Hobie Pro Angler 12 or 14?

I am thinking about maybe buying one of these Hobie Pro Anglers. The problem is I likely would have to order one without trying them because it doesn't look like there is a dealer near me. Does anyone have any input of any advantages or disadvantages when comparing the 12' and the 14'. My first inclination is the 12' because I have back trouble and it would be lighter to load and unload, plus easier to store in the garage. However I am not real small and I would hate for the 12' to not be very stable when fishing, especially when standing or in open water.

I would appreciate any advise or opinions from anyone with experience fishing from a kayak, especially anyone who has tried either of these models.

its hard to go wrong with either one. The PA12 will be a great boat and very stable and it is just as wide as the PA14. The PA12 will be lighter and more maneuverable with still plenty of space and storage. The PA 12 also has a weight capacity 500 pounds. so that shouldn't be an issue. sounds like the 12 would fit your needs very well. do you have any other questions?

where are you located? In KY you can see these boats at Quest Outdoors or J&H Lanmark.

Thanks so much for the reply and the information. Although I do really like idea of the pedal design of the Hobie after more research I am now instead leaning more towards a Nucanoe Frontier. Do you have any feedback on that in comparison?

[QUOTE=SLP;509741]Thanks so much for the reply and the information. Although I do really like idea of the pedal design of the Hobie after more research I am now instead leaning more towards a Nucanoe Frontier. Do you have any feedback on that in comparison?[/QUOTE]

I can say just from personal experience, I recently made the switch from a regular fishing kayak (Jackson Coosa) to a Hobie Outback. The mirage drive is ALL the difference. I can't tell you how nice it is to not have to use a paddle. Hands free fishing!! If the wind blows I no longer have to have rod in one hand and paddle in the other to keep myself aligned to where I want to be fishing. Not to mention the speed, I can cover nearly twice as much water in the same amount of time than I could using a paddle. I would give alot of consideration to any of the Hobies. I'm very glad I made the switch!! stability, speed, and most of all the hands free part of it....

[QUOTE=MagikSmallie;509745]I can say just from personal experience, I recently made the switch from a regular fishing kayak (Jackson Coosa) to a Hobie Outback. The mirage drive is ALL the difference. I can't tell you how nice it is to not have to use a paddle. Hands free fishing!! If the wind blows I no longer have to have rod in one hand and paddle in the other to keep myself aligned to where I want to be fishing. Not to mention the speed, I can cover nearly twice as much water in the same amount of time than I could using a paddle. I would give alot of consideration to any of the Hobies. I'm very glad I made the switch!! stability, speed, and most of all the hands free part of it....[/QUOTE]

Thank you for you input, those are some of the reason that first attracted me to the Hobie. This is turning out to be a harder decision than I thought it was going to be.

Another consideration is where you intend to fish. A couple of the guys I surf fish with have Hobies with peddle drive (I have an OK Caper, no peddles). When we are saltwater fishing on the Atlantic, they have a definite advantage with the hands free fishing. Easier for them to stay over a hump or rock pile in wind/current when we are jigging for bottom dewling species. Same for trolling. On some of the smaller bodies of water I fish here, those peddle drives would be at a disadvantage. They need something like 18 inches below them or the drive will drag. They are bigger and heavier, so not as easy to get in and out of tight spots. Fishing open water with depth, peddle drive will provide some definite advantages over paddle. Shallower water and places with more difficult access, a smaller paddle type will be better. I have never tried standing up and fishing in a yak, so I cannot address that part. You can upgrade the seats so you might find something that works better for you than the stock seat.

Andrew

[QUOTE=apb;509802]Another consideration is where you intend to fish. A couple of the guys I surf fish with have Hobies with peddle drive (I have an OK Caper, no peddles). When we are saltwater fishing on the Atlantic, they have a definite advantage with the hands free fishing. Easier for them to stay over a hump or rock pile in wind/current when we are jigging for bottom dewling species. Same for trolling. On some of the smaller bodies of water I fish here, those peddle drives would be at a disadvantage. They need something like 18 inches below them or the drive will drag. They are bigger and heavier, so not as easy to get in and out of tight spots. Fishing open water with depth, peddle drive will provide some definite advantages over paddle. Shallower water and places with more difficult access, a smaller paddle type will be better. I have never tried standing up and fishing in a yak, so I cannot address that part. You can upgrade the seats so you might find something that works better for you than the stock seat.

Andrew[/QUOTE]

APB is right about that!! However, the pedal drive EASILY comes out. I fish Elkhorn creek in my hobie and just leave the mirage drive at home and use my paddle. The Outback pulls less draft than my old coosa. So it can still be used in "Skinny" water, and still used as a traditional Kayak without the mirage drive!

I have read about some Kayaks being stable enough to stand and fish from them. Are any of the Hobie 's stable enough for that. How often is that really feasible anyway since I will be fishing rivers and lakes? I'm interested in getting a Kayak and want to gather more information. Thanks for your reply.

[QUOTE=Olgrey;509865]I have read about some Kayaks being stable enough to stand and fish from them. Are any of the Hobie 's stable enough for that. How often is that really feasible anyway since I will be fishing rivers and lakes? I'm interested in getting a Kayak and want to gather more information. Thanks for your reply.[/QUOTE]

I know I've stood up alot in my old Jackson Coosa, and You can stand in either the Hobie Outback, PA-12/PA-14. The Hobie Outback is ALOT more stable than the coosa when both sitting and standing. On a lake or still water it's very feasible, comfortable, stable and I do it often!

[QUOTE=Olgrey;509865]I have read about some Kayaks being stable enough to stand and fish from them. Are any of the Hobie 's stable enough for that. How often is that really feasible anyway since I will be fishing rivers and lakes? I'm interested in getting a Kayak and want to gather more information. Thanks for your reply.[/QUOTE]

Take a look at the video about stability (second row down page) for the [I]Nucanoe Frontier[/I]

[URL="http://www.nucanoe.com/videos/"]NuCanoe - Hybrid kayaks for fishing, hunting, paddling, and more![/URL]

The lighter weight, the greater stability, that I can add a second seat if I want to occasionally bring my son, and the fact that I came across a thread on another forum where a few people had some quality issues with the Hobie's are a few of the reasons I think I am leaning towards this model.

What kind of fishing will you normally be doing? Small lakes, rivers, larger lakes? I ask because the Nucanoe is a great kayak but if you'll be fishing anywhere that you'll need to paddle distances you may want to consider the Nucanoe's paddling efficiency. As wide as it is it can be a real bear to paddle for any length of time.
*I am only going off of what I've heard others say and have not paddled one myself.

I have three Hobie Outbacks and Ive had a Hobie Sport and a Hobie Revolution 13. I am getting a new PA14 in a couple of months. The guys on my kayak fishing team have Hobie PA14s. If they can stand in them fighting fish like grouper, snapper and AJs ripping out 30#s of drag in two foot seas, you wont have a problem standing on a Hobie PA (12 or 14) in a lake or river. lol

Hobie doesnt have any quality issues. In freshwater you will probably never have to worry about anything but of course salt water eventually gets to even the toughest of metals. Eventually chains and cables can fail, especially if they are not properly cleaned after being in salt water.

Between the two I say go for the 14. The 12 isnt THAT much lighter and the 14 has more room but Im use to fishing the Gulf of Mexico where the size of the kayak isnt an issue. Perhaps 12 would be better suited for small creeks and stuff but honestly in those situations either PA is going to be a pain as they dont paddle well at all. If youre going to be doing nearly all of your fishing on lakes or large rivers the PA is the BEST non motorized platform available. Period.