i want a boat

[Dirty Steve]

Think long and hard about how much time you think you will actually have to use it. My brother lives near Akron and bought a boat years ago thinking he'd like to fish on Erie. He gets enough free time to do it about twice a year. The rest of the time that boat sits in his garage. I have friends that are slaves to their boats and feel like they have to go every weekend, since they are making payments on the thing, especially when it's sitting in the garage over the winter. Then they complain about costs for fuel, launch fees, hotels, insurance. Duh.

I have had a canoe for 30 years and it gets a lot of use for fishing. I do not have enough free time to load up a trailer, travel somewhere, launch fish, maybe spend the night, etc..., even though I love to fish. I do have enough time to throw the canoe on the truck, take it with me to work and hit a small lake, pond or creek on the way home. I believe I actually get more fishing in that way doing short trips that are convenient.

If you can rationalize an inexpensive boat purchase like you are describing with the time you'll have to use it, then go for it.

Dirty Steve

 

[WebSnyper]

At one time the launch fees at Geist were shocking. Of course, I guess you folks that live in that vicinity are pretty used to throwing a money trail everywhere you go anyway.

Probably not what you had in mind, but I'd recommend a fishing oriented kayak or canoe. Fish the quieter electric motor only lakes. Get into spots you couldn't with a bigger boat. In and out and loaded fast. A LOT more time fishing. A LOT more trips when you know you can do it without a huge plan that will suck up most of the day nearly every time.

This is where I am heading. Thinking about getting myself and the boy each one... but need to get back into a truck to drop them into the back of.

 

[Darral27]

I am thinking about the same type of purchase. I would like to have a little 12-14' semi-v with a small motor and trolling motor. Problem is with 3 kids not sure it would work to take them out with me. I have been looking around at the 16-18' aluminum deep v's, built in live well, fish finder, trolling motor, 50ish hp motor can be found for around 3,000. They will last forever to. Not nearly the maintenance cost of an I/O boat either.

 

[mdmayo]

I have a '72 Alumacraft 16' shallow vee. Had a beautiful '72 20hp Merc Thunderbolt set up for stick-steer; broke that. Put a Johnson 15 tiller on it (with 9.9 stickers on the cowl of course), now a Bigfoot 9.9 tiller. That little boat has fished every piece of water I've ever wanted to fish, including Lakes Michigan and Erie. These days it spends most of its time on rivers. I think I've got maybe $4k wrapped up in it over three motors, trailer and two transoms. Thinking on a 17 foot modified vee with a 25hp 4stroke. Shop used, frequent pawn shops and marina garages, there are some really great deals out there.

Indiana has some great fishing, all over the place. Any boat is better than no boat. A man should never be without a boat.

 

[EdC]

At one time the launch fees at Geist were shocking. Of course, I guess you folks that live in that vicinity are pretty used to throwing a money trail everywhere you go anyway.

Probably not what you had in mind, but I'd recommend a fishing oriented kayak or canoe. Fish the quieter electric motor only lakes. Get into spots you couldn't with a bigger boat. In and out and loaded fast. A LOT more time fishing. A LOT more trips when you know you can do it without a huge plan that will suck up most of the day nearly every time.

This, absolutely. I've fished Lake Monroe from my 'yak, as well as salt water bays back in R.I. Had the most fun fishing skinny waters though. It's amazing what you can notice when you're that close to water level.

Some physical limitations prevented me from doing it for these several years, but I hope someday to get it in the water again.

 

[EdC]

This is where I am heading. Thinking about getting myself and the boy each one... but need to get back into a truck to drop them into the back of.

You won't regret it. They make racks for the cartops that will hold 2 'yaks, each on their side. They also make small trailers to haul 1 to 4 'yaks. Check out REI for starters, or the millions of kayak fishing websites.

I recommend looking into sit of tops (SOT's). If you spill, they are easier to get back into, and it's nice to be able to sit sideways on a hot summer day with your feet dangling in the cool water. I'm started to get excited myself, now, and might just have to make the effort and get out there again. Good luck with whatever route you take.

