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Posts: 29
| I'm looking at getting a boat this spring and was wondering what would be considered too small for fishing most lakes. I'm thinking of getting a deep v 16 foot like the alumacraft lunker or lund classic due to price constraints.
Anyone here have any words of wisdom around what the minimum amount of boat would be for most musky/walleye lakes? |
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Posts: 2337
Location: Chisholm, MN | Whatever works for you is fine. I've caught muskies from a canoe on up to a ranger. There are no requirements. |
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Posts: 29
| Most of my experience musky fishing is on big water with an 18 foot lund prov so it'll be a change going to a 16 footer for sure :P |
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Posts: 3484
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Much of this is dependent on what you want and can afford. A 16 foot boat like the lunker works just fine. Fishes big water well enough but you must choose your times based on weather conditions. Lake of the woods, Kississing in Manitoba, Chequamegon bay, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs are some of the bigger waters I have fished out of my old lunker CS and it was just fine.
I started with an Alumacraft V14 with a 15hp Johnson outboard and had that on lake of the woods as well. owned that for about 5 years before the lunker about 5 - 6 years before upgrading from it to a Navigator 165 CS for 13 years, now in a ranger 617.
Some would argue all of those rigs are too small to fish from, but the muskies can't tell the difference. Fish when you can where you can if the conditions are suitable to fish.
Steve |
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Posts: 427
| I've always said the only view the fish sees is the bottom of the boat. The difference is the angler in the boat. Fish what you are comfortable in. Good luck |
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Posts: 1763
| Going down in size would be harder for me than going up. Once you get the extra room it would be hard to give it up. An ideal situation if you can afford it is keep the ProV and buy and use the 16' for a season. At the end of the year you will know which of those two you need to sell. |
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Posts: 1037
| I fish some big water now...most of the time. So, my rig is bigger. Size wise for me, it came down to garage space. I got the biggest boat I could fit into the garage without having to put it in at an angle. And...it needed to go in straight so my wife could park her car in the garage.
That was how I picked my boat.
For fishing? I think (and I'm not in smaller boats too often), that you need to consider the size of water you are fishing and stability. I feel like there are some 17 foot boats out there that have great stability on that front deck, much better than 16 footers. But, not all hulls are equal, so I'd get in as many as you can and really walk around and see how you feel on the water.
And I'd probably have someone else in the boat standing on the same side, or even next to you. |
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Posts: 32892
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I've run everything from 12 to21' boats. My rig is a 1625 Lund Fury, and I've fished local waters like Pelican, lakes like Vermilion, and even Eagle out of it with no issues. I really haven't missed my 20 footer at all, but I don't fish great lakes at all. |
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Posts: 2019
| My first boat in the 90's was a 16' Northwood with a 30hp Merc. I put that thing on every water I fish now with a 21' boat...I caught fish out of that 16 footer on LOTW, Vermilion, Mille Lacs...just to name a few. You just have to be a little more careful if you see any bad weather coming...but I don't ever recall feeling "unsafe".
Edited by IAJustin 4/15/2020 2:09 PM
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Posts: 94
| Same here. Had an '89 Smokercraft 168 Pro Mag with a Merc 25 on it and pulled it all over everywhere. I must have passed IAJustin somewhere along the way as it was the decade of the '90s and LOTW, Eagle, Vermilion, Chequamegan Bay, Detroit River, etc. Lots of fun. Just know your limitations with regard to the weather and waves. |
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| Two years ago I was visiting my sister in SE Alaska and my brother in law arranged for my daughter and I to go fishing halibut out on Icy Strait with a neighbor. He had a Lund that was smaller than my 18' Pro V with a 40 hp Honda. Fishes a 10 to 15 mile radius of home. He said if there is a big blow predicted, he stays home. Most of the folks in that area fish out of what they call skiffs, 14 to 18 foot tiller boats. |
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Posts: 109
| You can fish a lot of different water bodies with a 16' boat. That being said, pay particular attention to the depth of the hull. I fished out of a 16' lunker for years and it is a pretty shallow/flat hull. It fished alright, but it would get blown around ALOT and would be very rough when running in waves. |
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Posts: 29
| How about something like this? https://www.rothrv.com/product/used-2007-alumacraft-classic-165-w-40... |
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Posts: 109
| This is a better option than the Lunker in my opinion. The lunker hull was completely flat at the rear of the boat and the classic has some dead rise - which will perform much better. Additionally, I think the classic is a bit wider than the Lunker. |
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Posts: 397
| If you can find a 165 navigator CS I would take it. I had one for 7 years now moved up to a 185 navigator. The 165 has great deck space and storage. Fishes bigger than it is and rides nice in rougher weather. |
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Posts: 1727
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | i currently own a 165 lunker. great boats, but ride is rough if the winds pick up. you definitely want a 4 blade prop on this boat to lift the stern. That helps the ride and dryness significantly. I have had mine on LOTW and been in waves we shouldn't have been. If it gets that rough, it is too rough to fish in any boat really. We got caught in some 6 ft rollers that we couldn't see land when we were in the troughs. High idle towards where you need to go is about all we could do.
