Deck Rules
Open deck space is the number one factor when it comes to increasing fishability on a boat; that’s why center consoles, with open aft and forward cockpits, are so darn popular among serious fishermen. Of course, many of us will need a cabin for the comfort, stowage, and versatility it adds to the boat. So where’s the happy medium? Just remember this simple formula as a general rule of thumb: to have plenty of rod-swinging space you’ll want about 25 square feet of cockpit per angler. That can mean forward and aft cockpit space, and on light-tackle boats, include raised casting platforms.
Cockpit space is clearly maximized by the center console design, which shouldn’t be eliminated from the choosing by family anglers simply because they’re known as “hard core” fishing boats. In fact, the center console lay-out works well for many other watersports, like water skiing, tubing, and diving. It’s more family-friendly than one might think, particularly on boats in the 21’ to 26’ range, for a couple of reasons: most over 21’ are head-equipped anyway, these days; the absence of cabin stairs is safer for small children, who often make a game of going in and out of it; and the increased usable exterior space means there’s room for more anglers onboard.
There are, of course, other designs that maximize deck space and still allow good fishability. One of the most popular and usable is the dual-console. Dual-console boats offer more protection when running for you and your crew. Most also have heads in the console, usually on the passenger’s side. And the open forward cockpit adds to both seating and fishing room. In fact, the dual-console’s popularity has grown so much in the past few years that we’re seeing new models that push the 30’ mark, whereas traditionally these boats were popular in the 18’ to 22’ range.
Walkarounds are the next potential choice, and will appeal to anglers who feel they really need that cabin. While the deep side decks around the cabin may seem like they provide 360-degree fishability, don’t be deceived—except in the most extreme cases these sidedecks are rarely wide enough to comfortably stand in, and they’re really best used only for transiting to and from the bow. Some walkaround boats do have small bow areas that are comfortable to fish from, but they usually won’t accommodate more than a single angler and he or she will have to constantly navigate back to the cockpit to get bait, rigs, and other items. It’s also nearly impossible to land a fish from the bow of a cabin boat because it’s such a long reach to the water, which makes netting or gaffing them difficult. Bottom line: You may see people fishing from the bow of a walkaround from time to time, but they are usually making the best of it—not enjoying the best of it.
The same is true of cuddy-cabin or express boats, except that they may (or may not) have more difficult bow access. This design does, however, tend to have more interior cabin space since the side decks aren’t recessed. And note that flush-deck cabins are often cramped, but allow the bowdeck to be used as a casting platform.
For the Hull of it
Hull design also has an impact on a boat’s fishability. As is true with all types of boats, as a general rule of thumb those with deeper V’s tend to ride more smoothly but also rock more at rest or slow speeds in a beam sea. If you’re an angler who likes to troll a lot, remember: this means that you’ll also be rocking and rolling—or not—when you’re fishing.
Choosing an inboard versus a stern drive or outboard also has a big effect on how a boat fishes. Leaving arguments about efficiency, speed, and reliability aside, anglers who plan to drift fish often will want to remember that while inboards usually drift beam-to, outboards and stern drives tend to drift stern-to. Though drifting stern-to means less rocking and rolling, drifting beam-to means anglers can line the gunwales, and get more lines over the side without risking tangles. And trollers will want to remember that outboards and stern drives can creep along more slowly than many inboards, often down to just a mph or two, which can be very effective when trolling for slow-moving fish in cold temperatures.
Of course, as you consider specialized fisheries you’ll need to consider specialized boats. Livewells, tower and rodholder placement, and many other factors can make a boat an excellent troller and a horrible drifter, or vise-versa. So you’ll have to decide for yourself which factors are most important and which are not. Hopefully, taking your time and looking at all the options out there will prevent you from making a painful decision – like thinking you’ve bought the perfect boat, until you try to go fishing in it and discover otherwise.
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