What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florida?

Hi gents i love fishing , i've been fishing since i was 4 years old now i live in west central florida and me and my buddies thinking of deep sea fishing , i recently bought a 1968 Glassmaster title says it is 16 feet however i measured it was 18 feet and i recently bought fresh rebuilt 1993 c85 yamaha 2 stroke outboard and i have 5hp tiller as kicker , i can surely fish in the bay however i'm after some nice gruuppiess or snappies .. i need a general idea from you guys to tell me is my boat good enough for 8 to 40 miles deep sea fishing? if not what is your reccomandation? what is the minimum lenght and what type of boat should i deep sea fish? thanks in advance.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Been down there to visit relatives in Sugar Loaf Key.....been offshore to the East and 26' was hidden by the waves and "puke everywhere".

Fished West in the shallow flats and bays and a 15' with a 50 hp and Bimini top was all that was required. Plus we caught more fish and better fish West of the islands. Grouper in particiular. I doubt that you would find any Snapper there. They would be to the East if there at all...dunno. We didn't catch doodle-de-squat East.

Mark

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

You should be ok in a 36' Hatteras.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

This question sounds suspiciously like the "should there be a plug in the threaded hole in the hull below the motor" question ...

You wanna go 40 miles out in a 43yr old 16-18ft boat? That's your business. File a float plan & make sure your life insurance is paid up.

I wouldn't go that far out in anything less than a 30 footer.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

jigngrub said:

You should be ok in a 36' Hatteras.

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Big laugh!!! I certainly hope so, grin.

Mark

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

i use to fish in small boats inshore all my life a boat i'm talking about is like 10 foot 12 foot of my dad and grandpa back home(ISTANBUL) i moved to florida and i've been renting small boats ,however they wouldn't let us go to the ocean, one of my good friend has nice 24 foot cobia and finally took us out about 20 miles off shore and ohh man we've benn catching lots of fishes and that really inspired me. i'm not a pro off shore!! this is why i'm here gents . i found this boat online!! what do you think .. should i buy this boat ,, if so would my 85hp fresh rebuilt yamaha is oke? for this boat? to fish off shore lets say maximum 10 miles. View attachment 111185View attachment 111186

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

v153 said:

this question sounds suspiciously like the "should there be a plug in the threaded hole in the hull below the motor" question ...

You wanna go 40 miles out in a 43yr old 16-18ft boat? That's your business. File a float plan & make sure your life insurance is paid up.

I wouldn't go that far out in anything less than a 30 footer.

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lol

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

The first thing you need to buy is a good radio and an EPRIB.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Texasmark said:

Big laugh!!! I certainly hope so, grin.

Mark

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I was pretty serious about that.

I wouldn't go out of sight of land in a 16-18 footer, and if you'll learn how to fish you can catch Grouper and Snapper that close too.

Red Grouper and Mutton, Lane, and Mangrove Snapper are shallower water species... I would love to have a nice Mutton Snapper for my dinner tonight!

You and your buddies should work on making some structure/reefs and putting it out, it won't take long before you're catching all kinds of fish off of it.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

jigngrub said:

I was pretty serious about that.

I wouldn't go out of sight of land in a 16-18 footer, and if you'll learn how to fish you can catch Grouper and Snapper that close too.

Red Grouper and Mutton, Lane, and Mangrove Snapper are shallower water species... I would love to have a nice Mutton Snapper for my dinner tonight!

You and your buddies should work on making some structure/reefs and putting it out, it won't take long before you're catching all kinds of fish off of it.

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On that note, take your current boat out about 10-15 miles, and once it sinks, write down the coordinates, then come back in a 20-23' CC or WAC and fish it!

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

A Boston Whaler greater than about 18' should do the trick. Ya can't get a better boat than a Whaler!

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

The fact that you ask that question at all tells me you don't have the boating experience to go that far off shore in any kind of boat.
A 36' boat with an inexperienced crew in bad weather can sink while an 18' boat in the same weather with an experienced skipper will make it home.
Not trying to be mean, it's just the way things are.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

I have a 26ft cruiser with 10ft beam, and i would not venture out too far...

please be careful with whatever you decide to do, and do not take peoples responses here lightly.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Thanks .

