# Best boat choice to flyfish the Pensacola area?



## green_head7 (Oct 20, 2021)

Flats boat or Carolina Skiff? Moving back to the area in April after 40 years out west. I'll be kayak fishing as well upon arrival if I can find a kayak to purchase!


----------



## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

welcome back and welcome to the forum.
jack


----------



## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

green_head7 said:


> Flats boat or Carolina Skiff? Moving back to the area in April after 40 years out west. I'll be kayak fishing as well upon arrival if I can find a kayak to purchase!


First, Carolina Skiff...get the 17 or 18 foot. The 16 foot is a lot narrower, which means a little more unstable, especially on the platform. When you set the Skiff up, the weight of the rear deck, engine, poling platform, console moved back and you or you and your partner will cause the Skiff to slide sideways instead of turning at high speed. The Skiff won't track worth a damn because of the flat bottom when being poled. That same bottom means if you have to run across any open water to get to where you are going to fish (1) you and your gear will get soaked and (2) you'll get bounced around more than a fat lady's boobs while she is jogging. Trying to install a pop-up cleat on the front deck is a hell of a chore, takes 2 people and one of those has to be small enough to climb under the bow through that little hole on the verticle support . May as well have your rear cleats on the poling platform...the round gunnels won't handle them. Make sure no windshield or high rail on the console to keep your flyline clear of it( I always put my console cover on when fly fishing.). Pushpole mounts on the round gunnels are fun, too...lol.

On the plus side...it will not sink.

Regular flats boat...speed is the name of the game and you can mount pop-up cleats forward and on the rear deck...although on the Skipjack I had, I stuck with cleats on the platform. A flatsboat is designed to track correctly when poled. They will turn at high speed. Set up with trim tabs, a dol-fin on the engine and a 4 bladed prop, you can leap up on plane in shallow water.
Crossing open water is a lot easier on the body. No windshield, no grab rail.


----------



## Walton County (Aug 23, 2016)

I have had both and fly fish. You're gonna be hard pressed to beat the versatility of the kayak for fly fishing. 9/10 times I end up wading chasing fish anyhow and the kayak is infinitely stealthier.


----------



## swiss.jake (Nov 5, 2021)

Where from out west? I moved down here from Montana for work and I haven't been able to get it done on the fly. I just started kayak fishing and am looking for people to go with.


----------



## Flyfisher59 (Jan 14, 2019)

I was hitting good around naval Live oaks park area in GB. Haven’t hooked up on the fly yet. But was slamming with live shrimp on spinning.


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

swiss.jake said:


> Where from out west? I moved down here from Montana for work and I haven't been able to get it done on the fly. I just started kayak fishing and am looking for people to go with.


Colorado, we just completed the move. I've been out wading three days, had two legit shots at Reds. I have learned a ton in a short time. We are going to do a remodel on our home here so until that is complete I may or may not get a kayak. In Pensacola now. Live close to three mile.


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

kingfish501 said:


> First, Carolina Skiff...get the 17 or 18 foot. The 16 foot is a lot narrower, which means a little more unstable, especially on the platform. When you set the Skiff up, the weight of the rear deck, engine, poling platform, console moved back and you or you and your partner will cause the Skiff to slide sideways instead of turning at high speed. The Skiff won't track worth a damn because of the flat bottom when being poled. That same bottom means if you have to run across any open water to get to where you are going to fish (1) you and your gear will get soaked and (2) you'll get bounced around more than a fat lady's boobs while she is jogging. Trying to install a pop-up cleat on the front deck is a hell of a chore, takes 2 people and one of those has to be small enough to climb under the bow through that little hole on the verticle support . May as well have your rear cleats on the poling platform...the round gunnels won't handle them. Make sure no windshield or high rail on the console to keep your flyline clear of it( I always put my console cover on when fly fishing.). Pushpole mounts on the round gunnels are fun, too...lol.
> 
> On the plus side...it will not sink.
> 
> ...


Awesome info. Thanks. We are here now full time after a two month moving process. Appreciate the great info!


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

jack2 said:


> welcome back and welcome to the forum.
> jack


Thank you Jack. Just got here for good. Crazy move is done!


----------



## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

Indeed, welcome and I hope to be writing "moving to the area" in a few years, if not sooner. In the meantime, will have to settle for visiting the in-laws as we did this past weekend. While there, saw a couple guys on Sunday working the flats inside the Ft. Pickens entrance in a Panga. Had a flyfisher on the bow, guy poling from a stern platform. Envy reigned.

I like the flair and V of the Panga for when the bay is rough, it's likely easier to pole than a Carolina Skiff (note, I've poled neither) but would think it wouldn't be as skinny as a flats skiff and likely a lot more to push around. Any firsthand experience, thoughts with this hull?


