# Poling skiffs -- yes or no for texas bays



## cjweber09 (Mar 8, 2013)

You don't see too many technical poling skiffs here in Texas. Most are made out of Florida... Is there just too much chop down here? Or is it an just an expensive option that only 2 or 3 people can fish out of maximum? 

I'm in the market for a used boat.. anything is an upgrade from my 14 foot jon boat.. I have been in, and driven multiple "bay boats" -- Just your standard Kenner/Mako type boat, also spent a lot of time in a Boston Whaler Montauk... But I have never been on a poling skiff. 

How do they ride? Probably not suitable for going to the jetties? They sure do look good..something like a ranger cayman, or an action craft (something with 90HP or larger)... I don't suppose they would do any good to pull a wakeboard? 

I like the looks.. but I guess I just need to catch a ride on one... What is 2cool's opinion?


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## ut755ln (Mar 19, 2013)

I actually never understood why they weren't more popular. If you go from Lake Sabine to the LLM, there are only a couple of spots where they aren't a great choice. Big water bays like East Galveston, going through land cuts to jetties sometime could get a little dicey.

I have seen them used in Sabine, in West Galveston bay and all over the lower coast. A really good site with lots of information on them is http://www.microskiff.com/.

Since you mentioned the Montauk, I saw a guy with a 17' BW Sport with a push platform over the engine. It was a very nice setup.


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## Whipray (Mar 12, 2007)

I have a Hells Bay Whipray, and it's a great boat for skinny water. I've got the tunnel version, and it will run just as skinny as any of the Texas built scooter style boats, and poles straight and deadly silent. The down side to these boats is that you can't take 3 of your buddies fishing with you. I've fished three guys in my boat, and it gets really crowded really fast. Four guys would be impossible. The handle chop pretty well with the v in the bow and spray rails molded into the hull, but they are a little on the narrow side, so they're tippy if you aren't used to moving around on them. 

Now that my kids are a little bigger and wanting to fish with me more, I'm thinking about getting a full sized bay boat. Still trying to figure out how to talk momma into letting me keep the HB....


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## whistlingdixie (Jul 28, 2008)

I wish we sold poling skiffs cause I would be all over one. It is a totally different type of fishing but is a lot of fun especially in the back waters.


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## whistlingdixie (Jul 28, 2008)

East Cape if you read this I can not send you a PM. e-mail me at [email protected]


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## cjweber09 (Mar 8, 2013)

Whipray said:


> Now that my kids are a little bigger and wanting to fish with me more, I'm thinking about getting a full sized bay boat. Still trying to figure out how to talk momma into letting me keep the HB....


If you are interested in selling.... im interested in buying... haha Sounds like you are going to be upgrading to a deck boat, or a pontoon...


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## TXflatman (Jul 29, 2013)

Hello,
I have been watching the board for awhile but do not make post often. Having said that, I too wondered about the FL flats style boats. I recently purchased a Sundance FX19 Spyder in July. I talked with some people before purchasing that style of boat and some of the folks I talked to said that I would not like it and they are not popular here. But when asked why they could not say. Needless to say, I went ahead and bought it. I really like the boat. As it turns out it is perfect for what I am using it for, fishing mostly shallow bays in the Galveston area. It rides pretty smooth and, for the most part, dry unless there is a cross wind and more than a foot of chop. Probably would not take it to the Jetties unless it was really flat. With the Yamaha F115 on it the fuel economy is impressive, over 7 miles to the gallon. I usually either fish alone or with 1 other person. 3 is OK but too crowded for my taste. Not sure if that info helps, but hope that it does.


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## rugger (Jul 17, 2009)

I'm in the process of saving up enough money to get an ankona shadowcast...dont understand while they aren't more popular. they take chop better than a scooter while staying drier, pole straighter, and draft as little as most scooters. I predict that over the next few years we'll start seeing more poling skiffs...especially with the introduction of budget friendly, quality boats such as ankona and inshore powerboats. While it's uncomfortable to fish more than 2, they are darn easy to launch solo so there's that...


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

I've been running one (Beavertail) for seven years. No, it is not a jetty boat or a mouth of the Brazos boat. Simply not enough freeboard. As far as "technical" or not technical, I would not consider anything with more than a 70 horse to be a technical skiff. Mine is 17'-8" with a 50 tiller and it is comfortable to pole all day long. If you truly want to pole a skiff the MAJORITY of the day, then you will want as light as possible. Also, I wouldn't buy anything that is going to have any hull slap whatsoever. I can pole right over fish and they never hear me. They may see me but they don't hear me.


