Saltwater Experience Tackle Zone - Season 16 - Episode 6: Boats and Shows

What kind of boat should I get?

That's the most common question Saltwater Experience hosts Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor get at the Miami Boat Show, at seminars and anywhere else they talk fishing with anglers. In this Saltwater Experience Fishing Show, Season 16 Episode 6, Capt. Rowland and Capt. Tudor give some straight answers for anyone thinking about buying a fishing boat.

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Every boat's a compromise, Capt. Rowland acknowledges. For guys like these who do saltwater fishing TV shows in all kinds of conditions...

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and offshore, nearshore and inshore, no one boat will do it all. To narrow their choices, anglers should ask themselves what kind of fishing they like to do and who they like to do it with.

Skiffs

If you love chasing snook, redfish and bonefish inshore, a flats skiff is best. Saltwater fishing shows you some extreme differences in water depth. So if you want to go after tailing reds and bones in skinny water, a skiff between 14' and 18' will get you there and back without running aground.

Offshore Boats

Saltwater Experience episodes also take our hosts offshore to chase dolphin, sailfish and other pelagic predators. If you have no interest in inshore fishing and want to fish strictly inshore, then a 32' or 36' boat will get you hundreds of miles offshore and back safely and comfortably. Try to limit the size to 36' if you want to catch live bait with a cast net inshore.

Bay Boats

Bay boats are the closest thing to a good compromise for anglers who want to fish offshore as well as inshore. These boats have a draft that's shallow enough to allow you to fish skinny water to chase redfish, snook and bonefish. But they're big enough to handle offshore fishing for tuna, sailfish, dolphin and other pelagics as long as you pick your days. No matter what boat you choose, it's always to check the marine forecast before you cast off from the dock.

You and Your Crew

Besides the type of fish you target, think about who you will take with you. If you like to fish alone or with a buddy, a skiff might be right. Bay boats can handle a bigger crew of four or five, and offshore boats can handle more anglers still.

Do some research on your own. Talk to boat manufacturers. Query Saltwater Experience outfitters like TackleDirect. Check out saltwater fishing shows online. Charter different types of boats to get a feel for each one. Then make your decision.