Recommendations for river fishing, as well as sightseeing

All,

New to kayaking. Have been doing a lot of research, and I'm leaning toward the Hobie Mirage peddle-drive kayaks.

Me:
- 6', 220 lbs.
- Also have a brother about the same height, 250 lbs., hoping the boat I buy would fit us both (but still want a 'single' kayak).

What I want to do:
- fish
- crab (with a few traps)
- sightsee

Locations where I'll be doing this:
- Choptank River (MD, off of Chesapeake Bay)
- Blackwater wildlife refuge (same general area, but more protected than the Choptank)

The kayaks I've considered:
- Hobie Mirage Outback Fishing Kayak (I think some fisherman's name is used as a testimonial; can't remember it)
- Hobie Adventure (fishing model)

Am I even in the ballpark, as far as kayaks go, for what I want to do, and where I want to do it?

I am thinking that storage space would be important, but since I've never owned or used a kayak, this is a guess at this point. I am thinking that I want the kayak to be good at fishing on a river that could get rough, but be suitable enough to just buzz around, sightsee, and take pictures.

Anyone have advice as to which kayak would be better suited for this? Or maybe others, that I haven't even considered?

Thanks,

sgl

Very much in the park. Two excellent choices. kayakfishingstuff.com is another excellent resource for comparison. Depending on what your needs are for speed, sailing, and paddle-ability, etc, opinions very greatly on the two boats. The new models should be coming out soon from Hobie (maybe). If you can arrange a demo with a local dealer or attend a dealer day demo you could form your own opinions of the two boats your currently looking at and maybe come across another option or twenty. Best of luck and hold on to your hat...

dueitt2s,

Thank you for responding.

I have checked out kayakfishingstuff.com, and have seen lots of reviews. It seems like people get set on the kayak they want/own, and pretty much say good things about them. I'm just trying to avoid mistakes before shelling out a lot of money.

I definitely want to be able to pedal the kayak, so it seems that the choices narrow down to the outback & adventure.

I think the speed of the two kayaks, based on what I've read (as far as pedaling is concerned) is close enough to the same that I don't think speed would be a factor for me.

Sailing is a non-issue. No interest in that, really.

Paddling is an interesting question. I envision pedaling most of the time, but I can also see doing sightseeing in areas where paddling might be required at points. I don't mean running rivers where rocks become a concern, but rather salt marshes where water may be shallow. gotta be able to escape the mosquitos!

So, I definitely want to fish (and hopefully, crab with a few traps, if at all possible, so that means I need some areas to keep crabs). To be able to paddle when necessary would be nice. I wonder how bad the outback is at paddling - i seem to see reviews either saying it's a pig (but does that mean you CAN'T paaddle it?), or that paddling is ok, given that you pedal most of the time.

So, what is the REAL difference between the two? I mean, they both come with fishing versions; the both have the pedal-drive systems. Not having seen an Adventure up close, and an Outback that was hung vertically from the ceiling (so that I couldn't look in all the hatches), I can't tell the differences. Does one have more surface area for stuff than the other? what about internal storage?

My gut says that the two kayaks are designed for different things, but I can't put my finger on it.

Your point of tryin them both out is excellent - I've scheduled a 'test drive' of both. now, for the silly question: what exactly do i look for, or do, on the test? i'd imagine that it COULD be like test driving a car: i have my mind pretty much made up BEFORE the test drive, and the test drive isn't doing too much for me; i 'see' what i want to see, not the 'bad' that i discover after a month of driving but I don't want that to happen with the kayaks... so if there is a 'routine' that i should follow, opinions would be appreciated.

When are the new outbacks/adventures coming out, and what improvements are there? I could wait a bit, if it's worth it.

thanks,
sgl

If I might chime in, the Outback has worked VERY well for me. I use it as a fishing platform and for sight seeing. I want/lust for the Adventure for many reasons but NOT for increased stability nor additional comfort. I am 6'4" and weigh 230 lbs. Inseam is 32 and I dont use the full extension available on the Mirage unit. I do think that the "Turbo Fins" will make the boat go a bit faster and if you are willing to flutter them the boat will still float and go in 9" of water. I do paddle it and it is a bit of a chore. A longer paddle would help (I think) but not enough to go off and pay over $100.00 for one. I've been in rivers, on flats and in deep water. The boat has performed as advertised.

The first expensive addition to the boat system was a Dry Suit so I could use the boat all winter. This I did and think that next to the boat itself the suit has been a wonderful addition. Staying warm and dry in the winter was a unique experience while being so clost to the water. Wish I hae had the suit in my dingy racing days.

You won't go wrong with either boat but I think you will be more pleased with the Outback. BTW the name on my boat is "Hank Parker" who ever he is. Doesn't make the boat do anything better than any of the other Outbacks can do with the additionof a few accessories added.

Monitor the KFS site forum for "For Sale or Trade". There are some good deals there sometimes. I think KFS includes shipping in the purchase price. Then again it's not to far up to them that you can't go for a day trip. Long day though.

[quote="sgl"] “The kayaks I've considered:
- Hobie Mirage Outback Fishing Kayak (I think some fisherman's name is used as a testimonial; can't remember it)
- Hobie Adventure (fishing model)â€

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Apalach,

Thank you very much for your response! It's appreciated!

My reponses:

1. Speed.
Not a big factor to me, so either kayak would be fine.

2. Stability.
Aha! Now we're getting somewhere, and your comments are 100% accurate. If any one else who's new to kayaking reads this, you MUST take the kayaks out for a test. That's the ONLY way to figure out what's good for you. I thought I'd go for the Adventure. I didn't!
I thought the Adventure was more stable than the Outback (I'm 6', 220 lbs.). My brother, who is about 6', 250 lbs., thought the exact opposite. He fought the Adventure the whole time. Note that the 'tippiness' of the Outback was acceptable to me, though. I got used to it quickly.

3. Wetness.
Again, not a great concern, simply because I really (for now) don't plan to be out when it's cold; that may change, but then I won't be wearing a T-shirt & bathing suit

4. Suitability for what I want to do.
This is what did it for me. The Outback has more areas for someone who wants to fish. I can put supplies in lots of different places, and I like the forward rod holders. Just a presonal preference. The Adventure just didn't measure up, at least to me, for fishing. I also like the idea of a shorter kayak, for storage purposes.

5. Places to add stuff.
I like the Outback just because it has most of the stuff I want already. I am going to wait a while to add anything. Don't really know what, if anything, I need in addition to what it comes with. I'll figure that out over time.

6. Weight.
The outback is fine for a 6 footer in the 220-250 range I also had no problems with the Adventure.

7. Storage.
Outback. Shorter If anyone has any unique storage solutions for small spaces, I'm all ears.

8. Fishing model.
Maybe a scam, but I'm happy to have gotten everything I wanted in the package, so no complants. My brother and I both bought an Outback fishing model. It was interesting to note that He got an orange one, with a cooler with a round bucket style. I got a green kayak, and it had a soft cooler. Dunno why there was a difference, but no complaints about it, regardless.


Thanks for the pics - they're great!

The pedal drive can't be beaten! I was on the water all day, two days in a row, going miles and miles (as per GPS), and wasn't worn out. Enjoyed every minute of it, and couldn't believe the range that I had.

The paddle seems too short, but like another poster said, it's good enough that it's not worth spending money on a longer one.

Thanks to all!

sgl

Congrats on you Hobie Outback SUV.