# Best skiff for TX



## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

Chittum Laguna Madre. To me the best poling skiff that will do everything we need in TX. Crosses big water well and stays dry. Runs shallow—I would say under 5”, some say 3” with new tunnel extension and low water pickups. Truly poles in 5-6” with 2 guys, ice and gear. Turns easily when poling. Poles well into wind. Jumps on plane in 6”. Very balanced trim. Big fishing platform. Hull is light enough to reach 32-33 mph with Tohatsu 50. 

To me Chittum is a Florida builder who really rigs boats correctly for TX. I posted a thread on minen November 2017. 

Good luck.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

That is painting with a big brush. Depends where you fish. If you are down south in the Laguna where you don’t generally have to deal with big water your boat choice will likely be different than if you are on the upper Texas coast where we have big bays and small flats.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I think Harry Spear is selling quite a few tunnel skiffs to TX folks. Might be worth a look. Also heard Jack Foreman is doing alot of props for Spear boats...and he's a TX guy right?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

crboggs said:


> I think Harry Spear is selling quite a few tunnel skiffs to TX folks. Might be worth a look. Also heard Jack Foreman is doing alot of props for Spear boats...and he's a TX guy right?


Yes and Jack has a Spear tiller tunnel with a Tohatsu 50 he runs down here.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

What have you been on? 
Have you ever poled?
Have you ever poled in the wind?
Location, location, location?
Body weight? 
Coordinated?
Fish with others or solo?
Will you have a Trolling Motor?
Console?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

EdK13 said:


> What have you been on?
> Have you ever poled?
> Have you ever poled in the wind?
> Location, location, location?
> ...


I don’t care what anyone says, my Maverick is the best...


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Yes and Jack has a Spear tiller tunnel with a Tohatsu 50 he runs down here.


Could probably buy 2-3 Glades X tunnels for the price of one Chittum. Then you could color coordinate your boat with your fishing hat or whatever each day...


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

You should get an airboat. They love them there. Just run across the flats where people are fishing .


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

GG34 said:


> You should get an airboat. They love them there. Just run across the flats where people are fishing .


The flats are over a foot deep and apparently that’s too deep for an airboat to safely run without flipping over so they are forced to run right against or on the shoreline...UNLESS they are crossing the open bay chop before daylight to get to the duck blind then they are perfectly ok. Maybe the extra 6 biscuit heads, decoys, dogs and gear get the center of gravity lower or something I’m too ignorant to comprehend...
Back to skiffs, sorry!


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I'd offer advice, but, I live in Florida and am not qualified to.


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## JBC (May 11, 2018)

Great thread. I look forward to following it. 

I am going to pick up my first skiff in the next year or two and have an admittedly ridiculous list of wants (runs skinny, gets up skinny, stable enough to take a couple of small kids fishing occasionally, easy to pole, not crazy expensive). I mostly fish the ULM but plan to eventually learn my way around POC as well. It sounds like the Spear checks most of the boxes for what I need.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

jay.bush1434 said:


> That is painting with a big brush. Depends where you fish. If you are down south in the Laguna where you don’t generally have to deal with big water your boat choice will likely be different than if you are on the upper Texas coast where we have big bays and small flats.


I agree, but I hunt fish with a big brush. Laguna Madre to the Everglades. And I cross big water like Port Mansfield, Baffin, Matagorda, Aransas, Galveston, Grand Isle, Hopedale, etc. If you launch at one ramp most of the time, a smaller, lighter, skiff may be in your wheel house. The skiffs I mentioned are more versatile and better built than most.


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

Others have covered the topic quite well on manufacturers so I won’t go there. I will say though that do not discount a non-tunnel hull skiff for Texas. With a smaller/lighter properly setup skiff, jackplate, good cavitation plate, and heavy cupped prop a non tunnel can still get pretty skinny and get you into the back lakes. I don’t have a tunnel and haven’t found that I can’t get where I need to go. Big thing is rigging, don’t put your battery in the rear. Batteries should be in center or under the bow to distribute weight. Trim tabs are also a must for Texas IMHO.


