Flounder Boat Design - Recommendations?

[CSN]

With a limit of 5 flounder, it makes it difficult to understand having a boat that is set-up exclusively for flatfish. As much as we used to drink while gigging those handrails would have been nice though.

[Matt]

Call up night stalker or better yet make a trip with him. Is the bote he put on 2cool his first one? I've gigged on the second one he made and it's everything you would want a flounder bote to be. You know what they say, the 3rd bote is the best however. We get enough without a boat. From this year...

[98aggie77566]

With a limit of 5 flounder, it makes it difficult to understand having a boat that is set-up exclusively for flatfish. As much as we used to drink while gigging those handrails would have been nice though.

As cleanly as this one is rigged…I don’t think we will
have too many problems.

Trout fishing the river, chasing birds, catfishing in the river…I think we can do it all reasonably well.

If there was crap all over (wires, cables, hoses) and a t-top, it would be far more difficult for some of our fishing types.

[rdb]

noticed the nav lights are on the console. with all the rigging on the bow it might be hard to see the red and green. and don't be that guy running down the middle of the icw with the brights on.

[LouReed]

Sweet. Looks like what a friend of mine built for himself. He uses his blades to get back into super shallow areas and back to catch reds and drum where most CCs can't go.

Also, you probably know this, but be sure to get a fish remover.

https://outriggeroutdoors.com/products/gigged-fish-remover

[Going_deep]

As cleanly as this one is rigged…I don’t think we will
have too many problems.

Trout fishing the river, chasing birds, catfishing in the river…I think we can do it all reasonably well.

If there was crap all over (wires, cables, hoses) and a t-top, it would be far more difficult for some of our fishing types.

I like flounder and chasing birds. Oh and I'm just down the road, just sayin 😂

[98aggie77566]

Maiden voyage last night to San Luis Pass.....water is still a bit dirty....quick trip and home by 11.

This was more of an exploratory/work out the kinks trips....not many kinks....other than the pass has changed a LOT since I last went years ago.

Only saw two fish and no beds to speak of....at least it was a stuffer big enough to feed a few!

Gonna be a fun learning curve....damn sure beats walking when there aren't many fish!!

[Trouthunter]

Rig looks great. I always preferred walking and floundering but as I've gotten older I do appreciate being able to flounder out of a boat and be able to sit down now and then lol.

Congrats!

[DCAVA]

Bad ass looking rig bud, lookin forward to more pics!!

[MR. L.]

rig a small cork / float with the string and weight about 5 / 6 feet long SO WHEN YOU DRIVE OVER A FLOUNDER NOT SEEING OR HAVE TIME TO REACT . DROP THE WEIGHTED CORK TO MARK THE SPOT WHERE LAST SEEN .. GOOD LUCK

[98aggie77566]

rig a small cork / float with the string and weight about 5 / 6 feet long SO WHEN YOU DRIVE OVER A FLOUNDER NOT SEEING OR HAVE TIME TO REACT . DROP THE WEIGHTED CORK TO MARK THE SPOT WHERE LAST SEEN .. GOOD LUCK

Genius!!!

This is the stuff that helps on the learning curve LOL!

We spent half the night pushing the boat off…had to get SOO close to the bank to see and flounder off the side. Driving the air motor is a little more challenging…at least in that condition…almost has to steer the front and back with current.

Then we realized what the air motor will do if you give it a little gas…idle is fine and almost too fast most of the time. Either gonna go into the wind or need some drags?

Tonight I gotta learn the diversion channel into West Matagorda…been years. Figure there will be a little boat traffic to follow out…or we will idle our way and figure it out.

Hopefully more pics tomorrow!

[Flounderface]

Call up night stalker or better yet make a trip with him. Is the bote he put on 2cool his first one? I've gigged on the second one he made and it's everything you would want a flounder bote to be. You know what they say, the 3rd bote is the best however. We get enough without a boat. From this year...

LOL, based on this who needs a boat! Or a bote, as it may be!

[98aggie77566]

We hit West Matagorda on Friday evening for an exploratory flounder trip....weather and sunset were amazing.

Tide movement was about as bad as it could be for floundering. We had to go a LONG way to get to good water, but the boat only burned 12 gallons including the air motor. The tank holds over 30 gallons, so I can easily drop quite a bit of weight with significant less fuel based on the run we made.

Covered miles of ground and didnt see a flounder...kind of expected that with the tide.

To whoever marked the diversion channel - THANK YOU - and I intend to contribute a few poles in the stretch with a hard bend and some confusing trees in the nighttime.

The boat did really well - made a list of minor things to continue improving....as we wrestled with something just make a note on what would make life easier.

We had 4 guys - all of us pretty good sized - boat floated well....I would say a solid no BS 8-10" with all of us on the bow. If one moved back we could get 6-8". We need to reduce fuel onboard and plug the live well (it fills to water line) will drop 50 lbs. If 2 of us got out/2 in, we could get crazy shallow. And the air motor will push the boat far more than I thought if you are willing to listen to it at high throttle (I am not).

It's not a fast boat, but coming back at a smooth 20-25 mph in the dark, with enough lights to see beyond 30+ mph, and having an air motor to push us off if we get stuck, sides on the boat, elevated platform....it was very comfortable for all (and I'm a nervous/high alert nightime driver).

Overall - successful trip finding the route safely there and back and finding a few spots to head back when the tide is better.

PS - having some ear muffs for anyone aft of the live well is a considerate option to have onboard. :-)

[Matt]

Sounds fun love the bays at night. We.get a lot of flounder right up close sometimes....well a lot of the times since I walk. Inches of water. Gig.mostly the beach front in winter too. So don't overlook scouring the beach front thru the pass when it's safe to go out! Never seen a flounder boat out on the ocean side but that is but have stuck multiple 9ers on the sand. Just saying!

[Univ.of Hard Knocks grad]

Buddies grandma in LA would walk the bay shores at night until she saw one up shallow then walk on the deep side and flip them by hand up on the beach.