# Houston, Texas. Looking for Boat but scared of future wife



## Mason James

Hello people of Micro skiff. I am looking for a good intro skiff to get started I am looking for some advice. 

My name is Mason James and I am a 22 year old college grad that can't go 10 minutes without thinking about fly fishing in some capacity. I really wanna get a micro skiff to take down to the coast but I am also about to be married. 

Best, Mason James 
237 Outdoors


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## TX_Brad

Mason James said:


> Hello people of Micro skiff. I am looking for a good intro skiff to get started I am looking for some advice.
> 
> My name is Mason James and I am a 22 year old college grad that can't go 10 minutes without thinking about fly fishing in some capacity. I really wanna get a micro skiff to take down to the coast but I am also about to be married.
> 
> Best, Mason James
> 237 Outdoors


Welcome, I live just north of The Woodlands. I've got my first boat on order through East Cape. It'll be a race to see which comes first...boat delivery or my 15 year anniversary, so you're doing better than I was when I got married. Best of luck in your search.


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## jmrodandgun

Mason James said:


> I really wanna get a micro skiff to take down to the coast but I am also about to be married.


You can either afford a skiff or your can't. Funny how wives aren't worried about how much their engagement rings cost or how much is spent on the wedding. If you got the cash then buy the boat and if she gives you any shit about it tell her to kick rocks.


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## anytide

^^^ 
take her shark fishin'


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## ActionCliff

Best to set the standard early on. My wife found out very quickly that fly fishing and boats were part of the deal with me.


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## SomaliPirate

Get the skiff you want with no regrets. She will either be ok with that or it wasn't meant to be. Current U.S. population is roughly 358 million with around half of that being women. So you have somewhere around 174-ish million women in the country from which to choose. How many side console tunnel Whiprays are there in the country? I'm just sayin...


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## Sublime

Or get involved in local groups and make contacts who have skiffs. For years when I had my skiffs I had three to four good friends that didn't have skiffs but knew how to pole and loved fly fishing as much as I did. So one of them got to go every time I went and they never had to buy skiffs. We'd switch out tow vehicles every once in a while and they would offer to pay gas etc.


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## TX_Brad

Sublime said:


> Or get involved in local groups and make contacts who have skiffs. For years when I had my skiffs I had three to four good friends that didn't have skiffs but knew how to pole and loved fly fishing as much as I did. So one of them got to go every time I went and they never had to buy skiffs. We'd switch out tow vehicles every once in a while and they would offer to pay gas etc.


Yea good idea, I'm only a half hour north of Houston. PM me your # and we'll set up some trips when my boat gets finished. I'll need someone to push me around lol


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## KurtActual

Mine is for sale in the Houston area.
Fits in a single car garage slot with room to spare, can be run solo or with another angler, and is cheap!
https://www.microskiff.com/threads/dragonfly-marsh-hen-houston-tx.63222/


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## gbc11

I know getting a first hand look at micros in Houston is hard. i live in Friendswood so if you want to see or ride in one, I have a IPB / Skimmer 14. When I ordered my hull to build out myself i had personally never seen one or been in a boat that small. Smallest boat i had been in was a 20ft bass boat or 22ft plus bay boats.


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## Shadowcast

Welcome. Have a look at the Ankon/Salt Marsh 1444. Great entry level skiff for fly fishing that won't break the bank.


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## Jeff Williams

Get the boat! GET THE BOAT!!!


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## BassFlats

A boat is substantially cheaper than a wife in the long run.


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## Surffshr

Get a boat, and always have a boat. Same with a truck.


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## hipshot

You DO know that you're asking the wrong people for advice on the stated topic, don't you?


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## Half Shell

Your question should be what does she do for a living and how much of her salary is going towards the skiff? I bet all of your money is going to rent/mortgage, food, bills, etc. Better have those conversations early and ensure you're on the same page not matter what page that is.


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## MatthewAbbott

Not married and already scared of her? Good luck....



Microskiifs are slim pickings around here. There’s a few that pop up sometimes. Make sure to check out CL for Corpus and San Antonio too.


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## Seymour fish

FWTXCW said:


> Best to set the standard early on. My wife found out very quickly that fly fishing and boats were part of the deal with me.


Wisdom !!!!!