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## Mattlow (Nov 12, 2014)

I am lined up to buy a Sabine Micro with a tunnel. I was able to run the non tunnel in the Rockport and Galveston areas and liked it, just need a boat to run a little skinnier which is why I’m getting the tunnel. We were able to catch fish and pole silently. We also ran it to St. Joes in 25mph winds without issue, but we had to be smart. Floated in 5” and poled well.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

sjrobin said:


> I agree, but I hunt fish with a big brush. Laguna Madre to the Everglades. And I cross big water like Port Mansfield, Matagorda, Aransas, Galveston, Grand Isle, Hopedale, etc. If you launch at one ramp most of the time, a smaller, lighter, skiff may be in your wheel house. The skiffs I mentioned are more versatile and better built than most.


I would lean to a slightly bigger skiff that can get across the big water and get pretty skinny instead of a skiff that is "sporty" getting across big water and goes real skinny.

East Cape Fury, Evo or Vantage (Kevlar hull and carbon deck, not the VHP)
Hells Bay Guide, Professional or Marquesa


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Ton of good options - buy something and go fishing! I spent a long time looking (probably too long) but love my skiff...probably don't get to fish often enough to even know whether it's best for my area.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Help me out guys-

So what is different about TX than FL? Let's stay to the areas of Laguna Madre and Port Charlotte.

Tide height? Rocky bottom? etc.

Curious because I always see posts saying it is different and now I want to understand the differences.


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## Chad Cohn (Mar 8, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> Help me out guys-
> 
> So what is different about TX than FL? Let's stay to the areas of Laguna Madre and Port Charlotte.
> 
> ...


I am curious about this as well. I know LM is busy as all get out and muddy bottomed (in spots) but it holds some great fish. Caught my biggest Red there, 48in.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Chad Cohn said:


> I am curious about this as well.


 I'll just tell you what Jack Foreman told me when I said I wanted to go skinny and live in Florida. "Son, you don't know what skinny is".


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

The Laguna Madre is a hypersaline bay system which means there is almost no tidal movement (think inches of tide at most) due to being land locked by the barrier island. The area stretches about 100 and the average depth is approximately 3 ft. Many of the vast flats where you target fish are even shallower. IDK anything about Port Charlotte but I do know that in the Laguna you need to be able to run a long way in shallow water meaning that you could have to jump up and run all day in sub 2 ft water. What I've seen in S Florida is the flats are generally a little deeper and at the worst case you could pole off them to jump on plane.


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

K3anderson said:


> I'll just tell you what Jack Foreman told me when I said I wanted to go skinny and live in Florida. "Son, you don't know what skinny is".


LOL got to love the man's candor! That guy can get you a prop that walks on water.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

DuckNut said:


> Help me out guys-
> 
> So what is different about TX than FL? Let's stay to the areas of Laguna Madre and Port Charlotte.
> 
> ...


Fished Charlotte from 86' - 2006. Everything from Peace River trestle and out to boca. Tan to blue through the course of the average calendar year and home to some seriously diverse fishing opportunity's. Used to spend upwards of 200 days a year fishing everything from the drainage weirs to turtle, bull and bogis to "private cove" and the old Ice house flats. That last area reminds me a little of the LLM. Minus the big trees.

Mostly LLM to POC since then. Its not quite as good as it was when I moved here. But its still better than most places. From http://lagunamadre.net/styled-28/styled-3/index.html
*The lower Laguna Madre is a vast hypersaline lagoon that is bordered on the north by the Land Cut (a channel dredged through the sand flats to join the lower Laguna to the upper Laguna Madre), to the east by Padre Island (the longest barrier island in the world), and on the west by the King Ranch and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.









*The LLM is largely off limits to modern encroachment, and has a primitive beauty that is rare in today's world.

*Within a 12-mile radius of Kingfisher, birders can sight 325 different species of birds.