It is a great boat to fish solo or with someone else. mine is a 1999 and did not have a rear deck, but I built one that lifts out if needed. I also rigged mine with a 80lb terrova ipilot and couldn't be happier. 38mph out of my 50 etec (2018 purchase) or 22 with my 25 (2003 johnson 25). I swap motors occasionally to fish power plant lakes for bass when it gets too warm to musky fish.
Shoot me a message if you'd like more info/pics. |
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Posts: 120
| I have an Alumacraft 165 classic tiller and I love it almost always. But, I am looking at getting a 620 and keeping my 165 for solo fishing the smaller stuff around home. I have had my 165 on LOTW for a number of summer vacations now and it does very well 90-95% of the time. When it gets really windy it is just too small for conditions. It blows around like an empty beer can, doesn't track the best (the back end likes to try to pass up the front end while working a shoreline in the wind), you will get wet, and when rough on a long run my shoulder tells me it's had enough of this. Because it is so light and bounces around it can be hard to accurately use side imaging at times. Storage is limited for 2 guys planning a full day of muskie fishing. It does hold many rods great on both sides though. It is extremely easy to load and unload by myself. It is a great boat but boats are tools and they all are great at something and not so great at others. After owning this boat for 8 years I wish I would have bought an 18' tiller instead. I think it would have done just as good on small water but handled the bigger water better. |
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Posts: 612
| 16' Lund Fury works fine on smaller to medium sized lakes Finger lakes, chautauqua, etc. However I'd be leary on takig it out Erie or Ontario. |
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Posts: 109
| The following is just my opinion. I spent 20 years in a 16 foot lund bech seat boat with a 25hp mercury. I went all over the canadian portion of lake of the woods, Eagle, and Georgian bay. Spent a ton of time on mille lacs too. My trick was to let the boat tell me what it could do under the weather and wave conditions. Sometimes it was 3 to 5 mph and crawling over waves, many times needing to tack to get from point a to point b. Loved every minute of it. Wide open, in a straight line, is not always the best option. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | All I know is that with all the launches closed right now my boat is much too big and 40 years ago I caught hundreds of fish from a canoe just not sure if my body is now suitable for fishing from a canoe. Definitely going to give it a try. |
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| horsehunter - 4/22/2020 2:41 PM
All I know is that with all the launches closed right now my boat is much too big and 40 years ago I caught hundreds of fish from a canoe just not sure if my body is now suitable for fishing from a canoe. Definitely going to give it a try.
Might want to try a kayak instead, if that is an option. I have both but prefer the kayak. Getting in and out can be a bit of a hassle for an old guy like me, but I like the stability and being low in the water when fishing seems to help if there is any wind. Mine is a sit in fishing kayak, but a friend has a very nice one for fishing, that has foot pedals and you sit on it, not in it. Little pricey but he swears by it and fishes a lot of different waters, rivers, creeks, lakes. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I have a square stern tin canoe with an electric motor but what I`m considering is a single 15 foot kelvar carbon fiber weighing 35 lbs it is very stable and can be had with a high low seat ans used with a Kayak or canoe paddle. Being open saves a lot of weight and can carry a lot of stuff . Don`t think you will find any fishing Kayaks close to that weight. |
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| horsehunter - 4/22/2020 4:57 PM
I have a square stern tin canoe with an electric motor but what I`m considering is a single 15 foot kelvar carbon fiber weighing 35 lbs it is very stable and can be had with a high low seat ans used with a Kayak or canoe paddle. Being open saves a lot of weight and can carry a lot of stuff . Don`t think you will find any fishing Kayaks close to that weight. Friend has a Kevlar canoe and it is remarkably light, weighs just a little over half of what my 12' fishing kayak weighs, and still has a good weight rating for load. Sounds like that would be great choice. (Couple years ago, we had some couples over to our house to paddle on the lake. One couple was looking to buy, not sure if they wanted kayaks, canoe. They tried the different craft and after trying the Kevlar canoe, that was what they bought, despite a big case of sticker shock when told what they cost). |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | None of my hobbies have ever been cheap. As a kid I had a stamp collection and never sent back any of the approvals sent to me in the mail, cost my dad a small fortune before he was able to get the constant stream cancelled.
Do kids still collect stamps
Not only can I not spell alunimum I misspelled kevlar
Edited by horsehunter 4/22/2020 5:53 PM
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Posts: 612
| I'd think a 16' deep V is fine except for big water. I own a 16' Lund Fury and it works out well but wouldn't take it out on L Erie or L Ontario, they can whip up to quick. But it's great boat for pretty much anything else weather providing. Darn I already posted this one sorry 4 repeat.
