Author: Team American Yaker - RIZZO
Review Of The Hobie Pro Angler 14
Being a kayak fishing team/club we have tried and tested over 20 kayaks. From paddle to peddle we’ve probably had it or at least tested on the water. I’m currently yak fishing out of a 2015 Hobie PA 14 but my previous kayak was a 2017 Old Town Predator PDL and before that it was a 2016 Hobie Outback. This transition has taken place over the last year and quite honestly its been a fun ride, no pun intended.
The reason I switched from the Hobie Outback to the Old Town Predator PDL was due to space. I really wanted to get my kids more involved in kayak fishing and the Outback was just too small to add a jump seat. The Outback is an awesome kayak. Its light weight, stable, fast and tracks well plus it takes on the surf like a champ! No issues with taking the Outback 3-5 miles offshore at all other than being dead tired at the end of the day.
Switching to the Old town Predator PDL was a difficult decision for me. I really love Hobie kayaks and have fished them for years but the Predator PDL caught my eye and American yaker Kevin Olson had one and swore by it. Plus, he had a jump seat on the back of his kayak for the orphanage of kids he takes fishing. Long story short, I sold my Outback to another team member and got a smoking deal on a PDL. The PDL is also a good kayak. Its faster and more stable than the Outback but much heavier. It also sits a little to high for my liking while being offshore. The seat only adjust forward and backwards not up and down like the Outback. Being a very stable kayak, I was able to add a jump seat for my kids like mentioned above. It worked out very well and was pretty stable. I’ve taken may kids inshore fishing several times and they loved it. No complaints with this setup.
After fishing the PDL for 4-6 months I came across a really good deal on a 2015 Hobie PA 14 with a micro power pole and full light kit. At first, I was very hesitant to buy a PA14 for two reasons… weight and length. Dragging a 145lb kayak, dry weight, in the soft Florida sand can be very testing even with a good set of wheels. The length ended up not being an issues with storage like I originally thought. My first thoughts when laying eyes on the PA for the first time was…. Holy crap that thing is wide! Its every bit of 38†wide. Now that I’ve went over all the down falls about the PA14 lets talk about why I believe the PA 14 is the best kayak on the market.
First, the Hobie PA 14 is the most stable kayak on the market by far. No if, ands, or buts about it. Its wide for a reason. You can literally walk around on it. From bow to stern and have no issues. Second, STORAGE. By god this thing can store just about everything in your garage plus some. My favorite part is the internal horizontal rod holders. These are an absolutely a must when fishing offshore. Slide them in and lock them down. They are not coming out if you roll in the surf. Third, it tracks and steers like a boss and drafts even better. Fourth, the seat. The Pro Anglers seat is by far the most comfortable seat on the market. Again, there’ no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Fully adjustable and so comfortable. You really feel like you’re in a recliner. Fifth, the H-rail system. It has some many options and accessories that its not even funny. Plus the rails help with loading. Lastly, the new PA’s, 2017 and newer, have reverse which is a game changer with any kayak. Reverse is almost a necessity when fishing inshore or when fishing offshore with several people. All in all, I am super impressed with my 2015 Hobie PA.
---- American Yaker David Wood
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