It finally hit me - the answer to all my small-river-drift-down-but-no-access-for-raft-and-too-windy-for-pontoon problems, as well as my want-to-go-out-further-but-can’t-get-my-boat-in dilemmas!!! I’m in my fifties and just worked it out. D’Oh!
So I think that for me the Hobie Mirage Revolution might be the go, but tossing up between an Outback too. I like the idea that the revo is lightetr, more paddle friendly and faster, but for fly fishing I like the stability of the outback.
Any chance anybody has some thoughts on my choice?
I have an older Outback (second generation I think) and have looked at the Revolution…the Revo is thinner and longer so it should be faster.
My complaints with the Revo though are:
few/no flat spots where I’d like to add a fly rod holder (vs. nice flat spots on the Outback)
narrower means less stable and sometimes reaching way out to net a fish can feel tippy in the Outback…I’d be more likely to be swimming from the Revo
built-in handles on the Revo aren’t as useful in my opinion vs. the ones on the Outback (can’t get your fingers all the way around the Revo’s handles).
Depends a bit on your size as well. Smaller folks might not be as likely to make the Outback tippy.
Also, the Outback can be a handful to load/unload solo depending on your size (and height of your vehicle). The lighter Revolution might have a critical advantage here (depends on your size/strength and vehicle height, etc).
You can also replace the standard fins on an Outback with the newer Turbo fins to make it go a bit faster…
Thanks Thwack. I am 6’2" and around 200 lbs and with a back that is not too great, due to a past injury. My car is high, a Nissan SUV so weight is a consideration for me.
One thing I will be wanting to do with it is take the fins off and drag it down some riffly streams with runs and pools to get at some mountain trout with no other access from the bank. So it needs to be up to speed to get over some rocks. Of course I also want to use it off shore here, and in a couple of the lakes about.
I think the adventure will bee too long and heavy for the above. I like the speed and paddle-ability of the revo, but as a fly fisher I like the stability of the outback. The weight difference (6kg?) might be a significant factor.
I was originally thinking about a Quest but it seems strange to buy a Hobie without mirage drive, kind of like a Porche without wheels. And I reckon it will be handy for fishing anyway.
If speed isn’t an issue, you’re light enough to get by with the much shorter Mirage Sport. For kayaks, shorter is slower and with the rocks you want to zip over, I wouldn’t want to put turbo fins on there without checking depths carefully (though you can easily pull them out on the water).
If you’re pulling them out on the water (vs. just folding them against the hull where bouncing over rocks might shred them), then I suggest adding a leash to make sure they can’t fall overboard.
I haven’t gone anywhere shallow enough to scrape the bottom (other than the occasional beach landing) so I have no idea how well any of them will skim over the rocky bits you mentioned.
I’m a tad taller and wider than you so I haven’t paid much attention to the Sport (beyond considering it for my wife and/or kids but they like mooching my Outback instead).
They now make three sizes of fins for the mirage drive…The new mid size you need not purchase all new masts for…you still use the factory masts…Hobie says to think of it as having a choice of high medium and low gear…
Gotta say though…if the standard fins are low gear…I really don’t see a need for a higher one in my fishing waters…even up stream jaunt’s it cruises without much effort…
All of what Thwack said I’d have to agree with…
If you be a lighter guy…say 150 to 210 ish, I’d run with the new revo…Have 0 complaints of my outback though…notta one…but I be a bigger dood…
Ok, 1 gripe…Rod holders…yep It’s got em built in…“If’in your a spinning tackle kinda guy”.
Anyone discovered a place that sells the Scotty Fly rod holder with their Gimbal mount…? As the Gimbal mount will fit down inside the factory rod holder tubes…(As well as the Sail Mast port) Giving you a rod holder you did not know ya had…
Ummm Also, Been hearing that the new Hobies (even the Outbacks 06 and up) that with the thinner design they’ve shallowed out the rod tubes to…for those who may also spin fish this is said to be an issue…
I hadn’t noticed the Scotty Gimbal Mount (253) rod holders before. Thanks for the tip. That might be worth a try.
For now, I have one of their combination side/deck mount (241) tucked behind the seat. Not the most convenient location but finding somewhere else to put that wasn’t easy.
I have a couple of their new Compact Threaded Deck Mounts (444) waiting to be installed. I think those might go very well along the flat surfaces of the Outback a little ways behind the seat.
I also mounted a simple cam cleat to a flat spot behind the seat (along the upper deck)…my anchor lines tucks in there and can easily be released if needed. Don’t get the cam cleats that have a bar across them…that would lock the line in there if you had an emergency. The ones that are completely open on top allow you to easily toss the line overboard (you do have a floating line or a float on the line, right?)…
I wouldn’t mind trying one of their triple rod holders as well but finding a spot that large in the Outback might be nearly impossible (or in a very inconvenient location)…
I’ve been all over the net, Trying to find the Gimbal mount paired with their fly rod holder…It’s proving to be impossible to find…Cabela’s had it paired with a casting rod holder…but I’d just be tossing the holder…and I can’t see the waste in that option…
I’ll prolly end up getting a pair of Down east rod holders if I can’t locate a source for the scotty’s set up in that configuration…or the gimble mounts seporate…
Been thinking of getting a set of the Ram tubes for a rigger setup, Found a place on the web that sells them paired with a set of 4 lobster pot bouy’s for 100 bucks.( Add a few pieces of PVC pipe and your in biz).