 

[Zoub]

I thought you had said take kids fishing, if you are alone and staying within an hour of your home and under 1k. A canoe, kayak, or small aluminum boat with a big electric motor may be enough. In my youth I covered a lot of Indiana with a 10' John/duck boat, oars and an electric motor or a canoe. 12' and under kayak, 10' if a John or V. If you look around you will see a boat that looks like a river guide boat porked a Grumman canoe. Bigger than a canoe but not a true V. They are a good compromise. You can use oars or small outboard.

not overly heavy.

Since this is a gun owners web site, don't take a knife to a gun fight AND a mans gotz ta know his limitations. AKA too small a boat on Geist in summer could get exciting. Often the big question is do you want to mess with a trailer or not.

 

[DFM914]

Maybe go this route:

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[Frosty]

I want a 10' Jon boat, something I can put in the back of my truck and take to the strip pits, and a nice trolling motor. No trailer, no trailer plates

 

[phylodog]

I'd like to be able to take my wife and daughter out. We had kayaks several years ago but had an incident at a log jamb on fall creek where I thought my wife was going to drown and I sold them. I'm comfortable on a kayak but I'm interested in an aluminum V hull. Still trying to decide.

 

[bwframe]

I want a 10' Jon boat, something I can put in the back of my truck and take to the strip pits, and a nice trolling motor. No trailer, no trailer plates

Here you go:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/non-firearms-related/299603-wts-10-jon-boat-setup.html

 

[jmiller676]

I want a 10' Jon boat, something I can put in the back of my truck and take to the strip pits, and a nice trolling motor. No trailer, no trailer plates

I do that with my 8 footer....it's awesome.

 

[Mark 1911]

I've been thinking about buying a boat quite a bit lately. I love to fish but haven't been able to in a couple of years and I'd like to be able to when I have the time. I hate fishing from shore and with the limited fishing opportunities (lack of water) in Indiana I'm having a difficult time deciding if it's a wise decision. I'm not looking to spend thousands, mainly because I don't have the money. A dream boat would be a relatively deep V aluminum Lund capable of navigating a river and maybe putting in on Erie. Realistically I'm probably looking at a smaller V hull, I've got a 5hp motor that I left up in Canada a few years ago that I should be getting back in the next couple of months.

I live about ten minutes from Geist so that'd be a pretty easy and quick put in. I'm just not sure if there's enough quality fishing opportunities to justify the purchase. Any opinions? Any other small boat owners who can shed some light on decent spots I may not be aware of? I like fishing for bass but I don't care to eat them. I love eating crappie, walleye and bluegill but the eyes and gills have to be pretty decent size before I'll mess with cleaning them. Never been much on catfish (catching or eating) and I'll "fish" for carp as long as I can do it with my bow. Smallies are awesome to fish for and I'd love to be able to head up north for steelhead at some point (never caught one).

Thoughts?

I was fishing out of Marblehead (near Port Clinton) a few weeks back. There are tons of boats around areas like that, I bet you could find a great deal if you had the time to look around a place like that.

 

[Frosty]

Here you go:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/non-firearms-related/299603-wts-10-jon-boat-setup.html

that ones about perfect... Can I borrow $550?

 

[bwframe]

that ones about perfect... Can I borrow $550?

Whatcha got to trade?

 

[Frosty]

Whatcha got to trade?

2 dogs that will drive you insane and a needy cat. Might be able to throw in about 50 rounds of .22 LR.

 

[Leo]

For fishing by myself a 12 ft Richline did nicely. Easy to launch by my self even if there was no ramp, just drag it to the water. If anyone wants to come along, it gets crowded quickly. I really enjoyed the Sylvain Sea Snapper. It comes in 14 and 16 ft. It is a deep Semi V and about 6 ft wide. Plenty roomy for all day with coolers, etc. I could actually lay down across the seat. The metal is thicker than other boats in that size. It does cost a little more but you get a lot more. Since it is a plain jane boat, they are still cheaper than a purpose built boat like a Tracker. Worth looking at.

5 horse power will be ok for fishing on calm water. I was using 7-1/2. In a river or on big water, I would get more power. I upgraded to 30 HP and got caught in a quick storm on a big lake. The waves were coming tall and fast. It took just about all of the 30 hp to keep pointed into the waves. With a small kicker, I am sure I would have been swamped and slammed into the rocks.

 

[mainjet]

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