Why would you want to lighten up your flats skiff? Plenty of reasons, to be honest. Maybe you no longer have that big truck to pull the boat. Or maybe you want to run and float in even shallower water. Whatever the reason, consider these options.

Don’t Go Crazy With Horsepower

Choose the right powerplant. Sure, we all want to go faster, but bigger motors come with a cost. Not money, silly—weight. For example, a boat such as the Xplor X7 can see draft variance by up to 2.5 inches depending on which outboard you choose, and it’s no slouch in the performance department no matter what you rig it with.

Don’t Bring Your Entire Tackle Collection

Check yourself on your tackle. If your shoulder stretches when you pick up your tackle box, consider ditching some of the lead or, better yet, consolidate into one small box that you can tweak for your target du jour.

Go Light on the Boat Anchor

Switch to an aluminum anchor. An 11-inch aluminum fluke anchor is large enough for most flats skiffs and weighs just 2.5 pounds, about a third of the weight of a common Danforth.

Consider a Plastic Emergency Prop

Get a plastic emergency prop (and the right adapter to fit your hub). Many of us like having a spare prop aboard just in case we get a bit too skinny at some point. While the plastic ones might not perform incredibly well, they weigh next to nothing and will get you home in a pinch.

Update to a Lightweight Battery

Get a lighter battery. With a modern LiFePO4 starter battery, you can get 1,000 cold-cranking amps at a mere 16.5 pounds. And you guys who run trolling motors? As a general rule, you can cut your battery weight by half.

The post Five Tips to Make Your Skiff Lose Weight appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Light-tackle and fly-fishing aficionados drawn to the challenge of targeting the likes of bonefish, redfish, permit, snook, stripers and tarpon in skinny water will be happiest aboard a flats boat. Nowadays, however, flats boats are more than stable, shallow-draft fishing machines; they also encompass specialized models designed with an even narrower focus, such as technical-poling skiffs—16- to 18-footers primarily intended to quietly stalk shallow-water game propelled by a push pole—and microskiffs, which have a similar purpose but are somewhat smaller and can access skinnier water. 

But the once clear, distinguishing lines are becoming increasingly blurry, with more boatbuilders incorporating key design features from microskiffs into technical-poling models and vice versa. Recent poling skiffs benefit from reduced weight and a narrower wetted surface (the portion of hull in contact with the water), which improve performance with smaller outboards—thereby requiring smaller fuel tanks and allowing extra storage or cockpit space. Many microskiffs—originally minimalistic and designed for tiller motors—now come with walk-around gunwales with rod racks underneath, and offer small side- or center-console helms as options. The size of microskiffs also seems to be expanding, with some companies introducing 17- and 18-footers under the designation initially reserved for models of 16 feet or less. 

The leading brands in the flats-boat category do a great job of updating their lineups, taking advantage of new materials, building methods and innovative features to revamp the hulls and layouts. Hewes recently redesigned its entire Redfisher series, which includes 16-, 18-and 21-foot models. Maverick now offers three HPX models: the 17- and 18-foot versions of the HPX-V, and the HPX-S 17, a 17-footer for skinnier-water duty. And in 2021, Yellowfin launched the 17 CE, an improved version of its popular 17 Skiff. 

Meanwhile, Beavertail Skiffs, East Cape Boats and Chittum Skiffs continue to grow their families of superb 16- to 21-foot flats models. Dragonfly Boatworks offers striking skiffs and microskiffs with classic lines and the latest in design and construction. Ankona Boats has four terrific 16- to 17-foot choices that won’t break the bank. Xplor Boatworks is raising eyebrows with its X7 and X13 models. And Sabine Skiffs, Floyd Skiff and Matecumbe Skiffs have also added to the fray their takes on the ideal flats skiff and microskiff, with Sabine’s hulls built entirely out of aluminum. 

Though draft is top of mind for most flats anglers looking for their next ride, hull slap—or rather, the lack thereof—should be high on the list of requirements. “Hull slap,” the noise created by water ripples striking a flat surface, is notorious for alerting fish of a boat’s approach, and hard chines and running strakes that extend beyond the waterline are common culprits. If you’ll often cross open water to reach your fishing spots, spray rails will help keep you dry. But not all are created equal. “Our X13 is our big-water skiff, and the spray rails are cap height—not real low like some other boats—because of the opportunity for hull slap in rough conditions,” says Frankie Marion of Xplor Boatworks.

