@switchhitter
The thing is there are three kinds of kayaks. What makes you happy is based on what your desired outcome is.
1. Sit-in - only paddles make these go. Everything from ocean going to rivers to surfing.
2. Sit-on - these come in
a. Peddle
b. Paddle
If you want to fish and enjoy
fishing than the Peddles are the only real option.
I have both types of Sit-on yaks, peddle and paddle. Fished with the paddle yak for a couple years, tried a peddle and NEVER looked back.
But. I love a paddle kayak, if you're just out tooling and groving in the swells/chop its a shitton of fun. We take the paddle yaks over and 'surf' small clean sets... its a blast.
That's a wilderness system 14 paddle yak, 2005 I believe. Just about the last time went fishing in a paddle yak. Just too hard as your hands have to switch a seemingly infinite number of times. Pole, paddle, pole, paddle, bait, paddle...etc etc
The yak I went trolling yesterday with is a Hobie Revolution 13.
All Hobie's are peddle driven, I call them bat wings, some makers drives are propeller driven.
By all means, I tell everyone when looking for a kayak, put our butt in it while its in the water - before you buy. Try them - you've yak'd before so in a min you'll know... and you'll be hooked.