# 1 Man Skiff Question



## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

Howdy all, I have been a lurker for some. Since I am a newb, I also own the bar tab for the thread, lol.  I am looking to buy a skiff to use when I am fishing alone.  I currently run a Gordon Waterman 18, but I find that I am spooking fish when I am poling from the bow before I can take a shot at them.  

I am looking for a bare bones skiff ( no poling platform) that will float in less then 5 inches.  I am also looking to keep my cash output at a minimum.  I am considering a gheenoe, but I am not sure what style to go with. I have also considered going with a small jon boat, but I am concerned about inherent noise problem.

So here are my questions:

1. What is the shallowest drafting gheenoe?
2. How quiet do they pole?
3. Are there any one man skiffs i am not considering that I should be?

Thanks,
Brandon


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Welcome, since your buying... Gin and Tonic please. ;D

Float in 5", would a kayak work? Not sure, but that's about the only thing short of say a Hells Bay Glades Skiff or Terrapin Dragonfly that will truly flat with persons aboard in 5". Every other skiff will be closer to an honest 6-7" despite what the propaganda... err. I mean sales brochure tells ya. LOL ;D

You might want to try taking a look at the Native "SUV" - $2900 - It's based off the original Native (1965 Fibercraft). My Native with a 25 fourstroke on a jack plate, myself and another person of similar build (abut 210+) poles in a little over 7". I have poled the native from the bow and it's does so VERY well! Capt. Karl landed lots of spooky Biscayne Bay bonefish like this so I would say it's a proven performer.

http://www.ankonaboats.com/suv.html

The Gheenoe is a great little boat that is inexpensive to get into. It's not as stealthy or shallow drafting as some may have folks believe but it's very popular and proven platform. 

If your looking used and want to save some coin, you might want to try an ECC Gladesman, they are a little tipsy, but killer in the shallows and work well as a 1 person skiff. 

Your idea about a jon boat I would not suggest if your spooking fish from your Waterman. Not to say you can't catch fish, just being honest about it's performance.

Well that's my $.000002. I guarantee your going to get a couple more opinions. LOL  Again welcome to the site! Spread the word! 

Cheers
Capt. Jan


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I have a gheenoe 15'4" highsider and can tell you the hull slap is pretty bad because of how thin the hull is, it seems to echo when hit.

The kayak idea is good but not for everyone, lately I have been hearing alot of buzz about the flatstalker. lite, portable, perfect for the flats, and stealthy from what I'm told. check it out.

I think its flatstalker.com or flatstalker.org


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## dacuban1 (Sep 9, 2008)

SkinnyDippin bought an NMZ gheenoe. He usually fishes alone and fishes for bones. And we all know bones are spooky. Hes got a storage box in the middle which he uses to stand on and he poles from there when hes alone. The boat is light and cheap. I think he paid somewhere around 3500-4000 for the hull and trailer new. Check out his thread over at customgheenoe.com. search for his username skinnydippin and hes got a bunch of pics. Its by far the coolest and nicest nmz Ive seen. Shoot him a pm and he give you his imput. Good Luck


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

I fished a hi-sider a couple years and have nothing but praise for them. Same hull as NMZ just has bench seats instead fore & aft platforms. I'd say the hull can be a little slappy, but I've glided right over redfish and trout before they spooked out from under me and I'm on record more than once around here that hull slap is overrated anyway.

For the money, especially if you find a used one, I doubt you could find a better 1 man poling skiff. Super easy to pole, tracks great and real easy to paddle too. Doesn't turn quite as easy a canoe when paddling but plenty easy to manage and ten times more stable when you want to stand up. I swear they will go anywhere a kayak will go too in terms of draft.

The new Ankona boat Jan mention is gonna be a dandy too, but that's another league up from what you're asking about here. If anything that Ankona could replace your Waterman in many practical ways. Obviously not as big and no where near the same fit-n-finish as the Gordon, but its also about 1/4th the cost and you could do most of the same things with it. Being a couple feet shorter the Ankona would be better when you're by yourself too.

Jon boat and stealthy normally don't go in the same sentence, although with some modifications can be quieted down some. Lots of flats fish, bonefish included, have been duped by anglers in jon boats. So I wouldn't discount them, but there are better alternatives. 

I'll have a vodka on the rocks with a twist of lime...


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## mrbacklash (Nov 1, 2008)

Buy a Flatstalker they are made for what you are wanting to do. You could throw it in your skiff and use it when you get to where you are going and not need the trolling motor. I have one and use it on a 18 Majek down in Corpus it is great without motor/battery your looking at less than3". I use a paint roller extension thats glass/aluminum from lowes that is from 6-12' that works great as a pole for $25. If you have any questions let me know also its great for blasting ducks.


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## KnotHome (Jul 21, 2009)

How bout a plane ole flat bottom skiff? I have a 14 ft with a tiller that I run on my own most of the time. It floats in spit and riding in back with the tiller, I don't get pounded bad at all. The one pictured below is made here in the Daytona area.


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## brew1891 (Dec 10, 2006)

How are you spooking the fish? Running over them? banging the push pole on the deck? That might help in providing reccomendations. 

You could try walking the nose of your Waterman.


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> How are you spooking the fish? Running over them? banging the push pole on the deck? That might help in providing reccomendations.
> 
> You could try walking the nose of your Waterman.


Very true it probably is my technique. :-[  I am still learning the art of poling with the fly rod between my legs, and then switching when I see fish.  When I have an angler on the bow, it's a straight 30-40 ft shot.  When I am by myself, its a the distance to the fish +the boat length. I'm fishing off colored water here in TX so it's tough to find a fish 50 ft out and take time to position the boat.  I am thinking that my engine+poling platform are giving me away before I can get situated.  I am also fishing a lot of marsh canals which are not very wide, and are very technical to pole. I am going through the process of getting  my captains license and really want to make sure I am prepared for all situations with my clients.  Part of my problem is wanting a boat I can muscle through tight areas to get into back lakes. All this being said, I don't think I will give up the waterman because it poles like a dream, tracks amazingly well when the wind starts blowing, gives me the flexibility of fishing a variety of water, and floats in 6-7 inches of water. But it's never to early to start searching for that 2nd boat for the 1 man days  ;D.


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## brew1891 (Dec 10, 2006)

You could try this to help with the fly rod to push pole switch: http://www.fishing-catalog.com/Polemate/Polemate.htm

They make one for the push pole and fly rods. I haven't tried them yet but need to. I still suck at poling from the bow. My 16 Waterman doesn't seem to like to be poled from the bow at all. 

Also a sweet one person set up would be a Gladesman with no platform and a Yeti cooler in the middle. Stand on the cooler and pole with a shorter push pole. Maybe put some seadek down for sound deadening. You could easily strip the fly line into the cockpit.


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