Who Fishes for Snapper out of a Bay Boat?
 

In the market for a new boat. Most fishing will be inshore, but I really want to go offshore for snapper, both red snapper and mangroves. How many of you guys fish offshore in a bay boat? How many have done it and won't do it again? Any real bad experiences?

Dan

Damn bro how many treads you gunna make about the same topic....buy a bay boat for inshore fishing and charter a guide to go offshore. Roll the dice enough and you will get bit by the mighty GOM. I have been there before and it was no fun,literally kissed the ground when I got on dry land. Biggest issue is only having one engine,even brand new ones can break.

I went in my bay boat to Venice. Only had to go a few miles out the pass to catch snapper. Still have to keep a close eye on the weather. I stayed nervous the whole time I was out there.

I've been 45 out several times in a bay boat. Have several friends that go in bay boats. One thing I like anytime I go with a one engine rig is to have buddy boats just incase. Watch weather all week and up to the time you leave. Have good VHF pfds and epurb is good investment also. Personally I wouldn't go out in anything under 21'. Just me. The gulf can make a 30' boat look like an alweld.

I do it but if it looks sloppy when i make it out the pass i just inshore fish or go home . Im prepared to walk away even if i drove 3 hrs to venice. Good vhf, lifevests, spot or other epirb, buddy boat is good . 24' and im talking 30 miles or less out .

Well, I think this is the second post about the same topic and not quite the same....just asking how many folks do it on a regular basis so I can get an idea. Sorry I pizzed you off man, just trying to make the right decision.

Haha didnt piss me off....good luck

im not gonna tell you to go OFFSHORE in a BAYboat. i do it from time to time but i trust my own judgement , and dont know you. things can happen real quick out there if you make sure you have a plan ( oh sh** bag with epirb, lifvests, water, vhf, flares ect) enough gas , buddy boat, weather radio , know your boat inside and out then you will lessen the blow if something does happen , but in the end its a day by day decision that has to be made when you see how the water looks not by what a website says

Watched a 24' Champion handle 25 miles like a champ this weekend...Some crazy texans strapped to it though! Lol!

Get a Hiney......they can take 4-6 foot waves with no problem from what I have been told on this site..........

^^^. Sound advise here. I have ran out 10 miles and turned around several times. In an offshore boat. Wouldn't have even tried in a bayboat. Start out short. Run 15 miles a few times. Get to know the area. Get to know the rigs around the area you fish. Get to where you get familiar with it then ease out a little bit. Trim tabs are a must also.

X2.
If you don't have much experience offshore start off with short runs. Remember the gulf could swallow you whole at any time and don't forget it.

Duh!! :D

Tell them Big Shaw Dogg

Just so everyone knows, epirbs can be rented online. Also in my ditch bag I carried water, glow sticks, sunscreen, vhf, and hand held gps. Gps is waterproof and floats. VHF is also waterproof. I also carried spare batteries for GPS and spare battery pack for VHF. I figured if we could talk to someone via vhf, we could tell em exactly where we were via hand held gps.

Sounds like you have everything thought out, but my question to you is this; Why put yourself in a situation where it's very likley you will need those emergency items? Try a few short runs with sombody who does it in their bay boat and if you feel you like offshore fishing more, get an offshore boat and save yourself and your family the trouble.

This was on an offshore boat 100 miles or more offshore. Does it really matter if you are 100 or 15 miles offshore? Once you're in the drink you still need help! Why not be proactive?

Yep

X2. Always be a boy scout out there.

He's not the one that asked the original question.

I go out as often as the weather permits in my 22ft Champion. I have been gassed up, baited up and ready to go with 3 other guys I work with, who all pitched in on gas and loading/readying the boat, only to turn around at the jetties no less that 5 times last summer. Its a judgment call when you break the jetties. Its a much more important judgement call to know when to head back in due to changing weather and winds. I recently rode back in the GOM 22 miles at a top speed of 11mph. That was a 2 hour ride with most every wave spraying into the boat. NOT FUN! But as already stated, its got a lot to do with knowing your boat well and knowing how to trim and run your boat in seas. And LUCK. 30 footers go down all the time. Just get experience with your new rig before you try any sort of a run into the GOM no matter what rig you buy.

Sorry, I got you mixed up with the guy that posted the thread. I agree, it doesn't matter if you're spending a day on the basin or a night offshore, you should always have the essentials and be prepared. My point to the original poster was to figure out what he really wants to fish and rig up for that. There is no real all around boat. Each one is designed with a purpose. If I'm running offshore, I would want to be in a boat made for it. Things can take a turn for the worst quick on any body of water.

Yes, people, including me do it all the time.

Yes, people drown out there all the time.

If you even have to ask on a forum, then you should second guess yourself.
Not taking a cheap shot at you man, but dead is permanate.

AND, if those that go with you see YOU as the guy, so you need to be sure.
No sure, no go

I agree with the guys on here, if you do go make sure you know your boat and have a buddy boat. I try to never go offshore unless I have a buddy boat out with me. I've been as far out as 30 miles out at night in our 19ft nautic star if that help answer any questions. Its always possible, just know your boats capabilities.

Good luck if you do go and make sure to post a report. I wouldn't go any time this week btw. Looks like there will be scattered thunderstorms all week

In my experience the gulf tends to kick up at night. And I NEVER run at night out there. You wouldn't believe the stuff they have floating out there and un manned unlighted well heads. Some people do but I won't. If I have to navigate at night out there I'll throw some rods out and troll around. Nothing faster than trolling speed(6) mph.

What's a Hiney??:shaking:
LMAO!!!

I see this often, and would never consider doing it myself. On a perfect day we have taken the 24' bay boat to the 8 mile rigs, which is still what I consider "coastal", but I wouldn't even do that run in anything smaller. 99% of the time nothing will go wrong. That 1% is what you have to worry about and prepare for. Ive been out enough times in bigger boats and had summer squalls pop up and get beat up, I would never want to do that in a small boat. Also, if you are going in a bay boat with a single motor, I would strongly consider adding a kicker. You know that feeling when your heart just sinks when you try to crank it and something goes wrong on the water? Or you are running and something craps out? Imagine that miles from shore. That VHF on channel 16 might save your life, but a kicker definitely makes things seem less life or death.

I will go out in my 21' frontier, but I pic my days and I have been out quite a bit in my younger days. Any doubt, don't go.

If you want to be able to snapper fish just get an offshore boat and use it for inshore fishing too.... Problem solved