HOBIE ITREK ANGLER: HOBIE'S NEWEST EDITION

A few weeks ago Hobie contacted us to help test some new inflatable kayaks. After years of pushing the Hobie iTrek series by going farther, catching bigger fish, and even flying across the country with them we were very curious to see these new models. We wanted to test the new models somewhere far from the usual calm launch locations in the bay and test the kayaks out in some real conditions. Brainstorming ideas in the shop landed us with a plan. Loading up the new kayaks kitted out to the max on Ron’s boat and running out to the local kelp beds. We assembled the dream team; Captain Ron with his crew, the frothing groms Logan and Dillon. After taking photos, having some good laughs, and going faster than ever on the new inflatables we’re ready to give you our opinion on the all new iTrek Angler series. 

What’s New? 

The iTrek Angler now comes stock with a few new features and most of them involve mounting accessories to upgrade the fishing experience. Removable H-Rails, motor mounting brackets near the rear, and three rudder gudgeons in the stern for transducer mounting are all ways the Hobie has improved the rigging potential of the inflatables.  

H-Rails 

Mounting has always been tough on inflatables. Either you have to stick aftermarket rigid plates on key folding points of the kayak or attach a removable plate. Hobie’s new H-Rail system not only mounts easily to the kayak using quick release knobs, but the mounting points are designed into the kayak so there are no issues when folding. The H-Rails feature a gear track grove in the center to adapt accessories from Yakattack and other brands as well. The models that we used featured foot steering mounts attached to the H-Rails allowing us to use the Newport motors quick turning radius to it’s full potential.

Motor Brackets 

We tested the iTrek Angler 10 with a Newport NK180 and the iTrek Angler 12 with the Newport NK300. Both models are adaptable for foot steering using the reinforced H-Rails as a sturdy mounting point. We tested these motors in decently rough water conditions and the inflatables held their own. The iAngler 12 was even able to get on a plane and go up to 7mph at full throttle! Being adaptable is one of the strengths of these inflatables and the option to securely mount a variety of motor options boosts how far you can take an inflatable. 

Additional Rudder Gudgeons

The iAngler now comes with three rudder gudgeons in the back of the kayak. They introduced these to be able to easily install and remove a fish finder transducer as well as to be able to move the rudder position to either side of a motor. Since it is ideal to mount the motor in the center of the kayak, having additional slots to slide in your rudder allows the boat to be fished with the motor up. We used this a ton when fishing the kelp beds. Motoring to a spot we wanted to fish, then easily hauling it up and using the rudder to fish precisely in tight kelp lanes. 

If you're looking for a compact, adaptable, and stable new fishing craft the iTrek Angler is the best inflatable fishing kayak. Trust us, we’ve tried them all and nothing rivals Hobie's hull construction and ingenuity combined with the fastest pedal drive on the market. Come by Fast Lane kayaks to talk shop and catch up with the latest updates on fishing kayaks! 

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