Comfy ride @ 25 knots?

Usually no trolling, unless occasionally chasing spaniards for the table non charter. Mostly casting at idle and moving onwards a bit and casting again at idle. Sometimes fishing at anchor jigging or bait. Travel time is roughly 10 to 30mins to get to the reef break in either the planing skiff I am making or my relos underpowered 15' lumber frame ply panga types running 8hp. My skiff will get there in half the time of the panga

 

Thanks for that, I havent looked at too many ply ones but that one and the Cat 22 are interesting indeed

Is it time to think ply/epoxy vs alloy :/

 

The Cat 22 is already setup for walkaround fishing, I wonder if Scooter can be modded, Its speed and single engine are attractive

 

OK, well it seems you don't really need that 25 knots, seeing you are so close. And I think having the option of trolling would be a good business move, increasing your chances of getting fish for the customers. What trolled bait works best over there for Spanish ? In populated areas here, lures do not perform well. With the further advantage of good eating quality fish for your customers, Mackerel have, compared to those old GT's !

 

The GT are where the big earn can be made. A local high end charter who doesnt really understand the fish but has a 30' plate charges $1200 a day GT popping. My rates will be a package deal for the week including accommodation for around twice that. I dont have his range but I know the fish, I get them regularly from even the shore. His customers have many slow days Another boat charges $600 for 4 hrs of lucky dip out of a 26' panga

For the spaniards I prefer Rapala Magnums on the reefs inside the lagoon. I have got a couple of decent spaniards from the wharf too, one fish in the 30kg class. Outside a saurie driffed under a balloon is a better bet. When the "Silver Lady" was fishing out Hervey bay, I used to drive up to fish out of it all the time. The same Rapala Magnum did the trick there too as well as Smiths Nagamasas jigged in places like the pebbles and rooneys. Same for Brunswick Heads and Byron

 

None of these cats are suitable for a casting deck, you need plenty of bouyancy up front to allow full use of the deck as a casting platform. You say you need a soft riding 25 knot hull then a few posts later you can see the fishing area from the beach. If you are beach launching a 5mt self draining center console tinny with a 70 2 stroke would be ideal for a skipper and 2 fishermen.

 

GT is only good for pulling arms out of their sockets, but if you have a lot of cats to feed.....

 

Any Wahoo beyond that reef Saqa ? These things are sensational eating, imo.

 

pfffft, 30kg spaniards...

How bout these?




And dont even think about using a store bought lure... use what nature provides, nothing works better :idea::idea:

 

Ciguatera alert ?

 

If you are that close to the spots you want to go, why complicate your project with a cat.

Monos are a lot easier to build, and if you sit near the transom, give a good ride.

A larger wassen panga design will carry a lot of weight and uses very little power.

Not sure if this applies, but aluminium is harder to move on wet sand if you launch off the beach.

 

A centre console would suit best, with the ability to walk around the whole boat while playing those monster GT's. ( Giant or Great Trevally). But you possibly need more lateral stiffness than a narrow-gutted panga can provide with two anglers ( wealthy, overweight) braced along one side in an offshore joggle. But he does not need a cat or a steep vee to traverse just a few miles.

 

I am not all that familiar with boating jargon, is casting deck same as a built up shelf raising the casting platform or which that I am aiming for, an open cockpit with full walk around access and equal freeboard all around the walk around?

Boat will be moored off a pontoon for overnight storage or winched up rails or something for longer storage. I have been in a few mono alloy, glass and ply hulls on these grounds, travel is painful as a passenger! Skipper is only slightly more comfortable

 

The GT are quite a lucrative catch and release fishery. I have been in that industry for a few years on the tackle side of things

Plenty of wahoo mate but only seem to be a sunrise proposition here in close. Outer barrier reef grounds are consistent throughout the day though

 

Yummmmo

I try to avoid bait when possible these days, I find lures much more productive when actively hunting for the fish and usually less chances of annoying time wasting by catch and pickers. Both back home in Aus and here in Fiji. But sometimes do find myself swiming gars when lazy