewell. If you do the same you can leash it and put it in the back behind your seat behind the cart wheels and just keep it leashed until your ready to use it again. That way you will still have the front storage for your fish catches.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the info... Having something fall overboard would be a nightmare that I would like to never experience. Did you buy your leashes from Hobie? And, if not, what brand are they or where is a good place to buy them?

Ray,
You can see pictures of how my FF is set up here:
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=33618&p=134775#p134775
The Humminbird 797C2 Side Scan Sonar was probably 2 or 3 times the cost of the Humminbird 788ci FF that I prefer.

I usually catch and release any trout I catch unless they are bleeders and then I usually run them to the shore where I have a full sized ice chest. Most lakes I fish are small enough where it only takes a short time to run to the shore.

Thanks for the link, atavuss. it's always easier with pictures... When traveling (out of the water), does the liberator arm detach or fold up somewhere?

RayRay,

Yes the leashes I have are Hobie brands and they have several different types. You can see them on the Hobiecat.com website by clicking open the full catalog. As stated earlier I leash everything as I have way too much money invested in my equipment to see them go to Davy Jones Locker! If you organize your yak correctly they hardly ever get in the way. They are a little pricy but a small cost for everything else you've bought. Some guys make their own using old phone cords, etc.

Jim

when beaching or leaving the beach and in shallow water the transducer arm is flipped up out of the water and lays along the top part of the arm, when the PA is out of the water the entire mount and FF is removed. very easy and neat

I guess that I will look at getting some leashes from Hobie then...
The mad frog transducer arm seems to be the only good option that I've seen that gives me the down imaging that I want. I like the hummingbird 788ci.
Thanks guys! I'm told that my PA is on a truck somewhere in between California and Florida. I sure wish that the driver would speed a little...

the great thing about the 788ci is the big numbers that I can read without my glasses!

you can make a leash from a thin rope and some brass clips for about $3. I made some of various lengths for my boat and put cheap caribiners on the opposite end to hook on to rods or anything really i want to lash.