FS Digest

So lifelong bass fisherman, fished tourneys on shallow rivers in flat bottom jet boats. Looking to get into striper/rockfish game. Does anyone fish out of a bowrider as that will be my best option to get my lady on the water?

Any advice is appreciated.

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by wyatt_burp_good_boy

FS Digest

I'm no expert, but if you want the boat for fishing, get a fishing boat, not that bowrider.

If you want a boat, that maybe you could fish out of if you really wanted to, then sure, get whatever you want.

The striper game is hard enough as it is at the moment, but some great regulations have passed, and maybe in a few years it will bounce back.

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by skatefishjam69420

FS Digest

Tbh, I agree. And the fact is it would be me fishing solo probably 80% of the time, but slip location means I need a relatively quick boat to get where I want to fish as I would need to travel 10 ish miles and felt it would handle big water better than a modified V john boat of the same class or a bass boat

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by wyatt_burp_good_boy

FS Digest

When I almost moved to the middle Chesapeake a couple years ago, I had it all figured out. I was gonna get a 19' Maycraft center console, or maybe a bigger one, I forget what my exact daydream was.

I remember from the research I did, that the 19' Maycraft should have been OK unless it got particularly choppy, in which case it'd probably just be a bumpy ride home.

I never did look into speed though, makes sense you want something fast enough to do that 10 miles each way

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by skatefishjam69420

Egghead

When getting a boat,ya want consider where your at. How rough can it get. A fast boat is great in a race. But unless the waters always like glass your not Gunna be running wide open. From experience if you want your lady out there with you. Ya might want her to feel safe and HAPPY. You can drag a fish into any and all boats. I let my wife pick out a boat, she felt needed. Then I bought what I wanted. But she still felt like she had a choice.lol

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

From personal experience, there are no perfect boats. First if you fish a lot you are going to get wet! High winds, squalls come up, heavy chop, the list is endless, so do your best but expect to find some faults later! Concentrate on the fish! Just sayin...RJS

Ghob

Chesapeake can be nasty place wind current going against one another very large heavy vessels coming by far off your Anchored In 10 ft of water and it's 60 200 yards away from you when that little wave gets close to you it gets 8 feet tall keep your eyes open 25 footer can get real small

teabag09 Loc: Chesapeake, Virginia

I live near the Chesapeake Bay and have been here since I was 8. Grew up on the water in boats of all sizes since then. Have run Charter Boats, fish locally in a 12' vbow. If what you say is your intention, do more investigation and definitely get yourself a different and bigger boat. Mike

teabag09 Loc: Chesapeake, Virginia

I have been on the water for most of my life. I was flounder fishing on the west side of the Hampton Bay Bridge tunnel by myself and everything was great until I was ready to come home. Doing that meant I had to go into the main channel which the waves had gotten up to about 8 to 10'. I'm in a 17' really good, wide boat but I put on two life jackets and luckily my throttle was working well or I'd have been sunk.

My experience on the water saved me that day. A person who didn't know to ride the back of the waves but get in front of them would have been dead.

Before you get that boat, PLEASE, learn all you can about boat operation. Also refer to another person who referred, THE CHESAPEAKE BAY can and does go really angry really quickly, with no warning.

I've been on that water for 61 years and I don't trust her to this day but I feel that as long as I respect her and read her signs, she won't hurt me. Beware my friend. Boating is serious and dangerous. Good Luck. Mike

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Hoss: The now waves of tankers and those cargo giants do not take prisoners! You can literally be miles away and one will sneak up on you! So, keep your eyes pealed. Same for lightning, thunderstorms and water spouts! Just sayin...RJS

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Hoss: The bow waves of tankers and those cargo giants do not take prisoners! You can literally be miles away and one will sneak up on you! So, keep your eyes pealed. Same for lightning, thunderstorms and water spouts! Just sayin...RJS

Pickle Loc: Duplin co, NC

I've fished Chesapeake bay a lot in the past, and if your going to travel 10 miles on the water I would strongly recommend a larger boat. These guys are not trying to scare you, that water can go from great to oh crap in a hurry. Ten miles is a long ride in oh crap conditions on a 19 foot boat.

Ghob

Have a very sturdy 22ft center console with t-top for sale $3,000 Harrisburg PA area let me know if you're interested double axle trailer new stainless steel brakes tell you more about it