Capt. Neil Eisner
You been out with a guide a few times, maybe you’ve rented a boat once or twice. Now you’ve been thinking about buying that new boat. I know you have, everyone thinks about it sometime or another. There’s a lot to think about, so let me try to help. Some questions you should ask yourself: Are you a hard core angler, looking for reds in the skinny waters? Do you want to fish the gulf for grouper or just want to do some reef fishing with friends and family? It’s hard to find one boat to do it all. If you’re looking at a used boat, no matter what type of boat it is, make sure you have a mechanic do a compression test on the engine. He will go over the rest of the motor for you at that time. It’s well worth the few hundred bucks you’re paying him. Bay boats have become popular over the past few years. They are 20 to 24 feet in length and have a single engine. On calm days you can go for a ride up and down the coast for lunch or fish the near-shore reefs. Now, if you want to do some offshore fishing, bigger is better. But you need to be ready to shell out big bucks for the boat and don’t forget the maintenance costs. But, during the winter months you’ll be sitting at the dock a lot due to the winds and waves. Flats boats and skiffs are made to fish skinny water. These types of boats will float in 4 to 6 inches of water. Most will only hold up to 4 people max, and that’s a crowd. They’re easy to trailer if you’re planning to keep your boat at home. They range in size from 12 ft. to 20 ft. Maybe the right boat for you is a pontoon boat. The boat runs shallow, it has a nice ride, and you will stay dry on windy days. As far as fishing goes you can take the whole family out. Most small pontoons are rated for 12 people. If this is going to be your first boat, a pontoon might be exactly what you’re looking for. Local boat shows are a great way to see everything all at once, but it can be overwhelming. Remember, do your research. Want to learn more, email or call me.
I’m your captain,
Neil Eisner