# Boat size



## mossyoakpro (Apr 26, 2017)

Okay gents,

I have decided to give up on turkey hunting and start back to fishing....I am by no means new to fishing but am somewhat new to saltwater fishing.

I have taken some trips to Keaton and Steinhatchee with friends and the occasional offshore guide excursion but other than that I have no knowledge of saltwater fishing other than it's a lot of fun and it will surely be more fun than wandering around listening for turkeys that do not exist anymore.

Anyway, my question is:  What would be considered the smallest size boat to take the occasional trip to the deeper water for some snapper, grouper and such?  Most of my fishing will be in the grass flats for trout, redfish and flounder but the ability to venture out on occasion would be nice.

PS- I know a lot has to do with water conditions so just give me your opinions on perfect conditions....I would not want to venture out in bad seas anyway 

Thanks in advance!!!


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## swamp hunter (Apr 26, 2017)

18 ft' Pathfinder Bay Boat. Decent inshore and a heavy enough hull to handle some slop when needed . We run one out of Marco Island offshore to 15 miles in good seas....our grouper and snapper are closer in than the Big Bend , so there's that.


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## jugislandrelic (Apr 26, 2017)

I would say 24'. I fished a 20' for a short while but after a few bad days offshore I knew I needed a bigger boat. 
Watch out for the offshore bug. I still have it after 20 years and it does not seem to be going away.


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## notnksnemor (Apr 27, 2017)

It doesn't matter what size the boat is.
The farther offshore you get, the smaller the boat gets.

A 24 footer, 30 miles out, can seem the size of a postage stamp at times.


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## ryanh487 (Apr 27, 2017)

Problem with the ocean is that it can go from perfect to bad a lot faster than you can get your boat back to the marina.  Don't buy for the best case scenario,  buy the minimum to get home safe in the event of a worst case scenario.  You could take a kayak 30 miles out on prefect water, but it wouldn't last very long at the slightest change.


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## Redbow (Apr 27, 2017)

O' Lord thy Sea is so great,,,and my boat is so small...Had a friend who fished up to 30 miles offshore with a deep Vee 19 footer for years..Me, well I like something 23 feet or bigger, especially when the Seas start building..Buy the biggest boat you can afford for going offshore, you won't regret it..


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## Rabun (Apr 27, 2017)

I had a 19' sea pro bay boat that I was reluctant to take offshore...just getting through the pass in ideal weather could be dicey depending on tides.  I upgraded to a 24.5 bay boat and am much more comfortable going out in that.  I've only had it for a year, but last season we cleaned up on snapper off of cape sanblas.  If you're going to be mostly inshore fishing with occasional offshore, the bay boat design is ideal.  Would recommend a trolling motor with spot lock...my anchoring skills are pretty much non-existent.


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## glumpkin (Apr 27, 2017)

I currently have a 23' Sea Pro that I will take out on decent days. About 12 miles out from Jekyll is as far as I feel comfortable going. However, I will go out a little further when I fish the flats around Keaton Beach. Works great for fishing the flats!


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## mossyoakpro (Apr 27, 2017)

Thanks everyone for the replies!!  I was thinking of getting something in the 20-22 foot range for the room to fish a few folks without feeling cramped or getting hooks in places they don't belong.  Like I said it will mostly be for inshore but if the chance arises to hit the high seas it would nice to feel I have enough boat.

Been eye balling the Frontier 21 footer....looks like a great boat that will not break the bank.

Thanks again!!!


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## grouper throat (Apr 27, 2017)

We like to have capsize in a 21 ft as a teenager in a small storm abot 17 miles out trying to come in, nothing to the storm but the gulf will fool you. The boat rolled over the wave wrong in 5-6 footers and didn't have the power to pull out the correct way. I asked God to spare us and I'd never do something that foolish again. 

I wouldn't go out there in less than a 25 ft real offshore boat (sides best come up 3 ft+) with an experienced captain who knows what they are doing. Too many inexperienced people die out there not knowing what to do no matter what the boat size.


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## Rich M (Apr 27, 2017)

A lot comes from picking your days - I run a 17 and will go 15-20 miles for mahi, kings, bottom fish...  I wait for a trend of calm weather and go.  Won't go if the wind is scheduled to pick up the next day, but if it is supposed to be just as calm the next day or two, will have at it.

Boating skills have a lot to do with it - I grew up fishing the rips around Long Island and Montauk.  Goes from flat calm to 6-8 ft seas with the change of the tide.

Anyway - learn how to run the boat in the waves.  Don't be like folks who get stuck sideways in the troughs - that's a bad place to be.

How big was that boat the football player flipped in the Gulf?  It aint the arrow it is the Indian.

Now, if I was getting a boat to play offshore it would be 25 ft and have double 250 or 300 hp on it.  
A buddy of mine has a 22.5 CC with a 200 on it and she works fine wherever we want to go.  
Since I can't afford either of those, I have a 17 bay boat with a 55 on it and pick my days.  10 to 15 miles is well within reach of my boat and most boats 18 ft plus.

