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Started By
Message
Poling skiffs in Louisiana
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:20 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:20 am
I think I've seen a hand full of people on here mention either owning one or wanting to own one. Why aren't these boats more popular in Louisiana? I've owned poling skiffs since 1998 and while I've seen a little uptick in seeing them around, I can sometimes go weeks without bumping into another one. Sure there is a skiff parade in Hopedale and Venice in the fall but I avoid those places because the out of state guides make me want to start a fight with their antics.
What gives? I see people spend $5k on a Hobie kayak but turn around and scoff at the idea of a micro skiff. They usually say some bullshite about boat maintenance while they are pressure washing their kayak and kayak trailer and disconnecting the fish finder/chartplotter and power pole.
What gives? I see people spend $5k on a Hobie kayak but turn around and scoff at the idea of a micro skiff. They usually say some bullshite about boat maintenance while they are pressure washing their kayak and kayak trailer and disconnecting the fish finder/chartplotter and power pole.
13
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:22 am to Barf
I mainly see them around Delacroix and then sometimes Leeville in the winter. Wouldn't mind getting a small one to replace my kayak in a few years
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:25 am to Barf
They would be awesome for the Biloxi Marsh but I run through open water leaving out of Bay St. Louis so I wouldn't make it past the first choppy day
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:28 am to redneck
The drive to Hopedale is only like 80 miles. You could just zip around and launch at BSM
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:30 am to Barf
just buy you a Godevil boat without the motor.
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 9:31 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:32 am to Barf
quote:That's not true?
They usually say some bullshite about boat maintenanc
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:41 am to StrongBackWeakMind
quote:
That's not true?
My current skiff is a 25 2 stroke tiller with no 12v system and a dry launch trailer. My hubs are from 2008 with probably 100k miles on them. The motor has never missed a beat. I give it a good rise and put it away until next time. A 6 gallon fuel tank will fish several full days. I've known people with more issues with their plastic Hobie than I've had with my skiff.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:43 am to meauxjeaux2
quote:
just buy you a Godevil boat without the motor.
What am I looking at? It looks like an aluminum bateau but without a motor?
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:47 am to Barf
Did you start this thread to talk about poling skiffs or to bash Hobies?
I've thought about trading in the yak on a skiff. While it would suit me better in some ways, it would limit me in others. I don't have enough room in the garage for both, so for now, it's the yak.
It's a trolling skiff!
I've thought about trading in the yak on a skiff. While it would suit me better in some ways, it would limit me in others. I don't have enough room in the garage for both, so for now, it's the yak.
quote:
What am I looking at? It looks like an aluminum bateau but without a motor?
It's a trolling skiff!
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 9:48 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:48 am to Barf
Yup that's about it. Saw some guys poling around in Destin for flounder with that same setup, only with badass bowfishing lights. Looks like it could be fun if you're on the flats and the wind isn't blowing
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:49 am to DownSouthDave
quote:
Did you start this thread to talk about poling skiffs or to bash Hobies?
Did I say something bad about Hobies? I have known a few people who had cracking issues, but that's not a reflection on all of their kayaks. I say plastic Hobie because I'm use to referencing the fiberglass Hobies, it's just how I differentiate between the two.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:51 am to Barf
Risk of motor breaking, trailer breaking, etc.
Add to that risk: gas, oil, preventive maintenance and boat storage.
Boat upkeep can get expensive. There's no denying that.
Add to that risk: gas, oil, preventive maintenance and boat storage.
Boat upkeep can get expensive. There's no denying that.
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 9:52 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:57 am to Barf
quote:
Why aren't these boats more popular in Louisiana?
Seems to me like most people don't want to lose the ability to cross open water safely. I understand your kayak argument but I think it's dumb to spend that much on a kayak. Lousiana fishing alternates between open water beaches and skinny marsh, so most people opt for safety and ride and just watch the depth finder. I'm currently in this predicament, if I'm going to spend money on a boat I would rather go big than little. The price tag on a flats skiff isn't that much different from a big bay boat from what I've window shopped.
I'm currently trying to find a compromise between a rig that could ride up the 1' creek that leads to gravel pit lakes I fish in fresh water but also could get me safely to the biloxi marsh (crossing 7 miles of MS Sound which can get just as rough as the rest of the gulf). Some flats skiffs claim to do both but I'm skeptical. Seems too good to be true and likely to leave me with a boat that does neither well. I'm open to suggestions.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 9:58 am to Barf
You just seem upset that the Hobie owners that you've spoken to don't want a poling skiff.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:00 am to Barf
I'd love to have one but couldn't afford it at the time. You do make a valid point about some of the money being spend on some of these kayaks though. At one point there was a guy on BCKFC who purchased a new Pro Angler 17($5400), then mounted a Tohatsu 2.5hp outboard($1000?) and two micro Power Poles($1200). Cool rig but factor in tax and he was probably in line with a fine used micro skiff.
ETA: Forgot to factor in a trailer for that beast.
ETA: Forgot to factor in a trailer for that beast.
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 10:03 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:01 am to StrongBackWeakMind
quote:
Risk of motor breaking, trailer breaking, etc.
That's your argument? What if the motor breaks? What if you turtle the thing is lose rods, reels, GPS, phone ect?
quote:
Add to that risk: gas, oil, preventive maintenance and boat storage.
Gas is cheap. You're talking about an extra $10 a trip. Preventative maintenance is cheap and more often that not just a simple rise and carb drain after use. Storage is storage, you obviously can't put a kayak in an apartment .
quote:
Boat upkeep can get expensive. There's no denying that.
This is usually because people let them go to shite and have to fix everything at once.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:05 am to Barf
quote:Is it true?
That's your argument?
quote:Meaning?
Storage is storage
quote:I did.
you obviously can't put a kayak in an apartment
And right now I have both of mine hanging on the wall in my garage. The boat is costing me $130 to store in a boat shed because I don't have the space to store it at home. It seems that you're arguing that boat upkeep is equivalent to kayak upkeep.
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 10:07 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:06 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
I'm currently trying to find a compromise between a rig that could ride up the 1' creek that leads to gravel pit lakes I fish in fresh water but also could get me safely to the biloxi marsh (crossing 7 miles of MS Sound which can get just as rough as the rest of the gulf). Some flats skiffs claim to do both but I'm skeptical. Seems too good to be true and likely to leave me with a boat that does neither well. I'm open to suggestions.
These are good points. A boat you can pole and have low operating costs isn't going to cross open water on anything short of a perfect day. Boats that will make that crossing aren't cheap to buy or maintain. It's an hour and half drive around to Hopedale. I'd buy the poling skiff, fish my creeks and when I wanted to fish Biloxi I would just make the drive to BSM.
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:06 am to StrongBackWeakMind
quote:
It seems that you're arguing that boat upkeep is equivalent to kayak upkeep.
This can be true in a lot of cases.
This post was edited on 2/23/16 at 10:07 am
Posted on 2/23/16 at 10:06 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
likely to leave me with a boat that does neither well
you nailed it there.
best compromise i've found is the 13' boston whaler skiff i've got. those buggers are unsinkable. i set it up with a 25 2-stroke on it, a 12 volt trolling motor and a push pole. i can go wherever i want. i also have a 18 hp godevil i stick on it during duck season.
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