Bought my first Kayak for fishing today

[drbeat1]

Well, I took the dive today and went in on a 2020 Hobie Pro Angler 12 (camo color).  I will take delivery on it tomorrow.  Wasn't too sure I wanted to spend $900 more for the new 360 MirageDrive system as it is very new and I haven't seen many reports on it.  The current MirageDrive 180 system has been proven over the years, so that is why I went with that one.  It seems the Pro Angler has a lot of built in features compared to other fishing kayaks I saw in the showroom.  

 

If anyone has any ideas for accessories or things I may want to upgrade on this kayak, please... I would love to hear your feedback.  Also, would love to hear feedback from other Pro Angler owners about their experiences.

 

I do not own a power boat, so I hope this will work in the interim of buying a power boat.  

 

Thanks for reading...

[dickenscpa]

TBH, I would fish it a time or two as is and you’ll get a feel for what you’re lacking so to speak. My first kayak, although a nicer one was a paddle only. Bought it back in Sept and moved to a pedal this Spring. I have things that were necessities on the paddle kayak that are now just taking space in the garage. 
 

I bought some things based off YT videos when I rigged out originally and then realized I just didn’t care for that setup. 
 

On my paddle kayak I had an Anchor Wizard, stake out pole, anchor trolley And with pedals and instant reverse I’m just not putting all of that on this one. The way I fish it’s just not needed. When I was paddle only I had to anchor just to keep some type of position to make a few casts. Pull all of that stuff up and move down every so often or one arm a paddle and one arm a rod. 
 

I also thankfully nixed the idea of a micro anchor before laying out almost $1000. Had a buddy sell his yak and upgrade and kept his micro anchor. He let me try it while he was waiting on his new one to come in. I usually sit in about 10-12’ casting into 3-6’ and it was unusable with an 8’ pole. As a matter of fact I go under a few bridges quite a bit and it was more of an issue than a help. If I fished any swift current shallow rivers I might think differently. 

[CountryboyinDC]

For that kayak, I would start with a pair of anchor trolleys.  It's one of the nicest fishing kayaks available, yes, but for bass fishing it doesn't have a hands free reverse.  I have a pair of YakAttack Leverloc HD trolleys on my pedal kayak (a Old Town Predator PDL), and I use them for stakeout poles as well as traditional anchors.  The others, including those cobbled together with Harken pulleys work fine, but the Leverloc HD comes with backing plates, which for some reason I feel is necessary. 

If you were used to kayak fishing, you may be fine with using a paddle in your lap.

The Hobie PA comes with pretty much everything you'll need, except for a PFD.  You want a comfortable one of those with a very high back so you can take advantage of the best seat in the business, which you have.  

If your plan is to move to a powerboat relatively soon, I would try to avoid going overboard with electronics and gadgets.  The resale value for you is in the kayak, the other stuff is going to be hard pressed to be anything other than depreciation.  You may decide that you really just like kayak fishing.  I like that I get a little exercise, and I have one less thing with an internal combustion engine, insurance, and other headaches.

[king fisher]

I bought a Hobie Outback a few months ago, I fish for a couple hours in it almost every day. I have had some of the most enjoyable fishing experiences, of my life, and some of the most frustrating experiences kayak fishing.  Don't get discouraged, the frustration goes away with time on the water. I recommend fishing with yours a few times before you start to buy accessories.  The Hobie Pro Angler comes equipped with rod holders, slots for pliers, etc., lots of places to store gear, and a great pedal system.  Depending on how you fish, you might not want anything more than a PFD  and if the water is cold, rain gear, or waders ( you will get wet in all but the calmest  conditions).  An Anchor system can come in handy when I bass fish, but I use the anchor less now that I learned to plan my casts and boat position more in advance.  A milk crate works as well as anything to store tackle boxes.

      If you are going to use it on lakes that can get rough, or salt water, I highly recommend taking it out with no gear, and practice getting in after flipping  a few times.  Also practice launching and landing, on a beach with some wind and waves.  A little practice in less than ideal conditions, will give you a good idea of what you are capable of handling without risking any expensive fishing equipment.