*The LLM is approximately 300 square miles in size, and about three fourths of it is virtually off limits to deep draft boats.

*It is the largest continuous shallow water flat in North America.

*The Laguna Madre was recently cited by Field and Stream (May 2002) as one of the top 10 places in the US to wet a line.









*It has been referred to as the least pressured, and most available salt water fly fishery today.

*It is the only true subtropical fishery in the continental US, except for south Florida.

*It has an average depth of one foot, and a maximum depth of three feet.

*The variety of venues includes grass-bottom lagoons and flats, and a vegetation-free flat called "the white sand," which resembles the Bahamas in its clarity and vastness.

*The LLM is usually clear, and even in strong winds there are large areas that remain clear.

*It is the only place in the world where you can frequently sight cast to world record spotted sea trout. Five out of seven of the current IGFA tippet class world records -- and the largest trout ever taken on a fly rod -- were caught on the LLM.

*The species of catchable fish include the red drum (redfish), spotted sea trout (specked trout), black drum, sheepshead, tarpon, snook, ladyfish, jack crevalle, and flounder.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Yep, that’s why!


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Yep, that’s why!


Yep. AND - We going soon...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Too bad these googans burn it looking for fish now instead of finding them on foot, poling or drifting. I hope every jackass that stands on their console and drives with their foot gets ejected and skips like a fat rock to teach them a lesson.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

It is not just the Laguna but nearly all Texas Bays have flats that are much better to sight fish with a skiff that drafts as little as possible and can still make open water water crossings at what ever comfort and safety level you prefer. The reason draft is more important here than any where else on the Gulf coast is the amount of shallow water we have and the time and work involved in poling back tracking out of drains, lakes, sand bar wedges, high spots, etc. The less draft, the more time spent hunting fish. Bay flats are not all the same continuous depth and the poling approach direction (sun off your shoulder) at times puts poling draft to the test. The bottom line is once a skiff starts reaching a poling draft of over six inches or so every 1/2" over is a huge difference in draft between skiffs for a lot of Texas flats. That is the Texas difference and I test it nearly every time I hunt fish. I still get out and push every now and then to save time.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Y'all done F'd up now, you know that right? About 5 crackers I know just checked maps. We are headed the Laguna Madre to run shit.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

K3anderson said:


> Y'all done F'd up now, you know that right? About 5 crackers I know just checked maps. We are headed the Laguna Madre to run shit.


Yall go right ahead and "trust" them maps for the LLM. And you will want to bring a lot more crackers, believe me.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

K3anderson said:


> Y'all done F'd up now, you know that right? About 5 crackers I know just checked maps. We are headed the Laguna Madre to run shit.


Bring more lower units and extra props if you plan on running those boats that have 6” of motor hanging below the hull fully jacked up unless you don’t plan on stopping!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

K3anderson said:


> Y'all done F'd up now, you know that right? About 5 crackers I know just checked maps. We are headed the Laguna Madre to run shit.


*lol* I can neither confirm nor deny that my Google history now contains "laguna madre fly fishing", "arroyo city fly fishing", or "laguna madre tiller skiffs"...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

crboggs said:


> *lol* I can neither confirm nor deny that my Google history now contains "laguna madre fly fishing", "arroyo city fly fishing", or "laguna madre tiller skiffs"...


You’ll find out if your boat can truly jump on plane from sitting on an 8” sand bottom down there. It goes for miles and miles and you better eat three bowls of Wheaties if you think you’re poling to deep water!


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> You’ll find out if your boat can truly jump on plane from sitting on an 8” sand bottom down there.


 You know every one of those crazy unbelievable stories that you see on the news and wonder....Who does that? Yeah. That's us.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

K3anderson said:


> You know every one of those crazy unbelievable stories that you see on the news and wonder....Who does that? Yeah. That's us.


We might be cut from the same cloth then. Ask Ed!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

AgAngler2370 said:


> In order to be allies you have to have a common enemy.


You talkin' about the Chadbros?


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

crboggs said:


> You talkin' about the Chadbros?


