# List of Microskiff Manufactures



## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

I know this is a thread that has been discussed before. However, I wanted to give one list of all the manufactures of small poling skiffs. I am have not included bigger shallow water skimmers and/or small bay boats ect. To explain my Intent for this, I am currently running a converted Gheenoe highsider/NMZ. I've been looking at getting a new larger poling skiff to be able to take my wife along with myself, son and dog. The NMZ is just 2 small for 3 grown people. In the process of looking I've realized there are a lot of manufactures out there, almost an overwhelming amount of them.

Without starting a World War 3 about what is the best, I wanted to give my list and get any feedback on each brand. I know this can turn into a who's is the best and that is not my intent. I don't want to start dogging any brands. I think each brand at its price-point has its place. I would like to hear if anyone out there has experience with some of the manufactures below, i.e. quality control, or major problems with fiberglass failures ect. or can add some other manufactures.

We all know what brands are the considered the best, but not everyone can, nor does it make since too, drop $35-00-$50,000 or more on a small poling skiffs that only gets used for 10-20 days a year. I am interested to know which of these are less expensive, but good quality, maybe not the top of the line but, that will last and is well made.

Here's the manufacturing list I've found so far, in no specific order:
Ankona
Beavertial
Hells Bay
Bossman
Skimmer Skiffs
Skull Island Skiffs
(ECC) East Cape Canoes
Mitzi
Gause Boats
Salt Marsh
Riptide
Maverick
Spear
Dolphin
Egret
Dragonfly
Mosquito
Newwater
Chittum
Hewes
Spyder
Cayo
Towee
IPB
Fly Boat Works
Gheenoe
Riverhawk
Ranger Boats

Please feel free to update this list with any other manufactures you are aware of, that I haven't included. If nothing else this list will give anyone looking for a skiff new or used a place to start searching the web.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

What have you liked so far and why?
Here's a couple more:
Islamorada
Piranah
Willy Roberts
Tavernier (by Ankona)
Yellowfin
Hauptner


----------



## zthomas (Jan 14, 2014)

Dorado
Boggy Creek
Lagoon (A&L Fiberglass)
Sabine Skiffs
Wild Side Boat Worx
Billfish Boatworks


----------



## Action Johnson (Feb 4, 2016)

i feel bad for the guy only getting out 10-20 times a year!


----------



## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

I only use the boat 10-20 times per year. I didn't say I only get out 10-20 times per year. I split fishing time, b/w GA & NC mountain trout fishing and saltwater. No need for a boat on a 8 foot wide wild brook trout stream. I quit spring fishing many, many, years ago, when I gave up tournament bass fishing, mainly because of an addiction I have from March to May, called turkey season. Generally speaking, only a little fishing in fall because of fall deer season There's no one out there that works a 40-50 hour a week Monday-Friday job that gets out in the woods or on the water more than me. So far I slept in my class B camper van every weekend accept one night, since the end of August. Again, that's one of the reason I'm not willing to drop $35,000 on a skiff b/c of all my other hobbies. Come to think of it the real reason I only get to fish that much is this dang job, gets in the way of everything fun. Of course I can't afford the skiff if I get out of the Bi-Weekly Compensation club, quite a dilemma you have posed for me lol. 

With that said, I would love to have your Hells Bay, its Christmas time you know, its on my wish list HaHaHa. 

To Blue Zones comment:

I like them all. I love the cool factor of the real micro poling skiffs I have a real weak spot for the very traditional looking boats, i.e. Willie Roberts would be a dream boat. I also would love to have a Hells Bay, East Cape, Beavertail but, don't know if I can justify the cost to myself, even for a used one. I was looking hard at used East Cape or a new-newer Ankona. Am really trying to get some input from folks that have more knowledge about these boats than I do. I don't really care about dry ride, that's what the bilge is for lol, don't think it can get any worse than the NMZ. With that said, I will be having to cross big water on the GA coast. Right now its a smooth ride in the NMZ, but its a wet-wet ride if there's any wind. I'm coming from a 75 mile/hour 21 foot Ranger Bass Boat background had 3 of those. Didn't have to worry about getting wet when I was only touch the tops of the waves.

With that said, I also want to keep it simple, I really have enjoyed going back to simple easy to deal with the in NMZ. Launching anywhere there's water close to the road, not so much to break or maintain. Remind me of my college days running all over GA lakes in my 12-foot jon boat.


