For those fishing enthusiasts - what's your style of boat?

[ShoestringMariner]

Just wondering what you fishing enthusiasts use, and what is your preferred water?

Bass boat? Fish and Ski? Jon Boat? Canoe/Kayak? Big water boat? Family boat? Deck/Pontoon boat?

 

[ahicks]

A huge piece of this is going to depend on the kind of water you have easy access too, and general conditions found when out on it.

Bottom line, there's darn good reasons there are so many sizes and type to pick from....

An example might be the Great Lakes Salmon guys and what they use, to the flat's boats used here on the Gulf side of Florida, with their jack plates up racing across water that's only 18" deep.....

 

[roscoe]

15' aluminum small tiller motor with 3 pedestal seats for lakes under 1200 acres. (2 sq miles )

18' aluminum with 115 hp and 15 hp kicker with 3 captains chairs for bigger water, up to 60,000 acres and Green Bay in calm conditions.

 

[Texasmark]

2002 Crestliner 1750 Fish Hawk DConsole,modified to suit me, 2002 115 Merc. 2 stroke 2+2, Motorguide 75# T.M. 0perated on 12v, not 24 as designed, Heritage custom trailer. Turned out to be the best suited fishing boat I ever had fishing Texas inland lakes and just cruising around. But as others have said, to each his own.

When wife and I were raising 4 kids, it was an 18' Caravelle tri-hull with a 125 Johnny 2 stroke, for a family of 6, primarily Sunday afternoon cruising, fishing, and water sports.......of the day, not the available goodies out there today.

 

[Texasmark]

A huge piece of this is going to depend on the kind of water you have easy access too, and general conditions found when out on it.

Bottom line, there's darn good reasons there are so many sizes and type to pick from....

An example might be the Great Lakes Salmon guys and what they use, to the flat's boats used here on the Gulf side of Florida, with their jack plates up racing across water that's only 18" deep.....

BIL ran a charter 20' aluminum air boat, Cadillac V8, out of Sugarloaf Key for a number of years there in the out back, West side. Went down to visit one winter. Got on the plane in Dallas in overcoats and all.....got off in shorts. Caught some Grouper on the trip. Some of the tastiest fish I ever ate.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

A huge piece of this is going to depend on the kind of water you have easy access too, and general conditions found when out on it.

Bottom line, there's darn good reasons there are so many sizes and type to pick from....

An example might be the Great Lakes Salmon guys and what they use, to the flat's boats used here on the Gulf side of Florida, with their jack plates up racing across water that's only 18" deep.....

Yes, exactly. Ice is in up here, just looking to start a discussion to pass the winter months away

 

[dingbat]

Inshore - Chesapeake Bay - Grady White, Walkaround
Offshore - Atlantic Ocean - Ocean City to Virginia Beach - Contender, Center Console

 

[Chris1956]

Center console boats are hugely popular here in NJ for both Bay and Ocean. I find them OK for real nice days, but wet and windy for any other days. If you go fishing early in the AM, even in the summer, the wind can be brisk, and you cannot get out of it.

I prefer bowrider or Dual Console boats. They offer protection from the elements behind the windshield, if you want. They are easy to anchor and they have a lot of room to fish and a variety of seating for fishing and cruising.

 

[southkogs]

When I fish on the ocean, I prefer a charter

On the smaller rivers and lakes, I like a tiller steer row boat type (14' with a 9HP is what I use mostly). Larger lakes for fishing I prefer a pontoon if it can make it the distance in reasonable time.

I really like walk around cuddy's and center consoles, but they don't fit most of what I do. Not the biggest fan of bass boats.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Pontoon depending on who and what kind of fishing. 16' Aluminum Lund Mr Pike on other lakes or if I need the good electronics and trailing motors. The thing about a fish and ski boat they usually do not do either very well.

 

[briangcc]

The Fish & Ski in my sig.... I have fished from other platforms but this works as a good all around boat for my family. Will go larger when needed...admiral's approval!

