Boat size for hunting the bay

J

Jacob Ferreira

Active Member
I'm sure some of you guys can help me with this.

Now i have a 14.5 foot lund with a 15hp honda motor on the back of it, its not a deep hull just a standard fishing boat, would that be ok to hunt the bay with?
 
Depends on where you want to go. Biggest thing is to not feel or be unsafe. I am by no means a super experienced boater (5-6 years) but I choose a 16 foot with 25hp because I like to hunt the outside. There are days when that has felt a bit crazy if I had to go out to chase a cripple and it was real windy. 14ft and 15 would be fine for inside blinds and some closer ones but I wouldn't want to be at 17 with the wind howling with any less than I got.
 
I'm talking about stickily inside blinds, now if the weather is exceptional then yes ill head out to the outer blinds @riverduck. Im not to familiar with the blind numbers and there locations yet, as i have never hunted the conservation area. I just want to get a rough idea if its ok to run a boat that small for the inside blinds. sorry for the confusion, i just want to clarify thats all. To be specific the blinds I'm looking at are all of the inner blinds as well as 41, 43, 45, 40, 38, 39, 28, 30, 16 and 13.
 
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Then your boat will do just fine. The only issue you might have will be depending on water level some blinds may have little to no water so you may be walking with you boat a little. I run a 14ft with a mud motor and there was just enough water around 41,43 last year for it but it's easy walking over there if you have to it's all hard sand bottom.
 
ok thanks guys appreciate it more than likely take a drive out there and check everything out. To clarify everything up, when you guys are talking about "outer blinds" what blind numbers are the out blinds?
 
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I use a 14 foot with a set of oars and a punt. You should be fine with your set up. Don't over pack. Where a life jacket, (don't just have it handy), and watch watch weather.
 
If you have a mud motor you can cut right across from marina shores to almost any of the "bay" blinds. those would be 35-45 ish. 30-34, 20, 17, 25, 24 are outside blinds to varying extents for each on "outsideness". If you don't have a mud motor you have to go out of the fast or slow channel and usually that is fine but check the weather as it can get bumpy sometimes. Inside blinds are for sure all accessible with what you have.
 
ok thank you @riverduck i don't have a mud motor but could i still cut across from marina shores ? and another question. So I'm new to hunting from a boat, how do you guys keep your boat stable without it sawing back and fourth, do you use something like power poles to keep the boat stable, or do you use just standard anchors. Another thing when I'm hunting out a fixed blind, where would i put my boat, if that makes any sense ?
 
No you would need to take the channel that is marked with lights during the hunting season. As for hunting from a boat I don't do much but I have just parked in the reeds and they will hold you in place well. And as for fixed blinds there is uasually a "parking spot" at most of the blinds or else just walk the boat away from the blind and find a spot to hide it in the reeds but you will uasually see where most guys put their boats. If you looking for a tour this summer pm me or get ahold of me I'm down at the lake most of the summer at the cottage and we can throw the mud motor on and I'll take you for a tour.
 
Once again all depends on the weather and your experience some days a canoe is big enough. Main thing watch weather and if it gets to bad where u are stay put I have spent more than one night in the marsh it's safe sitting in the weeds. The weather and the bay can change in a heart beat. Your boat is fine on most days explore all the routes to bkinds in late summer know your wind direction and the safest route to the blind with the wind for that day. Wind in the fall is a different wind than in the summer take care and you will learn every day you r out.
 
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