# Budget boat for fly fishing and duck hunting



## woodduck (Oct 7, 2019)

Hi everyone I'm a new member who's been lurking on this site for some time now. I'm trying to decide on exactly what I need for a first true (read non-tiny jon boat) skiff. Right now I'm leaning hard on those towees and saltmarsh skiffs. My one hiccup is durability I hunt small waters with stumps and a couple time a year have to break ice, are these fiberglass boats really tough enough for a blast and cast rig?

Thank you all for any help or advice you have!


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

Hey there! I am a rep for Salt Marsh and am currently running a 1444 here in the Tampa Bay area. That skiff or the 1656 would be perfect for those applications. We have several people out there who use them for cast and blast. Not to mention our hulls are Kevlar inlay. Feel free to text me for pricing or any questions you may have. 863-860-7250
Jon


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Absolutely not.

I grew up in the frozen tundra and ripping through the ice is not for a glass skiff, I don't care what type of material it is made out of.

Yes maybe the Kevlar will prevent a puncture but you still risk compromising the hull.

Ice and stumps are conquered by a tinny.


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## woodduck (Oct 7, 2019)

Would that still be an issue if the ice I'm talking about is south eastern ice where it'd be maybe a 1/2" at most and a couple times a year? Patching fiberglass isn't hard I grew up glassing surfboards and know my way around epoxy. 

The reason for glass vs aluminum is really due to heat in the summer and how loud they are. There's nothing worst than spoken fish because of unnecessary hull noise from something as small as dropping a lead weight.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

woodduck said:


> Would that still be an issue if the ice I'm talking about is south eastern ice where it'd be maybe a 1/2" at most and a couple times a year? Patching fiberglass isn't hard I grew up glassing surfboards and know my way around epoxy.
> 
> The reason for glass vs aluminum is really due to heat in the summer and how loud they are. There's nothing worst than spoken fish because of unnecessary hull noise from something as small as dropping a lead weight.


Maybe with a keel guard but I’d still lean towards an aluminum hull for breaking ice and running over stumps.


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## clearwaterfisherman (Nov 15, 2018)

woodduck said:


> Would that still be an issue if the ice I'm talking about is south eastern ice where it'd be maybe a 1/2" at most and a couple times a year? Patching fiberglass isn't hard I grew up glassing surfboards and know my way around epoxy.
> 
> The reason for glass vs aluminum is really due to heat in the summer and how loud they are. There's nothing worst than spoken fish because of unnecessary hull noise from something as small as dropping a lead weight.


Get some sea dek


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Talk to the Towee folks. My understanding is they have a special coating/layup that helps to protect against rocks, stumps and gravel. Shallow capability and easy to handle with lower horsepower.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Maybe a Sabine would work for you. I have never been on one and have zero idea about them other than they are aluminum and people still using them for fly/hunting etc.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

I second the vote for looking at a Sabine. It's the unicorn you're looking for and you won't find a better outfit to work with.

Edit - just noticed the thread title includes "budget" and that's pretty subjective. I'm sure you could get a very functional and simple Sabine at a good price, but not sure if it will meet your definition of "budget".


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

“Budget boat” is funny to begin with. We all know what B O A T stands for!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

woodduck said:


> Would that still be an issue if the ice I'm talking about is south eastern ice where it'd be maybe a 1/2" at most and a couple times a year? Patching fiberglass isn't hard I grew up glassing surfboards and know my way around epoxy.
> 
> The reason for glass vs aluminum is really due to heat in the summer and how loud they are. There's nothing worst than spoken fish because of unnecessary hull noise from something as small as dropping a lead weight.


A 1/2" of ice is a formidable opponent and not to be taken lightly.

Several years ago we were hunting on Lake Seminole in N. FL and it had sheet ice on it. We (3 boats) headed out and the two boats followed me. Got to a cut off point and Stevie hung a right. He went maybe 100 yards and we saw something not right so we immediately went over there. The ice sliced right through his hull and his boat was going down. We got the good stuff in my boat and what ever we did not either floated or went down with the boat.

Your choice- I grew up hunting with ice and will not go through it with glass. 1/2" with tin will be a challenge.


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## woodduck (Oct 7, 2019)

Thank you all for your advice!

Yeah an affordable boat is very subjective. especially when you have to Bring Out Another Thousand every now and then.

I did look at those Sabine skiffs and they're just a bit more than I'm looking to spend right now. Ideally under 9k would be best which is why those two boats are on my radar preferably used.


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## clearwaterfisherman (Nov 15, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> A 1/2" of ice is a formidable opponent and not to be taken lightly.
> 
> Several years ago we were hunting on Lake Seminole in N. FL and it had sheet ice on it. We (3 boats) headed out and the two boats followed me. Got to a cut off point and Stevie hung a right. He went maybe 100 yards and we saw something not right so we immediately went over there. The ice sliced right through his hull and his boat was going down. We got the good stuff in my boat and what ever we did not either floated or went down with the boat.
> 
> Your choice- I grew up hunting with ice and will not go through it with glass. 1/2" with tin will be a challenge.


Since when did lake Seminole ever have ice on it?  To hot down here even when it 60 to freeze.