Editor’s Tip: Once you narrow your search to a half-dozen or so candidates, it’s time to get a look at them in person. Because many flats-skiff builders sell factory-direct, you may not find local dealers carrying the boats you’d like to check out. It’s best to contact the companies to learn about shows and events where they will exhibit the models on your shortlist. That often enables you to see similar offerings from competing brands at once.

The post 2022 Boat Buyers Guide: Flats Boats appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

If you want to fish the flats efficiently, no boat can make it happen better than a flats skiff. Minimal draft, maximum fishability, and a stealthy attitude make these craft ideal whether you plan on sight fishing for reds or fly casting for bones. Check out these top five contenders.

Hewes Redfisher 16

Hewes’ VARIS construction takes boatbuilding to the next level and sets this skiff apart from the ­competition. By delivering the ideal ­resin-to-composite ratio, it reduces weight while maximizing strength, resulting in a lighter boat that’s easy to pole and tough as nails. Add the wide beam and 15-degree transom deadrise, and you get a flats skiff that’s also surprisingly stable, runs smoothly, and rides high in a chop—precisely the kind of versatile boat that feels right at home fishing in inlets and passes, as well as in ­back­country bays or on oceanside flats. To cap it all off, the Redfisher 16 is a breeze to trailer and fits readily in a garage.

Maverick 18 HPX-V

The Maverick 18 HPX-V, popular with hardcore flats anglers and guides, poles well in extremely shallow water and affords the comfort and space of a backcountry boat. The extra elbow room lets three anglers fish comfortably in different types of waters, from flats and passes to inlets and bridges. The length helps the skiff track well, even in a breeze, and allows for considerable livewell capacity: a whopping 30 gallons for hauling large, live baits. The boat is designed to get on top of a chop instead of plowing through it, thanks to the builder’s weight-saving techniques that use Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion System (VARIS) construction, and Kevlar and carbon fiber. Added bonus: An incredibly rigid and solid hull.

Xplor Boatworks X7

Hull design on the Xplor X7 gives this boat unique running characteristics and also boosts fishability. The integrated rails take the upward force of the water and use it to soften the ride while ­channeling that water away from the boat to knock down spray. This allows for the rails to be placed higher on the hull sides than normal, minimizing rail or chine splashing that can create fish-­spooking noises while poling. Additionally, the hull has a padded running surface, longer than most, that provides more lift and stability. Topside design boosts the skiff’s fishing prowess as the cap extends beyond the hull confines, providing the most fishing area possible atop the minimal amount of wetted surface, leaving room for three livewells totaling a monstrous 86-gallon capacity.

Yellowfin 17CE

A vacuum-bagged and injected molding process, and the use of composites, including proprietary fabrics unique to Yellowfin, made with Kevlar, E-glass and carbon in a quad-axis weave, plus 1005 pure vinylester resin, give the Yellowfin 17 CE (Carbon Elite) a major dose of high-tech construction that sets it apart from the flats skiff crowd. With a stepped hull that’s 20 percent lighter and 17 percent stronger than its predecessor, the 17-footer has an average fuel burn of 7 mpg with a Mercury 60 FourStroke, and a range of over 150 miles—unheard of for a flats skiff. On top of that, Yellowfin’s high resale value means the 17 CE is bound to deliver exceptional value, despite a higher initial cost than some other skiffs.

Action Craft 1600 FlatsPro

If you love flats skiffs but not their limited capacity, you’ll want to check out Action Craft’s 1600 FlatsPro, a 16-footer US Coast Guard-rated to hold up to five people—more than many other flats skiffs, even significantly larger models. Stability is a big contributing factor here because the FlatsPro, with its 14-degree transom deadrise and 7-foot beam, is uber-stable. Action Craft also offers multiple seating options to increase the comfort level of those aboard, including a bench seat with flip-up backrest, and a raised console with leaning-post seating. Angling acuity gets a boost as well, thanks to the spacious fore and aft casting decks, each with its own livewell topping 20 gallons.

