# Skiff for me?



## nabsup (Jun 3, 2016)

I am selling the big boat to down size as I fish solo 99% of the time. I have been looking at poling skiffs due to their light weight and shallow draft. My fishing is a mix of drifting/wading and parking on a marsh point and casting. I mainly fish with conventional spinning gear, but I like to use my Tenkara rod and I am learning to fly fish. For solo fishing on a skiff, I think a trolling motor would be the call and fish off the front? Hoping the motor balances the weight of me. Would I be better suited with an aluminum center console? West Galveston bay and Bastrop bayou area is where I will be.


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## nabsup (Jun 3, 2016)

To add, is it feasible to pole and fish solo?


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

Look further down on this forum, to the "Skiffs" thread. It will answer a lot of your questions. As far as poling and fishing solo is concerned, it is a huge PIA and you're better off with a trolling motor. My advice is to buy the quick mount block, so that you can remove the motor quickly and easily, on days when you have a partner to fish with. This would be especially true when fly fishing. On top of that, you'll be able to pole much skinnier water than you can go with a trolling motor and sometimes the reds and trout get up that shallow, especially in the Summer months. Just my opinion and I am still learning Texas techniques.


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

I've had both the aluminium and and a polling skiff. Both work fine for shallow water fishing solo. Both have limitations. The aluminium is noisier, wave slap and walking around and you will want the trolling motor. Which will limit you to about 1foot of water. I had the alumacraft 17' tunnel and it was a great fishing platform for the money. A true poling skiff is quieter and will allow you to get shallower 4-6". Much more expensive and the first time you drag it over a bunch of oysters you will cringe. My advise, if you thing you want a polling skiff then fish out of several. If nothing else hire a guide that uses a boat like you are thinking about and go fish for a day. The money spent is well worth it to get a boat you really like. Both the Hellsbay and the Maverick are nice. The NewWater Stilt is REALLY NICE. Let your budget be your guide.
Good fishing.


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## caddis (Jan 22, 2012)

You can pole and fish yourself if you're using conventional gear, and have a rod holder on the platform. Flyfishing, not so much.

A tunnel john with pods, a platform, and trolling motor would probably work fine how you mentioned fishing above. If you pole, you really will just be downwind in the john.


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## Ish (Oct 30, 2008)

nabsup said:


> I am selling the big boat to down size as I fish solo 99% of the time. I have been looking at poling skiffs due to their light weight and shallow draft. My fishing is a mix of drifting/wading and parking on a marsh point and casting. I mainly fish with conventional spinning gear, but I like to use my Tenkara rod and I am learning to fly fish. For solo fishing on a skiff, I think a trolling motor would be the call and fish off the front? Hoping the motor balances the weight of me. Would I be better suited with an aluminum center console? West Galveston bay and Bastrop bayou area is where I will be.


oh, hands down no doubt about it Maverick. anything else is a waste of money.


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## jcsimmons (Feb 15, 2017)

Little scooter boats would fit that bill nicely too 


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## flex (Jan 8, 2018)

I'd go aluminum. I fish very similar to you. Solo most of the time. Have a trolling motor on bow. I can troll into about 8" water. Any shallower and its easy to pole. My rig i can pole through about 4". Also nice not having to worry about it when you find reefs.

I have a mod V 17.5x60 aluminum side console. I also don't notice any wave slap like the normal jon boats. Light, easy on gas, and very easy to load and unload solo.

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## Ish (Oct 30, 2008)

flex said:


> I'd go aluminum. I fish very similar to you. Solo most of the time. Have a trolling motor on bow. I can troll into about 8" water. Any shallower and its easy to pole. My rig i can pole through about 4". Also nice not having to worry about it when you find reefs.
> 
> I have a mod V 17.5x60 aluminum side console. I also don't notice any wave slap like the normal jon boats. Light, easy on gas, and very easy to load and unload solo.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


#sabineskiff

#namsan


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## flex (Jan 8, 2018)

Ish said:


> #sabineskiff
> 
> #namsan


Sabine is legit! I'm very close friends with Uncle J custom boats. They are top notch and will literally build you a 1 off custom rig exactly how you want it and very reasonable pricing. If i ever upgrade I'll have them build one.

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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Looking for a solo rig? Say no more, just buy my rig. Perfect for one, trailers easily, can be launched even more easily anywhere and is a breeze to clean at the end of the day.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=2449138&highlight=conch


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

Cool little boat! I wonder if it could accept a slightly larger motor....like a 10 or something. Thinking of the (very) protected waters on the southern Yucatan, here..... that rarely see waves over 6 inches, but distances can be substantial.

BTW, why are you selling her?


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Permit Rat said:


> Cool little boat! I wonder if it could accept a slightly larger motor....like a 10 or something. Thinking of the (very) protected waters on the southern Yucatan, here..... that rarely see waves over 6 inches, but distances can be substantial.


The hull is rated up to a 6hp. I personally wouldn't try and throw a 10hp on there mainly due to the added weight. There might be some older 2 stroke 6hp motors that are built on the same block as an 8 or 10hp that you might be able to just carb up, remove a restrictor plate or do some other mods to make it a 8 or 10hp.

I've also run across some decent chop (>1ft) and never felt unsafe. I got a little wet being so close to the water, but it's self bailing so that's not a big deal.



> BTW, why are you selling her?


I've got two young kids and the days of fishing solo are getting numbered. Just looking to start gathering the funds to upgrade to something a little bigger to take the kids on in the future.


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