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## GaG8tor (Jul 8, 2019)

Zika said:


> Talk to the Towee folks. My understanding is they have a special coating/layup that helps to protect against rocks, stumps and gravel. Shallow capability and easy to handle with lower horsepower.


The Towee folks are doing something right. Aside from drift boats that’s about all you see on the White and other shallow, stumpy, rocky bottom rivers in The Ozarks.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

clearwaterfisherman said:


> Since when did lake Seminole ever have ice on it?  To hot down here even when it 60 to freeze.


You are right Clearwater, it was actually Reelfoot Lake in TN. 

Something else happened on Seminole and I got them mixed up and still can't remember what happened.


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## clearwaterfisherman (Nov 15, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> You are right Clearwater, it was actually Reelfoot Lake in TN.
> 
> Something else happened on Seminole and I got them mixed up and still can't remember what happened.


Ok, I was about to say. lol Lake Seminole won’t even get blow 60 because it’s so damn hot


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

clearwaterfisherman said:


> Ok, I was about to say. lol Lake Seminole won’t even get blow 60 because it’s so damn hot


No, I remember shooting a goose from the front yard of the cabin we stayed in and there was frost on the ground.

Thank you for reminding me. That is when my buddy Everado shot a goose standing next to me in the front yard and he shot a banded goose. It was his first goose ever and his only banded bird he ever shot. The cabin was directly in the flight path and they flew over every morning and afternoon, easy pickings.


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## Renegade (Aug 30, 2015)

Love my Towee in Florida. Talk to Greg. He’ll shoot you straight on ice. 

I love the Sabine but it’s more than double the Towee cost.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

if you have the space get one for each, a skiff for fishing and get/keep the Jon boat for hunting.
My favorite duck boat for smaller waters was a gutted 1436 with an old 25 johnson. You can get something similar very affordably and have plenty of money left over for a skiff you won't abuse hunting.


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## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Take a look at the Jon Boats thread that is posted up today. Some nice skiffs are on there from some well-known posters on this site.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

This is somewhat of a tangent, but I am very happy with how my ply/epoxy skiff survives ice in the duck marsh. It is flat bottom and doesn’t fracture the ice and force it to the side as well as the mod-vee hulls, but the ice doesn’t hurt the hull material. It has a 1/2” bottom with 6 oz. woven glass inside and outside. The exterior of the bottom is coated in graphite epoxy. I wouldn’t ask a chopped strand or foam-cored FG hull to do what my boat can. 

Nate


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2019)

DuckNut said:


> Absolutely not.
> 
> I grew up in the frozen tundra and ripping through the ice is not for a glass skiff, I don't care what type of material it is made out of.
> 
> ...


I put a nice sized hole in my Barnegat Bay sneakboat [kevlar] after hitting a hidden stump. Yeah it's repairable pretty easily but still a PITA.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Go with aluminum, i have owned glass n aluminum n repaired both. Repaired a air boat bottom nearly 1" thick with many cypress knee holes in it. Only time had to repair aluminum when rivets pop r hit a submerged pipeline, but still able to make it back to launch. South Louisiana aluminum boat builder r much more reasonable than others.


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## Dakota Moore (Oct 4, 2019)

If you're hunting around the Raleigh area and back towards the coast those boats will be just fine. Rarely are you gonna come across ice thicker than what you said and they will handle that. As for the stumps that depends on how you drive.


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## BigEasy (Dec 17, 2016)

I've got a 1648 PolaKraft riveted Jon with a 40hp Yami. I extended the front deck and added Hydroturf to the deck and rear bench seat. The floor is about as ghetto as it gets. I cut 2" house insulation foam boards to fit between the ribs and covered it with a rubber truck bed mat. That floor system really quiets the ride and stops the loud noise associated with dropping something.


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## coloradowalt (Oct 26, 2012)

I’m 59, have owned a number of boats in my life. Live in Florida so ice isn’t an issue for me. I have a TrackerGrizzly 1860 tiller steer. This is my favorite boat. Oyster beds don’t scare me like they did with a glass boat. Maintenance is a snap. Yes they can be loud but that is easily solved with seadeck or carpet. Always wanted a poling platform, had one on the previous boat. Never poled from it, did fish and eat lunch on it.


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## tarawa1943 (Apr 4, 2020)

I use an Otter Stealth 2000 for ducks and fishing. It runs pretty shallow, but very slow and tedious to maneuver. Cheap though. I am looking for a micro skiff that zips along in the shallow waters.


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## Woundup (Jun 6, 2020)

woodduck said:


> Hi everyone I'm a new member who's been lurking on this site for some time now. I'm trying to decide on exactly what I need for a first true (read non-tiny jon boat) skiff. Right now I'm leaning hard on those towees and saltmarsh skiffs. My one hiccup is durability I hunt small waters with stumps and a couple time a year have to break ice, are these fiberglass boats really tough enough for a blast and cast rig?
> 
> Thank you all for any help or advice you have!


It's still worth having a jon boat around. They are always good to have as a backup.


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## tarawa1943 (Apr 4, 2020)

I have a Beavertail Stealth 2000. Very stable platform but the side motor mount is unhandy to me, so I am building a rear transom and poling platform for it. You can’t get much more economical.


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