How Do You Go Fishing?

[clarkbre]

I have a confession: I am a happy RV'er with a fishing problem...

My normal form of attack is my Lund WC16. It's 16' aluminum boat and is absolutely great for fishing. My family and I can spend all day on the water and easily fish with 3 lines in the water at any given time.



When we bought our travel trailer, my biggest contention was that we wouldn't be able to camp and get on the water at the same time. Knowing this, in October my wife surprised me with an Intex Mariner 4 for my birthday. While I haven't had it on the water yet, I'm trying to figure out how to make this a good fishing boat that we can deflate and put in the truck to transport. I have a good battery and trolling motor to push it around as well.



My question to you all is 2 parts:
1. How do you get on the water while staying in your trailer or MH?
2. What suggestions do you have for my set up to make it more fishing friendly?

[Mslaman]

We drive 2 trucks. One with the trailer. One with the boat.

[GmanHawaii]

Originally Posted by Mslaman

We drive 2 trucks. One with the trailer. One with the boat.

Me too

[Mslaman]

Originally Posted by GmanHawaii

Me too

Nice quite ride. Lol

[GmanHawaii]

Originally Posted by Mslaman

Nice quite ride. Lol

Ya til someone figured out we both have Uconnect in our Rams

[Nurek]

Originally Posted by clarkbre

My question to you all is 2 parts:
1. How do you get on the water while staying in your trailer or MH?
2. What suggestions do you have for my set up to make it more fishing friendly?

1- I carry my pontoon to the lake shore. 9' pontoon. I leave it outside when camping. I put it in the TT when I'm gone.

Not sure what you are thinking... put it inside your TT when camping? You already said you'd put it in the TV.

2- Make what more "fishing friendly"?

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by Nurek

1- I carry my pontoon to the lake shore. 9' pontoon. I leave it outside when camping. I put it in the TT when I'm gone.

Not sure what you are thinking... put it inside your TT when camping? You already said you'd put it in the TV.

2- Make what more "fishing friendly"?

Sorry for being too generalized. Let me clarify my questions:

1. When camping, what do you use to get on the water? Some own kayaks, canoes, pontoons, inflatables, etc. What other toys are out there?

2. What are some modifications that you've done to your boat or that I can do to mine that make it better for fishing or that you find helpful?

[Tombsy]

I pull a trailer with a MH that carries my Hobie fishing kayak and a Yamaha scooter. The kayak is too heavy to lift with batteries for an electric motor and full electronics. I have a dolly for it so I can wheel it right off the trailer and even pull it with the scooter if it’s any distance to the boat launch.
For your boat is it rated for a small gas motor like a 2-3 hp? The electrics are great for trolling but it always seems like the fish are at the other end of the lake lol. You might struggle too if the wind comes up. I love my setup but the only downside is my buddies motor off to the other end and I take awhile and troll my way there to save the batteries.
For your boat you could add a fish finder for knowing your depths especially on new lakes, you already have the battery box. A small anchor would be handy too. I don’t know if you could rig up a seat with a backrest but it really helps a long day on the water. You have your other boat rigged up pretty well.
A lot of the guys up here on the BC lakes have prams that winch up to a rack on their trucks and carry a small outboard. My buddy tows a trailer and has a quad in the truck bed with a boat like your Lund on a rack over top. The 9.9 outboard rides in the backseat.

[HangDiver]

Fly fisherman - I use a belly boat on lakes or hike in to trout streams & creeks.

[Tombsy]

Nice, I’m strictly fly fishing too I still have my original belly boat and a drift boat but I’m lovin this Hobie.

[Scrapper]

It looks like the Mariner 4 can handle a 3.3kw / 4.5 hp motor. If you google "Intex Mariner 4 mods" you'll find quite a few.

35 years ago I had an 14' inflatable boat with a wood transom across the back that was rated for a 15hp motor. Sadly the inflatable got destroyed in a barn fire after I bought a used aluminum 16' that I used the same motor on.

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

It looks like the Mariner 4 can handle a 3.3kw / 4.5 hp motor. ......

I have thought about a small gas outboard. It'd be nice to have the reliability for sure. It should be a good way to get out on smaller water.

I do like the prams as well. Some of the wood ones look like works of art. The Intex was nice because it has a 4 person, 880 lbs capacity with people/gear.

It's cool to hear about all the options for boating while camping.

[cmysstailights]

Best 400 for everything I ever spent. Folds up neatly to store away. Use a 12v trolling motor, and added wheels to move around.

[lugoismad]

If we camp close by, we take my 14' Sea Nymph with a 25hp Johnson. Its small enough my Honda Civic can tow it without any problems.

If we camp further away, I just shore fish.

[jeff64]

I feel your pain. I've been either shore fishing or renting a boat once in a while when the grandson is with. I've got the trolling motor and battery so it's not too bad.

However, I have been seriously considering the Sea Eagle ST10 which is an inflatable with a floor, seats, rod holder AND transom for a little "kicker" with 1200 lb load capacity and optional dolly to move it around while inflated

[tahoe1840]

class A with doubles endorsement?

[PenJoe]

You may want to see how kayakers set up thier rigs. There are also wheel dollies to transport a small craft to water.

[CaptnJohn]

CGs are too crowded when kids are out of school for summer. I stay home and fish the I crowded Atlantic. During winter I fish the piers in Florida or take a charter.

[tsargent55]

A year ago, after using kayaks for a number of years, I purchased an Ultraskiff for fishing. Check out www.ultraskiff.com for details. It's light enough for this old man to throw in the back of the truck. I am considering getting a rack to bolt onto my trailer bumper to haul it around when going camping. right now I still use the back of my truck when hooked up to the trailer, but would rather use that area for other gear.

I know... it's a round boat. I have a Minkota 55 lb thrust motor mounted on it and it moves along very well. Tracks nicely. Very stable and allows me to stand while fishing. I was so impressed, I wrote a review for them comparing kayak versus Ultraskiff for fishing... https://www.ultraskiff.com/testimonials.html

You asked about what's out there, so didn't want you to miss this one.

[wannabeowner]

Have you considered an inflatable kayak? We have one that isn't a "fishing kayak" so has no trolling motor, but it's easy to transport in our TT or TV. I've seen a bunch of guys fishing from them in Colorado.