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.....
Warren
Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.