It's easy goddamit. :laugha:

Towing, maintenance,fog,broken axles on the trailer and all the other B.S. that goes with owning the boat is what killed me. Thus my position that its really harder in a boat. When I'm done surf fishing I simply trudge back to the truck, strip down, little bit of visene in the eyes, and leave with no strings attached. :happy:
If I want to bail fish with abandon I'll jump in my brother's boat and show him how its really done....:fishin:

I've got 40 years experience doing both. There is MUCH, MUCH more to master when trying to become good with a boat than when trying to become good from shore. When it comes to actually finding and catching fish, however, a boat is obviously a huge advantage because you can cover far more ground effectively and use many more techniques than the guy on the beach. The combination of a boat and bait also makes it MUCH more likely a novice will connect with a trophy fish, which is why the size of a fish is a MUCH poorer indication of the fisherman's skill than the obstacles he/she overcame in catching it, and the consistency with which one does so.

They are both labor and time intensive. Boats give you the ability to access places you cant being on shore. They also give you the ability to follow birds, bait, fish into a bay or river or rip, etc.

As for using electronics, a great sounder is an absolute on a boat and yes you can watch fish come up to get the bait. It is especially important offshore. Most people just dont know how to tweak the sounder to maximize its efficiency.
The real good boat guys will outproduce the shore guys not because they are more skilled but rather have more options to fish.

Both are rewarding and fun. Simple as that.

I know where there's a bunch of 40# carp. Lets do it. I'll bring the bread. :buds:

When the fish are scarce the cream always rises to the top.

%$%$%$%$ boats

Are the underoos to change into after cleaning the boat or after we hit the 10' waves? :laugha:

I've never run one solo but have a friend who has one...he's always working on it (painting, etc.), so if we're counting how much of a PITA it is, then shore fishing is definitely less hassle :rollem:
But I thought we were talking about probability of catching fish?

Actually, here's a question for those of you who've done both: What's your personal percentage of getting skunked (i.e., nothing caught at all, even undersized) from shore vs. boat?
And what's the percentage of coming back w/ a keeper from shore vs. boat?

damn right! Seen plenty of boat guys who cant catch a cold

I boat fish with a very skilled Captain. A lot like Fishaholic, its surf fishing from the outside, 90% of the time we are within one cast of the shore.

Advantages: Mobility, you can cover more water and more spots than you can from shore in the same time.

Disadvantages: You'll die if you let your guard down for a second depending on where you are.

I dunno.....getting my little 14 foot pisspot ready for fishing each year is a pain in the ass nevermind towing ,launching getting beat to death in wavage bigger than you should be messing around in etc etc.

Shore and boat fishing both have advantages and disadvantages and after carefull thought both take a lot of time to master.

A good boatfisherman does not a good shorefisherman make and vice a versa.

Different fishing. I remember "the boat days" with my father. Oddly enough I was the youngest but always ended up doing the job of "mate". Cant say I miss many of the close calls I have had on a boat....(did I also forget to mention my lack of grace and coordination?)

I enjoy the surf way more but do enjoy a boat trip from time to time. However like Bigfish said I too feel out of my element. I like being able to move around or do whatever on shore and the scenery is better. I think the boat is just too confining after a days fishing. It wipes me out!

So I guess that being said....I DO believe boat fishing is harder in many respects!!!

Give it a rest !!!
This subject has been beat to death !
Who cares !!!
I can think of other advantages some guys/gals have over both surf and boat !

I sold my boat and shifted entirely to surf fishing because surf fishing in all is easier. When I'm done surf fishing I get in my truck and go home to bed. I don't have to spend hours cleaning and fixing the boat. I don't spend my winters shoveling snow off the boat and preping for the season. Boat fishing is easy if all you do is walk on to a charter and they do all the work.

From reading most of the posts, it seems like the boat guys are doing a decent job of defending themselves for boat fishing. I don't think Saltheart was talking about maintenance, AND....you don't have to defend yourself because you boat fish. It's OK....really it is.
Is there skill to boat fishing ? ABSOLUTELY!
Is it easier to catch fish from a boat ? ABSOLUTELY!
Will it be the quality fish you were looking for? This is where the experience and know-how come into play.
Give an idiot a rod and a ree and a box of sand-worms, send him off to the beach somewhere...and maybe he'll catch something.
Give the same idiot a rod and a reel and a box of worms, and he'll be out of worms before he catches his first fish.
Whether he catches or not, he will get MORE action from a boat. PERIOD.