Blue Wave 1900 STL

One of two models in Blue Wave’s Ultra-Shallow series, the 1900 STL combines skinny-water capabilities, generous storage and ­excellent fishability without sacrificing comfort, making it a great choice for spending the day on the flats with the family. The hull boasts a large, rounded tunnel and a slot transom—exclusive Blue Wave designs—for taking off and cruising in shallow water with confidence. Stability, both on the run and at rest, is one of the 1900 STL’s hallmarks, and the layout includes large fish boxes and livewells, elevated casting areas fore and aft, and plenty of walk-around space, plus forward-console seating, a leaning post that accommodates two at the helm, and twin jump seats astern.

The post Best Skiffs for Flats Fishing appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

In the company’s first-ever Florida Skiff Challenge from March 5 to 7, the team attempted to travel 1,200 miles — from Pensacola around the Keys to the Okeechobee Waterway, crossing Florida to Sarasota — in 48 hours.

“It has always intrigued me what guys have done in small boats,” says Heath Daughtry, Yellowfin’s vice president, citing Flip Pallot’s crossing to Walker’s Cay, Bahamas, in a 16-foot skiff, and the tales of Everglades frontiersman Totch Brown. “This was something I’ve always wanted to do. We wanted to demonstrate what small boats can do.”

Open Invitation

Turns out, the team and its skiff did 930 miles. They endured cold, drenching storms and high seas, a problematic prop, an engine breakdown, and overwhelming fatigue, finally hauling out in Miami after almost 60 hours.

“I’ve never had hypothermia, but if I was ever close to it, it was in Miami, Florida,” Daughtry says. “We were very disappointed we didn’t meet our goal.”

But while the challenge of 2015 fell short, the Yellowfin crew has started planning for 2016. “Going forward, I would love to make it somewhat of a competition, if not a charity run,” he says, adding that the next trial could also involve fishing.

Daughtry issues an open ­invitation to competing boatbuilders who might sponsor a skiff and team for the challenge, which he characterizes as an adventure race. He plans to take applications and select only those with the right stuff. “This is not open to the ham-and-eggers,” he warns. “This needs to be exclusive. You have to be a bit savvy about winds and tides.”

The price tag for the trip should average $3,000 to $5,000. Daughtry hopes the challenge boosts the visibility of flats skiffs while promoting the state of Florida, and even raising money for a cause. The drawing board stands blank and available.

Chase Daniel, skiff co-pilot and Yellowfin’s offshore production manager, echoes Daughtry’s indomitable spirit: “I think we can absolutely make it all the way. I’m building my own 17 right now. Whether Heath and I are on the same team or if we have two teams next time, I’ll do it.”

Pre-Trip Planning

That’s saying a lot, considering everything this crew endured as well as everything they did to create the opportunity. Choosing a boat came first. While all four team members work for Yellowfin, that actually didn’t make the choice routine. A brand-new skiff and new outboard need breaking in before such a run.

“We had a customer locally with a 4-year-old [Yellowfin 17] and about 320 hours on the motor,” Daughtry says. “We derigged the console, pulled out a lot of old wiring and rewired the boat.” They fully serviced the Mercury 60 BigFoot outboard.

The team installed new Simrad electronics, including an NSS12 evo2 and two NSS9 evo2 multifunction displays, plus 4G radar and a FLIR M-324 thermal camera, the latter two units mounted atop the poling platform. “The initial plan was to have redundancy. We knew we would take a lot of spray. We wanted at least two screens. My partner went a little overboard,” Daughtry says.

To further enhance nighttime runs, they carried a 10-inch Rigid Light Bar, and to document the trip, they made welded-aluminum GoPro mounts and set multiple cameras to capture an image every 60 seconds.

Besides Daughtry and Daniel aboard the skiff, the team needed a chase-vehicle driver and a multimedia specialist. They planned to post to a public Facebook page throughout their adventure, and carried a SPOT device so they could upload a breadcrumb trail to a shared page and social-media sites.

