boats

any one DOWN sizing there boat this year due to the gas?  i got a 24ft islander.  all last year any time i went out i stayed out. to save sum gas. i reamber paying 3.80 a gallon at north east. its just sad..  i was at the pittsburgh boat show just to see how good it is, an i do say that was sad as well.  there were MANY people looking at the 17-20 ft boats.  after all was done u paid 10 for the ticket an 10 for parking an i dont think it was worthid.

i cant agree with you more heinze.  im thinking about doing the same thing you thinking of.  i live right up the road a lil bit from heinze house actually lol.  usually the fish commision is at north east checking the coolers, an they seem to pick out the bigger boats a lot faster then smaller ones. i dont mind being checked. but i will be the first to tell anyone, i got all the riggers an planner boards and all the stuff. but dont know how to use it all. im good at the riggers. an at most we ever came off the lake with at one time was 12 or 13. thats it. i had this boat for 3 years now. but its always good to have a larger boat when the waves pick up

well gee bluntman i hope that all works out for ya. hope ur friends understand  the expensises  of a boat. i though the same thing too but after the first year  they did not feel like paying all that money, to head out. it  cost a lot to get to erie for me as well. soo it adds up VERY fast lol

I have 2 boats....25' and a 17'...I guess I'll have to use the 17' more this summer due to gas, but it seems to be dropping pretty rapidly as of late..  Anyhow, I would much rather fish out of the 17' if conditions allow.  It is so much easier to handle, trailer and control on the water and as I said before, only if the conditions allow.

Nope ... Bought a bigger boat . Thats what friends are for gas & lodging between 5 guys is alot cheaper ; not to mention safer , more convenient using a bigger boat ( 24 foot hardtop ) than one or two guys in a small boat . Besides now I have more friends that actually willing to go out in relative comfort. I don't think you could ever have too big a boat on the Great Lakes.LOL

i c why most of you are getting a larger boat now lol. i dont get off that much, but i like to get up on the lake at least 3 times a month. an when i do go, i stay out. an try to make the best of it lol.  i never fishing the river befor, u never know what you will catch there. lol thanks for sharing guys

Went from a Jet Boat (3 mpg) to non-powered craft.

Went from an F250 V-10 (11 mpg) to a (so far 45 mpg) Prius.

Screw the oil companies!

Bought my 25' last year, it has a chev v-8, and does chew some gas, but with the cabin I can take the kids along they watch a dvd and reel in fish.  If I take my 16 ft w/ 60 hp & troll with that 9.9 I use maybe 5 g, but that is the boat that I have actually had to tie myself to the seat (I did get my limit though).   No way I am going back to the small boat and it takes rough water pretty well, but I can't take the kids and that means when the wife is workin I can't go.  I have a regular family room in the cabin of the big one so I will live with gas.
 
I may however start the kicker up sooner trying to troll up some strays on the way out....

Gentlemen,
      Last night I went to the Louisville Boat Show and I was kind of disappointed.  It semed like every boat I saw was either rigged for skiing, wakeboarding, or cruising.  When I asked for a pure fishing boat I was looked at like I was carzy and pointed to the bass boats.  When I pointed out that in rough water bass boats quickly turn into submarines the sales people asked why I would want to go out on rough water anyway.  (2-3's).
     Seems to be just the different mindset of people in different parts of the land.  Down here it's all bass, bass, bass, and making waves.

ORIGINAL: kingsalmon

i c why most of you are getting a larger boat now lol. i dont get off that much, but i like to get up on the lake at least 3 times a month. an when i do go, i stay out. an try to make the best of it lol.  i never fishing the river befor, u never know what you will catch there. lol thanks for sharing guys

Not the rivers on that side of the state. The rivers on this side... mid/east.

BTW: No 8ft'rs out there, lol.

BTW : not many 8lb walleye in them rivers . I'll stick to the big water where catching is simple. As finicky as walleye are lake erie is the only place you can make so many mistake and still catch yummy fish.

ORIGINAL: MightyMidge

Boston Whalers... Look to new england style boats that guys use to fish stripers. They go out and fish in horrible weather, don't use much gas, etc. An 18 foot center console like Whaler,Pro Line, Jones Brothers, Key West, Scout or the like with a 115-150 four stroke and you are back in business. I personally fish out of an 18.5' Boston Whaler Dauntless with a 150 Verado on the back and it is great. Not exactly a dry ride, but it will go to hell and back for you. Just my two cents.

 

There she is...my dream boat.....

No its perfect how it is....

  I just splurged & bought a new pair of waders off E-Bay for $71 buckaroos with 1200 grams of insl. plus shippin.  Most ov the times I jump out of the boat & hit islands/shorelines/rd. beds & hard to get spots anyways
 
  This middle age aint gonna get the best ov me. Gotta stay in shape some how. Man I think them polyurathane oils got to me doin the staircase for the last 4.5 hrs.

Gas isn't stopping me.  I'm moving up 4 feet 2 cylinders and about 150hp.w_w.