Edited by NPike 4/25/2020 4:45 PM
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Posts: 20230
Location: oswego, il | If you still plan on fishing big water what is it? I doubt it's a secret. Us knowing this will give you better answers. |
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Posts: 29
| By big water I'm talking mille lacs and leech. I am by no means under the disillusion that those lakes are secret honey holes. I ended up getting that alumacraft classic. Now just have to wait until june for musky opener |
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Posts: 29
| So now my question shifts to how does everyone get more usability out of a smaller boat? Tips/tricks for tackle storage or any gadgets you use to make the boat feel larger? Was thinking of getting some of those storage nets you attach to the inside of the hull to stick pliers, snacks or other loose stuff in so it doesnt get kicked around on the floor |
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Posts: 3870
| For almost 10 years I had an early 70's 14' Blue Finn semi deep V with a 15hp merc on it. Cut out the front seat, cut down and reinstalled the middle seat toward the front. Installed a 3/4" marine-grade plywood floor between the 2 benches and in front of the front bench. Battery box and huge battery in the way front, simple 6gal gas tank in the rear opposite where I sat. Seats installed front and back, rear seat to one side (opposite the gas tank). Milk crate on the floor behind my seat to hold first aide kit, lure-retriever and a small anchor. Bolted my fish finder on the top of the bench seat and a cheap tool holder (release tools, files) on the front of that bench bellow the finder. Built a lighted, fused switch box to run lights and protect the finder and mounted it behind the fish finder. Bought the biggest Minn Kota tiller Maxxum I could afford (70, I believe) and a clamp-on Minn Kota extendo handle, steered the boat with my hip while casting. Everything was water proof, never covered that boat except winter in the yard. Every third year I replaced the floor and wiring, every second year I replaced tires and trailer lights/wires, and every spring I repacked/replaced wheel bearings.
I put a zillion hours on that boat and thousands of miles on the trailer. It was familiar at M1 outings for a couple years and since I was always rolling solo I took out the guys who showed up with broken motors on their big rigs. Best trip ever was fishing my way from home in SW MI up thru MI, across the UP, across NC WI, thru MN to catch the Widespread Panic shows at Detroit Lakes, then back thru MN and down thru WI around Chicago to get home again. Also fished my way to and from Dead shows at Alpine and the Further shows at ? Anyway, that little boat was a riot, caught a bunch of fish and had great times with Al, Pappa Joe, that guy who sells screws, and others. Took it to Worrall's wedding reception (where I first met that rascal Andrew/Slammer) and stayed at the Hideout.
A little boat can get where big boats can't go. Had a 2-door Jeep Cherokee Sport with the inline 6 and manual transmission when I lived in the Yoop. I could put that boat in ANYWHERE the logging roads reached the rivers or mine ponds. If a 2-track logging road dead-ended in the woods I could unhook the boat, push it off into the woods, flip the Jeep, rehook the boat and get back out, no problem. The boat was exceptional on rivers, light, fast, safe to hit debris or deadheads.
I now run a pimped Yar Craft 209tfx but still miss that totally dependable, easy to fix, take anywhere, beater boat. Named it Stella Blue Finn. Always had Dead stickers on it, sides and back.
Sorry for the long post, I'm just thinking back.
Edited by Ranger 4/27/2020 3:58 PM
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Posts: 224
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | I just recently bought a 16ft sylvan deep v with a 45 horse Honda on it. I’ve taken it out 3 times and 2 were to lake pepin, both times on pepin it was pretty windy and really rough. Pepin isn’t as big as true big water but it can make some giant waves because the lake is pretty much a 20 mile long wind tunnel. I never felt unsafe even though at times there were waves as high as the sides of my boat. I think a lot of it comes down to being sensible with how you take on the waves. It took me awhile to get from point a to point b, but as long as your smart about it you can get by in a 16 footer. If I had more money and a bigger garage I’d definitely get something bigger, but this is about as much as I can get on an apprentice plumbers salary. Most of the time you go out your not going to be in really rough water, so it is really not going to make a big difference with how big your boat is. Get a quality trolling motor and you will be in business, I got a motorguide xi5 for mine and am more then pleased with it for what I paid. |
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Posts: 29
| Took the boat out on some smaller water here in mn on saturday and although we got blown around a fair bit, pulled the plug at the end of the day and not a drop ran out. Ended up getting a larger anchor and had a much better time yesterday. Now thinking of getting some wave whackers for back trolling... |
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Posts: 427
| I started out with a 9.9 Evinrude and any rental boat we could get. I next went to a 12 ft car topper and the same 9.9. As we got older our boats changed many times today it's the biggest Lund that fit in my garage. The point is fish were caught out of any boat I used. I never felt I was putting myself at risk in any boat I owned or rented. If you fish smart and let the weather determine what water to fish you will enjoy the experience in any boat. Good Luck |
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What is too small when it comes to boat size?