Guillermo Nazario, Yellowfin’s rig-shop manager for the bay-boat/skiff section, functioned as the mechanic and primary driver for the Ford F-150 tow vehicle. Rusty Driver handled communications and drove a portion of the way. “Before we left for the trip, we planned out where we were going to stop every time,” Nazario says. “Each time, we’d stop and get food. And after we fueled them up, we’d get all the photos and videos from the boat and send them to the website. It was kind of like a pit stop in NASCAR.”

Stumbling Start

The team planned an early-March launch because of the predominant northwest winds — even embracing the additional threat of severe weather as an extra challenge — and because water levels would be high enough that the Okeechobee Waterway locks would remain open.

“We took the boat out and ran 20 miles to get our fuel economy and distance. The only thing we had on board was a gas gauge, no digital readout. We knew if we left the motor with the same prop, we could keep the boat under 5,000 rpm, and that would give us 5 to 5½ mpg, depending on the seas,” Daughtry says. “If we got off-course 20 miles, in a little boat with small fuel capacity, that’s a serious conversation.”

Daughtry set a safety zone of 80 to 90 miles per leg between fuel stops and planned to hold the throttle at 4,800 rpm whenever possible.

The team picked the farthest west public boat ramp in the state — in Gulf Breeze, Florida, near Pensacola — for the launch. The golden rule: Once the boat entered the water, it had to remain in the water. Once the boat came out of the water, the challenge ended.

“When we pulled up to launch, the fog was so thick, we couldn’t see past the ramp,” Daughtry says.

In the parking lot, they swapped out the original prop, which they considered slightly underpitched, with a four-blade prop they had brought. They launched at about 7:30 a.m.

“We pushed the throttle down, and the prop was not adequate for the boat. We ended up spending the first few minutes of the challenge at the ramp. Chase took off his foul-weather gear and hopped in the water to change the prop back.”

Daughtry and Daniel carried boxes full of fuses, connectors and anything that could be affected by corrosion during the trip. They also brought a cooler with water and drinks to stay hydrated, plus safety gear including an EPIRB and handheld VHF radio. The chase truck would bring food and dry clothing.

Winter Weather

Daughtry took the helm for the first leg. They ran along the back side of Pensacola Bay, all the while knowing a front was bearing down on the region. They had only made 20 miles when the wind picked up. “We started heading to shorelines and stayed tucked in, however shallow we could run. We had a high tide.”

Nearing Santa Rosa, the fog lifted and Daughtry could see open water in Choctawhatchee Bay. They headed toward the barge canal and West Bay. “One of the things that had the biggest impacts on me was watching the landscape change,” Daughtry says. “The big pine trees, the hills … the rock and landscape is totally different.’’

Emerging from West Bay into the Panama City area, the crew made its first stop, which lasted a matter of minutes. (The average stop lasted 12 minutes.)

By the time they reached the mouth of Apalachicola Bay, the front fully engulfed them. “The first part of the trip was a true taste of Mother Nature,” Daughtry says. “We had been protected in canals; we had taken some wind but nothing huge. In Apalachicola Bay, it started raining sideways, and the waves picked up.”

They took massive spray but pushed through, making a second fuel stop at Lanark — at the edge of the Big Bend — as dusk approached. “We knew we were about to go into the night. We changed clothes and called home,” Daughtry says. “Then we set out.” The team faced a key choice: hang along the shoreline of the bend or cross the open ocean, running 61 miles to Steinhatchee. They headed into the ocean. Total blackness. No cell service.

At the deepest part of the crossing — when the water depth measured 50 to 60 feet — the front that had passed them going east stopped and turned south. They felt rather than saw the weather approach. (Without much elevation for the radome, its range remained limited.) “We had a lot of chop with white water on top. On two occasions, the boat came off the back side of a wave and dropped. One time, we went up the front face of a wave and the boat stood up. We went airborne.”

Finally, after about 8 p.m., they arrived in Steinhatchee to meet their land crew and enjoy a hot meal. The brief relief revived them. Daughtry took a position ahead of the console in a beanbag chair, and Daniel took the wheel.

Outboard Ordeal

The next stop should have been Spring Hill, but outside Homosassa — at 1 a.m. — the engine stalled. Daughtry first thought they had bought bad fuel; checking the fuel-water separator, he saw a little water. But when trying to restart the outboard, they realized the problem related to low voltage. They tried pull-starting the motor. Nothing worked. They had no cellphone coverage. They were out of handheld-VHF range.

