The Mirage with rocks and stumps?

I have been kayak fishing for 2 years now using the hobie mirage drives. My first yak was a tank, the old oasis. I liked the extra seat up front to hold the fish/ adult bev cooler. Now i fish with the new revo, which is easier to maneuver and faster but i miss the front seat. Anyways, in both yaks i have fished in extreme shallow water, around oyster bars, crashed into the beach and found stumps in lakes and the drives have never failed me.

By hooking a bungee around one pedal to keep your fins flat against the boat when needed (ie. beach crashes, and shallow water) and using common sense when peddling the mirage drives are pretty tough cookies.

Personally I would recommend the Revo for your fishing environment. I have tried all of the kayaks at differing demo days and in my opinion the Revo is the best all around kayak. Ask your dealer when they are having a demo day and try out the mirage drive for yourself.

Thomas
Hobie Fishing Team
http://www.gulfcoastkayakfishing.com/
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My daughter decided to have a smaller wedding so I bought my Outback today. It's a used, moss green '07 ($1250). It's in good shape but missing a few standard accessories like the tackle trays and dry bag for the 8" hatches, and the cart. The dealer said he'd could get those for me this week (I hope they're not too expensive).

I'm planning to put her in the water this Saturday. One question – the lever to raise and lower the rudder is pretty hard operate – is that normal? The dealer said it was but he didn't have any other boats for me to compare.

I've been wanting one of these for years. Can't wait to try her out!

Scott

G'Day Scotman,
Congrats on your purchase. My daughter too is having a smaller wedding due to my recent AI purchase. A few less relatives isn't such a bad thing.
The rudder pull up mechanism is easy to adjust. Check out this info:
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=6943
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=7716

Thanks for the info, Stringy. I loosened the drum bolt and that helped a lot with the down control. The up is better, but still difficult. I might need to adjust the up line. Also, Hobie recommends using a "dry silicone lubricant." I don't know what that is – graphite? Do I just go to West Marine and ask for a "dry silicone lubricant" or is there a brand name I should know?

Can't wait for Saturday!

Thanks again,
Scott

Silicon spray is very common. You should be able to find it in any auto parts or hardware store. Call around first. Silicon is not petroleum based so it is ideal to use on your hatch seals also. It's best for the rudder because it leaves no sticky residue that can pick up sand or grit.

Spray the center bolt and (with the boat upside down) the outer rotating lip liberally. You can even spray the rudder lines. Everything should move freely but not feel sloppy or loose.

As long as you have full up-down control, and there is no slack in the left - right controls when deployed, you shouldn't have to adjust any lines.

Learn how to wiggle the rudder (left and right) when lifting. It naturally feels heavy, but good wiggling technique helps swing it right up.

Saturday I took the boat out for her intended purpose – to fish one of the fresh water rivers near my home (the Withlacoochee River). I put in by the bridge outside the Withlacoochee River Park near Dade City. The water was low compared to last time I was there a couple years ago. But there was still plenty of water to navigate. It was actually quite deep in some places.

The Outback worked great! It was everything I hoped for. I used the fly rod all day and caught a bunch of bluegill and stumpknockers (+ one gar). It was very easy to fly fish from it. I could hold my position in the current with just the peddles and a couple minor rudder adjustments – hands free fishing. It was easy to navigate over or though logs and blow-downs by bringing the fins all the way up and using the paddle. I think this is my new favorite thing!

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I've learned a lot from this forum. It was very helpful to be armed with so much good information when the opportunity came to purchase the kayak. I'm looking forward to honing my river fishing skills and passing on the benefit of my experience too.

Thanks again,
Scott