Walleye boat- cheap way to get off the shores

[Sneaky Duck]

I'm starting to think about the spring and with as much as I'm intending to fish from the shore I'm kicking around thoughts of boats.  I need a TON of advice though because I really don't want to waste money on something that's not what I need.  Eventually I'll be looking at something trailerable with a gross weight (trailer included) under 5000 lbs. that can handle Lake Ontario.  For now though, I'm wanting to do this on the CHEAP that'll get me on the Genesee River, Bays, or Finger Lakes.  My thought, is a 14ft Aluminum deep v utility boat with a pair of rod holders on each side, a marcum ice fishing flasher (with the high speed transducer mounted to the boat) and a handheld GPS unit.  I'm wondering though how to push the boat?  Gas outboard?  Electric Trolling motor?  That full package looks to me to be under $5000 and that's if I went brand new for EVERYTHING.

 

Does anyone have other idea's for what I should be looking at and what equipment I can't do without?  When you start looking at boats and electronics it gets VERY overwhelming especially for someone new to fishing.

 

Thanks!

[justtracytrolling]

After a boat with a gas motor the thing I wouldnt wanna fish without is a good fishfinder with si di and a gps. Next would be my terrova. The boards, masts, etc I made my own to start with. The other must have for trolling is dive curves.

justin

[zackblain]

There are a lot of nice used boats out there that will fit the bill nicely and leave money left over for rigging.

[Sneaky Duck]

I guess that's my poorly worded question.  What do I look for in a used boat?  Any specific models to keep my eye out for... specific features...?

[MCF]

If there is a boat show in your area , go to it, it will give you ideas.  In your price range with a little looking and some luck you probably can find yourself a decent 16 foot package and it will likely be aluminum.  Some of the brands would be Crestliner, Lund, Sylvan, Smokecraft, Starcraft, Lowe, Tracker.  A few of the older ones would be Sea Nymph, Grumman, Discovery.   

[zackblain]

http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/bod/4243479623.html

 

+5-700$ for a nice gps/ff and a enough for rod holders

[tbulhead]

Go spend a day at BassPro and look at all the equipment.  Look carefully at the outboards, rodholders, seat bases, seats, and they have Tracker boats (I have a 18 foot Lund, but you'll see the advantages of rod lockers & livewells).

 

Next decide what kind of used boat you want.  14 footers are nice but 16 footers offer much more room.  You may want to take an entirely different route.  You see a lot of old starcraft and other aluminum boats from the 1950's and 1960's that are closed bow on craigslist.  If you are handy, they make ideal boats to modify into mini bass, walleye, or duck boats.  I have a 15 footer that I tow and leave the Lund in a hoist at a cottage.  Someone modified mine so that two people can fish comfortably with a wood floor and it has two seats on pedestals (not bench seats),  You can find more info at tinboats.net on how to do this, but remember the more weight in the boat a 15 hp may not get you as fast as you like.

 

You will want a fishfinder with GPS.  You may want a navionics chip for the GPS.  Also you will want a gas motor (at least 9.9) and a trolling motor with a deep cycle marine battery.  Four rodholders for tolling.  I prefer inline planers (and this can be used for Spring Browns).  Don't forget a paddle or a good set of oars.