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Wind and Aluminum
Those that fish from aluminum boats, when you are looking at the weather forecast what mph wind is your cutoff where you decide it is too windy to go out?
And I am not talking just from a safety perspective, I am talking about having a relaxing day fishing without having to fight the wind and stay on the tm all day.
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That's one bad thing about Aluminum. The wind pushes them around a lot. I don't let the wind keep me off the lake, but there have been days when I had to fish different parts of the lake than I wanted to because of it. I fish a Tracker 175. One thing I did that has helped a lot is to put two of my batteries up under the front trolling deck. It's not a lot of extra weight, but it helps some. At least it lowers the nose a little bit. I've thought about adding a 4" pipe with caps on the end full of sand up front to add more weight, but I don't really want to slow the boat down anymore than it already is. Wind's just one of those things that ya have to deal with I guess. Stayin home sure ain't any fun.
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I'm the same way, it really never keeps me off the water, but the wind will determine where I can fish. The wind blows just about every time I hit the water, and makes it very difficult to stay on fish sometimes. Other than anchoring up, theres no way to fight it in a lightweight boat. Sometimes the wind will aggravate me so much, I will pack it up and go home (HATE WIND) Hopefully in the future, I will sell my aluminum, and upgrade to glass with more weight. Forecasting for gust up to 20mph this weekend, but I'm still going.
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I have a live well in the front of my boat and I fill it up when it is windy. It is just to tough sometimes.
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Wind
I have 14'7" aluminum tiller (Crestliner!) with a 15 hp Yamaha. I fish a rather large reservoir and the wind can be a troubling influence on your fishing. I've never felt "unsafe" in this boat, as it's the biggest, widest 14 footer on the market. Also, when I had it set-up, both my batteries are forward and my gas tank is just behind mid-ships. She's balanced pretty well and very seaworthy.
With all that being said, I don't like to go fishing if the they predict 15 - 20 mph. winds. Not because of the boat, but because of not being able to "feel" my fishing rod & line effectively. Detecting bites is difficult at best in a stiff breeze, as you probably know. I even picked up a wind sock to help with boat control, but I doubt this will be a great asset. Again....it's all about the fishing.....not the boat necessarily, in my opinion anyway.
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If you think there is much differance you are just fooling yourself. I had a 900# tank of a fiberglass boat and a 14 ft. alum jon boat, to be truthfull when the wind blows the boats sail. If it is gusting to 35+ I stay home, but I can change lakes/rivers and fish skinny water when it is windy.
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today it was 11mp winds. The boat does fine when anchored. I am learning to anchor quick. Use the troll motor to find new spot, point the bow into the wind and set anchor.
One foot waves are fine, but two foot...I will find a bay. Fishing for crappie in high winds would not be fun in any boat.
D
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i put on swimming trunks and ride the waves like a surf board lol.....2ft waves i draw the line.......
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My boat handles it pretty good. Polar kraft 2096 with 28" sides. I-pilot with spot lock has changed my fishing. Not having to fight the trolling motor will keep you out there longer.
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I have a 17' Ranger Cherokee. I have had it out in 3' waves. I always feel safe in it. That being said, I'm also completly drenched in water that comes over the boat. Not much fun. I use to not let the wind stop me if I was confident I had a chance at a limit. I always had a few places I could get out of the wind. Getting to those place's was not much fun when your soaked to the bone even with rain gear on. I go by the tempature outside now to deterime if I can handle being wet. If the tempature is above 60 I don't mind getting wet. If it's below 60 and the wind is above 25mph I let the fish live another day.