Luckily, the wind was blowing them to the southeast. Dead in the water, they waited until the boat drifted closer to shore. Finally, about 5 miles out, they reached the land crew, who called TowBoatUS with the skiff’s coordinates.

After the boat was towed to a Homosassa ramp, the team convened. And while the boat remained in the water, they began troubleshooting. “It turned out it was a 25-amp fuse on the motor,” Daughtry says. Nazario and Driver bought a battery at Wal-Mart and installed that to replace the dead one. Eight hours later, with morale down and growing tired, they motored out of Homosassa.

After a stop at Anna Maria Island, where they encountered an unfriendly marina operator, they headed down the Intracoastal through Sarasota Bay. As they approached the north bridge to Siesta Key, Daughtry saw three boats anchored at the end of a no-wake zone; they held signs encouraging the team.

“I had no idea people were really following us. People had come out to support us,” Daughtry says. Later, past Venice, the team saw a family they knew, waving a big American flag. In Boca Grande, a line of boats awaited the skiff. “That gets your spirit back up,” Daughtry says.

Night and Day

As the sun began to set, they fueled up at Punta Rassa and headed toward Goodland. Daniel took the helm to continue into the night. Neither skipper had slept more than a few moments in 36 hours. Daniel described this leg as his most memorable: “We were running the beach at night from Fort Myers to Goodland. When we were coming out of a pass, we ran aground briefly. The channel had shifted.

“Once we were off the beach, I was able to surf the 3- to 4-foot seas. But we came off the back of one, and it was like a five-gallon bucket of water hitting me in the face. It filled up the cockpit. We were still on plane, so the water drained out. But it was kind of a wake-up call to how rough it was out there.”

After the pit stop in Goodland, they ran through the Everglades to Hawk’s Cay by moonlight. Arriving at 4:30 a.m., they power-napped for an hour on the boat, and then headed for Key West.

They rounded the tip of the island and passed the Southernmost Point, where they saw a group of people from the marine industry waiting to cheer them on. They ran back up to the Gulf side, and stopped to visit Capt. Steve Lamp for fuel and for “the best black cup of coffee I’ve ever had,” Daughtry says.

Pushing north, they met the land crew at the Jewfish Creek Bridge. A check of the route showed they had another 16 hours to go. “We had done the hard part of the trip. We would make it to Miami, spend four hours in the Intracoastal, get to the lock canal, make Okeechobee that night, and be home the next day,” Daughtry says.

But the cruel March weather changed their plans.

Overwhelming Odds

Daughtry and Daniel took a beating from Barnes Sound to Card Sound. A full-on 35-knot wind battered them in Biscayne Bay. They took water over the bow; the bilge pump ran constantly.

“That 30-mile stretch of water was probably one of the hardest stretches in my life,” Daughtry says. “We made it up under a tree and basically decided it was time to throw in the towel.”

They called the land crew, which had headed up to Boynton Beach, and routed them back to the Venetian Causeway boat ramp.

“I felt good about doing the Gulf Coast shoreline all the way to Key West. That was an accomplishment in itself. I was pretty happy with that,” Daughtry says. In retrospect, the whole team felt grateful.

“We ate like kings,” Daughtry says. “Bread and peanut butter from Publix tasted like one of the best things I’ve had in life.”

Says Nazario: “It was just something insanely awesome that everybody who loves skiffs would love to try. Rusty and I are ready.”

Daughtry has thrown down the 2016 gauntlet. To inquire about the next Florida Skiff Challenge, call him at Yellowfin (941-753-7828). “We’re really spoiled to live where we live,” he says. “When you take an adventure like this, you’ll be surprised by what you learn about yourself and your surroundings.”

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

Florida Skiff Challenge

The post Yellowfin Attempts 1,200-Mile Boat Trek appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Charlie Johnson, marketing director for Maverick Boats, showed me so many fishing features aboard the company’s new 17 HPX-S flats boat that I couldn’t fit them all into this three-minute video. Maverick will be touring the Southeast with one of its 17 HPX-S hulls in the near future to offer test rides. Call 1-888-SHALLOW to schedule an appointment to hear the rest of the story and see this skiff in person. (Shot with a Garmin VIRB.)