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

When I lived down there, I had a 23' Hurricane (old deep V cuddy, twin Volvo I/O) and a 26' Wellcraft (deep V cuddy, twin Yammys). Both were capable offshore boats, but I'm a pretty capable sailor. Preparation, maintenance, common sense, and watching and knowing the weather are key. Don't go out when a front's coming through, don't go out when it's 5-8' seas, or even 3-5' sometimes. Turn around and go home if something is wrong with the equipment or the weather is not as expected. Mother nature absolutely does not care what your schedule is. Have good equipment; a lot of stuff exists now that either didn't exist when I was offshoring or was totally unaffordable. Loran-C and compass anyone? VHF radio(s), GPS, EPIRB, cell phone, tow insurance, a good sober brain, and good knowledge of the area and boating will go a long ways. A crappy boat and equipment may make for a real bad day.....

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Personally, I think you should in stages and not try to leap from where you are today to where you think you want to be.

Ever thought about a nice walkaround or center console in the 24-26 foot range?

Get some experience running bigger equipment and the maintainance that comes with it. Use the time also to learn to understand the weather and both your limits and the limits of the boat in various sea conditions.


Grouse

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Here's what not to do.
1. Buy the cheapest life vests you can find.
2. Show up at the boat ramp with a roller trailer. The Florida Marine Patrol are at the ramps just waiting.
3. Leave your bumpers hanging off the side of the boat all day. Once again easy pickins.
4. Load the boat up with as many people as possible.
5. No radio and if you have one don't learn what channel 16 is for.
6. Don't invest in a towing service.
7. Take fresh water spinning reels with 10 pound test on the boat to catch 20lb grouper at 30 feet.
8. Buy an I/O and wonder why it keeps breaking.
9. Go out 30 miles with with an East wind. Flat as a can be. Stay out till the afternoon mini hurricanes kick in it goes to 3 to 5 and your out of luck and no way home but through it. And down here 3 to 5 means brick walls of water. Not swells.
10. Have one battery.
11. Have one bilge pump that's 5 years old questionable wiring and was worth 30 bucks brand new.
12. Have no EPRIB.
12. Have to ask what a EPIRB is.
13. 5 pound anchor and no chain.
14. Walmart ski rope for an anchor rope.
15. No idea what these red and green markers are for.
16. Buy a really cheap boat cause it was a deal.
17. Don't let someone take you out and show you the ropes.
18. Show up at the boat ramp with a kicker motor. Once again the Marine Patrol looks at that like a swerving car a 2 AM.
19. Have no idea what you can keep or not.
20. Never look at the wave forecast.
21. Never look at the weather forecast.
22. If you have a radio don't turn it on until YOU want to talk.
23. Think the best way to dock is to run into it.
24. Don't leave a float plan.
25. Don't have anyone else in the boat that can get it home in case something happens to you.
26. Make sure everyone that is not accustomed to big water and has a hang over from the night before. If you got sick on my boat because of that you were in for a VERY long day.
27. No sun screen.


I could go on after 50 years of seeing this.


Its not a lake. I can be the greatest place in the world.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

Not to try and highjack this thread but must ask, what is the problem with roller trailers and and kicker moters and the Florida Marine Patrol?

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

mikeasb said:

Not to try and highjack this thread but must ask, what is the problem with roller trailers and and kicker moters and the Florida Marine Patrol?

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Yea. What he said.

Re: What type and length of boat do i need for deep sea fishing on south west florid

It generally not always but most of the time means its a Northern boat just moved here or on vacation. You just about have to have a lawyer in your boat down here if you bring fish to the boat ramp and the rules change weekly. That and safety equipment varies from state to state.

I'll give examples
1. If you go out on a two day trip can you have a two day limit??
2. If you catch a fish in a legal area but have the fish in the boat at the ramp in a non legal area are you breaking the law
3. Your in Key West for lobster season and you are allowed 5 lobster a day. You have been here a week and get stopped on the road home with 20 lobsters. Are you legal???