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Gents,
First post here. I have bought a place on the Mobile bay with a launch and slip. I am trying to find the perfect boat to both bay fish and occasionally go offshore. Is there such a boat? From the small amount of research I have so far it seems that you really need one boat for each. Any ideas or suggestions would be well recieved.
Thanks in advance
First off, welcome It is my experience that you will not find a more knowledgable and friendly group of fisherman and fisherwomen anywhere. That said, IMO a boat is like any other piece of equiptment, it was made for a set purpose. Flat, Bay, offshore, cruise, ICW. If you want to use it for a number of different things thats going to make your purchase decision more difficult. You have to narrow your choice to what you will be doing 90% of the time.
Take my boat for example, I have a small Edgewater 155 that I use 95% of the time in the ICW in/and around Ponce Inlet. About 1/2 dozen times per year I take her out of the Inlet about a mile or so to fish/dive, pull my son on his wakeboard, whatever. Those days are very limited because of the boats size. The boats size also provides me with a lot of advantages. I park my boat in my garage, do almost all work on it myself and it's a dream to trailer it anywhere, west coast, keys, jacksonville last weekend.
First decide what the boat will be utilized for, then decide what type of boat fits your needs - Center Consol, True Flats boat, deep V and lots of freeboard for small kids and the ocean, Pontoon boat, whatever. Then you can search these pages for info on Make/Model.
If you're talking about general cruising, coastal fishing, and some light offshore stuff on nice days, there are plenty of boats that can do that. What you won't be able to find is a boat that you'll be able to troll the flats in and also be able to go fish the rip. There are plenty of 20-24 foot boats, even with twins, that draw 2 feet or less.
As stated, different boats for different uses is the norm. If you choose a boat that can be used for more than one type of water, chances are that it won't do well in any of the categories. It will be ok for most, but will have its shortcomings in each. I guess what I recommend for a first boat is to look around at a few, consider how they might be used, and then buy a used one to use for a season or two. Then you can see what you really want in a boat, sell the first one, and get whatever you decide. Good luck and keep us posted.
Mike
__________________
They weren't biting at all.....then they slacked up.
A friend of mine has a 24 ft Triton bay boat with a T top that will run very shallow for the bay and we also have had it 30 miles in the gulf to troll and bottom fish. It's a very nice rig.
Thanks for the info guys. I have talked to a few people that have a boat on the mobile bay and have told me normal bay type boats are somewhat undersized for this bay due to how big it is. So... I have found a great deal on a 255 Aquasport 26' with 2 Yamaha 150 4 strokes. Anyone had any dealings with these boats? Feedback? I noticed also I probably started this thread in the wrong forum I will probably post the question in the boat forum.
Thanks
Gents,
First post here. I have bought a place on the Mobile bay with a launch and slip. I am trying to find the perfect boat to both bay fish and occasionally go offshore. Is there such a boat? From the small amount of research I have so far it seems that you really need one boat for each. Any ideas or suggestions would be well recieved.
Thanks in advance
Flogger where exactly are you?? I think if you are at Point Clear versus Magnolia Springs this would influence my decision some.....also tell us a little more about your fishing plans. If you plan to spend most of your time targeting Specks and Redfish on the Fish River a 22' Bayboat would be the choice. It's more than adequate to make an occasional run to the closest oil rigs and public reefs out in the Gulf on the really nice days. If you are going to spend most of your time fishing the reef and rigs out in Mobile Bay proper I would make the jump to a small Center Console.
I would suggest talking to a few locals and even go out on a few trips on different boats if you can. Or maybe even post you question here.......(not just Pensacola Bay, lots of Perdido and Mobille guys there too)
I am close to the tip at Fort Morgan. So close to the tip it will be hard not to hit the rigs as often as I can. I have fished the bays around orange beach/ perdido key in my bass boat many times and have taken many charters but most of them were on much larger diesel twin powered boats. I also have a friend that at one time had a place at St. George Island he had a 21' CC single 150 that we went out in several times. I live in Cullman by the way.
Flogger
Pathfinder makes a boat that is a good compromise, wouldn't want to be 30 miles out when it kicks up, but its a pretty seaworthy boat for nice days and will get shallow.
Take a look at the smaller (17-19 ft.) Cape Horn center consoles. Good quality, good all-around utility for your area, built locally just across the state line in Milton, Florida.
The Aquasport sounds good. Be sure to have it checked out well by a good mechanic. It is basically a Wellcraft which is a very well built production boat. The Yams are great engines just have them checked out before you buy and serviced if you do buy it. Also make sure the boat handles the heavier 4 strokes OK. If it is a repower of an older hull it may be heavy at the transom.