To see more Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show coverage, visit our FLIBS page.

The post Video: New Maverick 17 HPX-S flats boat appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Within the world of shallow-water fishing in Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean, there exist degrees of shallow. While one boating angler considers a foot of water shallow, yet another stalks his quarry in even less.

When it comes to fishing the skinniest of flats, experts prefer a technical poling skiff, which allows them to float in mere inches of water and pole to within casting distance of the wariest fish, such as permit and bonefish, with stealth and precision. Yet, what distinguishes a technical poling skiff from other shallow-water fishing craft, such as a flats boat, in terms of both design and performance?

At first glance, flats boats and poling skiffs can be difficult to tell apart. In fact, the skiff is a direct descendent of the flats boat, which was first introduced in the 1950s. Flats boats — or what some call backcountry boats — dominated shallow-water fishing for decades. Yet some anglers yearned for boats that were lighter, easier to pole, more nimble and even quieter.

“In the 1990s, Maverick introduced the Mirage One, which was the first technical poling skiff,” says Charlie Johnson, director of marketing for Maverick Boat Company, which today offers the Mirage HPX line of poling skiffs. “The flat topsides of a poling skiff and a flats boat are similar. But it’s the highly specialized hull, advanced construction materials and Spartan-like interior that set a technical poling skiff apart.” Today, such models are offered by a number of boat companies, including Beavertail Skiffs, Dragonfly Boatworks, East Cape Skiffs, Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Skull Island Skiff Works, Ranger Boats, Sundance Boats and Yellowfin Yachts, as well as Maverick.

Small and Streamlined

Technical poling skiffs are, by design, relatively small, according to Chris Peterson, owner and president of Hell’s Bay, which specializes in building these vessels and offers nine models. “For example, our Marquesa skiff is 18 feet in length and has a 6½-foot beam,” says Peterson. “The smaller footprint allows the skiff to more easily slip through the water, which is an important consideration when you’re poling all day.” The largest skiffs measure 18 to 19 feet in length, with many others in the 16- to 17-foot range. Technical poling skiffs also have lower profiles than flats or backcountry boats, and this helps achieve two goals, according to Johnson. The first is to reduce wind resistance. “The sheer line of our Mirage HPX skiffs is very close to the water, and so it virtually sneaks under the wind,” he explains. “This makes it easy to pole on a breezy day.

“Second, a lower profile also helps make these skiffs less visible to fish,” Johnson adds.

Lightweight Construction

Today’s lightweight construction materials and advanced boatbuilding techniques have resulted in ultralight skiffs that draw as little water as possible.

Johnson points to the feather-light carbon fiber boatbuilding technology used in conjunction with the company’s vacuum-assisted resin-infused system (VARIS), which minimizes weight yet maintains strength in the HPX models. “A technical poling skiff might look simple,” says Johnson, “but it actually represents today’s most advanced boatbuilding materials and state-of-the-art construction techniques.”

Another key to cutting weight isaccording to Peterson. “You’re not going to find a bunch of upholstered helm chairs, a trolling motor or battery banks like you might have on a bay boat,” he says. Accessories add weight, and that runs contrary to a skiff’s mission, which is essentially allowing two lighttackle anglers to fish the shallowest water possible.

To give you an idea of how well this philosophy can work, the 17-foot-8-inch Hell’s Bay Professional hull weighs just 625 pounds, and draws only 4½ inches at rest with engine and fuel.

Technical Poling Skiff Hull Design

Bonefish and permit are super sensitive to sound in skinny water. So skiff builders pay particular attention to making hulls as quiet as possible, especially when it comes to water slapping against the bottom and sides.

“You’ll find a lot of rounded edges in our skiffs,” says Peterson. “This not only minimizes slap, but it also changes the pressure wave of the boat. Every object in the water creates pressure, so you cannot eliminate it, but I believe you can change it to something more natural, like the rounded sides of a manatee versus the hard edges of a man-made object.”