You are limited by budget, towing capacity, and feeding the motors.  Towing capacity has usually been my enemy as I'm not buying a bigger truck just to go fishing.


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## jimbo4116 (Apr 27, 2017)

Get yourself a good 19 to 21 ft. bay boat and fish inshore.

You will get much more use out of one and when the urge to go offshore strikes get a charter.

You will catch more fish, have more fun and spend less money.

In reality there is no such thing as  inshore/offshore boat.  they are two different animals.  You need to really know how to handle a boat offshore and that experience is hard to come by making a couple of trips per year.


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## swamp hunter (Apr 27, 2017)

Any boat is a compromise...
I've been in 30 ft' seas in a 21 ft. boat..rollers in the Stream.
As someone said , the size of your boat starts to shrink the further you get offshore. Ran a 17 Whaler 47 miles to Bimini once..ahh to be young and foolish.
If your mostly inshore just get a bay boat and pick your days offshore..pick them well, but you can do it in a bay boat.


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## flingin1 (Apr 28, 2017)

swamp hunter said:


> Any boat is a compromise...
> I've been in 30 ft' seas in a 21 ft. boat..rollers in the Stream.
> As someone said , the size of your boat starts to shrink the further you get offshore. Ran a 17 Whaler 47 miles to Bimini once..ahh to be young and foolish.
> If your mostly inshore just get a bay boat and pick your days offshore..pick them well, but you can do it in a bay boat.




30ft seas in a 21ft? That's crazy and I want no part of that. Where did you get caught up in 30ft ers?


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## Permitchaser (Apr 28, 2017)

I have an 18.5 flats boat. I stay inside catch plenty of fish. It would go of shore but I am not young and stupid anymore


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## mossyoakpro (Apr 30, 2017)

Thanks for the replies folks!!

I'll take everyone's advice and just get a bay boat and spend my time in the skinny water.

Thanks again!!


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## swamp hunter (Apr 30, 2017)

flingin1 said:


> 30ft seas in a 21ft? That's crazy and I want no part of that. Where did you get caught up in 30ft ers?



Gulf Stream off Miami.
Giant Rollers coming in from the North  , Good thing they weren't Breaking or I 'd not be sitting here right now...way Cool riding them.


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## brriner (May 3, 2017)

The bay boat will be your best option for being able to fish shallow and go out on the good days.  I've owned and 19 footer and a 25 footer.  Both have been offshore.  As far as 15 miles in the 19 footer and 35+ on the big boat.  The difference between them was how skinny I could fish in the small boat, and how much better I felt in 2+ footers with the big boat.

I could float and run in 3 feet with the big boat but could get downright shallow in the smaller one.  Running through the pass at Carrabelle, I learned very quickly whether it was going to be an offshore day or not regardless of which boat I was in.  The boats would take a lot more abuse than I was willing to.

Summer thunderstorms scared me to death.  I always tried to be back in sight of land by 1:30 or 2:00 so I could beat them in.  Never did get caught offshore in one, but heard stories from friends and I'm very thankful I only heard about it and never had to experience it first hand.

I've had my fishing line lift out of the water and sizzle a couple of times inshore and that was when I turned tail and got the heck out of Dodge.


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## swamp hunter (May 3, 2017)

Brother..I could tell you stories bout that Lightning...boy could I.
No place for a Sane Man....


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## spurrs and racks (May 4, 2017)

*I have.....*

a 25ft rule

s&r


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## brriner (May 5, 2017)

Also, don't forget that you'll have 2 foot-itis about the third trip out in the boat.  You will wish you had bought one just 2 feet bigger!


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## redneck_billcollector (May 22, 2017)

I am going to make a suggestion a wee bit different.  Figure out what type of saltwater fishing you like the best before you commit to a boat.  You might find that you would rather fish offshore much more than inshore and therefore start fishing out of Destin, PCB or Mexico Beach over the big bend area. Or you might find out that there is nothing that can compare in your mind to catching redfish on flies or tarpon on flies...there is no such thing as an all around saltwater fishing boat.  Every boat is a compromise normally with speed, draft, stability and the biggie, your style of fishing.  You would be bummed if you spend a large sum on a good bay boat thinking you want to fish offshore at times and inshore at times....but you find out you can't get in the good redfish waters during the winter and can only get offshore on the days that the seas are no more than a foot.  I have a couple of boats for inshore....one for fishing the big bays, not as shallow and running the beach during tarpon season and another for poling the real skinny water chasing whatever with my fly rod.  For offshore...well, I have friends that have them or I charter.  If you love hunting...which apparently you do, and if you have any experience with fly fishing, you want to try for redfish with a guide and a fly rod...before you purchase your boat, because saltwater fly fishing is about as close to hunting as you can come without using a gun or a bow. The first boat is my skinny water poling boat, the second is for bigger water and beach running during tarpon season, and set up for that.  I am a fly fisherman for all my inshore fishing needs...so my boat needs might be a little bit different than others.  But I knew that is what I loved to do best....fly fish inshore, before I started sinking money into boats. One last question.  Where do you live...that is something to consider.  Are you going to mainly fish the big bend area? Or is the panhandle an area you are interested in.  If I was fishing inshore, especially in the winter time in the big bend area., an airboat is a consideration....you will never go off shore, but that area gets real skinny in the winter time and that is also a great time to fish....and duck hunt in the big bend area.  Duck hunt in the morning, and sight fish as the sun gets up.


