Hobie Mirage or Nucanoe?

[4beader]

Hi all,

I am tired of my pontoon and the whole wader bit when using it. I am going to keep it for rivers, but I am looking at getting either a Hobie Outcast Mirage or the Nucanoe. I plan to use it for stillwater fishing for trout here on the east side of Washington. There is only one Nucanoe dealer here in the Yakima area and none for the Hobie Mirage so I am hoping you guys (or gals) can help me decide which is the better fishing platform I only fly fish and generally do not drag woolly buggers around trolling. Given the high price of gasoline I really don't want to drive all over the state looking before I am ready to pull the trigger on a purchase. I have zero expirence with kayaks but most prams are simply too heavy for an old guy like me to man handle around. Any input would be helpful. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions. Should I wait and see what the new Native craft looks like?

Jim Harper

[Big Bad Wulff]

Have you looked at the Native Ultimate?

[4beader]

No, I am tending to favor the Hobie Mirage because of the ability to move and fish at the same time. Maybe, I need to look at that one also. Thanks. Jim

[Thwack]

How are you planning to get your final choice to/from the water? If you're tossing them in the back of a truck, either is probably fine. If you have to lift them on top of a minivan or SUV, the weight might be a big factor.

[Duncan Smith]

I have no experience with a Nucanoe but I do have a Hobie Revolution and I previously owned an Outback, I also own an Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 sit on top kayak so i can tell you why I like each one and where I use them.

The Hobie is great as long as you have clearance, it takes a foot or so for the flippers to work. You can raise the flippers to slid over shoals but you have to be able to do it before you reach the shallow area, other wise you can bend a shaft or get stuck, or in a worst case flip if you get caught in swift water. That being said, I find it to be almost no problem in the areas I fish and the worst I have ever done is to slightly bend a shaft when I struck a rock that I couldn't see.

What the Hobie is great at is letting you fish while you pedal. I never could figure out that paddling and casting process. Paddle, put the paddle down, cast the fly, paddle again. I like fishing small streams and ponds and "banging the banks" with the fly, This is where the Hobie is best. You pedal and cast at the same time, you steer with your left hand.

When I used the Prowler I usually paddled somewhere and got out and waded. I was going to keep the prowler for times I needed to paddle but I am now going to sell it because if I don't use the drive and plug the hole the Hobie paddles as good as the Prowler.

You really need to go somewhere and demo both before you make a final decision. You will find some real kayakers have a negative opinion about the Hobie because it is not traditional, if fact there is a real love hate thing about Hobies, you either really like them or you really don't, I like mine.

Good luck in your search.

Duncan

[flybinder]

PM Warren P. He can give you a fair run down, on owning the Nucanoe, over the other watercraft he's owned in the past. There's also a thread, here, in Paddling, about his new craft and what he honestly thinks about it.

[James Smith]

I'm another person who can't really speak to you about the Nucanoe, but I've owned a Hobie Outback for about five years and I absolutely love it. I've never operated it in fast moving water so far since I mainly fish ponds and lakes but I find it to be very stable, easy to operate and super quiet. As far as loading for travel, it is a bit heavy at around 56lbs (I think) and anything that size/shape can be awkward. When I sold my pickup truck, I picked up a small trailer for a SkiDoo and it works great for the Hobie.

With the wheel system, you can toss in all your gear and get it to the water very easily. This is by far the best personal fishing craft I?ve ever used.

Jim Smith

[WarrenP]

4beader,

I cannot give you any advise on what you should purchase. You need to demo both and decide for yourself which one will do what you want it to do. I have never owned a Hobie Outcast Mirage, but, have seen them being used by others on the rivers here. They look like they handle very well and I did notice that in very shallow water they had to drift through due to not enough water for the flippers to work. I never had an interest in a demo of one due to the seating position that you would have. My back would not take sitting with my legs straight out in front of me for very long. I have seen people in kayaks and once again, my back would not tolerate the position you must sit in. With the Hobie, it looks like your legs, feet and flipper arms would be a nightmare for your fly line to tangle in plus you are confined to fish straight ahead only unless you side arm the cast and turn your head to the left or right to fish. All of what I have said is only from observation and not from actual experience of using the Hobie and all of my observations are from using a fly rod because that is all I use no matter what species of fish I am fishing for. If one should use a spinning rod it might be different. My NuCanoe allows me to have my knees bent very much like sitting in a chair or I can sit cross legged if I want and I can change positions to get more comfortable. I can relocate the seat to another location in the NuCanoe if needed. I can haul another person with me if needed. I can turn sideways and fish. I can, if I wanted to, stand and stretch and the most important feature , as far as I am concerned, is that the NuCanoe is very, very stable. I just feel you have more freedom of movement in the NuCanoe where in the Hobie, you are pretty much restricted to just one postion and that being your feet straight out in front and your upper body leaned back some. It just does not look comfortable to me. I need more freedom of movement and have the option to change how I sit and where I want to sit.

I cannot give you your decision. I think you really need to demo both and make that decision for your self.

I love my NuCanoe and feel for $699, that I have the craft I want for my fly fishing style and now you need to determine what craft will fit your style. Don't take what others tell you is what you want. You determine what it is you want since it is your money you are spending. My personal opinons only and nothing more.....

[billknepp]

I've owned many different modes of water craft....Even a Hobie Float cat 75...Still have that..But since I got my Hobie outback...I use nothing else!...Hope you can try all the boats suggested..But if you try the Hobie...I'd bet money on what boat you buy!!! In shallow water you can still effectively use the mirage drive...Ya just use shorter pedal strokes...Lets see ya do that with the new Native ultimate drive!

[FishnDave]

Also bear in mind that you can still use a paddle with the Hobie Outback, either for fun or if you find yourself in extreme shallows/rocks.