 

[Scott Danforth]

caught the most fish over time while in a boat out of a 14' utility with a 12hp tiller

caught the biggest fish out of a 17' fiberglass run-about when salmon fishing. also lost the most equipment from the same boat.

caught the most fish in one time on a trip out of a 17 foot basstracker III on deer lake in Ishpeming - limited out every day for the 5 years we went.

caught the most fish period while standing on a 4' culvert on a feeder slough on the michigan side of the menomonee river just north of the chalk hills dam

had the most fun walleye fishing out of a canoe with my grandpa

had the least fun walleye fishing out of a 7' intex inflatable by myself

had the most liquid fishing enhancer fishing from a friends pontoon

caught the least amount of fish per outing down here in the gulf.

fished small lakes under 10 acres, rivers, ponds, streams, the great lakes the ICW and the Gulf of Mexico

my favorite boat is the one I would be in fishing from at that moment. except lake winnebago in a bass boat with 4' rollers. that is miserable.

if you fish in late november in areas where it may sleet and rain. bring appropriate gear

if you boat in big water, know the water and have a ditch bag in the event you need it.

 

[JimS123]

We fished in an outboard woody because that's what we had. After collage I bought a fiberglass OB closed bow runabout because that was the thing to do.

When the kids got bigger we moved up to an I/O bowrider and that again is what we had. One day I found a 14' tinny with a 9.5 'Rude and that became my fishing boat when the family boat was to big to cart around and launch by myself.

With retirement in sight I retired the tinny and bought a bigger deluxe Starcraft utility with swivel seats and a floor and all of the amenities.

After retirement I traded the Starcraft and bought a center console Whaler with a bimini top, fish pole holders on every corner and a little 4-stroke kicker (just because).

Now I'm in heaven. To answer the OP's question, if you want to fish a CC is the ONLY way to go. With all of the features, even the Wife likes her, so how could you go wrong...

 

[Chris1956]

Whalers always rode real hard, even in modest chop. My neighbor has a 27 Outrage. Nice when tied to the dock, but always pounds you while underway. A boat that size should make the bay and inlet smooth, but it is miserable.

That would be a no to a BW and a no to the CC, at least for me. Glad it works for you.

 

[JimS123]

Whalers always rode real hard, even in modest chop. My neighbor has a 27 Outrage. Nice when tied to the dock, but always pounds you while underway. A boat that size should make the bay and inlet smooth, but it is miserable.

That would be a no to a BW and a no to the CC, at least for me. Glad it works for you.

That's really funny!

On a Sunday our waterways are filled with boats and the waves are tremendous. Even worse is Lake Erie with its swells and rollers. My perception was that the Whaler's ride is comfortable and predictable.

IMHO, regardless of ride, I have never fished in any boat so versatile and functional as a CC.

 

[dingbat]

That would be a no to a BW and a no to the CC, at least for me.

I too used to pity the poor guys fishing CC in the early Spring, late fall tournaments.

Nowadays most running CC under these condition have hard or soft tops with enclosures.

Fished with a friend last year that has “wings” on his enclosure that snapped to the gunnels, providing protection across the entire width of the boat. The full enclosure on my walk around doesn’t afford that much protection

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Me, I used to have a tinny but I want to walk around and stand up. The Mrs admiral wanted a comfy spot to read so we bought a 16’ aluminum fish and ski. It gets me out in small/med to larger water on good days. Some of the water bodies I go to are tough access in a few places so its

If I have the option, I might pickup the 18’ version (OB only) as I like boat in camping a few times a year and could use the cargo space.

But I’m actually thinking of picking up a 12-14’ tinny again for back lake camping using my 8hp kicker and also a cruiser for some river system travel and week ending. Crazy, I know

 

[Ray74]

I use a 2oft duel consol mostly near shore fishing(5-7miles) offshore.

 

[Captain Caveman]

16ft Alumacraft single console fishing boat with 90hp Suzuki. It gets me around the lake, is great for bass/walleye/northern pike fishing, and can also pull the kids on tubes & skis.

When it's just me and I want to channel my inner Grumpy Old Men, I pull out the 12ft Starcraft with either my 1957 3hp or my 1960 5hp Johnsons. There is nothing like the smell of 2-stroke oil in the morning.

 

[cptbill]

Walk Around, the Admiral says no head no boat!