# Boat vs Shore



## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

I've always fished from the shore due to finances. I used to always dream about getting a fishing boat and trying out spots I would never be able to reach from the shore. For those of you who have boats, do you feel it has changed the way you fish and species you catch? Is it a pain to manage a boat (i.e. winter storage, cleaning, insurance, etc)? Maybe someday I'll get one, but it would be nice to hear opinions on owning a boat vs renting one vs sticking with shore.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Bank fishing can be as good as a boat early and later in the season when the water is colder. The advantage of a boat is when the water heats up and the fish seek deeper water finding the thermocline. That can be as deep as 50ft. 


Species of fish a boat makes a huge difference. Kokes, Lakers especially. You don't need a $50,000 boat to catch fish. A 14' tomato can with a small out bored (9.9-15hp) will work just fine. With a smaller boat you are limited to what waters you want to be on. For the local lakes in Utah it would be fine. Flaming Gorge I wouldn't run anything smaller than a 21' deep hull, or a bass boat.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

It changes everything, for the better. You have increased flexibility... you can still fish the same areas a shore fisherman, or head out in open water or to areas its difficult to access from shore. You can also target species that are nearly impossible to catch from shore (ie: Kokanee salmon).

Only real issues with a boat is towing / launching and storage. Winterization is usually less than a 10 minute job. We usually clean our boat when it comes out of storage in the spring but thats about it.

In the +20 years we've had our current boat, I paid $200 for new shift cables and a set of spark plug wires, oh and a water fuel separator filter. So maybe $280 worth of repairs over two decades. We just add fuel in the spring and go fish. In the winter its a small amount of anti-freeze, disconnect battery and its GTG.

If money is tight, consider a inflatable pontoon boat. I love ours that we use on smaller lakes I dont want to haul a full size boat too. You can get some screaming deals on used ones if you watch KSL. The nice thing about those is they disassemble and fit into the trunk of a car.

Bottom line: boat > shore.

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

One thing that I have always noticed about boat fishermen is that they love to fish right on top of the shore fishermen. Even when trolling I have had them snag my line that I casted from the shore as they came past.

Also I think that if you don't use it quite often you might as well as just rent one if you can. I know of several of my friends that have boats and the only water that most of them see is from the sprinkler system when they water their lawns.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Critter said:


> One thing that I have always noticed about boat fishermen is that they love to fish right on top of the shore fishermen. Even when trolling I have had them snag my line that I casted from the shore as they came past.


Really? Wow... generally the #1 thing I love about a boat is getting out past the weedbeds, usually much further than they can cast. Generally i'm really never closer than 100 yards to shore, usually we are out in the 200ft deep water.



> Also I think that if you don't use it quite often you might as well as just rent one if you can. I know of several of my friends that have boats and the only water that most of them see is from the sprinkler system when they water their lawns.


Thats a good idea, rent one at Strawberry and you wont even have to worry about trailering or loading / unloading.

-DallanC


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

DallanC said:


> ...Thats a good idea, rent one at Strawberry and you wont even have to worry about trailering or loading / unloading.
> -DallanC


Renting sounds like a great idea, you can rent a nice 20" pontoon for half a day...with gas and taxes...it'll run ya about $4,hu,,,hu,,,I am studdering here, four hundred bucks. That's cheap at half the price


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

BPturkeys said:


> Renting sounds like a great idea, you can rent a nice 20" pontoon for half a day...with gas and taxes...it'll run ya about $4,hu,,,hu,,,I am studdering here, four hundred bucks. That's cheap at half the price


LOL!

Do they still have the little red/white "half and half" boats for rent there? The ones you spend half your time fishing and the other half bailing? :mrgreen:

-DallanC


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## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

I would love to get in some koke action at some point. As it may sound in this and other posts, I'm at the start of my career. (Sorta sadly at the age of 29) I've got two kids and a wife I'm supporting, but this new job seems pretty promising so far in terms of income. I would absolutely love having a boat, but having worked as a storage facility manager for a couple years, I know sorting a boat during winter gets pretty expensive. But seriously, I would love a 14 to 20 ish footer someday.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

*B*reak *O*ut *A*nother *T*housand


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Jedidiah said:


> *B*reak *O*ut *A*nother *T*housand


When I got my first boat my wife bought me a T-shirt that read "A boat is a hole in the water into which you throw your money"


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The only place that I have targeted kokes with a lure is here in Colorado and I have caught them from shore. I have also went after them by snagging them which is legal here in Colorado and they actually have a season for that. 

But back to boats, if I was raising a family I would wait until I could pay cash for it no matter how large it was. But then I always pay cash for play toys and leave the borrowing for the necessaties of life.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Here are 3 questions you may want to ask yourself. 

1. How often do you fish? If you only go out a few times a year, the cost of a boat may be hard to justify.

2. Where do you fish? If you prefer small to medium lakes, you may do just as well with a float tube/pontoon as far as success at a fraction of the cost. You get some nice exercise with those too. I also regularly fish larger waters like Strawberry out of the tube as well, but the biggest lakes definitely confer an advantage with a boat.

