Boat Size? Not Too Small?

[plecos4sale]

You really just need to be able to "read the lake" to know when bad weather is coming. Not for everyone but I fish the 400+ fow in July in my 14' alumacraft. Steve

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[Knotlost]

Wow JDM sounds like you were schooled in "clean bilge" I to have has bad thing happen because of bilge.

I was out on my last boat it was a 21 foot starcraft, and we were diving, it was raining pretty hard but no lightening. We went down to do our dive and unknown to us it got rough on the surface. Well by the time we got back on board the person on the boat was not in a healthy mental state. The swells were so bad the last 2 feet of the bottom of the boat were right out of the water at times (remember we are moored out in the middle of everything). We had to be extremely careful on getting to the ladder that it didn't come down and spear you as you got up to it, then had to jump on it before it started going up again. Anyway, by the time all the divers were aboard, (bringing a lot of water with them as well) we release the mooring and I noticed the water was way to deep in the back of the boat, so no problem flip the bilge on--- nothing--- Ok no problem I'm prepared for this, as I'm not a newbie at this game- flip the 2nd totally independent bilge on- nothing ---- crap, lets go!

So in we went, long story short nothing bad other than real high blood pressure happen, but the water was about 3 inches below the bottom pulley on the merc.

Problem...... Mud wasp went 12" down into both of the sepperate bilge outlets and build nest completely plugging both drains! On my new boat I have 3 separate bilges and check them at least 1 x a month and 1 time a week during nesting season if you know what i mean.. I'm ugly about even a one inch piece of monofilament being dropped on the floor "pick it up and throw it in the garbage can" is for anything that can go into the strainer of a pump. I have seen a 1 inch piece of 30# test big game disable a 2400 gph pump, and that's hard to see in a dirty bilge underneath the motor, so it has to be kept clean.

[lumberman]

rez, i was out on lake O yesterday 2/10/12. i was fishing out of my 175 mirrorcraft with a 90 merc.

there was no waves but 4 to 6 foot rolers left over from the west blow thursday. we had no problems

fishing it at all, you will be fine in july. as with any size boat on the big lake you just have to watch the weather.

dont forget depending were your fishing out of you will have the fingerlakes within 30 mins to a hour drive,

if you get blown off. i fished out of sodus yesterday and limited out on browns. one was 12.5 lbs.

if you have any questions about cayuga lake fishing for a back up i live there and will help any way i can.

feel free to contact me.

sam

[f1sh-0n]

Make you sure you have got a good vhf radio with seperate antenna. I fish out of my 17 footer and this year when i was out in 650FOW!!! the hand held was useless unless I could see the boat I was talking to. I don't even try going out if they are calling for anything over 2 footers. And keep an eye on the weather they are not kidding about it turning in minutes. I got caught last year in a small craft advisory. I was able to limp in but we got soaked and may have lost a few days off my life from my heart. I am not trying to scare you I been fishing the lake for years in my 17 footer and my friends 18 footer. You just got to know there are some days were your going to have to stay in.

[REZ]

Fish On - Thanks for the info. I'm on this website every day gathering as much info as I can. With my size boat everybody agrees with you that 2 footers are max wave height. Anything more than that go to the finger lakes or fish the rivers. I bought a Raymarine 49 VHF radio and an 8 foot shakespeare antenna. I also plan on buying a drift sock to use incase the motor quits. They say it will keep the bow into the waves. I also put in an additional bilge pump as well as a third battery. I would like to thank you and everybody else for their help. Please keep the info coming, I apreciate it very much. I want to be safe on the water.

REZ

[Chas0218]

I bought a 23'er because I got a good deal on it and fish the lake often. I have been in smaller boats in the rougher water and like the stability of a larger boat. My father and I have been in 6'ers with his 16' starcraft not smart but when the lake picks up it happens. Having a bigger boat I can't fish smaller lakes as comfortably but make due. Also my dad's 16'er uses 1/4 the gas my boat does.

[buckboardjr]

JD

Thanks for the vid link. I want on the big water bad!!!

Buckboardjr

[Fish Hunter]

We fish from our 17 ft'er all spring for browns, and the boat will handle more than the fisherman will, however, when we are in 150-160 fow, looking for Salmon, out of the Big Salmon,(read several miles)we do prefer the Islander.