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## Xplorin08 (Jan 18, 2011)

I have an Explorer 19TV that I used quite often until I decided to take up flyfishing. Did some homework and ended up buying a used Beavertail Osprey and I love it. I can easily say I can go anywhere in it that I went to in my Explorer and more as I can get into really shallow water with my Beavertail. The only draw back that I agree others have said is that I can't take more than two of my fishing buddies with me but at the same time I rarely had 4 ppl on my Explorer. Most of the time it was 2 or 3 on the boat at most. IMO, the skiffs are great boats if you use them for what they're built for. If you intend to soak bait, wade or drift fish, look for a little larger bay boat. If you want to stalk fish and enjoy being where most boats can't go, buy a skiff - you won't be disappointed!! I sure haven't...


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## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

before I really started guiding this year I had a mavrick pathfinder 17Tunnel it was a great boat for down here. One of my buddies bought it off me and runs it everywhere. I would love to get back in a boat that size but just can't and still make money.


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## cjweber09 (Mar 8, 2013)

A few that I have been eyeballing...

97' ACTION CRAFT 1622 FLY-FISHERMAN, 01' YAMAHA 115HP
(older hull, the guy wants 11K, looks good in the pics)

2007 18' Renegade Nomad center console 2006 115HP Mercury
(this thing been for sale for awhile.. I have been addicted to craigslist/2cool classifieds for the last year.. just havent pull the trigger on anything..)

2005 Ranger Phantom 168 w/ 70 HP Yamaha 2-stoke

2005 ranger banshee top drive it has a 2005 yamaha 60 four stroke (with a lot of goodies, 2 power poles, trim tabs, yada yada).. 

Or... should i just get a **** blue wave and call it good? haha..


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## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

I have a buddy that runs a banshee and really likes it. He is one of the guys that always wants to upgrade but I think the boat is fine. keep in mind all of those will beat you to death on any chop.. I don't care who says what skiffs are not smooth. I loved mine and will own one some day soon again.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

cjweber09 said:


> A few that I have been eyeballing...
> 
> 97' ACTION CRAFT 1622 FLY-FISHERMAN, 01' YAMAHA 115HP
> (older hull, the guy wants 11K, looks good in the pics)
> ...


Again, depending on how much poling you want to do, I'd maybe only choose the Banshee. I've never fished or poled one, but it seems owners upgrade from it pretty fast. Personally, the Top Drive would bug me, I've been spoiled by my wide-open cockpit of the tiller. I'd keep my eye open for a used Lostmen, Caimen, Beavertail, Maverick HPX-T etc....


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## Scout177 (Oct 23, 2006)

I have an Ankona SUV 17' being built and should be ready next week. It will have a 40 hp E-Tec (max), center console, poling platform, jack plate and guide box in front of the console. they are custom made in Ft Pierce, FL. The SUV is not a tunnel and is about 6' wide with the bare hull weighing about 350 lbs. The quality approaches the Hells Bay line with the ability to custom build including hull and deck colors. Also they are less than half the price of the normal flats skiffs. Erin and Mel are very good people and easy to work with. Check out the Ankona web site. They will work in any small bay and the larger bays when the wind is not howling.


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## mule76 (Feb 5, 2006)

"The quality approaches the Hells Bay line with the ability to custom build including hull and deck colors"

While Ankona is a good boat for the money, they are not even in the same marina as HB when it comes to quality or fit and finish. They do offer good value and a lot of options.

Poling skiffs are good if poling is what u wan to do. They are not as stable as a scooter boat, typically little or no deadrise to deal with chop, and they are not fast boats. If you have a lot of long runs across open bays then you have to be ready to run slow if it is choppy or if the wind kicks up the bay through the day. If you wade or drift mostly then I would pick a different hull style. 

I enjoy mine and one day I might be able afford an HB but then I would cry when I tried to push over an oyster bar. 

Those boats you listed with a 115 are big boats and will draft quite a bit more than a "technical" poling skiff, as well as be heavy to pole all day. Rangers are nice boats, if you want to get up shallow, weight is the enemy. That is why a lot of skiffs are pretty bare bones. These hulls are lightweight and very weight sensitive.


