Boat Advice

[RyanMac14]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Im gonna keep my eye out through the winter and see if I come across something like this. If you see anything by chance and happen to remember me, i would appreciate you sending it over. If come february I havent come across anything I think I've annoyed my wife enough that she'll just want yo shut me up and I'll buy something new haha. Thanks again gentlemen.

[Blackfishhead]

If you need someone to go along with you to look at a boat give me shout I’ll tag along. I live close by and have owned a few boats over my lifetime.
Currently two and a kayak. I’ll pm you my #.

[Castaway]

Originally Posted by Jersey Charlie

Go with an aluminum 16 ft deep V with a 9.9 and elec trolling motor. This time of year lots of opportunities for used boats. Like someone said be sure it has paperwork. The 9.9 on the other hand is where you need to shop for a new one. Matawan area means it was used in salt and that’s a problem. Same with electric, unless it’s a salt water electric motor, your area could be problematic.
Know what you want, example: electric versus pull start, electric tiller with remote. As for a trailer I recommend bunk not roller again be sure it has papers.
Just my 2 cents
Charlie

Why do you recommend bunks instead of rollers? Every boat I’ve owned from a 16’ Lund up to a 25’ Parker had rollers. I love how easy it is to slide the boat off the trailer.

[Capt. Lou]

The float on type trailer allow u to get on an off faster , it much better for trailering big rigs that have weight ! The bunks offer good seating on trailer !
Most I’ve owned never required a winch, drove on self locked , one man operation ! In my opinion much easier to use , that being said need ramps with water, need to submerge trailer up to front V for best operation !

[catfishonthelake]

I had a roller trailer with my 14 footer and loved it. I could get into any body of water no matter how shallow, but somtimes I did have problems with steep launches. I just upgraded to an 18-footer with a 95 inch beam the boat came with a bunk trailer. I thought it was going to be a pain to launch and load by myself but it's actually easier. If you put 1/2 to 2/3 of the bunks in the water and drive right up, the bunks catch the boat and it pretty much sticks. A few taps with the throttle then the winch can do the rest, super easy.

Probably a matter of personal preference more than anything.

One suggestion, buy as much as boat with as much horsepower as you can afford. You can fish out of 14 footers with another guy, you can be comfortable and fish with 2 or 3 out a 16 and you have a ton of room to fish with 3 on an 18. For the little bit of extra hassle it is having an 18-footer with a trailer as wide as a tractor trailer, goddamn it's suite once you're on the water. Also, unless you're really going to only fish elec only or 9.9 lakes, you can NEVER have too much power. Obviously never go over what the boat is rated for, but get as a close to it as possible. People talked me into going from 40hp up to 70hp on the boat I had made and I would have shot myself in the foot had I not listened. I can cruise 30+ fully loaded with the 70hp and if I had anything smaller it'd be tough to make 15 mile runs in the places I've been fishing.

[RyanMac14]

Thanks for the advice catfish. In central jersey there are basically no lakes where i can use more than 9.9 but even that is rare. Looking at the state motor regs page there really arent that many lakes. Besides the cong, budd, pompton and cranberry what else is there really? Greenwood is too far and even those 4 are a bit of a trip

[RWole]

Ryan
Your right on it. Most lakes in N.J. are electric or 9.9 limit, so in most cases you will not need a big motor, just more weight to kill your batteries on the electric only lakes. Like previously stated if your not heading out to out of state lakes and staying local a big hp motor will not be needed. Another thing to remember by staying off the unlimited hp lakes you avoid all of the idiots ripping around and will enjoy a peaceful day fishing.
I have a 16.9 tracker pro angler with 2 electric motors, 9.9 4 stroke, I do just fine on the sheds, swartswoods, round valley, spruce, monksville, cranberry,
and pompton and yes i do enjoy not getting waked while fishing. I certainly do not break any speed records but I catch fish. I used to go to Hopatcong but got tired of being anchored perfectly on a point , than the wahoo rips by and screws everything up.

[eview326]

I'm selling my Mirrocraft 16' Deep V fishing boat Sending you a PM now its the perfect NJ fishing machine!