With hull structures such as chines and strakes, the idea is to make sure they stay either well below or well above the water when the boat is at rest, thus ensuring they don’t generate slap. Another unique characteristic of technical poling skiffs is the tendency to drift with the bow into the wind, according to Johnson. “Mirage HPX hulls carry the bow stem farther under the hull,” he explains, “and this causes the boat to drift with its bow into the wind, which makes it far easier to pole the boat on a breezy day.”

A technical poling skiff also features a relatively flat bottom. The Hell’s Bay Professional, for instance, measures zero degrees deadrise at the transom. While that minimizes draft, it will also give you a thumpin’ if you need to cross a nasty stretch of water. All boats come with compromises, and the sacrifice for the ability to fish the skinniest water is a rougher ride.

Propulsion Needs

The lightweight nature of technical poling skiffs means you don’t need as much power as you might, say, with a heavier bay boat. Many skiffs run plenty fast with as little as a 40 hp outboard, though most anglers opt for at least 60 hp. Still, the smaller the outboard, the lighter the overall boat.

The jury seems to be out on whether motorized jack plates are a good idea on a technical poling skiff. Peterson likes them for their ability to raise the outboard when accelerating in the flats but admits that they add weight. He is also quick to point out the skiff needs to be designed from the outset to accept a jack plate. “If not, adding weight astern can throw off the boat’s center of gravity and spoil its ability to fish skinny water,” he explains.

One thing’s for sure: Once you’re fishing the flats with a technical poling skiff, it’s human power only. No trolling motors, just a pole. So if you’re not proficient at poling, you’d better learn that dance soon.

The post Technical Poling Skiffs: Best Boats for Fishing Shallow Water appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Evinrude’s New E-TEC 135 H.O. Should Prove Popular Among Flats Fishermen

BRP has introduced the new Evinrude E-TEC 135 H.O. — an outboard that should have strong application in the flats-boat market. BRP says the engine is designed to compete in the hotly contested 100 to 150 hp outboard segment, claiming that its two–stroke design gives the 135 H.O. up to 36 percent more torque than 150 hp four-stroke outboards from other engine builders.

Essentially a detuned version of the E-TEC 150, the 2.6-liter V-6 oil-injected engine weighs 418 pounds, 28 pounds more than the **Evinrude E-TEC 130 **V-4 outboard. Still the 135 H.O. is the lightest in its horsepower class. This is important in minimizing draft — a key consideration for fishing shallow-water for species such as redfish, bonefish and permit. Factory-tuned for high-performance applications, the 135 H.O. is available in 20- and 25-inch models, including counter rotation on the 25-inch version for twin-engine installations.

The post Evinrude Debuts a New E-TEC 135 H.O. V-6 Two-Stroke Outboard appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Solar Gheenoe

Talk about a spacious aft casting platform!

OK, that may be stretching it a bit, but the folks at popular skiff builder Gheenoe shared with us that the University of Central Florida’s College of Engineering and Computer Science has completed construction of a solar-powered Gheenoe that will compete in the national Solar Splash event, a solar-boating competition held June 13-17 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

No, they won’t be fishing — but it’s cool nonetheless!

“The UCF folks approached me at the beginning of year,” Gheenoe co-owner and vice president Sam Gheen tells Sport Fishing. “They needed as big a skiff as possible, so we built them a Super 18 and added some modifications, like brackets for the solar panels and a sump through the rear floor where the propeller’s shaft comes down and into the water.”

Dubbed the White Knight, the tricked-out ride was designed by UCF undergrads James Dinan, Marie Guastella, Julian Sanchez, Daniel Thompson, Kevin Tourville and David Letter.

While she may not exactly be rigged to spec for your average flats angler, Letter tells Sport Fishing she’ll run between 18 to 20 mph all day when fully charged — and he’s got video to prove it:

**

**

Of course, you won’t ever stand atop the solar panels to fish. They’re very thin, says Letter, about “the thickness of a folder.”

Gheen has yet to see the finished boat, but the thought of some wild, futuristic Gheenoe built for fishing has crossed his mind, if only in theory.

“I’ll bet if you built a tee top for those panels, they’d be out of the way and you’d be able to fish just fine,” he speculated with a mild chuckle.