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## jay.bush1434

Well you can come down and ride on my East Cape Vantage VHP. I'm right on West G bay. It isn't a microskiff but I won't be a good influence on you anyway if you are easily distracted by fishing.


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## Mason James

https://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/boa/d/corpus-christi-ankona-shadowcast/6847454377.html


Any thoughts on this Ankona? I really like it but just trying to see if its a good deal.


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## KurtActual

Have you priced a new Shadowcast?


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## Mason James

Yea, I believe a brand new one with this same Motor is gonna be like 16,100.


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## KurtActual

> *Sample water-ready prices: *$8,560 (16' with 9.8 hp Tohatsu tiller and galvanized trailer) / $16,100 (18' with console, poling platform, stern hatch, aluminum fuel cell, 30 hp Tohatsu, and custom aluminum trailer)


An 18' with a 30hp is 16k.


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## mtoddsolomon

I was in your shoes, but had to pay for the wedding. As soon as it was over I got on the list for east cape. If you're not paying for the wedding, go for it... today...


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## Mason James

So is it a bad deal?


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## KurtActual

Mason James said:


> So is it a bad deal?


That's like asking if a used car is a good deal. A deal is only good if you feel like you got a good deal.
It really depends on what you want/need out of a skiff. How much is a center console worth to you? What about a trolling motor? What marine service departments are near by for motor work?

You could consider a road trip for these:

For $3k less, and a drive to some really fishy areas:
https://www.microskiff.com/threads/ankona-shadowcast-16-for-sale.63464/#post-563798

For $2k more, and a lot more Shadowcast:
https://www.microskiff.com/threads/...nsole-fully-loaded-reduced.60464/#post-562618

For $4k less:
https://www.microskiff.com/threads/fs-ankona-shadowcast-16-tiller.63370/


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## LowHydrogen

Mason James said:


> So is it a bad deal?


Well if she's the right kind of gal it's a great deal. If she's not, it'll be like buying stock in Enron.


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## Mason James

Yea the 2017 Ankona in Florida is ideal. The only problem is that it is in Florida. I like it a lot though


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## Mason James

But I also like the center console a lot.


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## KurtActual

34 hour round trip to save a couple grand, or to get a boat that fits what you're wanting to do?

Have you used a tiller in a skiff before?


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## ReefDonkey08

Girl or Boat? Girl or Boat? Man, life tosses out some tough choices. Some of these skiffs are flat out gorgeous works of art. But then again, some girls are as well.


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## EdK13




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## ART D

Just listed my 1444 in the forum.


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## skinnydip

lots of sage advice, nip it in the bud


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## Rich T

Mason James said:


> Hello people of Micro skiff. I am looking for a good intro skiff to get started I am looking for some advice.
> 
> My name is Mason James and I am a 22 year old college grad that can't go 10 minutes without thinking about fly fishing in some capacity. I really wanna get a micro skiff to take down to the coast but I am also about to be married.
> 
> Best, Mason James
> 237 Outdoors


Fishing advice?
Boat advice?

Or marriage advice?


I got ALL 3!

Fishing- use your head, not heart
Boat- bigger AINT always better
Wife- bigger AINT better and they dint get ANY smaller after you marry...


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## efi2712micro

Mason James said:


> Yea the 2017 Ankona in Florida is ideal. The only problem is that it is in Florida. I like it a lot though


Bought 1 and sold 1 boat in Florida. Great week end trip along with a good fishing opportunity while you are there.bought my Beavertail in Orlando and went fishing for a day and a night in Bradenton/Boca. Fun trip with a friend and met new friend over there who took us for a ride to test the new boat and get some snooks


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## efi2712micro

Mason James said:


> But I also like the center console a lot.


Started with a Ankona shadow cast tiller but went to center console pretty fast. But it is a matter of personal preference. Don’t have a tiller anymore but could take you on a center console if you’d like. I am in Katy. Been married 25 years so might share some advice while we’re at it


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## hipshot

efi2712micro said:


> Started with a Ankona shadow cast tiller but went to center console pretty fast. But it is a matter of personal preference. Don’t have a tiller anymore but could take you on a center console if you’d like. I am in Katy. Been married 25 years so might share some advice while we’re at it


And you'd do well to heed his marriage advice. His wife's a real keeper.


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## efi2712micro

Now ... you made her blush. Thanks Jim!


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