# Hello from Connecticut



## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Hi everyone, created my account last night and am looking forward to using the site to learn as much as I can about flats fishing here in the north east. I've spent a bunch of time fishing the South Texas flats with @jsnipes on his (amazing) Drake Nomad and have gotten addicted to flats fishing. We unfortunately don't have a redfish population up here anymore, but there are places where stripers will feed similarly.

Currently have a Contender 21 Open I use for the open water, but plan to add an older flats boat within the next few years . Would love any feedback on hulls that would work here in the Long Island Sound, the salt ponds of Rhode Island and the flats of Massachusetts / Cape Cod. I'm an avid salmonid fisherman and spend a good amount of time up in Maine, so a flats boat skiff would also work great in the lakes up there. I assume I'll need something like a Hells Bay Marquesa or equivalent

I look forward to interacting with everyone

Andrew


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## Slacker (Oct 7, 2016)

I live and fish in South Texas, but have spent some time fishing southeastern Mass and Cape Cod. In my opinion, if you want to enjoy this hobby, look for a dry boat that you can easily pole in the wind. The coastal areas of New England tend to get windy and the spray is cold.

I realize you know the conditions, but sitting on your butt 10 inches off the water taking spray down your shirt in a wet flats skiff is very different experience than standing at the helm of a center console in the same conditions.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Slacker said:


> I live and fish in South Texas, but have spent some time fishing southeastern Mass and Cape Cod. In my opinion, if you want to enjoy this hobby, look for a dry boat that you can easily pole in the wind. The coastal areas of New England tend to get windy and the spray is cold.
> 
> I realize you know the conditions, but sitting on your butt 10 inches off the water taking spray down your shirt in a wet flats skiff is very different experience than standing at the helm of a center console in the same conditions.


Absolutely, and luckily I’m far more used to the temps that I’d expect you to be. That said, will be something where I pick the days pretty carefully given the ability to go out in the chop in my CC. Just not worth spending a day flats fishing in those conditions, would rather be in my center console


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## Slacker (Oct 7, 2016)

aroberto said:


> Absolutely, and luckily I’m far more used to the temps that I’d expect you to be. That said, will be something where I pick the days pretty carefully given the ability to go out in the chop in my CC. Just not worth spending a day flats fishing in those conditions, would rather be in my center console


I guess what I’m saying is that Marquesa and other “big water“ skiffs wouldn‘t be my first choice because they suck to pole, especially in the wind. And especially so if all you‘ve poled is an ultralight skiff. You already have a supremely capable boat for chop, so I don’t see any upside that negates that downside. Every boat being a compromise, my advice is really just to focus on boats that do the things I mentioned well. For example, I used to own an East Cape Glide and wouldn’t have hesitated to take it up there. (I come from a canoing background, so my tippy Glide felt as stable as a barge to me). Same with the Chittum I have now. They are both dry riding boats that you can pole when the wind is ripping. That’s all I got…


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Slacker said:


> I guess what I’m saying is that Marquesa and other “big water“ skiffs wouldn‘t be my first choice because they suck to pole, especially in the wind. And especially so if all you‘ve poled is an ultralight skiff. You already have a supremely capable boat for chop, so I don’t see any upside that negates that downside. Every boat being a compromise, my advice is really just to focus on boats that do the things I mentioned well. For example, I used to own an East Cape Glide and wouldn’t have hesitated to take it up there. (I come from a canoing background, so my tippy Glide felt as stable as a barge to me). Same with the Chittum I have now. They are both dry riding boats that you can pole when the wind is ripping. That’s all I got…


Thanks - I was thinking of the bigger water skiffs only because of potentially needing to cross different points that would have some chop in order to get where I'm looking to go, but otherwise you're 100% right. I don't view my CC as at all overlapping with a potential skiff, just more wanting to have the capabilities I may need in a skiff up here. Looks like I have a good amount more research to do


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## Slacker (Oct 7, 2016)

I lied…I got more! The two boats I mentioned spent/spend their lives fishing South Texas=big winds and big distances (that also feel rough in my 22’ center console). If you pick your days as you plan to do and practice good seamanship, you have a lot of good options that will also be fun to pole around on a typical New England day. Anyway, have fun thinking about boats and thanks for letting me chime in. It’s a great way to pass the time.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Slacker said:


> I lied…I got more! The two boats I mentioned spent/spend their lives fishing South Texas=big winds and big distances (that also feel rough in my 22’ center console). If you pick your days as you plan to do and practice good seamanship, you have a lot of good options that will also be fun to pole around on a typical New England day. Anyway, have fun thinking about boats and thanks for letting me chime in. It’s a great way to pass the time.


Appreciate the input


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

I'd add a Chittum 18 or 21 to that list. I don't know your water but your fishing open ocean and imagine that the 21 would be better.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Jason M said:


> I'd add a Chittum 18 or 21 to that list. I don't know your water but your fishing open ocean and imagine that the 21 would be better.


