Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3806 Mar 1-15 2019 | Page 13

11 March 1 - 15, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 6 Spotlight On Kayak Fishing... Sponsered by Kayak City in Citrus Heights, CA Kayak City.Com 916.565.1400 Doesn’t All That Peddling Make You Tired? By Cal Kellogg That is one of the most frequent questions I get about my Hobie Pro Angler 14 kayak. As Fish Sniffer readers know, I spend a good deal of time trolling for trout and these days I’m doing almost all of that trolling from my kayak. So, does the peddling make me tired? The short answer is no. I can comfortably troll at 2.5 to 3 miles per hour for 5 to 6 hours and I routinely fish areas that are 2 to 3 miles from where I launch. On my latest trolling adventure, Wes Ward and I trolled for 9 miles in windy condi- tions without an issue. The advanced Hobie Mirage Drive 180 is at the heart of my Hobie fishing machine. The Mirage Drive 180 Hobie’s bioengineered MirageDrive propulsion system for pedal kayaks was revolutionary in its inception in 1996 and has been evolving ever since. The MirageDrive 180 forward-reverse propul- sion system is integrated into This is how the Pro Angler’s rudder rides in the most MirageDrive kayaks. retracted position. Drop it down and you are ready Weighing in at under eight to steer! Photo courtesy of THE HOBIE FISHING TEAM. pounds, the MirageDrive 180 produces full power in both directions and offers unprec- edented maneuverability for your pedal kayak. The user can pull one of two shift cables to pivot the fins 180 degrees, almost instantly from forward to reverse and back again. The dual fins provide shallow water access and easy shore landings by simply pushing one pedal forward. Can You Back Up? You Bet! Imagine the possibilities for your fishing kayak: backing fish out of cover; safely fishing closer to obstructions; or fishing downstream while holding in current. Hands-free propulsion in any direction means better control: to cast, to present baits, and to concentrate on landing bigger fish when kayak fishing. Pictures can be snapped or cold beverage enjoyed on the way back in without ever stopping. How Do You Steer? That’s another question I often get asked. My kayak has a rudder The Hobie Mirage drive system in action! Note the drive fins beneath the kayak just beyond the tail of the bass. Photo courtesy of THE HOBIE FISHING TEAM. that is controlled with duel lever dials that rest to the left and right of my chair. When I’m trolling I generally rest my hands right on the controls. Want to turn left? Push the little lever to the left! At some point, you’ve got to come to land and you can’t beach or launch your kayak with a rudder protruding down from the hull. For that reason, the Hobie’s rudder is retractable. There is a pull cord inside the pilot’s compartment of the kayak. Pull back on it and the rudder locks in the up position fully protected. Release the line, the rudder flips down and you are ready to peddle and steer. Cal’s Mirage Pro Angler 14 Hobie’s original Pro Angler fishing kayak packs extreme fishing utility, with 6 horizontal rod lockers, enough tackle compart- ments to empty a store, and an elevated Vantage ST seat that’s as much easy chair as captain’s perch. There’s a non-skid deck for standing—a huge advantage for sight kayak fishing—and veritable acres of H-Rail for mounting rod holders and electronics. All this on a spacious 14-foot platform, with no need for a gas tank. Would you like to check out a Hobie Pro Angler in person? If the answer is yes, drop by Kayak City/ Adventure Sports in Citrus Heights, Ca at 7812 Auburn Blvd or visit them online at kayakcity. com-[phone]. Cal and his wife Gena fish from a pair of Hobie kayaks equipped with Mirage Drives. In the foreground, we see Cal’s 14 foot Pro Angler and behind it is Gena’s Sea Grass green Hobie Compass. Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff. Stripers? River Salmon? Check Out the Daiwa Lexa Line Counter by Cal Kellogg W ith its sleek, tight construction, the Daiwa Lexa Line Counter Reel is not like most other trolling reels. Its frame is decidedly low-pro- file, suggesting comfortable handling, yet it carries a high line capacity and an overbuilt drag system. Saltwater and freshwater tough, this reel is all about handling heavy fish. The Daiwa Lexa LC balances nicely on any trolling rod, and features a sturdy aluminum (not graphite) frame and gear side plate for extra strength without the The Hobie Mirage Drive 180 extra weight. Its top-mounted mechanical line counter reads in feet, offering repeatable precision for keeping your lure in the strike zone on each pass. The smooth 7-bearing system includes Daiwa’s Infinite Dual Anti-Reverse to ensure maximum hook- setting power; a convenient spool click provides a buffer on the hardest strikes and alerts you to activity. Once the fish is on, the Ultimate Tournament carbon drag (UTD) delivers up to an amazing 22 lbs. of max drag, to get even hard-slashing salmon to the net quickly. 100mm handle with oversized cranking knob for maximum leverage. Lexa reels feature, sleek, tight, low-pro- file construction. Comfortable handling plus high line capacity. Saltwater and freshwater tough. Light, strong aluminum frame and gear side plate. Mechanical line counter reads in feet. Smooth 7-bearing system. Infinite Dual Anti-Reverse. Ultimate Tournament carbon drag. Up to 22 lbs. of max drag. 100mm handle with oversized cranking knob. Ask for the Daiwa Lexa at your favorite tackle retailer! CONTACT THE FISH SNIFFER (833)-347-4661 FISH SNIFFER DIGITAL!!! Digital subscription now available to the Fish Sniffer. Download the app from iTunes or Google Play. Check us out on magazine.fishsniffer.com or Email [email protected]