Pathfinder Boats
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:20 pm
Larry,
I absolutely love your knowledge on the sport and thanks much for your contributions to the sport. I've learned a lot from watching your shows from back at In-Fisherman through today! Anyways.... Here's my question....
I do a large mix of fishing from freshwater stream fishing all the way to the florida keys saltwater flats and passes. I love it all. I love casting applications especially, however, I'm also beginning to do a little guiding for walleye involving a lot of trolling, controlled drifting etc etc. I spend a lot of time on Sakakawea and Fort Peck along with lakes across Northern MN and WI.
I currently own an Alumacraft 185 tiller with a 90 hp yamaha outboard. There's so much wind and big water on Sakakawea and Fort Peck that it can frequently be hard to comfortably (or safely) and efficiently venture from spot to spot or make longer runs. I'm considering looking into options for boats that would work well in big water freshwater offshore applications (particularly walleye and muskie) but still be fun and effective for shallow water bass fishing to muskies and panfish.
It seems like Pathfinder bay boats or similar brand bay boats may bridge that difficult gap. I am interested in something considerably drier and smoother and safer and something I can run faster in for very rough water than my current 18'10" tiller Alumacraft (fyi it has an 85" beam). I also want something with very well thought out and bulletproof (relatively) items on the boat. Waterproof storage, no carpet, self draining scuppers, and what seems to be very well thought out (and easy to maintain) live wells and electrical wiring seem to be huge plusses for Pathfinder from internet research and youtube videos I've watched at least....
Eventually I would have to jump in one personally before making final decisions but I'm considering selling my Alumacraft and jumping on a used 20' or 22' pathfinder. Also, would you see there being a considerable difference in rough water handling with the 22' foot pathfinder compared to the 20 pathfinder? As far as garage space the 20' would be ideal but I could probably make the 22' work. Also, have you ever heard of anyone mounting a extension plate of some kind to a pathfinder to run a remote kicker motor? Ideally I would use a 9.9 hp kicker for some walleye or general trolling applications but that may not be completely necessary... I know pathfinders are meant to run with trim tabs and some extension plate would need to extend the kicker past those and i'm not sure if anyones tried that before....
Thanks so much for any general thoughts. Living up north theres very few pathfinders obviously and I'd value your opinion a lot
I absolutely love your knowledge on the sport and thanks much for your contributions to the sport. I've learned a lot from watching your shows from back at In-Fisherman through today! Anyways.... Here's my question....
I do a large mix of fishing from freshwater stream fishing all the way to the florida keys saltwater flats and passes. I love it all. I love casting applications especially, however, I'm also beginning to do a little guiding for walleye involving a lot of trolling, controlled drifting etc etc. I spend a lot of time on Sakakawea and Fort Peck along with lakes across Northern MN and WI.
I currently own an Alumacraft 185 tiller with a 90 hp yamaha outboard. There's so much wind and big water on Sakakawea and Fort Peck that it can frequently be hard to comfortably (or safely) and efficiently venture from spot to spot or make longer runs. I'm considering looking into options for boats that would work well in big water freshwater offshore applications (particularly walleye and muskie) but still be fun and effective for shallow water bass fishing to muskies and panfish.
It seems like Pathfinder bay boats or similar brand bay boats may bridge that difficult gap. I am interested in something considerably drier and smoother and safer and something I can run faster in for very rough water than my current 18'10" tiller Alumacraft (fyi it has an 85" beam). I also want something with very well thought out and bulletproof (relatively) items on the boat. Waterproof storage, no carpet, self draining scuppers, and what seems to be very well thought out (and easy to maintain) live wells and electrical wiring seem to be huge plusses for Pathfinder from internet research and youtube videos I've watched at least....
Eventually I would have to jump in one personally before making final decisions but I'm considering selling my Alumacraft and jumping on a used 20' or 22' pathfinder. Also, would you see there being a considerable difference in rough water handling with the 22' foot pathfinder compared to the 20 pathfinder? As far as garage space the 20' would be ideal but I could probably make the 22' work. Also, have you ever heard of anyone mounting a extension plate of some kind to a pathfinder to run a remote kicker motor? Ideally I would use a 9.9 hp kicker for some walleye or general trolling applications but that may not be completely necessary... I know pathfinders are meant to run with trim tabs and some extension plate would need to extend the kicker past those and i'm not sure if anyones tried that before....
Thanks so much for any general thoughts. Living up north theres very few pathfinders obviously and I'd value your opinion a lot