Chadbros, communists, yankees.... take your pick lol


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## Chad Cohn (Mar 8, 2018)

AgAngler2370 said:


> Chadbros


I really wish there was a better term for them.


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## JBC (May 11, 2018)

AgAngler2370 said:


> I personally find those posts quite entertaining and worth a good laugh! I’m sure on the “foot driver” forums they say they hope we slip and take that long pole up our arse. It’s all in good fun and banter. In order to be allies you have to have a common enemy.


Since your name is AgAngler, I have to ask . . . aren't the aggie forums and the foot driver forums one and the same?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

True story:

One time I decided I was going to kayak and camp for a few days around the sand flats behind S. Padre Seashore. I paddled out ( more like pushed myself along in 4" of water for hours) a few miles with an average tide, and then camped on a stinky bird island ready for some foot stalking in the morning. Well a late february front blew through, and the North wind pushed all the water off the flats and temp dropped 40 degrees.

From there, without any water, I had to drag my camp-loaded kayak 4-5 miles across a mud flat to get back to shore - rented a hotel room and laid in bed and ordered room service for two days.

There is is so little water for dozens of miles, and basically no margin for low tides or shifting winds - even with a kayak When you're done down there, you're done for a while and in for a long hard haul.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

JBC said:


> Since your name is AgAngler, I have to ask . . . aren't the aggie forums and the foot driver forums one and the same?


OOsh ....


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Whiskey Angler said:


> True story:
> 
> One time I decided I was going to kayak and camp for a few days around the sand flats behind S. Padre Seashore. I paddled out ( more like pushed myself along in 4" of water for hours) a few miles with an average tide, and then camped on a stinky bird island ready for some foot stalking in the morning. Well a late february front blew through, and the North wind pushed all the water off the flats and temp dropped 40 degrees.
> 
> ...


I did something similar back of Bayside some years ago. One minute it was wet and fishy - then it wasn't. After slogging through knee deep mud for hours I drug that heavy ass T160 of mine over an island, encountered a water diamond back, ripped off my bow handle and a bungee and then they came- mosquitoes in numbers that rivaled anything I'd seen in the Glades- and yep, I had No repellent and it sucked bad. When I finally hit the edge of the island nearly jogging with yak in tow I face planted in about the only deep water there was aside from maybe the s turns. Dumped the entire crate, submerged my reels- not very fun but kinda funny in hindsight.

Anyway. Yakkin was never quite the same for me after that.


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## elsillo (Aug 6, 2017)

so when is the TX Skiff Meetup?


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

elsillo said:


> so when is the TX Skiff Meetup?


HA. Its up to Chadbro.


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## AgAngler2370 (May 5, 2017)

JBC said:


> Since your name is AgAngler, I have to ask . . . aren't the aggie forums and the foot driver forums one and the same?


I think you may be misinformed sir! The Aggie forums you speak of are mainly focused on expanding national defense with the Aggies recent acquisition of the Los Alamos laboratories management contract; saving lives through medical research for curing neuromuscular diseases and cultivating cheaper pharmaceuticals; progressing environmental stewardship as a sea grant university by finding ways to simultaneously increase energy production while reducing impact on our marine ecological system; and making sure to tithe to the mother ship so we can fund the raise of our new football coach we poached from our Florida brethren when he brings a national championship to Aggieland. I think the forums you speak of are those that you only need to buy a $12 ugly T-shirt at Walmart to be part of.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

As soon as I read OMG I stopped reading.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

This thread got off track. Back to the question. Hell's Bay would be the best boat but I heard the resale value is starting to drop. So not sure what to tell you.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

makin moves said:


> This thread got off track. Back to the question. Hell's Bay would be the best boat but I heard the resale value is starting to drop. So not sure what to tell you.


All around- still a good choice. So is the HPXT and Chittums new sled or Harry's Spear. What the best is will end up being the one you bought or one of the ones you buy after you sell the one or ones you thought was/were the best when you bought it/them. Pretty simple actually.