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

Kayakpicker said:


> Indeed, welcome and I hope to be writing "moving to the area" in a few years, if not sooner. In the meantime, will have to settle for visiting the in-laws as we did this past weekend. While there, saw a couple guys on Sunday working the flats inside the Ft. Pickens entrance in a Panga. Had a flyfisher on the bow, guy poling from a stern platform. Envy reigned.
> 
> I like the flair and V of the Panga for when the bay is rough, it's likely easier to pole than a Carolina Skiff (note, I've poled neither) but would think it wouldn't be as skinny as a flats skiff and likely a lot more to push around. Any firsthand experience, thoughts with this hull?


Got my first shot at Ft. Pickens last week from the bank wading...two actually. First one in the pass and the second just west of the Jetty....awesome spot. I'll be back there very soon. I live a block from Bayou Texar and will be spending time tryin to crack the code on that spot soon....


----------



## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

Sounds like you‘re right about where my wife and her Mother both grew up, they were just up from Bayview Park. My FIL, retired Marine aviator, fishes 3-5 days per week, mostly at NAS, Johnson Beach and Naval Live Oaks. Maybe y‘all will bump into each other, but not cross lines. Good luck with and happy code-crackin!


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

Kayakpicker said:


> Sounds like you‘re right about where my wife and her Mother both grew up, they were just up from Bayview Park. My FIL, retired Marine aviator, fishes 3-5 days per week, mostly at NAS, Johnson Beach and Naval Live Oaks. Maybe y‘all will bump into each other, but not cross lines. Good luck with and happy code-crackin!


Ha! I walk our dog down to Bayview. And I was at Johnson Beach a few days ago...you can follow my florida struggles on my Youtube Channel the Grumpy Fly Fisherman...was a guide in Colorado for a few decades in the 80s through the early 2000s. My wife was born and raised in this home we just moved back into on Magnoila. I went to school in Tallahassee, left in 1983 or the west. So good to be back.


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

elgeea2b said:


> Ha! I walk our dog down to Bayview. And I was at Johnson Beach a few days ago...you can follow my florida struggles on my Youtube Channel the Grumpy Fly Fisherman...was a guide in Colorado for a few decades in the 80s through the early 2000s. My wife was born and raised in this home we just moved back into on Magnoila. I went to school in Tallahassee, left in 1983 or the west. So good to be back.


I'm really leaning towards a Hobie Mirage Lynx....to old to haul a heavy boat around.


----------



## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

elgeea2b said:


> Ha! I walk our dog down to Bayview. And I was at Johnson Beach a few days ago...you can follow my florida struggles on my Youtube Channel the Grumpy Fly Fisherman...was a guide in Colorado for a few decades in the 80s through the early 2000s. My wife was born and raised in this home we just moved back into on Magnoila. I went to school in Tallahassee, left in 1983 or the west. So good to be back.


 And another Ha - my wife and I were close to where your home on Saturday as we were cruising one street away on Blackshear (in-laws are looking to move back into East Hill).

Lynx is a very nice, very light craft. Picked up a 12.0 passport for my wife this past year and she loves it; except for it’s lack of speed. I’m in what you’re avoiding -WS Radar 135. Heavy, faster than my Wife’s Hobie, but little else. But most importantly very stable for standup flyfishing.

You’ve got 120 subs on your YouTube channel now. Will drop you a PM when we head back down, maybe we can grab a beer or wet a line.


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

Kayakpicker said:


> And another Ha - my wife and I were close to where your home on Saturday as we were cruising one street away on Blackshear (in-laws are looking to move back into East Hill).
> 
> Lynx is a very nice, very light craft. Picked up a 12.0 passport for my wife this past year and she loves it; except for it’s lack of speed. I’m in what you’re avoiding -WS Radar 135. Heavy, faster than my Wife’s Hobie, but little else. But most importantly very stable for standup flyfishing.
> 
> You’ve got 120 subs on your YouTube channel now. Will drop you a PM when we head back down, maybe we can grab a beer or wet a line.


Sounds great....stay in touch. If I can find a Lynx I may go in, Other choice would be the Old Town Top water PDL120....thx for the info.


----------



## charlietrout (11 mo ago)

The Pensacola area is a very large area. The Pensacola Bay System is huge, with literally thousands of miles of shoreline. Choosing the right boat to fly fish here depends on where you want to fish. Do you want inshore, nearshore or offshore? Do you want big water or small water? Do you want to fish the saltwater flats and bays? Do you want to fish the rivers and creeks that flow into the bay system? Do you want to fish the open Gulf of Mexico?


----------



## elgeea2b (12 mo ago)

charlietrout said:


> The Pensacola area is a very large area. The Pensacola Bay System is huge, with literally thousands of miles of shoreline. Choosing the right boat to fly fish here depends on where you want to fish. Do you want inshore, nearshore or offshore? Do you want big water or small water? Do you want to fish the saltwater flats and bays? Do you want to fish the rivers and creeks that flow into the bay system? Do you want to fish the open Gulf of Mexico?


I'll prefer bay and creek stuff, not overly concerned with Gulf fishing at this point other than surf. I just ordered a Topwater PDL 120 from Old Town, should be here in 10 days or so, I'll start there.


----------