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## DannyR (Mar 18, 2006)

What is the hull warranty on the Ankona?


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## letsgofishbro (Feb 8, 2012)

cjweber09 said:


> A few that I have been eyeballing...
> 
> 97' ACTION CRAFT 1622 FLY-FISHERMAN, 01' YAMAHA 115HP
> (older hull, the guy wants 11K, looks good in the pics)
> ...


The tower ranger banshee your refering to is bad A. I have been in it and it runs dang well and runs almost as shallow as my scooter. Guy who owns it is a buddy of mine.


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## Crow's Nest (Dec 4, 2009)

I recently purchased a Florida Style Poling Skiff after several years of owning an Alumacraft 1756 Tunnel. I loved my Alumacraft but wanted something a little nicer and quieter. I usually fished 2-3 people either Drifting, wading or poling/sight casting from the boat. And now am trying my hand at Salt water fly fishing.

I looked at Ankonas and specifically the Shadowcast. It was way too small, IMO, for the kind of fishing I like to do. I looked for used mavericks but could never seem to find one in my hemisphere. I finaly came upon a 2010 Bay Craft 180 Tunnel that had only 22hrs on it. It was loaded out with 60 Etech, Majic Tilt Alum Trailer, Minkota Remote Control Trolling Motor, Lenco Trim Tabs, Dual Bank Minkota on board Charger and Power Pole. It has way more storage than most boats I have been on and not just for a boat its size. And with the Trim Tabs adjusted in the right position it produces a very dry and smooth ride in up to 2ft chop. Side wind does ruin that though.

While this boat is not a Maverick, it does perform well for me. It poles like a dream, runs in 6" and with the right prop I think I can get it up in under 12". It is also not tippy. I feel very stable up on the Poling Platform. This past weekend, after attempting to make it to the POC Jetties only to be turned back by 15-20mph winds and 3-4ft chop, I chased Reds in some Back Lakes that you could never manuever a Scooter in. 

This Boat Brand new is half the price of a Maverick of similar spec. This boat is not Kevlar but still wieghts in at 700 lbs for the hull. It does not have the fit an finish of a Maverick but is still a high quality build. I am very happy with the performace and quality of this boat so far.

I could see this boat being very popular in Texas. I would also like to see a Scooter topped version much like the Curlews. Texas' fisrt Poling Scooter.


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## whistlingdixie (Jul 28, 2008)

Stuart said:


> I've been running one (Beavertail) for seven years. No, it is not a jetty boat or a mouth of the Brazos boat. Simply not enough freeboard. As far as "technical" or not technical, I would not consider anything with more than a 70 horse to be a technical skiff. Mine is 17'-8" with a 50 tiller and it is comfortable to pole all day long. If you truly want to pole a skiff the MAJORITY of the day, then you will want as light as possible. Also, I wouldn't buy anything that is going to have any hull slap whatsoever. I can pole right over fish and they never hear me. They may see me but they don't hear me.


I do not think people really understand what a true poling skiff is and why they are so high end. These boats are very easy to pole, the track straight even against wind, and the biggest thing is zero hull slap and noise in the boat. They are not a boat really designed for anything over 70 hp even though you may be able to find a larger one that is rated up to a 150 but these are stealth boat designed for fly fisherman and the fisherman who wants to stalk fish in the flats and sight cast at them. IMO this type of fishing is the equivalent to Bow hunting.


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## lapesca67 (Apr 9, 2008)

I have been fishing out of a 15 Pathfinder T for five years. If you regularly fish with more than two people and the majority of fishing you do is wading, don't go the poling skiff route. You will be too limited by the boat design. If you spend the majority of the time in skinny water, drifting or using a trolling motor, you will love a poling skiff. You have to make compromises on the boat you buy based on the type of fishing you do the majority of the time. Use the 80/20 rule and get the boat design that meets your needs 80% of the time....or buy two boats...


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## Whipray (Mar 12, 2007)

whistlingdixie said:


> I do not think people really understand what a true poling skiff is and why they are so high end. These boats are very easy to pole, the track straight even against wind, and the biggest thing is zero hull slap and noise in the boat. They are not a boat really designed for anything over 70 hp even though you may be able to find a larger one that is rated up to a 150 but these are stealth boat designed for fly fisherman and the fisherman who wants to stalk fish in the flats and sight cast at them. IMO this type of fishing is the equivalent to Bow hunting.