----------



## Action Johnson (Feb 4, 2016)

Riverrambler said:


> I only use the boat 10-20 times per year. I didn't say I only get out 10-20 times per year. I split fishing time, b/w GA & NC mountain trout fishing and saltwater. No need for a boat on a 8 foot wide wild brook trout stream. I quit spring fishing many, many, years ago, when I gave up tournament bass fishing, mainly because of an addiction I have from March to May, called turkey season. Generally speaking, only a little fishing in fall because of fall deer season There's no one out there that works a 40-50 hour a week Monday-Friday job that gets out in the woods or on the water more than me. So far I slept in my class B camper van every weekend accept one night, since the end of August. Again, that's one of the reason I'm not willing to drop $35,000 on a skiff b/c of all my other hobbies. Come to think of it the real reason I only get to fish that much is this dang job, gets in the way of everything fun. Of course I can't afford the skiff if I get out of the Bi-Weekly Compensation club, quite a dilemma you have posed for me lol.
> 
> With that said, I would love to have your Hells Bay, its Christmas time you know, its on my wish list HaHaHa.


I can completely understand! sounds like your time is allocated appropriately!! Looks like you have plenty of addictions to feed haha! I wasn't referring to the pricing of boats just felt bad for the guy who can only get out 10-20 times a year lol. Glad to hear that not the situation. 

and trust me i know how a job gets in the way of all the other passions, i work in construction, my typical schedule is minimum 6 days a week and 70 or more hours a week. I fish any and just about all time i have off which is for sure not enough time.


----------



## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

Yea, life is backwards when we're young we have time and no money, later we have money and no time, then we're just to dang old and tired to do it anymore lol. 

I think we all agree that boat prices are crazy nowadays. In a past life I didn't think like that. If I wanted it I bought it, but after spending way to much money on an offshore boat to fish once a month, I realized somethings are just not really worth all I spent on them. 

Of course, my, I won the lottery dream boat would be a custom chittum skiff on the deck of my custom Carolina 60 foot sport fisher with 2 pelican ambush micros sitting on each side of the Chittum and maybe a couple of Cayo Sups to boot.


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I would recommend you check out the SaltMarsh 1444v, or the SaltMarsh Heron. The 1444v does have deadrise, so it's a surprisingly great riding skiff for only being 14' in length. I have fished myself and two others, and duck hunt myself and two others in mine all the time. I also have a SaltMarsh Heron on order. I was extremely impressed as to how dry it was, poled great and shallower than I expected at about 6". But the one I wet tested was a simple layout, without all the bells and whistles. 

You can get into either one of those at a very great price. My Heron should be done at the end of January. 

I have fished on skiff's built by 15 of those manufacturers mentioned (and others not mentioned who are no longer in business: Terrapin Skiffs, Johnsen Skiffs, Pro Sports Inc, Pathfinder 15T), in numerous model skiffs of each brand. 

Personally, I like the way Mel Walker (Ankona, Salt Marsh, Tavernier) designs his boats to perform. I have yet to find another skiff manufacturer that has a skiff pole as true as an Ankona. Now, what do I mean by that? I mean a skiff that will do whatever I'd like it to do. Not a skiff that I have to adjust what I'm doing to make up for the skiff's performance. One thing I've heard from several guys is that they like a skiff that "spins the bow into the wind", as it "makes it easier to pole into the wind". Now, I think that's ridiculous; I hardly will ever pole into the wind. Not only is it working more than necessary, but fish (at least in my neck of the woods) will always feed into the wind. So, what I have noticed about these skiffs that "autocorrect" the bow into the wind, is that when I am poling one of these skiffs and I am trying to go down wind, the skiff always starts to spin itself into the wind. Now, I don't know if skiff designers do this on purpose, or if it just happens to certain hulls. But I like a skiff that does what I want it to do. If I want to go down wind, it goes down wind. If I want to pole into the wind, it goes into the wind. Maybe that's just me. When I'm fishing, I use a push pole 100% of the time; it is my only way to move around the shallows. I do not believe in using a trolling motor while trying to catch fish if the water is less than 3'. None of my skiffs have ever had trolling motors. 

I have owned many skiffs from Ankona and now SaltMarsh and have loved every single one of them. 

I'm not trying to start a war on here either. I am stating my opinions that I have gathered from fishing on 15 of the skiff brands posted, and poling skiffs for many many years. I am not saying that I am right, for as what works best for me, won't necessarily work best for you. Ultimately, I'd recommend you narrow your list down to a few, and check them out in person.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Following PIB's suggestion, I'd also have a look at another one of Mel's offspring, the Tavernier 16 (not the Hobie-like15). Can't give you any first-hand knowledge, but following my mantra of form over function this hull has great lines. Upside is it looks to be a quiet boat with a decent ride. Could be a tad wet, though. Any of his boats are a good value for money.


----------



## TGlidden (May 24, 2013)

Sabine skiffs


----------



## Riverrambler (Dec 5, 2015)

PIB, Thanks, for the advice. Poling is new to me and that's the kind of things I'd like to see on this thread. I can't speak for others but, poling looks easy and it's not. It's a art to be good. I'm with you as I pole with the wind most of the time and would rather have the boat behave the way I want it too instead of reacting. I think so much of a fishing boat is personal preference and is subjective. Looing cool is one thing but, in the end its a tool to catch fish. I'm kind of leaning toward an Ankona or Tavernier. Thanks again.


----------

