Newbie Questions

I'm an old tournament bass guy. (Remember the Redman Trail days?)

Anyway, I am interested in trying this kayak fishing thing since most of my $$ now goes to private school, dance and piano lessons!

I cannot justify jumping into the sport with both feet and rigging a 2014 PA14 but I can swing a used PA14 or Outback.

I have questions that I would like feedback on:

1) Which boat would you use in small tidal creeks littered with oyster shells and tributary rivers with lots of current (6'-9' tides)?
My house is about 300 yards from the neighborhood floating dock and this kind of fishing so this will be 95% of what I do I suspect. I imagine storing the boat covered outside and pulling it with the golf cart to the marina area and back with the Heavy Hobie wheels.
I wonder if I would baby a PA for fear of scratching the hull. That is the draft difference in the two? Can I really get out and drag a PA across a mud bar? Probably not but what about doing that with an Outback?


2) I REALLY want a used PA14. I was told by a current owner to avoid anything older than 2012. He really seems to know a lot about these things and seems adamant about that point. This upset my plans because I found a 2011 in what looks to be good shape with extras for $2K. The reason I got was the hull reinforcement around scupper holes and maybe some added foam in the hull.

I've read online about the steering improvements over the 2009 and 2010 so I wouldn't buy one of those unless it had the mod done or the seller was willing to make an adjustment for it.

I like the height of the PA the very best. I don't think I would like riding around in a lowrider or Corvette all day. Although I have seen seat upgrades that seem to get you off the floor on these models.

So is the PA gonna be good in super shallow tidal creeks? I want to get back there FAR on low tides. Could never do that with fiberglass and trolling motor.

Will the PA be a handful in our swift current? It isn't all that bad in the creeks but on the main river it gets just nasty.


Thanks for reading all this and look forward to getting some direction on these points.


ABB

I have an Outback and a PA 14. Both are good for coastal inshore fishing...I fish here in Charleston, and we have around a 6' tidal swing. The turbo fins move the Pro Angler along nicely with easy effort.

You'll be overprotective of your new kayaks until they get that first scratch - then you'll ease up a bit!

Try to demo both models if you can...nothing beats time on the water.

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What about the 2011? Should I be patient and find a '12 or '13? Are the hull concerns legitimate?

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the only big difference between the 2011 and a 2012 model was the re-enforced scuppers where the carts are inserted. And that area boils down to how you plan on transporting the PA. There are a lot of folks that have 2011 models and have no issues. If it's a 2011 and there are no signs of issues in the scupper areas, then I would not have any concerns about it. To me it boils down to how you load or stress the hull when transporting it.

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Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass

I also have both-2005 Outback and 2010 PA14. My wife also has an Outback and a 2013 PA12. We fish the Indian Rive in Titusville, FL a couple of times a year as well as some coastal inshore areas around Beaufort, SC. We also bass fish out of them. In fact prefer the kayaks to my bassboats.

Learning the shallow water flutter stroke and a smaller, lightweight push pole will serve well in very shallow water.. As for dragging it across mud flats...if they are wet it will drag OK. The stability of the PA has left the Outback home ever since. In fact I am giving mine to my grandson soon.

As for age, if it is not cracked now and has been used a fair amount, I wouldn't worry. Seems like the defects how up sooner than later from my experiences.

Now towing that behind a golf cart is another matter. I wouldn't do it on the scupper cart. It wasn't designed for that. Maybe a small ATV cart/trailer or something like it would be a better option. I modified a Harbor Freight trailer to haul mine behind my motorcycle. Got it on sale for $139 a few years back.

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Sonnybass
West Columbia, SC
2010 Hobie Pro Angler
2005 Hobie Outback (2)

Thanks sonnybass for your inputs. I figured that was the deal with the Outback. I just don't think I am ready for a regular kayak. Oh I would love it to ride the surf and play in but I don't think I would like sitting on the floor with wet feet for very long.

I can also say that I am of the opinion that if it has no cracks now after 3 years that it must have either not been used or was a 'good batch'.

My drawback with this 2011 now has become a question of what I can buy it for. I mean, I've seen 2012 boats with extras for $2100-$2200. Extras like H-Bar, or cart or fish finder, etc.

This boat I'm looking can be bought for $2000 with basically a paddle and push pole. I feel like if I pull the trigger, I will have been impatient and kicking myself in a couple of weeks and at resale time!

Also, and this is a documented fact, 2012 and 2013 are gone within 24 hours of being listed in my area and within 500 miles. These have been for sale coming up on 2 weeks and was told directly, "No one has really called about them". The market is very soft on these pre 2012 boats and in one of the hottest beds of PA activity in the country I suspect. (within 200 miles of JAX)

I bought a 2012 PA14 for $1500....