Hook2Jaw

Had a brand new 1436 Tracker Topper with a brand new Mercury 9.9 on the back. Could hit 27 with me, my tackle box, and three rods on it. Had a 45# foot controlled Motorguide on it. Bought a Hobie Outback and sold it, as I've already stated. It killed the Jon boat for ease, killed it on the bills and work, and killed the trolling motor speed. The only advantage was the Outboard. Heckem jons.

Registration of boat and trailer, tag every year for the trailer. Heck them boats, I used to have one. Bought a Hobie, forgot about it, and finally sold it.

@SuperDuty, I can't recommend too many pedal kayaks for small, quick moving rocky creeks. I'm a pond/slow river/inshore/lake angler myself. I would look into Nucanoe if they were my primary fishery, though. Their ability to be customized to your liking is second to none. I completely understand your apprehension about being hit by a boat and the amount of people who simply ignores no wake zones disgusts me. I've had a jet ski wake me so hard it knocked my favorite setup at the time off my boat. I use a Yakattack Visicarbon Pro II with a flag and light because I'm often out before first light or after dark. I've almost decided that any boater who hits another boater or kayaker wasn't paying attention. Another sad fact. But hey, on the water accidents are fairly rare and even rarer are alligator attacks. I have an 11 footer at my local PFA that I often charge with my kayaks. They're more scared of us than we are of them, I'm pretty certain. www.nucanoe.com

@SuperDuty, glad to have you on the plastic side. Stuff can get very serious very quickly on little boats, so please wear your PFD. Too many folks get gone every year and that's a shame. Those Kaku kayaks and paddleboards look amazing. I have my eye out for a used board to buy for the fiancee to exercise on and take pictures. I think those are quality craft. I would also take a look at the pedal offerings from Hobie, Old Town, and Native Watercraft. The Slayer 13s are a killer deal right now! Also, Nucanoe come pretty well equipped with that open deck you keep mentioning, plus they're capable of carrying a bow mount trolling motor. They have me wanting spot lock on a baby bass boat! Best of luck to you in whatever boat you decide to jump onto!

I think that's a great choice.

Oh, I see you say 3.94 and assumed that was your besticles.

New PB?

YUM Dinger. I keep one in my sock at all times just in case a bass falls out the sky and needs catching.

Ye olde 165 ouncer.

Me : bait monkey : BUY ALL THESE LURES

Short term New PB. Try to qualify for the KBF NC. Tarpon from my kayak. I jumped one last year. If you've ever wanted to feel like you've got nothing for a fish, hook up with a silver king on a man powered watercraft. Long term Pass my passion to my 11 month old when the time comes, if he wishes.

@Bassfisherman05081986, I believe you need to demo some boats before you make this decision. I have several friends who use 2019/20 Outbacks, one of whom is 6'4" and 250 -- he's taken it off Oak Island, NC through the surf. The stability is there. If you've actually got respectable waves and chop, a Hobie PA14 or Native Titan is not where you want to be when launching through breakers. You need a boat that can be paddled, and the narrower profiles of the Old Town Predator PDL and Hobie 2019/20 Outback are excellent for it. The Predator will cut surf better and is in my experience the faster boat. Should conditions worsen in your bay, you're going to want to be in a fast boat that knifes water. @Fishingmickey, give the drive some hard kicks with the rudder straight and the skeg up, then cut to left or right. You'll be pretty amazed how well a PA14 can turn when you do.

@CountryboyinDC, I seriously think it's faster than a Hobie, having sold one a week before I bought the Predator. I would not hesitate for a minute to surf launch it, either. Man, the Predator is an awesome craft. I do miss how much deck space my PA14 had, but I'm working on getting everything in place.

I'm standing and fishing easily, @Boomstick. Demo both! I have a messed up knee from climbing trees for 14 years, but the drive is very, very efficient and reaches a quick cruise easily. I think either boat with the PDL Drive will take care of your ankles.

The displacement hulls of those kayaks are going to make any difference in effort required for the same propulsion pretty small, but I hear you on the lighter weight! I think those Compasses are fine boats. Everything that Hobie makes comes with quality.

Well, when we crush some farms I can show you how I FG. There isn't any easy way. The tension annoys my hands/teeth and when my wraps overlap I start over all the time. I forgot how to tie the Crazy Alberto, though. As far as wacky rigging goes I'm as lost as you. Always been a weightless Texas guy myself, but did read a few tips and one guy mentioned not overworking the bait. Seems like he works it like you work a drop shot, by allowing slack into the line and tightening back up with a rod lift before reintroducing slack. I don't even know what hooks to grab.

Bah. Working. Babysitting my kid. I'm down to come bust some banks whenever, though. Well, not Monday-Friday.

Where's my invite at!?

Seeing them is horrible, breaking them off is traumatic. When I first got into bassing as an adult, the stick worm was the only bait worth throwing for me. I caught bass everywhere with Yamamoto Senkos and then YUM Dingers. One day after work, I walked to a pond I had no business being at and caught two small ones in quick succession. The next hookup was in an open part in pads, and I'll never forget it. When I set the hook on her, she did not move, I was entirely sure I was snagged. Then that zzzzzzt of sweet drag music started playing, and this behemoth made a move for deep water. She had her way with my 2/0 EWG, 10# fluorocarbon leader, and 20# braid. I was entirely sure there was no way she was a bass -- I was hopeful, but my biggest bass before that was a seven pound Ogeechee river fish I had caught with my grandfather when I was eleven. I had no idea how powerful one of that magnitude could be. She finally tired, and a I started to regain line. I then saw a colossal white belly and the telltale lateral line and dark green. This was no turtle, nor catfish, no. This was a bass, and this is a personal best on an epic scale on the end of my line. I became nervous and seconds turn into minutes. I got her to the line where the pads begin, but she had regained strength and gave me a second run. I've got her this far, as long as she tires herself, she's my fish. I can land this fish. Her second run was considerably shorter and I've got her belly up, coming to me over the pads. Everything is going according to plan. I've already thrown my phone and wallet out of my jeans, you know, in case I need to wade in for her. I had that fish so close I was reaching down to get my thumb around her massive jawbone and she does one last thrash, my hook comes out and she turns and swims away. I'm glad my "lost fish" scale is deadly accurate, because I am the reason the bass world record of 32 pounds is still held by a Georgian.

