Anyone Fish From A Jetski?

[xsubsailor]

I don't know what kind of critters you have over there in your part of the state but I can tell you from experience that even a 14' Jon boat gets rather small when you share it with a cottonmouth (longest 1/2 hour of my life ). I think I would just turn a kayak over to him .

Edited January 28, 2019 by xsubsailor

[ShaggyRS6]

After mucho deliberation, and after clearing this with the financial adviser (i.e. the wife) I am going to get one of these .  Going to look at one on Saturday!

[A.J. Holst]

And you can take 'em skiing once you hook 'em.

Pretty cool rig, good luck!

[Capbyrd]

9 minutes ago, ShaggyRS6 said:

After mucho deliberation, and after clearing this with the financial adviser (i.e. the wife) I am going to get one of these .  Going to look at one on Saturday!

Congrats.   I've always liked SeaDoos but if I ever drop the money, I'm getting a pontoon boat.  

 

[ShaggyRS6]

2 minutes ago, A.J. Holst said:

And you can take 'em skiing once you hook 'em.

Pretty cool rig, good luck!

Don't it looks awesome? I did not want to spend the money on a bass boat and by the time I would have put money into A Kayak the way I wanted it to be fitted out your like $5k in.  So this is the perfect compromise! 

[seafarer84]

Never tried fishing on a Jetski before. 

[ShaggyRS6]

I will be buying it in May

[MacGyver]

Man, you could get a gorgeous Gheenoe with a nice motor, fully outfitted and have a bunch of change left over for what you’re going to spend on the SeaDoo.  

Can you try one out first?  Mind you, I regularly fish from kayaks and a stand up paddle board - outside of speed, you’re making a lot of compromises.  

Slow speed handling is questionable on a jet drive - it stirs up a lot of water - and it really takes constant monitoring.  I’d question the ability to effectively troll.  

[MacGyver]

You didn't ask - but as someone who spends a lot of time fishing skinny water, if I was going to spend $14K on a boat today, it would be like this with some change left over:

• Gheenoe - 18' Super            - $6800
• Aluminum Trailer                  - $1700
• Poling Platform                    - $675
• 20HP Honda Outboard       - $3420
• Lowrance Elite 9 TI2           - $799

Total                                     - $13394

You could even add a Power Pole Micro Anchor and still come in under $14K.

Want to save a few bucks? Go with the 16' Super and you'll subtract $2200.  

I would probably save up a few bucks for a nice trolling motor.  They've got some amazing ones these days that'll hook straight to the GPS if you like.

[MacGyver]

You might try a newer kayak, too.  Companies like Hobie and FeelFree have made some real strides with their seating to get you up off the deck.

I regularly fish from a Hobie Pro Angler with a mirage drive.  You're about a fifth of the cost of a Jetski in one.

[ShaggyRS6]

I'll certainly take a look!  Thanks for the tip.

[MP5_Rizzo]

If you want a really exciting way to catch fish and NO boat necessary, look into noodling. Besides, catfish are slightly more prized then carp in this part of the country.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

Think i'll give that one a miss

[ShaggyRS6]

Just messing about on Percy Priest this evening, nothing that caught my attention other than this!

 

 

[Handsome Rob]

For a budget north if $10k, you're daft for going with a jetski. For one thing, they lose their resale value quicker than most laptops & for another the maintenance cost for a jet drive is silly.

I'd go with Mac's idea of a Gheenoe Super 16. I regularly fish from one with a buddy in Florida & there's nothing you can't do in it. Probably the best bang for the buck thing in small water craft!

[Capbyrd]

I still think @Chucktshoesfavorite bass tracker classic is a good option in that price range.  


https://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=4883

 

[MacGyver]

1 hour ago, robtattoo said:

For a budget north if $10k, you're daft for going with a jetski. For one thing, they lose their resale value quicker than most laptops & for another the maintenance cost for a jet drive is silly.

I'd go with Mac's idea of a Gheenoe Super 16. I regularly fish from one with a buddy in Florida & there's nothing you can't do in it. Probably the best bang for the buck thing in small water craft!

Yeah, the above is assuming new.  Rob knows the Gheenoe market well - so he’s an authority here.  I’d be willing to bet that if you’re willing to look around for quality used gear - and are willing to wait and maybe drive a little, you could get everything I quoted above for well south of $5k.

For that matter, it might be worth your time - and a good use of money to spend $1500 on a used boat.  It’ll get you on the water, let you familiarize yourself with the area and the fishing, and then let you figure out what makes sense for your next step.

I may have a bias.  In our house we have 2 kayaks, a canoe, a Hobie Pro Angler, two stand up paddleboards, a 19 foot center console inshore boat, and a bunch of surfboards (that would be tough to fish from.) If I could buy another boat this afternoon, it would be a Gheenoe or an 1860 jonboat. Or maybe if I wanted to spend more and support a Tennessee based company, I’d buy a Towee.  

Those are boats that are made for our Tennessee waters. Some of the best fishing in our state is on waters that just aren’t going to be hospitable to a jetski - and that’s assuming they’re not prohibited outright.

 

 

[MacGyver]

I’ll try to find some pictures, but I was out on Center Hill a couple of weeks back in a cove that was full of carp.  They were huge, and there were probably 20 of them.  It was a rock bottom - maybe 2 feet deep - so there’s no way I would have taken the big boat up in there.  

I threw just about every fly I had in the box - and then moved over to a spinning rig.  They didn’t want any of it.  

I was bummed, but it was cool to be in there with all of them railing up while feeding. 

[Handsome Rob]

Yep, for 5k & a weekend in Florida I could put you into at least 10 suitable Gheenoes right now.

Locally.....

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/562032780976092/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/322240471766178/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/339950326623323/

 

[MacGyver]

5 minutes ago, robtattoo said:

Yep, for 5k & a weekend in Florida I could put you into at least 10 suitable Gheenoes right now.

Locally.....

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/562032780976092/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/322240471766178/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/339950326623323/

 

Heck, you could hit some redfish or snook while you were there.

[Handsome Rob]

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/d/gainesville-2011-gheenoe-classic-center/6851261871.html

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/d/saint-augustine-2017-gheenoe-lt-25/6824646931.html

And the king of the bunch.....

https://daytona.craigslist.org/boa/d/palm-coast-2015-gheenoe/6832105038.html

[MacGyver]

That LT25 is a sweet setup. I know a guy that bought his kid one and put a 40HP Honda on the back of it.  

It runs like an angry mosquito.  I've thought a million times that he'd surely swamp it. But it'll turn on a dime under power and come up out of the hole like something is chasing it.  It's impressive. 

[Handsome Rob]

And to top it all, Gheenoe has the best customer support, fanbase & owners club of any boat manufacturer out there! You don't see jetski owners organising week long rallies in the Keys!

[MacGyver]

For anyone who's not used a breakaway tongue on a light boat - they're worth it.  It'll let you put this thing in the garage and close the door.

For folks with militant HOA's that's worth a lot.

[ShaggyRS6]

Couple of things. It has to fit in my garage, so that's one caveat, cant keep it outside, HOA and all that. Also, I want something with fish finder and all that jazz, so would need help on fitting something like this out.  Would you folks know if there is any local marine place that would be a good place to start.  I'm not not off the Jetski idea, as apart from being able to fish from it, its a Jetski!!! which are fun!!