Mobile Bay gets pretty rough at times and to get a flats type boat would limit your days in the bay and especially in/off shore. If anything go with the bigger boat and get a used small Carolina Skiff for trout, crabbing and shrimping. I think you will end up doing the king, spanish, cobia, snapper deal more than anything else. Also that Aquasport can get you to the deep water rigs with a fuel bladder when you get ready for that.
Good luck with the search. I am from Cullman also.
I am close to the tip at Fort Morgan. So close to the tip it will be hard not to hit the rigs as often as I can. I have fished the bays around orange beach/ perdido key in my bass boat many times and have taken many charters but most of them were on much larger diesel twin powered boats. I also have a friend that at one time had a place at St. George Island he had a 21' CC single 150 that we went out in several times. I live in Cullman by the way.
Flogger
Being all the way out in the Fort Morgan area I would vote for a small CC(19'-23') not a Bay Boat. It is too easy to run out in the Gulf and you will be dealing alot more with bad currents, ship traffic, etc.....being so close to the mouth of the Bay.
Cullman all the way out to Fort Morgan is a pretty good run...
No matter what you buy, your first boat will not be the answer to everything. Just understand that and enjoy what that first boat can provide and learn from fishing it so your next purchase will be closer to your optimum.
__________________
Capt. Lindsay Fuller
June Bug Charters
Beach Haven, NJ
Member - Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association
Life Member - RFA & NRA
I have a place east of you (mouth of the Bon Secour), and have fished from Dauphin Island east for about 20 years. A 22' bay boat is a good compromise, if you watch the conditions. You can fish the rivers, bay, the Dixey Bar, and close-in rigs very effectively. A trolling motor is a big help, which is why I prefer a bay boat over a typical center console. We have fished more than 25 miles offshore in my bay boat during good conditions; I have gotten an offshore boat for those trips, but a bay boat would be a great starter. You won't be able to run 50+ mph very often, so don't be overwhelmed by claims of high top ends. Get a decent depth finder, chart plotter, and radio - you're good to go!
A friend of mine has a 24 ft Triton bay boat with a T top that will run very shallow for the bay and we also have had it 30 miles in the gulf to troll and bottom fish. It's a very nice rig.
Parker 23 SE
Dorado
Scheaffer
Gause
Young
Bonefish
Threadfin
Avenger
I have a place east of you (mouth of the Bon Secour), and have fished from Dauphin Island east for about 20 years. A 22' bay boat is a good compromise, if you watch the conditions. You can fish the rivers, bay, the Dixey Bar, and close-in rigs very effectively. A trolling motor is a big help, which is why I prefer a bay boat over a typical center console. We have fished more than 25 miles offshore in my bay boat during good conditions; I have gotten an offshore boat for those trips, but a bay boat would be a great starter. You won't be able to run 50+ mph very often, so don't be overwhelmed by claims of high top ends. Get a decent depth finder, chart plotter, and radio - you're good to go!
weatherman,
Don't you think if he does go with a "Bay Boat" that being more out near the mouth of the bay he would still want to consider the deeper hulled models. An example would be say a Skeeter ZX2250 versus a ZX 22 V.....they both have the same length and beam but the 2250 has a deeper hull more like a CC and the 22 is shallower more like a bassboat. I think Sailfish makes a Bay Boat with a little deeper hull also.......
21 contender, got all the fuel, storage you will ever need. Draft ain't bad. Economical to run. You'll never have to buy another hull. Bayboat at the close rigs are a joke. They aren't set up for that type of fishing and are usually not a real safe bet coming in and out of passes in less than ideal conditions.
And after fishing mobile bay for alot of years you are gonna find yourself at the close rigs a nd wrecks a lot more than trout fishing if you really wanna catch fish anyway. Good boat to run out to the islands in too. And when you feel like it run down over to Venice and do some fishing too.
I fished bay boats for a while and will never own one again. The Schaeffer's and Gause bulit boats are in a league of their own, not really what I would consider a bay boat. Awesome boats.
Either get a skiff and fish close to shore or get a real boat. No need for a bay boat around there.
First Saltwater Boat Advice
It is my experience that you will not find a more knowledgable and friendly group of fisherman and fisherwomen anywhere. That said, IMO a boat is like any other piece of equiptment, it was made for a set purpose. Flat, Bay, offshore, cruise, ICW. If you want to use it for a number of different things thats going to make your purchase decision more difficult. You have to narrow your choice to what you will be doing 90% of the time. 
