I've recently made a visit to Kayak's by Bo's in Titusville, FL and spilled myself into Hobie's Mirage Pro Angler 12. I was looking for something that I could fish out of with both speed and comfort. Living near Mosquito Lagoon, most of my fishing is around these waters and out of Port Canaveral so often the conditions are less than perfect. I needed something that handles well so I can keep fighting fish and not the weather conditions.

With the Pro Angler 12, Hobie's designed a sexy and stable system with even the Adventure Angler in mind. I'll start with the Mirage Drive system, simply put the legs are bigger muscles than the arms and Hobie has done an amazing job designing a pedal drive system with Turbo Fins that allow you to get from point A to Point B..and C,D, E & F quickly without burning out before you've had the chance to fish. You have dual steering on the left and right so the handle can be mounted on either side. If trolling's your thing, you win here. I recently caught a nice 46 1/2" Redfish while trolling a Paddle tail trying to get from one end of the river to the other..who'd a thought. Hobie's eVolve electronic motor kit can be mounted onto your PA too as a great alternative.

Great stability- In choppy waters even sitting in the high position, I feel very secure. I recently was fishing a bridge under very windy conditions, It was a good test to see how the PA handles while trying to position yourself where you need to be and still be able to actually fish. There's plenty of room to move around quite comfortably and I was surprisedly dry.

For me, I'd have to say one of the best features of the Pro Angler Series is the fully adjustable Vantage Seat. Finally a seat that's comfortable to be in for more than 4 hours and easy to adjust to any desired position. You can raise the bottom up or down and the backrest forward or back in both low and high position. Also Hobie stepped it up with a lumbar support system thats easy to adjust while you're fishing which is quite helpful. If you're like me and like to site fish, the seat raises up and while standing, your seat is now a support bar facing the back. Well played Hobie.

When fishing skinny waters the Mirage drive will lay flush underneath and it's easy to push myself around..a nice feature if you've been sitting for a while and want to stand while you fish. The PA's come with a nice built in transducer mount with pre-installed cable plugs through the hull if you have a fish finder.

I used to get the occasional broken tip on my rods while out..never a fun time especially when you're already on the water. It's easy to accidentally drop your setup in the drink or break a tip...(or maybe it's just me but hey). Hobie has four horizontal rod holders so this is a plus for dummy's like me. Secure and out of the way. Or if you get the Hobie Livewell, it's custom designed to sit behind the seat and also has three additional rod holders.

Everything I need is pretty much at my finger tips. The twist and seal hatch tackle system right in front of my seat is convenient for quick access to another paddle tail from the puffer that just bit mine off. Most of my tackle fits in these two tackle trays but for bigger tackle trays, they strap down neatly under the seat. There's also a smaller twist and seal hatch system in the back. I've seen optional kits Hobie has with First Aid buckets to slide in here, good thinking. The front hatch has a removable liner for storage where I keep an extra PFD, flashlight and safety equipment.

Storage: I keep my Pro Angler and the Outback in my garage. With the Hobie Plug-In cart, it's easy to load onto the bed of my truck and transport anywhere. The PA has seen a lot of miles in just a few months and even with all the abuse I've put it through while strapping down and traveling from Florida to Virginia beach and all over Florida down to the keys, it's durable and a good craft.

The accessories are endless to suit just about any need. For the Angler seeking to get out and fish under any conditions and anywhere far or near comfortably who enjoy the benefits of a boat, this is for you. It's priced right when you consider all the added features the system has to offer from a fishing kayak. I look forward to many more fishing adventures in the years to come with my Pro Angler.

I have had the PA12 since October 2012. It is the 3rd Hobie Mirage Drive that I have had the opportunity to fish out of.

Speed
One of the reasons that I didn't choose the PA14 was that fact that I was spoiled by the speed of the Hobie Mirage Adventure and after taking the PA14 for a spin it was considerably slower than what I was used to in the Adventure. Having the opportunity of taking the PA12 for a spin last summer at a Hobie Demo Day I was impressed by the speed of the PA12 and felt that I would be comfortable with it.

Stability
I have been out in windy conditions on the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair and have yet to feel any discomfort with the stability of the PA12.
I have stood and cast large Muskie baits from the PA12 and still felt stable.

Durability
Like the other Hobie Mirage Drive Kayaks the PA12 is built to last and endure the typical abuse we anglers can dish out to our kayaks. I have loaded, unloaded, and launched the Pro Angler over 30 times and have not seen any premature wear or problems arise. I am sure that the Pro Angler 12 will endure many years of fishing for any prospective buyer.

Features
Starting with the new Vantage Seat, Hobie hit a home run with the new updated seat to the PA12 and also the updated PA14. It has an easy to adjust seat and backrest that will allow the user to adjust when he changes to the raised seating position or back down. There is also a very good lumbar support that is as good as the one in my truck.
The wet box for the transducer also gives a clean install for Lowrance made Fish Finders. (Hobie also provides a bracket to accept a Humminbird Transducer) No need to drill any holes as Hobie has added pre fabricated holes for installing wires throughout the kayak.
With the new battery holder that has come out in the new 2013 Accessory catalog, it even makes for a cleaner install.
The rod locker on the PA12 has 4 slots for your fishing rods to be stored horizontally, which is a reduction from 6 on the PA14.
One of the reasons that I decided to go with the PA12 is the fact that at 2 feet shorter from the original Pro Angler it fits in the back of my truck with the tail gate down. Using the Hobie Wheel Cart I am able to quickly load into the truck and take it out at the launch, saving time compared to transporting kayaks on the roof.
There is plenty of storage space with the rectangular hatch directly in front of the seat and also the sides of kayak next to the seat. The tank well behind the seat is also large enough to hold a gear bag and a small cooler at the same time.

If I had any complaint of the Pro Angler it is the steering. With the rudder directly behind the vantage seat it is understandable the loss of maneuverability compared to other Hobie Mirage Drive Kayak Models.

Value
At a list price of $2,849.00 it was a large price increase from the original Pro Angler. I am assuming that most of the increase came from the new Vantage Seat.
For the Kayak Angler looking for a stable, dry ride that will give you many years of pleasure on the water, the PA12 will attract the angler that can troll, site fish, get out an large bodies of water, and larger rivers.