If I were you I would consider the Predator instead. It is a sleek, fast machine. I got mine up to 8mph yesterday and and it could hold a high 6 with effort. Cruising at 4.5 is not an issue. This thing smokes my 2017 Hobie Pro Angler 14.

An H2O Xpress Ultimate Jerk Shad. She was 6.72 pounds. Largemouth, early February.

Without reading the previous suggestions, this is how I would use your setups. 1 : Jerkbaits, almost exclusively. Because I jerk on fluorocarbon and I don't like it for topwaters. I could also see using it for smaller Texas/Carolina rigs with 2/0 worm hooks, so 4" worms. 2 : Topwater. I also prefer a medium powered rod for most of my small crankbaits, so with that in mind, braid to mono on this setup. 3 : Medium to deep crankbaits, single hooked moving baits(buzz, chatter, spinnerbait, swimbaits.) I like my rod to flex easily for cranks and load deep to keep them pinned during prolonged fights with easily thrown single hooks. Braid to mono for this as well. 4 : Lipless cranks, my finesse jigs, and lighter worming. Probably straight fluorocarbon. 5 : Big jigs, big worming. Offshore work. I'm torn between straight fluoro and braid to fluoro. 6 : Flipping and pitching. Larger swimbaits. Braid for the former, a mono leader for the latter. 7 : Weightless worms, flukes, shakey. Braid to 10# fluoro. 8 : Dropshot and Ned rigging. Braid to 6# fluoro. 9 : I would sell this and get a dedicated frog setup. ?

Sounds like I need to try the Daiwa Tatula SV TWS. Shout out to the Daiwa Tatula 100.

Well, if you're of the idea that the Hobie Compass can't handle what you're going to throw at it -- weight included, that really removes the Vibe Shearwater from the conversation. The Hobie Compass will handle waves in the bay as well as any other pedal drive kayak that was built with such things in mind. It'll probably handle you and fishing gear just fine, especially for surf launches. One can never travel light enough for those types of excursions, in my opinion. If you're pushing through surf and trying to cut waves, you will eventually get rolled. It's not if, it's when. Out of the Native Watercraft you listed, the Native Slayer Propel 13 is a better choice for your body weight than the Manta Ray Angler. The Manta Ray has less weight capacity than a Hobie Compass. The Slayer isn't up to your width requirement of 35", but I imagine it's stable enough and it's easier to launch a thinner kayak through surf launches. The hull or the slayer is going to cut through waves and roll more efficiently with less slap. The Old Town Topwater would not be on my list of boats to handle waves, it's more of a flat water craft. I would steer clear of the Riot Mako 12. I would purchase a Perception Pescador Pilot before I would ever think of the Riot Mako. I think you should demo the boats you have in mind, but the Native Slayer Propel 13 looks like your best bet, to me.

I've got a friend who fished a Pelican Catch with the Hydryve, his drive malfunctioned three times in the span of four fishing trips. Pelican made it right each and every time, but it was a hassle for him. I would count that boat out for a few years, if they even continue to produce it with their version of the Mirage Drive. As far as the Vibe goes, Vibe makes a decent boat. I've always been an advocate for the Seaghost as a starter fishing kayak, having used one myself a few times and thoroughly enjoying it. The Shearwater, however, sits ridiculously low in the water. That's going to be a wet ride and I don't think that Vibe is going to have an easy time making sure their version of the Mirage drive works up to snuff. The masts in the fin assembly have to bend under impact rather than break the drive itself, and it's a fine line to toe without years and years of R&D. I've been in a 2010 Hobie Outback, excellent boat. 2017 Hobie PA14, excellent boat. I have nothing bad to say about Hobie's offerings and I would suggest you grab a Compass or a new Outback, they are proven platforms with proven drives with years of R&D behind them. I realize they're considerably more expensive, but I promise the Catch Hydryve will let you down and that Shearwater scares me. I'm currently in an Old Town Predator 2020 as of yesterday and took it out for the first time today. The PDL Drive is far more efficient than any Mirage Drive I've ever been behind and I do not say that lightly, I am a Hobie fanboy. I've got a lot of weeds as well and I promise you I've often had to bust out my paddle when I've gotten my Hobie kayaks into the green stuff. Keep the propeller drive kayaks in mind, the ability to not have to hand switch from forward to reverse and vice-versa is a life saver and allowed me to fish a pocket today, in the wind after storms battered the East coast, for about 30 minutes and land two bass in post frontal conditions. I would not have been able to hold position as easily in the PA14. Each and every boat will come with it's own unique advantages and disadvantages, but I would stick with proven kayaks from Old Town, Hobie, and Native Watercraft if you're looking for a pedal kayak. Edit: I just saw your edit. Get a Hobie Compass or look for a used Predator PDL or Hobie Outback.