Some of the best times in my life—other than the births of my children, wedding, vacations, etc.—have one common denominator: I was floating in a boat or hunting.
The boats of my youth have gone through a beautiful metamorphosis into the highly effective fishing machines we enjoy today. Today’s standout boat builders are pretty savvy fishermen and/or get staff input to build what they and we want in a fishing boat. Perfect examples of this would be Yellowfin, Mako, Contender and Onslow Bay, just to name a few center consoles. There are even jet skis rigged out to fish and inflatable catamarans, like the Wilderness 14 (the one I own). All of these boats have one job. They get me where I think the fish will be, and let me do some catchin’. Full disclosure: I have no financial (or otherwise) connection to any manufactures mentioned in this article.
I spent many hours in a 16-foot plywood Carolina boat as a child inside, and on the pretty days we would venture into the ocean in an 18-foot Thunderbird. Both of these boats did a wonderful job, and we caught all the fish we needed. That was then, and this is now. Now we have the ability to blast offshore at crazy speeds in some pretty sporty seas in today’s high-performance boats.
Getting there is one thing, but getting the job done when you get on the fish is another thing. My preferred method of fishing offshore is to anchor on top of a pretty mark and bottom fish while light lining and/or flying the kite for pelagics. So the boat that works for me has plenty of room to walk around the console and cockpit and easy access to the anchor locker.
Catching large fish from an anchored boat can be the ultimate thrill. You get to see and feel what the fish is made up of without the interference of motors. I have no problem trolling to find the fish, but when we find the pretty marks of fish, I much prefer to put the hook over. If you have never bottom fished and light lined and/or flown the kite, do yourself a favor, go with someone who does. I feel pretty sure you will get “grouper fever.”
It’s something that is hard to describe, the sight and sound of a wahoo that is aired out with your bait in its mouth. This is something that is rarely, if ever, experienced while trolling. Fishing from and anchored boat allows you to watch the critters (bait and predators) that show up in the chum slick. This can be very rewarding if you see the fish first and then watch ’em eat it.
Check out some of the videos on our website regarding bottom fishing and light lining. Whether you are an offshore, nearshore or inshore fisherman, there is an efficient watercraft that will get you there and bring you home safely.