3. Do you fish alone or with others? If you mainly are a solitary angler, you may do better with a toon/tube. If you fish with others, then a boat may be preferred. I'm dealing with that myself now. I've fished out of a tube for years, with great success, but now that my son wants to go more, I can't take him out on tubing trips with me until he is old enough to have one on his own, so I've considered getting a boat.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Jedidiah said:


> *B*reak *O*ut *A*nother *T*housand


My boat has cost me $14 a year over 20 years. Other than gas and an occasional oil change, its been cheaper than my truck to run.

-DallanC


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Holy crap, what kind of boat is that? My neighbor parks his on my property, in exchange he takes me fishing on it. I think I probably spend more in snacks and gas than $14 a year and don't even own a boat.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Look at KSL for a boat, they will be all over it in a couple months. Best time to buy a boat is in the winter. Best time to sell is in the spring. I've seen and looked at boats that are a POS and the seller thinks they have a jewel. Also you have the seller that knows something is wrong and sells it without telling you. Know its your problem. 


I'd buy a 14'-16' aluminum boat and trailer without a motor. Then spend the money on a new motor. That alone is piece of mind when your out on the water.


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## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

taxidermist said:


> Look at KSL for a boat, they will be all over it in a couple months. Best time to buy a boat is in the winter. Best time to sell is in the spring. I've seen and looked at boats that are a POS and the seller thinks they have a jewel. Also you have the seller that knows something is wrong and sells it without telling you. Know its your problem.
> 
> I'd buy a 14'-16' aluminum boat and trailer without a motor. Then spend the money on a new motor. That alone is piece of mind when your out on the water.


Great advice. I've looked at a few boats that advertise in great shape and look like crap. I think for now I'm going to stick with shore/fly fishing and put my money towards other things. Like others have said, I may start out with a pontoon.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Jedidiah said:


> Holy crap, what kind of boat is that?


17ft 1987 Sea Ray Seville. I detailed my entire expenses in my first reply to this thread. The only major thing I've had to fix was the shifter cables that get worn. Beyond that spark plug wires (which honestly didnt need to be replaced, it was the shift interrupter that needed adjustment) and the fuel filter / water separator got a pinhole from rust.

The whole "Bust out another thousand" used to be true decades ago, but it was no different than expenses on cars. Remember when the first 100,000 mile warranties came out for cars? It was unheard of not all that long ago... now 100,000 miles is nothing on a car.

Technology and design has improved making everything more reliable, boats included. My boat has the 2.3 liter Ford engine... one of the most reliable and long lived engines Ford ever came out with.

*** I'm only pushing back on the expenses thing because Boats are a helluvalot of fun, and I don't want someone considering their first boat to be dissuaded because they *think* upkeep might be expensive. It certainly isn't for all cases. Now if a guy is going to get a new $90,000 Malibu, yea, that things going to be super expensive to maintain. But for just plain old fishing, nah. Get something in reasonably good condition and start having fun.

-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

PS: I'm just glad boat prices in Utah are reasonably priced. I just got back from Alaska fishing, the boat we were on was built in 2002 and market value today is about $225,000. That thing _screamed_ across the water though, dual 300HP mercurys. Loved it!

-DallanC


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## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

DallanC, I would definitely love a small fishing boat like you mention. I've heard so many people state how expensive boats are. I'm happy to hear your perspective on how that's not the case. And only having a family of 4, I don't feel the need for anything big which will mean less upkeep. Do you store your boat outdoors?


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Depends on the kind of fish species you chase and the accessible shoreline. My home lake is shoreline fishable, but somewhat inaccessible in places and requires alot of driving to get around to different access points.

Over the past 11 yrs, my boat has ran an avg of $22 per month for maintenance and upkeep. I'm at a place now to where I can use mine to make some cash with it guiding fishing charters, so maybe it will start to justfy itself ;-)


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## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

High Desert Elk said:


> Depends on the kind of fish species you chase and the accessible shoreline. My home lake is shoreline fishable, but somewhat inaccessible in places and requires alot of driving to get around to different access points.
> 
> Over the past 11 yrs, my boat has ran an avg of $22 per month for maintenance and upkeep. I'm at a place now to where I can use mine to make some cash with it guiding fishing charters, so maybe it will start to justfy itself


Sounds like where I fish too. Requires a lot of driving and the main access points have their fees.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

I love our boat! nothing special 1980 fiber form. We use it for everything. From fishing to pulling the kiddos around the lake on water toys. Like mentioned. it depends what type of fish you like to catch. I for one love to fish bear lake and flaming gorge. Those two lakes a boat is a must. good luck to you. I am in to my boat just the cost of fuel each trip and very little maintenance cost. If you take care of them, they take care of you.


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## hardman11 (Apr 14, 2012)

Do what I did $29 4 man rubber raft from Wally World works great fits in the trunk and take 10 minutes to set up.


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## elkunited (Aug 16, 2019)

hardman11 said:


> Do what I did $29 4 man rubber raft from Wally World works great fits in the trunk and take 10 minutes to set up.


I did that once as a teen and caught my hook into the side on the retrieve. Never again &#128514;


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