How necessary is a boat?
Oct 7, 2019 22:51:21 #
bottomcoon
Loc: Tahlequah, oklahoma
I had a 10ft plastic boat that seated 2 called the bass tender, sold by bass pro. My wife & I took that boat everywhere & caught lots of fish. We had an 8 hp Honda on the back with a 55lb thrust minn kota on the front. I'd fill that 3 gallon gas can up & it seemed to last forever. We really enjoyed that little boat but decided to get something bigger to be .less crowded & a bit more comfortable. We're 2 bigger boats down the road & don't catch any more fish than we ever did. I wouldn't leave the dock if 3 gallons of gas was all I had. Some of our old favorite spots to fish are too shallow to go into with this larger boat. My wife doesn't always go with me because the bigger boat is just too hard to get into & out of. I wish I had that little bass tender back.
Oct 7, 2019 22:58:23 #
Oct 8, 2019 01:17:59 #
Tartar Sauce
Loc: Groton , Connecticut
I was the same as you I was stuck on shore. I would crawl out on rock walls. I hang out in trees. Just trying to get a better advantage on the fish. Then I bought a 20-foot Carolina Skiff used it for $500 and I cut some trees for some nice people. That opened up more water in the coastline of the ocean. I wasn't very comfortable miles offshore. And then I picked up a 23 foot center console. And that has changed everything I now fish for many many more species. And it's enjoyable to bring friends and family. So I would say a book can help change the type of fish where you fish and it's so much fun to learn the electronics to actually say hey we caught a fish there let's pull the bolt back and go back over that same spot and just continue to catch fish.
Oct 8, 2019 12:13:00 #
a small boat is all u need to fish with. hope you can find your boat again. I have owned the bigger ones.
Oct 8, 2019 13:31:04 #
Oct 8, 2019 14:16:12 #
Spiritof27 wrote:
A kayak adds some diversity and is easily maintained. I owned a boat once. More of a money pit than anything else. It's always something. If you love to tinker and fix, go get you one, otherwise if you want to use a boat, most marinas rent them. Let them do the maintenance. That's my opinion.
Just an idea: I have a bass boat that hasn’t been in the water for years because I also have a Jon boat and a “Bass Hound”, which is a 5’ wife by 10’ long two-man, plastic boat (bought used, like the others) that I use most all the time. Low maintenance, trolling motor(no gas), and I even leave it hooked up to pick-up most of the time( old work truck / retired). I fish small lakes and ponds so big motor not necessary. It’s very stable and easy to fish from, and also easy to load and unload from trailer. Best part it was cheap.
Oct 8, 2019 14:21:08 #
Oct 8, 2019 14:29:32 #
bottomcoon wrote:
I had a 10ft plastic boat that seated 2 called the... (show quote)
I’m 65, retired, and love my Bass Hound (same as your “tender”). I take it out every week and my Jon boat and bass boat sit at home.
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