Looking for arguments for both besides price.

Use the pedals to get to your fishing spot.
Paddle once you get there.


Biggest advantages of pedals are covering water quicker/more efficiently with larger muscles anatomically designed for endurance.
Also allows you to troll crankbaits and other lures with hands free


Biggest disadvantages of pedals:
the fins or prop will catch shallow vegetation.
Potential for damage to fins/prop hitting shallow stumps
The force of a collision with fins or prop and hard stump/rock could result in small microfractures in the HDPE around the drive housing.

Much more expensive to replace broken pedal drive vs a paddle.

I've never owned a pedal drive but I would like to some day.
I have a little concern that where the pedal drive drops into the kayak, and especially if there is a slight bit of slop or even none at all, that the repeated motion of pedaling and putting strain on that area would eventually cause fatigue in that location as to cause the plastic to fail over time.
I just feel that they are just way overpriced, and why I can't justify pulling the trigger on one at the moment.

Pedals are ok, that said they are mechanical and will eventually fail. Im a firm believer everyone should learn the paddle first and become good with a paddle. Having a pedal drive yak can be very nice but when bad things happen the paddle will always get you home. I personally have never owned a yak with pedals but only because i favor swinging a paddle.

That totally depends on what paddle you like. My paddles are near $500/ea.

Cheapest I have seen for the Hobie Mirage was $650 for replacement.

Marsh Fishing, paddle wins for sure. Too many shallow issues like hidden reef. I fish in often a foot of water or a littke less. Any knee issues, paddle. I can ride a bike with minimal knee pain, but the mirage drive is very uncomfortable on my knees. Fly fishing especially while standing, paddle. The pedal drives foot pedals, posts and mechanism are just one more thing to grab loose fly line.

Shoulder issues or just a general lack of upper body strength, pedal. Most people have decent leg strength without even trying. Just walking around doing whatever builds leg strength and if you are overweight, the more strength you will tend to build in the legs. Sitting down and pedaling all that muscle built supporting any extra body weight is 100% available to apply to a pedal drive since the muscle isn't required to support one sitting down. Kayakers tend to run big where I fish and many are in pedal drives and that's the right choice. From my observations, lots of folks lack core and upper body strength from inactivity and really struggle paddling a kayak for any length of time or at a reasonable cruising speed. If one isn't very fit or strong, the pedal drive will take them farther and faster without getting too tired to function.

If you are strong and / or fit you might still opt for the pedal drive for other solid reasons already nentioned. I've seen plenty of folks not enjoy kayaking simply because they lack the strength and stamina to paddle a kayak for any length of time or distance. A pedal drive will certainly give them more time out on the water.

I own both a paddle and a pedal kayaks.

I use the pedal kayak for lakes where I can cover a large body of water much quicker. Granted, I have to watch my depth finder to ensure that my propeller doesn't hit the bottom when the water gets shallow, but that's not a big deal.

I use the paddle kayak for rivers and ponds where there are too many hazards for the propeller.

A pedal kayak also provides better control and positioning, especially during windy days.

Pluses and minuses to both but I've always preferred to paddle. I've seen too many trips cut short by mechanical failure and the places I fished early on were not conducive to pedals. On long trips miles from launch in areas where you might not see anyone until the next day or two, it was an easy choice for me. Love the glide of a good paddling kayak and would rather be in a paddle kayak in the worst conditions, sitting at or below water line. So many places a paddle kayak can go with ease (over grass, through pads, through stump fields, oyster beds) that a pedal kayak can't. A skinny paddling kayak is like a jeep in the boating world. Get one that you can carry on your head to launch and no need for a trailer. Much easier to launch a paddle kayak in the surf too.

Have pedaled and paddled and would only use pedal on big water. Pedal is heavier and more weight to lug around. Pedals don't paddle well if you need to paddle. Personally find it more satisfying with a paddle.

I don't have much time on a paddel kayak, so I speak with little experience. However, for my application (bass and crappie fishing on lakes, feeder creeks and ponds) I chose pedal because of the higher seat and hands free aspects. I have caught many bass on the first cast while slowly pedaling up to a spot. I can also slow pedal into the wind and hold my position without anchoring or let the wind push me and use the rudder the steer.

So, I feel pedal is the best application for me. I have no immediate plans to fish real skinny water or saltwater... If I ever get into that, I may have to get a second rig

I have the Mirage Drive but my kayak is not a Hobbie. I have been out where making headway against the wind with a paddle was impossible but the pedals worked and I caught fish. Pedals are far superior to a paddle for trolling, which is my favorite way to fish.

With proper tecnique paddling is every bit as good in windy conditions. I would strongly disagree pedals are in any way superior to a paddle in any way other than hands free operation. In my viking 440,,,not the fastest kayak, in amandas trident 15, in the viking reload, and most likley amandas viking 400 there are few kayaks that could keep up at all, my stealth fisha 500 isnt even close, that would leave the fastest pedal kayak with ease.

As mentioned, the pedal rules if you like to fish open water lakes and troll where having both hands free and being able to cover distance.
Tournament fishermen favor them because they can hold their position while working down a shoreline and being able to back up while fighting a fish, and pulling the fish away from cover.
They both have their applications so comparing one to the other depends on a lot of variables.
If it's a kayak, it will always need a paddle at some point, and a mechanical malfunction with a pedal kayak, having a paddle you would still be in the game.