I’ve already been standing to fish on my seat…but the extra stability would sure make that a bit less unnerveing…
Email or call Scotty to see if you can order what you want from them.
Or, find a local retailer that carries some of their stuff and see if they’ll order what you want. The online list of retailers (on Scotty’s site) doesn’t list some of the local shops that carry their stuff so I wouldn’t rely only on what shows up there…call a couple local shops and see if they’ll order what you want…
I made a set of outriggers from the rod holders, PVC, and lobster bouys like you mentioned you might do. They look and work great. I bought the parts separately from the KayakFishingStuff web site. The setup creates a very stable platform for standing and casting.
I found a local kayak shop with the Scotty gimbal in stock. Tried it on my Outback but it’s too long for the built in rod holders and doesn’t hold still when inserted (adding a rod holder would let the rod rotate was the wind moves it, etc).
You need a shorter gimbal rod or a deeper rod tube…along with something to lock it in place to it can’t move. It has notches at the bottom to register against a rod to stop the rotating but you don’t have the rod pre-installed in the Hobie rod tubes so it’s a moot point.
There are better solutions available for connecting a Scotty rod holder than the gimbal mount.
Both the Revo and Outback are great kayaks. I wish I could afford either one of them right now. The Revo paddles better than the Outback, and the Outback accessorizes better. Whatever they feel like, both of them have great stability (especially the Outback), and you probably would find it difficult to overturn either one on purpose.
I would take either one in a heartbeat. But I really lust after an Adventure – because I would love to be able kayak 3-5 miles to a fishing spot and return. Plus be able to handle chop and wind. I could do that in either an Outback or a Revo, but the length of the Adventure just makes it a better saltwater kayak.
I know of the things you’ve pointed out…And I have the 2005 made Outback…which after that year they shallowed out the design of the boat, In so doing they also shallowed out the rod holder tube’s…And a wrap of cork sheet shimming solves the tightness issue…I’ve seen the older HO rigged with the gimbal’s, The owner used other method’s to solve the loose tube fit…but I want to keep things removable…and as few holes as possible…after having mentioned that I’d have gone with cork sheeting he did this in the remaining front tubes and it works rather well…
Also there is a really good PVC pipe alternative, On the http://www.georgiariverfishing.com DIY board, Complete with very well laid out schematic’s sheet done by an Engineer who visits the site…I may even go with these for the rear tubes with a bit of tweaking in the piping that actually holds the rod…As they were not designed for the Fly Rod Fisher…A simple 3/8th inch wide section sliced out of the top to allow the rod blank to slip through and slide the handle forward to hold the rod…As I only want the back two holders for stowing secondary rods out of harm/backcastings way…
Not to mention the price of the gimbal mounts, One would think they were made of gold!
Okay, I am a tooner, but I have looked at the Hobies. Saw a program the other night where a well known spinning and bait caster was using either the Mirage Sport or the Outback.
I thought now that is really cool…hands free / peddle so to speak.
I mentioned it to a friend who told me that Hobie offered him one to try. He said that he wasn’t interested due to the fact they only go forward. He too only fly fishes and said that it would not work. Now if they could make it go forward and reverse, it would be wonderful.
Only two things come to mind…You have a paddle on board and there is a steering lever which allows for you the ability to turn around in nearly the radius of the boats own length…I really have not seen a real need for reverse funtion in the drive system…nore do I see a way to make that possible…
Also I’m thinking this well know bass fisherman’s signiture SADLY adornes MY Outback, Anyone have suggestions on how to remedy this and leave the surface of the yak as though it were never there???..
That said…I have over shot my estimated place of arrival a few times…with a little care one can easily avoid this thougth…and or with the use of your paddle.For what some have said is a slower kayak…In my own use and compared to other watercraft I’ve used…I find the Outback a substantially speedy improvment to all but motorized crafts…This is solely my opinion’s as they say… your mileage may vary.
billknepp, maybe it is just me and my friends but when still water fishing I move backwards. Either to troll to find the fish or slightly moving with the fins backwards while stripping in the line.
Not to mention on windy days, sometimes I have to move backwards to stay in one spot.
I can row my pontoon to get to a location fast, but I use my flippers to stay there and hands are always free to fish.
You can just put the drive in backwards and poof…you have the ability to troll in reverse. Use your paddle to go forward…
For still water fishing from my Outback, I often anchor up and fish an area or let the wind help me drift (if it’s gentle). So, I prefer the peddles driving forward.
For small position adjustments and backing away from the dock, I use an 18" long canoe paddle. Since it’s one-handed, I can easily use it to adjust my position as I drift without having to use the drive system and without having to pull out the big double-ended kayak paddle.