If I’m going to be in the open I’d probably run my center console. At the moment I’d lean more towards 18 feet or less in salt ponds and maybe cape cod bay if I get that far east


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

If you purchased a Marquesa, or other larger flats skiff that’s tougher to pole, you could set it up with a remote control trolling motor system that you can work from the poling platform. This way you can cover more area quickly and then when you get into the fish zone stay on the pole. Similar to how the tarpon guides work Homossassa. I’d also look at the HB Biscayne. The Biscayne does everything right. Takes rough water, rides softly, poles shallow and quiet, spins on a dime, runs fast, eats chop. Luckily I get to fish on a buddies. Chittums would be on the list also.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

You might want a used boat for your first flats boat up there. There is NO boat that poles easily and takes heavy chop. So if you want to cross bays in the NE you need something like a Master Angler, Hewes or Action Craft. You can pole these boats but it won't be like a smaller skiff. A smaller skiff won't take big bays


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

Thanks - I’m definitely going with a used boat, won’t end up using it enough to justify a new one. Will look into those, but remember I’m planning on being very picky on days on the skiff vs center console so I need to weigh how much i want to focus on the weather etc. with the exception of potentially trailering to cape cod bay, I don’t foresee sizable chop, so something that can handle a bit is all I probably need. 

Plus I’d love an excuse to trailer down to Florida or South Carolina on vacation


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

aroberto said:


> planning on being very picky on days on the


On my visits to the north east I never got around to fishing there.
If the Atlantic is anything like the Pacific, it can change for the worst in as little as 20 minuets although most of the time you get some warning. Only has to catch you off guard one time or a rouge wave.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

mro said:


> On my visits to the north east I never got around to fishing there.
> If the Atlantic is anything like the Pacific, it can change for the worst in as little as 20 minuets although most of the time you get some warning. Only has to catch you off guard one time or a rouge wave.


it’s not that unpredictable, and much of the water I’ll fish is not in big open bays (though can still get some chop from wind).Typically you can see the weather rolling in pretty early, only when there is really bad fog would I be worried and you need radar to get by (so wouldn’t be going out in it). Only been caught in bad fog once, and it was when I was a kid and the adults did a bad job looking up what was going on in Block Island


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

Off the top of my head I can think of the following skiffs being run from LI to ME:

LI: 2 Marquesas, BT, Strike, Hewes, Maycraft 1700 (retired)
Cape: AC 2020, Jones Bros 19, Chittum 18
Islands: 2 HPX-V 17, Marquesa, Hewes Bonefisher
Maine: HPX-V 17, HPX-S (I think) 17, Hog Island 16, Ankona Cayenne (I think)

Me: Maycraft 1700 

Most have a little deadrise, some freeboard, and length.

Also, dtf.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

brokeoff said:


> Off the top of my head I can think of the following skiffs being run from LI to ME:
> 
> LI: 2 Marquesas, BT, Strike, Hewes, Maycraft 1700 (retired)
> Cape: AC 2020, Jones Bros 19, Chittum 18
> ...


exactly the info I needed to see, thank you.

I assume DTF has a different meaning than I’m accustomed to…

And assuming it does I’m in


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## Slacker (Oct 7, 2016)

If not, somebody needs a time out.


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

aroberto said:


> exactly the info I needed to see, thank you.
> 
> I assume DTF has a different meaning than I’m accustomed to…
> 
> And assuming it does I’m in


Love to fish.

If you are dedicated to the sight fishing then there is plenty of it. I read all the articles first and found fish in the expected locations. Then I explored more on my own and just observed while moving between my regular spots, realized they are all over.

Then with the CC you can cover almost everything else by picking your days.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

brokeoff said:


> Love to fish.
> 
> If you are dedicated to the sight fishing then there is plenty of it. I read all the articles first and found fish in the expected locations. Then I explored more on my own and just observed while moving between my regular spots, realized they are all over.
> 
> Then with the CC you can cover almost everything else by picking your days.


Really enjoy sight fishing, a bit like trout fishing which is my first fly fishing love. When does sight fishing pick back up?


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

I think April/May in LI and RI.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hello


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

permitchaser said:


> You might want a used boat for your first flats boat up there. There is NO boat that poles easily and takes heavy chop. So if you want to cross bays in the NE you need something like a Master Angler, Hewes or Action Craft. You can pole these boats but it won't be like a smaller skiff. A smaller skiff won't take big bays


PC took the words out of my mouth. Welcome aboard.


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## Codeman120992 (Nov 27, 2021)

aroberto said:


> Hi everyone, created my account last night and am looking forward to using the site to learn as much as I can about flats fishing here in the north east. I've spent a bunch of time fishing the South Texas flats with @jsnipes on his (amazing) Drake Nomad and have gotten addicted to flats fishing. We unfortunately don't have a redfish population up here anymore, but there are places where stripers will feed similarly.
> 
> Currently have a Contender 21 Open I use for the open water, but plan to add an older flats boat within the next few years . Would love any feedback on hulls that would work here in the Long Island Sound, the salt ponds of Rhode Island and the flats of Massachusetts / Cape Cod. I'm an avid salmonid fisherman and spend a good amount of time up in Maine, so a flats boat skiff would also work great in the lakes up there. I assume I'll need something like a Hells Bay Marquesa or equivalent
> 
> ...


Welcome. I’m from CT as well but not living there currently. Great fishing on the Farmington River and Housatonic. Also great striper fishing in Milford.


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## aroberto (Nov 1, 2021)

A year to the day from when I started this thread to introduce myself, I am now the owner of an 8 year old Hells Bay Professional that was in some a shed that caught on fire and is in need of a restore. Not exactly the path I thought I'd take to owning a poling skiff, but I'm extremely excited about the restoration to come and will likely create a restore thread. Got a lot more comfortable with the idea of fixing boats after a big conversion project on a '04 Contender 25 that went from forward cuddy to "Open" this spring/summer (I didn't do the actual glass/paint work, but did engine and electronics). 

I highly doubt there are many other HB owners up here in Connecticut, or even the Northeast, but would love to meet any of you if there are


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Congrats on the Hells Bay, even if it is a restoration project. Blessings!!


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