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> You’ll find out if your boat can truly jump on plane from sitting on an 8” sand bottom down there. It goes for miles and miles and you better eat three bowls of Wheaties if you think you’re poling to deep water!


And this is the difference between TX and FL. Well at least one thing... I know I would not want to even try running Port Mansfield and south without a tunnel.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Chad Cohn said:


> I really wish there was a better term for them.


Googans+Yuppies= Guppies


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## roel02 (Sep 24, 2013)

Imho the biggest difference between TX / FL is proven by how the Boat manufactures in each state setup their boats. Look at all the FL skiffs and you will “typically” see them setup with a motor mounted directly to the transom. I did a measurement on my skiff (Caimen) I purchased in FL and the skeg hung down 14” below the hull. (Not anymore) 
Now look at boats manufactured in Texas by Texan Companies such as Majek / Haynie / Trancat / Shoalwater / Shallowsport / El Pescador and every damn one of them will have a tunnel with a jack plate and cavitation plate. This is for a reason. 
I also spent last weekend with Jack foreman (that is one funny ole timer) and we are in the process of bringing my motor up 9.5”. No tunnel. 
I fish Galveston and POC mainly so I don’t think the tunnel is a necessity but if I fished further south such as Baffin or Port Mansfield no way would I consider a non tunnel boat.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Thank you Edk for the info.

Now help me understand this: I now understand the terrain of the area and it is similar to the areas around Flamingo. The bottom is covered with grass and not rocky. I get why people want to fish there but is nobody concerned with preservation of such a pristine environment?

I looked at some pics of the area and I was astounded that I was able to find a pic from a satellite that supports my theory. Look at Google Earth at Redfish Bay and you will see this guy caught on camera from 25,000 away.

Tearing up the bottom








This guy did it. Follow the prop wash from his boat and you will see where he took off.









Now don't take me wrong I like to fish as much as the next guy but anyone wanting to get on plane in 8" of water has zero respect for the environment they are utilizing and are content to destroy it out of ignorance. I am willing to bet that the guy above has done this hundreds of times and is completely clueless of the damage he is doing. Since the prop is behind him and he is moving away from the destruction he just keeps plowing through.

After a closer look - I think that is Smackdaddy behind the helm 



AgAngler2370 said:


> progressing environmental stewardship


This is a disguise for taking away the privilege of using the water. Here in Tampa the Sea Grant people determined that boats were tearing up the sea grass in the shallows (just like the guy above) and that was lessening the grass available to the manatee (which are no longer endangered) and now you can't even get on plane until you get out to 6 feet of water and this is a long azz way from shore and about 30 miles long. Beware of those pesky Greeks bearing gifts.

Seagrass ecosystems are critical in creating habitat in areas of barren sediment, enhancing community diversity, establishing intricate food webs, and stabilizing coastal sediments (Beck et al. 2001, Burfeind and Stunz 2006, Duffy 2006). Seagrass beds in the Indian River Lagoon provide a critical habitat for over 2000 species of invertebrates, fishes, birds and mammals, and are a key reason why the IRL is the most productive and species-rich estuaries in North America (IRL NEP 2008, Smithsonian Institution 2007). In my study, I looked at a major threat to seagrass ecosystems, boat propeller scarring. I documented for the first time the severity of boat propeller scarring in the IRL. In my manipulative experiments, I found that natural recovery was faster than any restoration attempted method. Natural recovery of propeller scars can be as quick as 3 months if some of the root structure and blades remain intact. Though my restoration methods were not effective for scars in Mosquito Lagoon, the scars were naturally recolonized. Erosion was a problem in both experiments, but despite bioturbation from rays and additional boat scarring, 40% of all experimental scars returned to greater than 50% H. wrightii cover after 1 year. I agree with Engeman et al. (2008) that more resources should focus on the prevention of scarring seagrass beds than which restoration methods would work best, especially for Mosquito Lagoon where there are 36 thousands of hectares of healthy seagrass beds to recolonize scarred areas. Enhanced vigilance is required from users, managers, and enforcers to protect the seagrass beds that are critical to the biodiversity of Mosquito Lagoon and the IRL. Surely, prevention is the best way to preserve our seagrass beds and the associated biodiversity for the future.

