# Shadowcast in Houston?



## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

Yah, there are benefits to having a scooter over the small poling skiff...but that depends on how you fish / intend to use the boat. 

How do you fish most of the time? My understanding is that Scooters excel in transporting anglers to their shallow water fishing areas. Anglers usual drift in the boat or get out and wade.


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## Joe_K (Dec 8, 2012)

Most of the areas I fish are pretty muddy so wading is normally out of the question. I use both conventional and fly tackle. The poling skiffs seem to be a little better all around boat but there are so many people running the scooter style skiffs that I'm thinking they must know something I don't...


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

I believe there is one down in Tarpon Shores Marina in Port Aransas. I do not know how far that is from Houston.

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1342912099


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## Joe_K (Dec 8, 2012)

I've spoken with the guys at Tarpon Shores. It's about a three hour drive which is not bad. I was curious to see if anyone close had one, maybe meet a new face. I currently have a 15' Boston Whaler so I'm trying to get as much insight as I can into the world of skiffs.


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> Most of the areas I fish are pretty muddy so wading is normally out of the question. I use both conventional and fly tackle. The poling skiffs seem to be a little better all around boat but there are so many people running the scooter style skiffs that I'm thinking they must know something I don't...


You cant pole a scooter first of all. Those platforms or jungle gyms you see on those boats are for drifting. For what you want to do, get a poling skiff. the shadow cast looks cool, but I would go with a non tunnel boat with a FLAT bottom. You want a really light hull so you can force it through shallow muddy areas as needed (less then 300 pounds).

The scooter is good idea if you like kayaking, as you can stick it on the boat and go anywhere. If you fish alone majority of the time, i would look at a scooter + kayak.


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> I've spoken with the guys at Tarpon Shores. It's about a three hour drive which is not bad. I was curious to see if anyone close had one, maybe meet a new face. I currently have a 15' Boston Whaler so I'm trying to get as much insight as I can into the world of skiffs.


Dude, buy a kayak and stick it on the whaler. You will get anywhere with it.  No need for a new boat.


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## Joe_K (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies guys. I've been kayak fishing for a couple of years now and sometimes get tired of paddling ;D After much consideration, I decided to repower the Whaler. It won't get as shallow and the hull slap is perfect for scaring fish but it is a great all purpose boat. After all, if I need to get real shallow I can take the yak as TidalGuide suggested.


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## [email protected] (Jan 12, 2013)

I'm tired of paddling as well. Have you considered the Soloskiff? I've got one in town if you would like to see it. It maybe cheaper than re-powering your current rig.

Let me know.


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> Thanks for all the replies guys. I've been kayak fishing for a couple of years now and sometimes get tired of paddling  ;D After much consideration, I decided to repower the Whaler. It won't get as shallow and the hull slap is perfect for scaring fish but it is a great all purpose boat. After all, if I need to get real shallow I can take the yak as TidalGuide suggested.


Wise choice.  I have a 17 whaler I stick the kayaks in. With the money you saved, throw a 24v remote trolling motor on the bow.  It is great for sight fishing. Almost like cheating.


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## disporks (Jan 19, 2011)

> > Most of the areas I fish are pretty muddy so wading is normally out of the question. I use both conventional and fly tackle. The poling skiffs seem to be a little better all around boat but there are so many people running the scooter style skiffs that I'm thinking they must know something I don't...
> 
> 
> You cant pole a scooter first of all.  Those platforms or jungle gyms you see on those boats are for drifting.  For what you want to do, get a poling skiff.  the shadow cast looks cool, but I would go with a non tunnel boat with a FLAT bottom.  You want a really light hull so you can force it through shallow muddy areas as needed (less then 300 pounds).
> ...


Just gonna throw this out there but I dont wanna seem like im going 100% against what you say, but down here, Sooooo many I'd like to say almost 75% or more of the duck hunters in the marsh run an aluminum flat bottom with a full tunnel to get through those 2-4" mud flats. Talkin about a 350-400+lb hull with 2-3 guys and gear here...usually a 25-40hp. Happens every day during duck season. So i wouldnt count a tunnel out, but I believe with a properly set up flat bottom you could run close to the same territory.


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## Ginclear (Aug 11, 2013)

I had a 15' Whaler in the 70's and 80's . All of the wade 
fishermen would be better off in that boat ( or the 17 ) . I
ran that wonderful little craft in scary nasty wind and weather 
and got home safely . Handled the chop like a champ . ( not
to mention unsinkable ! ) But most of them run those silly 
tunnel hulled lead sleds that will run where they won't float ,
burning the flats for "short cuts " and to stay out of the chop
where they would pulverize their kidneys because of the stupid
hull designs that are designed to run shallow and impress their
buddies , but aren't worth spit for anything else . TidalGuide is
right . Use your Whaler as a kayak transport , and you can fish
anywhere , without burning the flats and spooking the fish .
In the meantime , look for a used Hells Bay Waterman 16 or 18 . 
Especially if you have a fly fishing buddy . TidalGuide is right here , too .
These technical poling skiffs will take you where your kayak will and you
won't have to paddle back . There are sound reasons why I recommend these
2 skiffs , but that is for another thread . By the way, I do know something
about sit on kayaks . I got my first , a 14' Ocean Kayak Scupper in late '89
and later a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160 . I flyfished almost exclusively
from kayaks until '09 when I got the Waterman 18 . It took a while to learn the
capabilities of the Waterman . ( there not called technical poling skiffs for nothing )
But once you let them teach you , they will lead you to more fun and adventure
than you can imagine . My son has flyfished solo from the Waterman 16 , but
it's tricky . It is better with one on the pole and one on the bow .


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

PM Demeterof1. He is down south of POC by a little bit and runs a ShadowCast.


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