Flats Boats

[Relentlous]

To find out if I'm moving to Albany GA

Huh?

[Highstrung]

And to find a bullet with a SHO or one I can repower with a 200 sho

You buying a Taurus, well they were about as cool as you could get for a sedan.

[Griffin]

Huh?

Sadly it could be true

[stephensj9]

You didn't want the deal of a lifetime on the bullet and sho once before.

And as far as this thread goes. Are you looking to pole the boat or you just want the casting platform up front? If you're not on the platform a lot don't get a technical skiff, it will limit you greatly in fishability.

I'd imagine id spend a good bit more time not on it than I would on it. From my experience fishability out the back of any bay boat I've been on is less than ideal so I guess I was just taking that as the norm.

[kquinn]

Anyone have experience with the Renegade Nomad? Supposed to be a bay/ flats type boat.

[jcoker]

There's a lot of variation in what folks call flats boats. If you lived in Florida or Texas, you'd want one that runs in very shallow water. They only have a 1 or 2 foot tide difference there and square miles of shallow water flats. In the Lowcountry, we have a 6 foot tide swing and much smaller flats that are cut up with feeder creeks and troughs that don't require running on a plane across 6 inches of water. A bay boat hull is more practical here unless you are a real flats, sight fishing purist.

You can get the best clue of how shallow a boat will float and run by looking at the deadrise at the transom. A real shallow water boat will have very little angle and it will steer like a sheet of plywood and slide around turns. It will make you feel like a retard trying to put in on a trailer until you get some experience. It will also put your kidneys on the deck in any kind of chop. If you find one with more angle, it will ride better in chop but require more water to float. You'll also notice that the ones with more deadrise also seem to ride and sit more bow high. This will make it run through chop better but the high bow is a bitch to pole into a wind. Real skinny water poling skiffs sit fairly level.

If you plan to pole from a platform, beam width is important. You can put a platform on any boat but you'll need to skills of a tightrope walker to stay up there with a rookie fisherman in the front of the boat stepping abruptly fro side to side.

Most folks can't pole a boat. If you get one, you will find yourself poling your friends around.

A flats boat doesn't make a great family boat. Kids and pets are going to fall out occasionally. They don't usually have very comfortable seats and even with all the deck hatches, there's not a lot of storage space. Or, at least in my case, there's not a lot of storage space that's doesn't stay fully utilized.

Flats boats are special purpose boats. If you aren't going to use it mostly for sight fishing and poling around shallow water, there are better choices. Having said that, I have a 16' Backcountry that is nearly perfect for the kind of fishing I do. I mostly fish solo or occasionally with one human partner. My three dogs go every time the boat hits the water. They are quite experienced in the boat yet still find a way to fall out occasionally. I mostly fish the creeks, sounds and Charleston Jetties with it with occasional trips to the lakes or upper Cooper River. I like it because it is basic and spartan with few extra frills or gizmos to break or require maintenance. It's a great one man boat that can accommodate two fishermen if necessary. Three is crowded. If I want to take the wife out, we take the 17' CC.

This right here.

Most people who get flats boats, never use them for their intended purpose. I have a 19' bay boat that let's me get relatively shallow when need be, is a dry ride and handle the kids and the wife. If I want to go sight fishing, I have friends that I can pay the gas bill and go with them.

I agree with Turbo though. If you get a flats boat, go ahead and buy a good rain suit.

[ruffin74]

I'd imagine id spend a good bit more time not on it than I would on it. From my experience fishability out the back of any bay boat I've been on is less than ideal so I guess I was just taking that as the norm.

Well I have a flats boat and if you aren't going to be on the platform poling a lot, get a bay boat or a 17'/18' center console with a good bow casting platform. You will be a lot happier.

[TennDan]

Sadly it could be true

You going to work for Pete?

[Calibogue]

Most of you haven't a clue the difference between a flats boat and a poling skiff.
Furthermore, I've been in many and owned a couple myself and the assessments provided by some in this thread are BS!
Not uncommon though, BS statements and opinions on here....

[Stripa Swipa]

I have an old Hewes Bonefisher that I is beat to hell. I'd like to restore it.

[Griffin]

You going to work for Pete?

It is definitely on the table

Most of you haven't a clue the difference between a flats boat and a poling skiff.
Furthermore, I've been in many and owned a couple myself and the assessments provided by some in this thread are BS!
Not uncommon though, BS statements and opinions on here....

TPS is the sick rad lingo for it

[Dawhoo]

Most of you haven't a clue the difference between a flats boat and a poling skiff.
Furthermore, I've been in many and owned a couple myself and the assessments provided by some in this thread are BS!
Not uncommon though, BS statements and opinions on here....

I consider a poling skiff to have under 7 inch draft, hull under 500/600 lbs, and have a flat cap with a low wind profile.

Most don't know the difference because there is not a huge demand or need for a poling skiff in SC unless you are a guide/fisherman who uses the boat strictly for fishing protected waters.

[FEETDOWN]

Turkey poets, fish poets, bote poets......

This place never disappoints.

[Highstrung]

The Taurus SHO was a pretty tough though, you have to admit that. It was like a sedan having the option for a clip on mustache.

[Elcid_Fowler]

The Taurus SHO was a pretty tough though, you have to admit that. It was like a sedan having the option for a clip on mustache.

I'm with ya Highstrung! I had the great pleasure of driving one in highschool for a short while. I drove that thing like I was Rusty Wallace around Anderson, SC...pedal to the floor everywhere I went until the engine went boom!

[murraywader]

Fiberglass jon boat poets...

[Griffin]

If it doesn't have glitter and a 250 it doesn't interest me

[Fish]

That's not necessarily true. Go ride in a hells bay waterman or spear boatworks. You won't get wet.

I've been pretty wet in a hells bay. On several occasion. In the ICW.

[2thDoc]

twss

[Fish]

Yeah, and whatever 2oofer just said.

Sorry, I don't speak section 8 text lingo.