This thesis is just one of the precursors to pole and troll zones that are taking away from the peoples resources. 

There is a guy on here (I won't mention his name) who has started a petition to create even more pole and troll zone to Mosquito Lagoon. In my opinion the proposal is/was conceived under false pretenses and based on emotion. Restrictions will not help the Lagoon because the problems there are more complex than a prop being dragged through the mud but that is way off topic. I think his emotion has merit but it will not solve a single issue and once the areas are restricted, the restrictions will never be lifted.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Bwahaha you have it all figured out. You got me, I was chopping turtle grass like salad. 
The only people chopping bottom all the time are guys with their whole damn prop hanging below the hull. What’s the use of having a 7” draft if you need 18” or more to idle? I run with my prop even with the bottom of my hull and I’ve only felt my hull touch bottom while skipping across some 3” sand between back lakes. If we had manatees I could run across their back and not leave a mark.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Nothing wrong at all with pole and troll zones. I'd like to see more of them here in Tampa as I think we need them in some areas that get repeatedly pounded and ground up by people who don't know how to trim up or slow down. And the suggestion that pole / troll zones take away the privilege of using the water is exaggerating a wee bit...just use a trolling motor or a push pole and keep on fishing.

As far as manatees go...those bastards are a public menace...you ever hit one running 30-40 mph in open water? I have...its no fun...


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## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Bwahaha you have it all figured out. You got me, I was chopping turtle grass like salad.
> The only people chopping bottom all the time are guys with their whole damn prop hanging below the hull. What’s the use of having a 7” draft if you need 18” or more to idle? I run with my prop even with the bottom of my hull and I’ve only felt my hull touch bottom while skipping across some 3” sand between back lakes. If we had manatees I could run across their back and not leave a mark.


That’s the way my Laguna Madre was rigged —bottom of the skeg level with the hull.

And, imho you benefit from a tunnel in POC and South


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Stevie said:


> That’s the way my Laguna Madre was rigged —bottom of the skeg level with the hull.
> 
> And, imho you benefit from a tunnel in POC and South


BOOM- Texas FISHERMAN MADE A DECISION. AND HE HAS COOL BOATS.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Bwahaha you have it all figured out. You got me, I was chopping turtle grass like salad.
> The only people chopping bottom all the time are guys with their whole damn prop hanging below the hull. What’s the use of having a 7” draft if you need 18” or more to idle? I run with my prop even with the bottom of my hull and I’ve only felt my hull touch bottom while skipping across some 3” sand between back lakes. If we had manatees I could run across their back and not leave a mark.


That's funny shiz right there!!!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

crboggs said:


> Nothing wrong at all with pole and troll zones.  I'd like to see more of them here in Tampa as I think we need them in some areas that get repeatedly pounded and ground up by people who don't know how to trim up or slow down. And the suggestion that pole / troll zones take away the privilege of using the water is exaggerating a wee bit...just use a trolling motor or a push pole and keep on fishing.
> 
> As far as manatees go...those bastards are a public menace...you ever hit one running 30-40 mph in open water? I have...its no fun...


The P/T zones won't cure anything. Common sense and huge fines will.

There is a place in the kitchen that used to be P/T that is prime redfish area that was closed to entry (NOBODY is allowed to enter with any type of vessel) when they added the idle zones.

As for the manatee - we agree. They remove more grass than a prop will.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

TPWD can’t even keep the methican bank fishermen from keeping everything they catch much less police grass flats. 
The best boat for Texas is whichever one gets you on the fish.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

this is what i use in the mother lagoon and most shallow grass flats.





also known as the salad shooter!!


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

anytide said:


> this is what i use in the mother lagoon and most shallow grass flats.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ha!