That is an excellent analogy, whistlingdixie. It's probably no coincidence that most of the fly fishers I know are also bow hunters.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

It's pretty amazing the places you can get to by poling. You can't get there with a trolling motor because they take too much water to operate, so it knocks most every other boat out of the equation. Sure, there are boats that can run on plane into some of the places I can get to, but then what are you going to do? Pole a barge around? True poling skiffs are uniquely suited to do what they do.


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## mikedeleon (Aug 9, 2010)

Most people in Texas don't know how to pole a boat. Just sayin'

It isn't hard, but it takes some learning, especially with the wind. I don't care how 'straight' a boat will track, you can do circles real quick if you don't get your momentum going and let the wind get the best of you. And the wind is usually blowing.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

Talk to Scott Sommerlatte, he knows what is up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Backcast (Jul 22, 2005)

[

I could see this boat being very popular in Texas. I would also like to see a Scooter topped version much like the Curlews. Texas' fisrt Poling Scooter.[/QUOTE]

East Cape has already built this hull on the Fury Hull.

Joe


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## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

I would imagine a scooter would suck to pole, it would wander like crazy and not want to track straight. I never poled a Curlew but I heard they are great boats, just not ideal for poling around in windy conditions.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Beaver tail B2 tunnel owner here. It lives on W Galveston Bay and I love it. 

It has trade offs but these are more than offset by the places it will take you. It is a lean mean flats fishing machine. That's all it's really good for, but it is brilliant at it.


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## Whipray (Mar 12, 2007)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I would imagine a scooter would suck to pole, it would wander like crazy and not want to track straight. I never poled a Curlew but I heard they are great boats, just not ideal for poling around in windy conditions.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


My cousin had a scooter that he sold to buy a Curlew, so I've poled both. The Curlew is a great boat, great fit and finish, and Tim Clancy is a super nice guy, but they really aren't poling skiffs. They are big, heavy, and wide and are impossible to pole into the wind, or even in much of a cross wind. Same goes for scooters, really. You don't really "pole" boats like that, you use the push pole to control your drift and try to steer it the way you hope it will go.


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## redfish203 (Aug 10, 2010)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I would imagine a scooter would suck to pole, it would wander like crazy and not want to track straight. I never poled a Curlew but I heard they are great boats, just not ideal for poling around in windy conditions.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have poled the heck out of my buddies Curlew...great scooter, tough to pole...I will stick to my Lostmen. EC now makes the Lostmen in a scooter deck which is actually lighter than my boat from what I have heard.


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## Wacken'emWading (May 27, 2013)

Galveston or Sabine- I'd probably get a bay boat
Anything south of galveston- get the poling boat

If you are fishing all around texas, the poling skiff wouldn't be a bad bet

But galveston and sabine are just too rough for a poling skiff


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Wacken'emWading said:


> Galveston or Sabine- I'd probably get a bay boat
> Anything south of galveston- get the poling boat
> 
> If you are fishing all around texas, the poling skiff wouldn't be a bad bet
> ...


i would refine that and say W Galveston Bay and points south. It's perfect for west bay.

I fish from the causeway all the way to SLP with no problems at all. That includes all of the back lakes north of the ICW.


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## whistlingdixie (Jul 28, 2008)

Wacken'emWading said:


> Galveston or Sabine- I'd probably get a bay boat
> Anything south of galveston- get the poling boat
> 
> If you are fishing all around texas, the poling skiff wouldn't be a bad bet
> ...


I could fish 365 days a year in Sabine area and never need a bay boat. Like I said Poling skiffs are for the select few wanting to fish that type of back water fishing. It is not designed for open bays. I could fish Blacks bayou and the surrounding area everyday and never fish the same spot nor leave 3 ft of water while fishing.


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## ut755ln (Mar 19, 2013)

whistlingdixie said:


> I could fish 365 days a year in Sabine area and never need a bay boat. Like I said Poling skiffs are for the select few wanting to fish that type of back water fishing. It is not designed for open bays. I could fish Blacks bayou and the surrounding area everyday and never fish the same spot nor leave 3 ft of water while fishing.


Yeah I agree, I like fishing the marsh, bayous and back lakes in Sabine and almost never go to the middle or jetties. I think a skiff would be a good fit here actually.