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## redneck_billcollector (May 22, 2017)

I am going to say one more thing, unless you live close to the coast and/or own a place on the coast...even if you do buy a boat to go down there, you will not use it much.  The money you would spend on the boat could be put in an account, and then you can just charter......find friends who like to fish to keep that cost down if you like offshore.  In the long run, you will fish more and spend less if you are not going to be at the coast every weekend or at least every other weekend. If you are only fishing a couple of times a year, in no time, the boat even if new, will have issues every time you go fishing because it is sitting up all the time...just like a bike or a car, the less you run it and the longer it sits, the more issues you are going to have when you run it. If you live over three or so hours from the coast....it gets weary on you to get down there enough to justify a boat.


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## 2degrees (May 23, 2017)

Nothing like being the captain of your own (or bank owned) boat.


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## Dr. Strangelove (May 23, 2017)

A 21 to 24 foot boat is the size I like, enough to walk around in but still able to be handled by one person. Much bigger than that and they get to be a pain to try to load and unload, dock, etc. by yourself.


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## dawg2 (May 23, 2017)

I have a 20' Key Largo Center Console.  I use it in Keaton, in the Atlantic, in the Gulf, in lakes.  Great boat.  It has a 25" transom, so it sits deep which makes it ride really well in chop.  It has been out in rough water and did really well.  It holds 70 GAL of fuel and 4 people can fish easily.  You can easily carry 6 people with plenty of room.   

But I am leery about going too far out with a single motor.  So I won't go out 20 miles.  But I do hit some reefs closer in.  Like someone said before, buy what you do most of.  I have been caught in some pop up storms and was REALLY GLAD I was not in a "bay boat."

While this boat handles blue water well, it is at a disadvantage inshore since it has such a deep hull.  So I have to really watch charts and tides so I don't run aground in flats.


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## redneck_billcollector (May 23, 2017)

2degrees said:


> Nothing like being the captain of your own (or bank owned) boat.



What's that saying? Something along the lines of..."The second happiest day of a man's life is when he buys his boat, and the happiest day is the day he sells it."  Unless you are in a position to use it rather often, they are hole in the water that we all pour our money into.


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## teethdoc (May 24, 2017)

mossyoakpro said:


> Thanks for the replies folks!!
> 
> I'll take everyone's advice and just get a bay boat and spend my time in the skinny water.
> 
> Thanks again!!


 This is your best bet.  It's hard to find a boat that serves for flats and off shore. 

If kids will be fishing with you, get higher sides.  If you really get into skinny water fishing, you are going to want to pay attention to the draft of the boat.

I have a 19' Kenner that I can pole into about 10" of water, but feel comfortable on a calm day running 10mi out to some near shore rigs.  I can watch the weather and race back to shore or worst case tie off to the rigs.

If you are fishing Steinhatchee, pretty much any bay boat will work.  Ive caught fish out there in Off shore boats down to john boats.


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## mossyoakpro (May 24, 2017)

Thanks for all the replies guys!!


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## Jack Ryan (May 24, 2017)

mossyoakpro said:


> Okay gents,
> 
> I have decided to give up on turkey hunting and start back to fishing....I am by no means new to fishing but am somewhat new to saltwater fishing.
> 
> ...



Only one thing you need to know about boats or boat motors, like fish, bigger is better.

Unless you are carrying it.


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## blu catz (Jun 2, 2017)

I prefer a center console over a bay boat.Drafts about the same but hass higher gunnel hight.Check out the Key West 186cc.


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## swamp hunter (Jun 2, 2017)

redneck_billcollector said:


> I am going to say one more thing, unless you live close to the coast and/or own a place on the coast...even if you do buy a boat to go down there, you will not use it much.  The money you would spend on the boat could be put in an account, and then you can just charter......find friends who like to fish to keep that cost down if you like offshore.  In the long run, you will fish more and spend less if you are not going to be at the coast every weekend or at least every other weekend. If you are only fishing a couple of times a year, in no time, the boat even if new, will have issues every time you go fishing because it is sitting up all the time...just like a bike or a car, the less you run it and the longer it sits, the more issues you are going to have when you run it. If you live over three or so hours from the coast....it gets weary on you to get down there enough to justify a boat.



You Sir are a Wise Man. 
The Rack and Stacks down my way are full of real nice center consoles with dead battery's and cracked cushions.
I can pick them up for half  price at bout 7 years old.
That Skinny water boat is real nice. I'd have to take the platforms off cause of the Mangrove creeks but I'd sure like to fish it.


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## Warrenco (Jun 3, 2017)

Inshore, 17' skiff or 18' bay boat. Going out I would say a 21-22 deep v center console. I don't go out anymore. I love fishing the flats. I can be catching fish in 10 minutes instead of riding an hour


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