Using a Hobie Mirage Drive in Shallow Water [3 Tips]

For a long time, I avoided Hobie kayaks with the Mirage Drive…
I spend a lot of time chasing redfish in really shallow water, and I wasn’t sure if the pedals would allow me to do that.
But now that I have a Hobie with the Mirage Drive, I’ve found a couple of ways to get around what I initially perceived as a problem.
Want to see how I do it?
Watch this video.
Do you have any Hobie hacks? Let me know in the comments below!
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[@Saltstrong]

Want access to the best fishing spots, tips, and exclusive gear? Click here to join us and +9,000 other anglers in the Insider Club: bit.ly/2Pg27B3

[@ncguy6518]

I keep the fins up against the hull when I’m fighting a fish also. I had a couple of fish wrap me up when I first got my outback.

[@tonyacevedo3149]

If it's a big one i'll take the fins out completely and toss them behind me. Big fish seem to want to hug the bottom of the kayak when they go underneath and can still get wrapped with the fins up. Better safe than sorry!

[@brocksalser2964]

Great tips. Thank you for the video.

[@keepinitbassyusa]

Thank you for explaining the flutter kick

[@vinceimp9581]

I like to use the pedal retention bungee to help hold the fins up when flutter kicking so I don't accidentally drop them down. It seems to tire me out less but be careful not to break it or have it come loose from the hook.

[@ibcontent]

New Hobie owner. Thanks!

[@billbush1645]

Great information

[@davemckinnon5007]

Good tips, nice job

[@tonyacevedo3149]

Thanks Dave!

[@mattcazalas7348]

Good stuff, thank you. Does the mirage drive move the boat with less effort than a pdl model kayak? It appears as though the motion for mirage drive is less range than with the pdl style drives.

[@blakeblanco5662]

Good video thank you thank you

[@jelly_fishing]

Nice tips

[@iam73en]

Lift that rudder when you paddle also

[@Fisherman_Trey]

Hey Tony 👋, I fish in lot of the same type of waters that you do in the Mosquito Lagoon. I really like to get close to banks and sight fish and was always worried about Hobie peddle drives being to cumbersome for this. I am currently in the market for a brand new Nucanoe Pursuit but after looking into it, I would be able to afford a used Hobie PA for close to the same price. I guess what I am looking for is do the peddles pros outweigh the cons in super skinny water fishing? Thanks.

[@ivor4195]

I am wondering if you was in the sea and a wave or the swell pushed the kayak back against shallow rocks wouldn’t it badly damage the fins or even break them , because it looks like they only kick up back from the direction you’ve set them in.or I’m I missing something.

[@fishingwithjoy]

Thx!

[@paulhuval6579]

Great tips Tony. Do you know how this kayak handels offshore fishing

[@tonyacevedo3149]

Thanks Paul! I see many people fish offshore with them. I have not tried it yet.

[@vinceimp9581]

On some other channels I watch the revolution is preferred for surf launches and rough seas since it has foot brace locations, its easier to paddle, its more narrow and its hull design seems to deflect and shed water over the bow better. The outback is capable but can be wet and somewhat of a handful in rough conditions due to its stability. Sounds backwards but the more stable a boat is the more it will want to stay lvl with the water surface where a narrow boat can be less influenced by the water/wave and more by the person helping you be able to keep things upright breaking through and over waves, especially at any angle. This is what I've heard during my research prior to my purchase, the outback was the middle ground for space, maneuverability, and transport vs the Revo or PA for me.

[@paulhuval6579]

@@vinceimp9581 thanks for the helpful hints there 👍

[@donnastormer9652]

Stick with the original older drives. The new drives that have kick up have so much maintenance that Has to be done on them about every six times you go out they really aren’t worth the effort as far as I’m concerned and I fish six days a week 5 to 6 hours a day in a Revo ll, NW Florida

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@charles7368]

How hard are these to pedal?

[@fishhunt3471]

Pretty easy if you are in shape

[@napper1496]

Prices are obscene for kayaks lol