Boat Advice

[RyanMac14]

So seeing all the posts from the mugger, the fast eddie express, the mamba etc. has put me over the edge. I need a better boat than my tiny 9 foot jon boat. So just looking for any and all advice in terms of motor. I am in central jersey (matawan) so not many gas options around me. I do like to hit spruce so should I just get a 9.9? Is that what most people have in order to be allowed on the limited lakes? Also, I know as long as you have your gas motor up and not connected to a can you never really have a problem, but i just cant find the actual law on it. Any other advice is greatly appreciated whether it be suggestions, tips and maintenance advice etc.

[ScowardNJ]

Originally Posted by RyanMac14

So seeing all the posts from the mugger, the fast eddie express, the mamba etc. has put me over the edge. I need a better boat than my tiny 9 foot jon boat. So just looking for any and all advice in terms of motor. I am in central jersey (matawan) so not many gas options around me. I do like to hit spruce so should I just get a 9.9? Is that what most people have in order to be allowed on the limited lakes? Also, I know as long as you have your gas motor up and not connected to a can you never really have a problem, but i just cant find the actual law on it. Any other advice is greatly appreciated whether it be suggestions, tips and maintenance advice etc.

The Mugger is a 14' Sea Nymph with a Nissan 9.8 2-stroke and 55lb thrust 12V Minn Kota bow mount with spot lock. I have had it on pretty much every lake in north Jersey between Round Valley Reservoir and Greenwood Lake. Also The Delaware, Hackensack, Passaic Rivers etc...I fish a lot of horsepower restricted lakes and electric only lakes. You can keep your motor down in electric only lakes, i often use the 9.8 as a tiller to steer with my bow mount in trust when putting around lakes like Wayway or Merrill.

Pros - I can fish every freshwater spot in NJ that allows boats and has access. It's super efficient, i fill the 3 gallon tank up like 4 or 5 times a year. It's light and easy to tow. It's cheap to maintain and the hull is built like tank. It's a basic original set up that hasn't had any decks or crazy mods. I often fish alone and its a snap loading and unloading by myself. The rig fits in a garage. The bow mount trolling motor with spot lock is the most essential part of the whole rig for what i do.

Cons - I can fish with 2 people fine but if my passenger is over 225ish lbs the boat is a slug and doesn't plane and it limits us in covering water. There is no room for a 3rd person. It gets wet in chop. It gets owned in wind. Heavy current is the top of its limit. It's a 3 bench style boat and I'm getting tired of jumping over the middle bench to get to my trolling motor, especially at night or in cold rain/ice/snow with gear all over the place. It's a matter of time till I end up overboard. More speed would be nice to cover water faster but i can fish all of Lake Hopatcong on a spring night with little problem.

I'd say a 14' - 16' aluminum hull w/9.9hp and electric bow mount TM is the most versatile rig for fishing all NJ freshwater. Of course a 15hp with good 9.9 camo is even better. A 20' Lund with a 200 ob and 9.9 kicker w/36V bow mount is a nice choice also but certainly not necessary.

[AndyS]

I just sold my 14 ft. Grumman with trailer for cheap !! Most lakes can be fished with a good trolling motor. I sold the 2 hp Yamaha with the boat that took me far enough at Round Valley to be on the fish. If you plan on lots of Spruce Run, Lake Hopatcong, Round Valley and Skunksville you may want to invest in a 9.9. The world is your oyster once you own a boat, then again look all the fish caught using kayaks also.

[NJSquatch]

if i could do it over again i would get a 14-16' vhull with a 9.9 for all the reasons Scott highlighted.

A bigger boat requires a bigger tow vehicle, with a small boat you can get away with an SUV. I see people towing 16'ers with RAV4s. Storage is also a pia with larger boats.

My 17' deep v with a 90 hp is nice for flying around LH but there are very few lakes in NJ I can run it in. Places like RV or Spruce Run are just too big to fish with only a trolling motor. The motor is also pig and guzzles gas. On a 2 week vacation in Lake George fishing almost everyday i burn through about 30 gallons plus a half gallon of 2 stroke oil and I am not logging that many miles.

before you buy make sure the boat and trailer have a title. I have read horror stories of people trying to get them registered without titles. also get the engine checkout by a mechanic since that is essentially what you are paying for with a used boat.

too bad you missed out on Andy's boat that was such a steal i was thinking of buying it.

[RyanMac14]

Thanks for all the info guys. Sorry I must have missed out on your post Andy. Would have definitely given it a look. I've actually been looking new as I hope to make this boat last my lifetime (not that a used one couldnt do the job). I also just feel more comfortable knowing that it hasnt been abused or has had spotty maintenance since I really have below basic knowledge especially when it comes to the motor. I have been looking at the tracker Pro 160. It is a 16 foot mod V. Would it be difficult on places like the valley and manasquan reservoir not having the deep v? Will also take any and all advice on motor preventative maintenance after outings, off season etc. Thanks again guys

[NJSquatch]

the v hulls have higher gunwales and are better at taking on waves (ie boat wakes) and keeping u and your stuff in the boat..i have been in mod v's where the wakes have come right over the bow....really only a concern if you are fishing big water and taking on 20'+ cuddy cabins...

what type of fish do you plan on primarily targeting?

[Mikey topaz]

The mamba is a deep v... you’d be fine. I get it in and out all over the place with very little problem it is sitting on a roller trailer which helps. The only downfall I have with the deep v I noticed is for a lot of the trolling I do it cuts through the water with ease, that being said the boat goes at a fast speed even with my 9.9 kicker just in gear... so most of the time I troll with the electric motor which eats up a lot of batteries especially if your lookin to fish a good chunk of the day. Motor wise and maintenance my mercury 9.9 four stroke is a great motor as long as you use it in freshwater you really don’t need to flush it after every use. Basically you throw gas in it as long as you don’t let the gas sit too long you really won’t have too much a problem. When these motors mess up usually it’s a dirty carb very easy to clean out and rebuild if need be. Change the engine,new plugs once a year, and a impeller every 3 yearsish... great motors keep your eye out and if you really needed a hand a hand I’d be happy to walk you through how to take care of it and do the maintenance good luck,