And so the world of boating innovation continues to turn…

The post A ‘Green’ Gheenoe appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

0210hellsbay_368

Hell’s Bay has gained a reputation for building advanced “technical poling skiffs,” or super-lightweight, shallow-water flats boats that require very little horsepower to move. Many guides swear by them. However, HB has taken a bit of a flyer with its new Neptune. Sure it fits the size category of a flats boat and even floats in a mere 11 inches of water. Tipping the scales at less than 800 pounds, it will surely be easy to push with a pole. But unlike its siblings that use minimal power, the Neptune has been rated for up to 150 horsepower, which has the ability to push it along at close to 70 mph. So if you feel the need for speed…

Tom Gordon, formerly of Gordon Boats and now Hell’s Bay’s chief designer and sales director, says he expects the Neptune will be popular for tarpon- and redfish-tournament competitors. With its bigger, faster engines, it makes longer runs to find fish a less onerous task. “It’s the first Hell’s Bay designed around speed,” he says.

Gordon has been developing this design for more than two years and is “excited to finally be introducing the new Neptune to the shallow-water fishing fraternity.”

Its standard-features list includes a 38-gallon fuel tank, 30-gallon livewell, 10 under-gunwale rod tubes long enough for 9-foot fly rods and numerous dry-storage compartments. You’ll also find dry, gasketed hatches that stay quiet when you close them and step on them, an excellent guttered drainage system, Moonlite hatch springs, and ABYC-standard wiring and rigging.

Consider this boat if you consider yourself truly serious about skinny-water fishing but want to dust everyone else at the ramp on your way to the flat.

SPECIFICATIONS

LOA……18 ft. 6 in.
BEAM……6 ft. 8 in.
DRAFT……11 in.
DEADRISE……12 deg.
WEIGHT……795 lb.
FUEL……40 gal.
MAX POWER……150 hp OB
MSRP……Price on request

Hell’s Bay Boatworks / Titusville, Florida / 321-383-8223 / www.hellsbayboatworks.com

The post Hell’s Bay Neptune First Glance appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

0609br_maverick368

Some years ago, it seemed that almost every boat company wanted to jump on the flats-skiff bandwagon. Unfortunately, most of them had no clue what characteristics made a good skiff. All they knew was low freeboard and big casting decks. Today, a rarified few companies have survived as masters of the genre, and Hewes/Maverick holds a very solid position in that realm.

Maverick’s newest creation, the 18-foot HPX-V (for V-bottom as opposed to flat or tunnel hull), carries on the advanced technology the company is noted for using. It employs VARIS (Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion System), which uses a vacuum bag and negative pressure to draw a custom blend of premium resins through the layered dry Kevlar and carbon-fiber materials for a much more exacting laminate schedule. You’ll never worry about voids, differing hull thicknesses or weak bonds.

Those characteristics that contribute to a boat being an excellent shallow-water skiff include a lack of noise when small wavelets lap against the drifting or anchored hull, a smooth dry ride across choppy open water and easy maneuverability with a push pole or trolling motor. Bottom line: Anglers interested in sneaking up on wary shallow-water species can be confident that this boat moves through the water with deadly silence.

This HPX – a longer, wider and slightly heavier version of Maverick’s 17 HPX-V – rates a maximum 150-horsepower Yamaha (Maverick powers with Yamaha exclusively). However, quite a few cost-conscious owners find that it runs perfectly well with a 115 hp four-stroke. The 150 pushes the 18 at more than 50 mph. Yet cruising with the 115 can provide better fuel economy than your tow vehicle in many cases.

No expense or know-how has been spared in the creation of this advanced, technical poling skiff. Yet it’s still far from the most expensive on the market. That should appeal to even the smartest boat shopper.

LOA…… 18 ft. 4 in.
BEAM…… 6 ft. 8 in.
DRAFT…… 9 in. (w/ 150 hp OB)
DEADRISE…… 13 deg.
WEIGHT…… 1,400 lb. (w/ 150 hp OB)
FUEL…… 30 gal.
MAX POWER…… 150 hp OB
MSRP……$43,492 (w/ 115 hp OB)
$47,252 (w/ 150 hp OB)

Maverick Boats / Fort Pierce, Florida / 772-465-0631 / www.maverickboats.com

The post Maverick 18 HPX-V First Glance appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.