Considering a small boat to fish a clearwater mountain lake here in North Carolina.
The lake only covers a little over 150 acres but offers excellent fly rodding for smallmouth,
largemouth, bluegills, and some really big redbreasts.
10hp maximum, big enough for two fisherman and all their gear.
Would prefer swivel seats in lieu of bench seating.
Anything out there like that? I’m totally ignorant when it comes to boats.
I have and would recommend that you try out a NuCanoe in the 12’ length and purchase the swivel seat bases. I have the 10’ model due to I am usually by myself but I do have 2 swivel seat bases and have had 2 people in mine and no problems. If you can find a dealer close to you that would let you demo one, it would be great. Our local fly shop here has demos and will even do the shuttle for you if you want to float the river and fish. The 10’ NuCanoe weighs around 60 pounds and the 12’ around 80 pounds. Very stable and with a double bladed paddle it glides over the water very easily. There are many other smaller boats out there, but, I really like the NuCanoe. It fits perfect in the back of my Frontier and they even have a transportation cart which is a set of wheels that slip into a hole in the transom and you just pick up the front of the boat and row it to the water and to your vehicle.
Check out: www.nucanoe.com
They also have videos on their Web site so that you can see the NuCanoe in action.
I am sure you will get other suggestions to check out.
If you want to use a motor, I would suggest a 13 or 15 foot Gheenoe. They are a little on the expenseive side, but have great resale value.
Ive had a few boats, so I would start by asking myself a few ?'s
Does the lake you want to fish have a ramp, or primative launch only? If no ramp you have to think pontoon, kayak, or some other easily carried type.
Does North Carolina require registration of boats if you have a motor (Va does even if it is electric)? This means annual fees, and it will probably show up on your personal property tax bill also. They definately cross reference boat registration and personal property returns in Va. It also would not hurt to pick up a boat liability policy at $50/yr.
Do you have a place to store a boat and or trailer? My nucanoe is on the wall on its side in my garage, out of the way til its time to play. Kayaks, pontoons, etc also ez to store.
Will you ever use the boat elsewhere, other lakes, rivers, etc? Get something versatile enough to do more than one type of fishing if you do that.
Will you be with a buddy or by yourself most of the time? If by yourself, you want to get something one person can handle.
Jon boats are fun if you dont mind the trailer, and you can usually pick up something cheap. Get a semi-v hull for lake fishing, unless wind/waves never are an issue. If you get a gas motor, trust me, get a four stroke. Way less noise, gas consumption, pollution, and rebuilt carburetors.
Probably you have already thought of all this, some of it is kinda obvious. I have learned the easier a boat is to use, the more it gets used.
Thanks for the suggestions and things to consider.
I appreciate it.
You can fish 150 arce lake very easily with oars or paddles and not deal with motors. Beside fly fishing let alone 2 in a boat can be tough so.
I have two rigs. One is an ODC Sport LT pontoon boat, and the other is a 12’ jon boat with a 46# electric motor. Both are quite adequate unless I’m fishing a lake larger than 300 acres or so. If the battery on the jon boat goes belly up while I’m fishing, I still have the oars.
Well, if you want something that will last all the years you got left to fish, rugged, requiring little maintenance, will handle up to a 7hp and you can install swivel seats … hard to beat a Grumman Sport boat.
150 acres? I’d scrap the motor idea, and go with a two-seat yak, or maybe a paddle-boat. Canoes are OK, but too heavy and slow. A paddle-boat is painfully slow, but you can pedal and fish at the same time. I have a KL Industries 4-seater paddleboat that I use for bowfishing, and diving (usually for mussels). It is a stable work platform.
Second that motion on the 13 ft Gheenoe! Check out Craigs list from Orlando, Jacksonville, Melbourne, i.e. Central Florida cities and you might find a bargin like I did. Check out the Gheenoe site on the web for new prices, accessories, etc. Quite a craft! http://www.gheenoe.net/
ocala4sale.com is good source to find one to.
I currently have a one man creek boat,its light but being made of plastic the bottom is getting gouged pretty badly now.I am looking at the springcreekprams made of kevlor or fiberglass but starting at 1295.00 they are not cheap.But being made of fiberglass like bass boats they should outlive me!
Here are a few of my fishing boats. I wouldn’t trade or sell them for anything.
The orange one is my Advanced Elements Convertable Kayak (inflatable). It goes anywhere, and sets-up, and packs-down in minutes. It goes in the back of my car, in my bicycle trailer, or even on a bus or airliner. It is a fast as all but the most specialized racing kayaks, and tracks arrow-straight. It weights 47 pounds, and can hold 700 pounds of people and gear. It can be converted from a tandem to a solo touring yak in less than 2 minutes. It has both single, and double spray decks, spray skirts, or can be used without them (as pictured), like a canoe.
The blue hardshell is my river-boat (rapids-runner). It is a Pelican International Pursuit 100, and is aptly named. It is quick, and so maneuverable that from full speed (it makes 5 knots easy), I can do a complete 180 spin in less than the length of the boat (10’). It is unsinkable, and I suspect, virtually indestructible. I’ve gone over 2-25’ waterfalls in it (actually, it was the same waterfall, twice…I think I have learned how to avoid it, now…), and through Class V+ whitewater in it all the time. It weighs 24 pounds, and can hold 350 pounds of me, and gear.
If you need a boat that will take abuse, be light and portable, and get you home alive, no matter what…you might consider a good kayak. They give you the most bang for your bucks, believe me. I would get rid of all my cars before I would part with any of my 'yaks (or bicycles, for that matter…).