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

I have run in almost all the poling skiffs made. I owned a Beavertail for a few years, and now we run an East Cape Fury .. East Cape makes a freakin totally awesome boat. 

The Fury handles chop Great and although its not the best jettie boat, You can go where you feel safe going.

Capt Scott Null takes his fury off the beachfront on nice days looking for poons and trolling for kingfish

I fish all over the texas coast from AP to Sabine and all the way to Venice in my Fury and It handles almost every situation.

Just one word of advice if any of you guys get a poling skiff.. POLE IT.. I see way to many poling skiffs who are running the trolling motor with everyone else on the shorelines and edges of the marsh.. Get back in the shallows and pole.... Its a great experience

East Cape wins hands down in my book.

Thomas


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## texasislandboy (Apr 28, 2012)

This thread makes me want another one...


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## poleyboat42 (Jul 19, 2011)

*Skiff plus kayak*

I had a Wild Skiff made in Corpus.Lost too many days waiting for the wind to stop blowing on Caranchua and Keller Bay's.Got a Panga Marine 18 foot skiff out of Florida.Put my kayak in it and have best of both worlds.Jackson Cuda 12 foot you can stand in.Definitely a good choice.


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## h_10 (Jul 10, 2011)

I mainly fish for reds in shallow flats from a kayak. It was a natural progression for me to move up to a true technical poling skiff. I have an Ankona SUV 17. It's the same type of fishing, quietly stalking prey in <18" of water. You are usually always on the move. I don't do well sitting soaking bait.

If fishing shallow flats is the type of fishing that you enjoy, get a technical poling skiff. If you like to wade open bays and shorelines, and like to drift mid bay reefs, poling skiffs aren't for you. Some of the other boats mentioned on here aren't poling skiffs. I wouldn't want to pole half the the boats mentioned on here.

IMO there's no such thing as a happy medium on poling skiffs. Poling skiffs are light, which is absolutely essential for the poling part of the term. Getting a skinny boat which weighs a ton and would be impossible to pole and turn will ruin your opinion on that type of fishing. Either get a true poling skiff or go with a Texas skiff and forget about the poling part.


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## bamdvm (Apr 3, 2010)

Poling skiffs suck. They don't work in Texas, only Florida. Get a bay boat. Do not get a poling skiff.


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## Dan Man (Mar 23, 2006)

Whipray said:


> That is an excellent analogy, whistlingdixie. It's probably no coincidence that most of the fly fishers I know are also bow hunters.


Or at the very least the best "sportsmen"...

Technical Poling Skiffs are not for you if:
1)you don't fly fish or enjoy sight casting on flats that are impossible to wade.
2) need to take more than 2 passengers
3)enjoy watching others catch fish - cause you gonna be the one mostly Poling!
4) if you're a jetty Jerker, pot licker, or booze cruiser! (Btw- All perfectly acceptable lifestyle choices!)
5) if can't wrap your head around owning multiple boats for multiple purposes at some point!?!

Mitzi 17T one of the best in the not-so-fancy finished category.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

Dan Man said:


> Or at the very least the best "sportsmen"...
> 
> Technical Poling Skiffs are not for you if:
> 1)you don't fly fish or enjoy sight casting on flats that are impossible to wade.
> ...


That is why you take people that will take turns poling while the other fishes. If youre good you can do both!

http://www.fishingscout.com/scouts/SmackDaddy


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## [email protected] (Jun 25, 2005)

The East Cape Lostmen Scooter Deck was built for Texas Bays. They took the idea of a Texas Scooter hull with its super shallow draft and shallow running and incorporated it into their super shallow poling skiff so it's like having the best of both worlds in one hull. All the negative aspects of a scooter hull is gone like having water come over the back of the boat and no storage. Now on that scooter deck Lostmen, no water comes onto the deck and you are up higher and all your rods and storage are under the deck where they are dry and out of the way. It's an awesome boat. And then if you want a poling skiff that handles rougher water and also has some good speed then you can get the East Cape Vantage High Performance. It's a 19 foot poling skiff that is good in the chop and runs pretty quick, into the 60's if I remember right, all the while its silent and polls beautifully and drafts and runs pretty darn shallow as well. I would own the scooter deck or the Vantage High Perf. in a heartbeat. So the OP's question, yes poling skiffs are definitely great for Texas Bays and I think soon you'll start to see more and more East Cape's on the coast.


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