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

anytide said:


> this is what i use in the mother lagoon and most shallow grass flats.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks tippy


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## Chad Cohn (Mar 8, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Googans+Yuppies= Guppies


I like that much better!!!!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> The P/T zones won't cure anything. Common sense and huge fines will.
> 
> There is a place in the kitchen that used to be P/T that is prime redfish area that was closed to entry (NOBODY is allowed to enter with any type of vessel) when they added the idle zones.
> 
> As for the manatee - we agree. They remove more grass than a prop will.


You hit on the problem...enforcement. It doesn't happen. So the only way is to make it P/T and hope most people manage themselves and how they access. Our friends from FWC are too busy looking for red snapper smugglers at the ramps to protect the grass areas that are critical to the health of the bay. 

And the only place more crowded than the Kitchen is Weedon. Its a worst case scenario IMHO.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> the methican bank fishermen ... keeping everything they catch


Same here, but cuban or 'rican..."Bucket People"


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Let's put a pole and troll zone in all of the South shore to "save the grass" while millions of gallons of chemicals and actual sewage are being pumped into the bay year round poisoning everything. Those zones down there are useless. Why should I have to idle a milein 3' of water when I can run in 8" without tearing up anything? One size fits all is useless.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I dont want to be stopped by FWC. I don't have a lot of time off. When I do I dont want to be hassled by anyone. No one hassles the people purposely pumping shit into the bay.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Seagrass dies every winter and the redheads eat it. Fish love prop scars, I can’t tell you how many big trout and reds I’ve sight cast out of them. All the prop scars grow fresh seagrass in no time, kind of like burning a forest and having new growth come out healthier than ever. I’m more concerned with all the trash people leave behind, probably guys like troutsetter throwing their empty Gulp bags out when they get done wearing out the gafftop. 
This thread got off topic. Bottom line is tunnel hulls are the devil boys!


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## Chad-Bro (Nov 9, 2017)

crboggs said:


> You talkin' about the Chadbros?


WTF? Keep it up and I'll load up the Ski's and my squad, and head for Texas. I'm having Jack Foreman build me a new badass impeller.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

If you fish this part of TX. Chose carefully.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

EdK13 said:


> If you fish this part of TX. Chose carefully.


LA guys be like. "cute"


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

K3anderson said:


> LA guys be like. "cute"


LA guys be like “Imma sling a 3/8oz gumball jighead out there with a dead TV scrimp on it...”


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

And truthfully...most FL guys be like "I'ma throw 6 dozen chummers to draw the fish in for my clients from Ohio to get hooked up."


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

crboggs said:


> And truthfully...most FL guys be like "I'ma throw 6 dozen chummers to draw the fish in for my clients from Ohio to get hooked up."


Your skiff would be like - HOME AT-LAST!


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

crboggs said:


> And truthfully...most FL guys be like "I'ma throw 6 dozen chummers to draw the fish in for my clients from Ohio to get hooked up."


Chummers hit mid throw by 12 jetski's doing donuts. Same Donuts they have been doing ....All....day....


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## Derek Radtke (Feb 24, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> Help me out guys-
> 
> So what is different about TX than FL? Let's stay to the areas of Laguna Madre and Port Charlotte.
> 
> ...


The Laguna Madre is best compared to mosquito lagoon in Florida. Very little tidal movement. Miles and miles of grass flats with sand pot holes mixed in. Also we have a steady 10-20 southeast wind during most months. Polling is pretty difficult past 8 am on most days but the fishing is pretty dang good.


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## Derek Radtke (Feb 24, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Too bad these googans burn it looking for fish now instead of finding them on foot, poling or drifting. I hope every jackass that stands on their console and drives with their foot gets ejected and skips like a fat rock to teach them a lesson.


Amen brother!!


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Derek Radtke said:


> The Laguna Madre is best compared to mosquito lagoon in Florida. Very little tidal movement. Miles and miles of grass flats with sand pot holes mixed in. Also we have a steady 10-20 southeast wind during most months. Polling is pretty difficult past 8 am on most days but the fishing is pretty dang good.


