BigBendFishing.Net

I would love to have a 22 foot bay boat to fish out of but the simple fact is, I can not afford a 22 foot bay boat and therefor I fish out of a 17.5 bass boat!! sure it's more dangerous, but it's the best I can do of course, someone could always buy me a 22 footer so that I will be safer

I paid 6500 for a 2380 carolina skiff 4 years ago I have since put in a trolling motor, radio, and not new but newer motor all totaled about ten grand or so boat so far has been faithful she is just a little wet when it is snotty out.

I have carried up to six, she floats on spit handles pretty good, does not have good storage and will wet you, but I have yet to be scared in her "yet".

I know a guy that was taking his 20 + off to grouper fish no I am not doing that I have been off 7 with two other boats to try some rocks we had a boat load of pmg in about four hours, when we heard that boom off in the distance we rolled them up and hauled butt to the hill.

I would love a 22 foot boat with some v up front I look and fantasize all the time.

As it sits right now I will run what I brung even though most of the time I'm just hauling dung.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT YOU GOT. I WILL BET YOUR BOAT DRAFT VERY SHALLOW. STAY IN THE RIVER AND CREEKS FISH THE SHALLOW STUFF. THEM BAY BOATS CANT FISH THE PLACES YOU CAN FISH, IF IT STARTS GETTING TO ROUGH OR MOTOR PROBLEMS, JUST STEP OUT AND WADE BACK TO THE RAMP. STAY OUT OF THE OPEN WATER.

"SECRET" BIG TROUT ACT LIKE REDFISH.

SMALL TROUT KEEP THEM BOYS IN THE BAY BOATS BUSY.

DONT GET ME WRONG, BAY BOATS ARE NICE IF YOU ARE TARGETING BLUES, LADYFISH, AND SNOT CATS.

That's a fine rig for the flats. Just keep an eye out for how the weight of your load is distributed for proper trim, and keep an eye on the weather. If your load is distributed properly, a boat that size, handled properly, will take more seas than you want to be out in.

I grew up running boats/motors about that size all over Apalachee Bay, and kids being kids, in all kinds of weather. You'll find you have definite advantages over bigger boats in creeks and skinny water. You'll also find that when things get bumpy, the weight of a cooler or passenger fore or aft can make a big difference.

In spite of the fact that I have been known to do it, I do not reccommend taking a boat that size out past 24 from Live Oak Island. It's a long run back with only 15 ponies pushing.

If you do pick a day to do that, take a compass.

CROCKER wrote:
"SECRET" BIG TROUT ACT LIKE REDFISH.

SMALL TROUT KEEP THEM BOYS IN THE BAY BOATS BUSY.

Don't be telling everybody "THE SECRET"

My bay boat will get shallow

I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW SHALLOW SOME OF THESE BAY BOAT WILL GO.

LETS HAVE A TOURNAMENT, AT AUCILLA, LETS SAY MID DECEMBER.

HOW MANY BAY BOATS ARE UP FOR THAT ONE?

one more criteria.... the day after a cold front... wind shifts to the north 10-15

[quote="bman"]Another idea is find safe places to fish...
There are lots of places that would be safer in a jon boat.
Oyster Bay, Spring Creek, St Marks flats near the lighthouse, St Joe Bay, Alligator Harbor.
quote]
I am not so sure about St Marks. It seems like one of the most unsafe places I have been with all of the rockets flying down the channel all weekend, creating all the wake, and refracting that wake off the Jetty. Add a little wind and the lighthouse is scary!

Otherwise, I have a Gheenoe and fish all of these areas. I finally made it out on the flats just this past weekend. The weather finally cooperated! My advice is to be patient.

My worst experience thus far has been on the upper Apalachicola River when a afternoon squall showed up. All you can do is beach it and wait. 2nd worst was at the lighthouse.

skeeter22 wrote:My bay boat will get shallow

Yeah but its usually missing motor parts afterwards.

birddog wrote:

skeeter22 wrote:My bay boat will get shallow

Yeah but its usually missing motor parts afterwards.

BD, that's just wrong........

CROCKER wrote:I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW SHALLOW SOME OF THESE BAY BOAT WILL GO.

LETS HAVE A TOURNAMENT, AT AUCILLA, LETS SAY MID DECEMBER.

HOW MANY BAY BOATS ARE UP FOR THAT ONE?

easy on us bay boats Crock, I'll take that tournament. You can't put in at that Aucilla ramp with a negative tide and a north wind either !!!!!!!!!

Who needs a bay boat in the Aucilla during winter, with all you Gawga boys fishing the easy pickings, you can just walk bow to bow right from the ramp

Boggob,
I hear what you are saying about St.Marks... It can be dangerous.
Especially in the river.

When we fished it out of a Jon boat we at in at the Park....
That mitigates some of the big boats coming from the marina.

Then we would run over to the east or west flats fishing in close.

I would still do it....

wevans wrote:I would love to have a 22 foot bay boat to fish out of but the simple fact is, I can not afford a 22 foot bay boat and therefor I fish out of a 17.5 bass boat!! sure it's more dangerous, but it's the best I can do of course, someone could always buy me a 22 footer so that I will be safer

I'd love to have a 33 foot contender with trip 250s, but I fish with what I got too. We bought the boat used for less than what most people pay new for a nice aluminum boat. We are just extra cautious, we have yet to fish offshore in the 22 foot bay boat, its a Cape Horn with good bow, we probably will eventually when we get to know the boat better but we still will not probably go more than 20 miles offshore in it. And someone did buy me a bay boat because technically it is not mine, its my father-in-laws, I just act like its mine.

And it gets shallow enough for your bay haters, it will draft 1.5 ft. We don't get in the creeks but we catch plenty of nice size trout.