Except ML has lost a lot of that grass (especially the south part)


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Chad-Bro said:


> WTF? Keep it up and I'll load up the Ski's and my squad, and head for Texas. I'm having Jack Foreman build me a new badass impeller.


Quadruple cupped impeller with a titanium teflon coated liner. Excellent holeshot.
I’d like to hear that phone call to Jack.


yobata said:


> Except ML has lost a lot of that grass (especially the south part)


I heard sight casting turds is a thing there now.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I heard sight casting turds is a thing there now.


 difficult to stay hooked up though.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

makin moves said:


> difficult to stay hooked up though.


Like fishing with circle hooks, just keep steady pressure and let it hook itself.


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## Derek Radtke (Feb 24, 2018)

I have a ranger banshee. Is it the eat skiff in the world no but it’s what I could afford. It gets me into pretty shallow area


yobata said:


> Except ML has lost a lot of that grass (especially the south part)


is that due to big boats running around?


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Derek Radtke said:


> I have a ranger banshee. Is it the eat skiff in the world no but it’s what I could afford. It gets me into pretty shallow area
> 
> is that due to big boats running around?


Its because Texas and Florida are in a race to see who can import the greater number of high producing, high trust 2nd and 3rd world people.... to catch a turd one must set the drag reel low. Catch me if ya can.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Derek Radtke said:


> is that due to big boats running around?


Mostly due to over population of the area - not enough sewage treatment facilities, old and sometimes abandoned properties with septic tanks that are not maintained/leach out, and virtually no rules for fertilizer and pesticide use

Also, not enough political will to cut an inlet or add a weir system/pumping station to the north part of the Banana River


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

yobata said:


> Mostly due to over population of the area - not enough sewage treatment facilities, old and sometimes abandoned properties with septic tanks that are not maintained/leach out, and virtually no rules for fertilizer and pesticide use
> 
> Also, not enough political will to cut an inlet or add a weir system/pumping station to the north part of the Banana River


It will all come out in the wash ... according to china


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> Thank you Edk for the info.
> 
> Now help me understand this: I now understand the terrain of the area and it is similar to the areas around Flamingo. The bottom is covered with grass and not rocky. I get why people want to fish there but is nobody concerned with preservation of such a pristine environment?
> Nice
> ...





Derek Radtke said:


> The Laguna Madre is best compared to mosquito lagoon in Florida. Very little tidal movement. Miles and miles of grass flats with sand pot holes mixed in. Also we have a steady 10-20 southeast wind during most months. Polling is pretty difficult past 8 am on most days but the fishing is pretty dang good.


the fishing has gone to hell. Not worth going


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Seymour fish said:


> the fishing has gone to hell. Not worth going


I love how I got dragged into that “seagrass killer” stereotype by ducknut. He has never seen or been on my boat and thinks I go around trenching seagrass flats and testing holeshots from sitting on bottom in the middle of a grass flat. Believe it or not there are sand pockets and deep muddy guts all over the flats I fish and my push pole or feet get me to them every time I jump on plane. Other folks might abuse the capability of their vessel but not me. Typical crybaby BS people these days are known for. 
Has anyone come to a conclusion as to what is the best skiff for Texas? I know the one I’m fishing on the next two days might not be the best but it’s going to get me out amongst some fish and that’s good enough for me.


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## Teeser (Jan 9, 2017)

In my completely biased opinion: Beavertail Mosquito.



Smackdaddy53 said:


> Has anyone come to a conclusion as to what is the best skiff for Texas? I know the one I’m fishing on the next two days might not be the best but it’s going to get me out amongst some fish and that’s good enough for me.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

JBC said:


> Since your name is AgAngler, I have to ask . . . aren't the aggie forums and the foot driver forums one and the same?


Careful son. Another Aggie here.


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## jddurango (Jul 7, 2015)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> Careful son. Another Aggie here.


My condolences.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

jddurango said:


> My condolences.


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