O.K. Mr. Experience..........to add to your statement, Which style of fishing will give YOU more fish,,, boat or surf when you target LARGE ?

I am to Lazy to surf fish!! I boat only!! Catching fish is easier, but taking care of said boat, surf guys have us beat there!

I was in a spot today were we got 30 fish (stripers) 20 fish 30+ #'s 1 40# and the rest all in the 20's!! Best Bass day ever!!
O yea 171 pounds Fluke also!!

They are both easy, that is why it is known as recreation. When it becomes a job then it is a nuiscance. I don't know anyone that can't see a striped bass on a fishfinder,just look on the floor for crying out loud. You can't see all of them but you can certainly see your share.Anyone who is willing to pay attention to details and has the advantage of learning from a REAL fisherman can do well in a short amount of time.I speak from experience as I have been fortunate to fish with excellent surf as well as boat guys.Some years are better than others in their respective categories but I can't imagine NOT being able to land a lot of quality fish as long as I make the sacrifices that go hand in hand with catching large.I don't believe in a fishing log as much as instinct and I have NEVER caught at the keyboard.
Enjoy the fishing season,for it is gone before you know it. Fish have tails so if they are not in your honey hole one night try again the next. Sooner or later you will hit the jackpot.

Every time ive boat fished either on a charter or on my little boat i have caught more fish than from the shore. If you use the knowledge gained from surf casting and apply it in a boat you are going to catch some fish. The fishfinder is pretty much like cheating. I didnt even look for bait, just like when i fish a lake for LMB. I look for structure and fish it. Add in the tides against the structure and you have a recipe for success. I would like to say if you put any competent surfcaster in a boat he will catch some fish. i must admit i would like to hit a boat and cast towards shore on some of the boulder fields that i fish from shore. Im not knockin boat fishing, we all have seen the impressive results that good fisherman have had. More power to em, id rather catch a 20 from shore than a 40 by boat.

and thats a bad thing?

You sound like my brother.. I like that..:kewl::heybaby::laughs:

I cant wait to get back out for some easy fishing. The best and MOST easiest part of boat fsihing is that at 3am, I have nice warm cup of coffee easily within reach. Beats waking up by a cold wave down my waders.

Actually my 2 largest bass came from shore. I have had an equal % of the skunk boat and shore, not very often, but yes it does happen. It's all about timing and feeding them what they want to eat, that will increase your odds for sure..Boat or Shore. Be safe an enjoy, that's what matters most.

I think one problem here is that people think boat fishing means an 18 footer in a bay somewhere livelining pogies along a rocky shore. Get yourself behind Nantucket in late Oct on Pochet rip, when the ebb starts into a 25 knot SW wind with a 8ft SE swell running as well, gannets filling the air, sea herring being blasted into oblivion, and the bass of your dreams rolling in a seething roaring rip, a wall of water that can and has killed men in a flash towering above your cockpit,...........and your opinion of boat fishing will change plenty fast I assure you.

Boy that bring's back memories of fishing in shall we call it "the white knuckle ride"backing into 12'er's to drop a jig on a full moon nite.watching it crest and the top roll over...fish on.

Good points on both sides.

No I was not including showeling snow off your boat in the winter time as part of my analysis. :)

Oh , BTW , I had a boat for 23 years so I know there is work in keeping it up and yes , it can be dangerous out there. I have sailed through 16 foot waves wind driven against the current. Very hair raising!

To the guy who threw in the stuff about handicap people , well you are pretty far off the mark. Unless you are handicapped , I know more about it than you right now. I have also seen handicapped guys fish from van platforms on beaches and from wheel chairs on boats. They have a ball and some are very knowledgeable.

Minor miracle that the thread goes 53 posts with no explosions. I knew we could discuss this subject inteligently.

I'm a little disappointed steve didn't chime in. He seemed to have a strong opinion on this in another thread and I'd be interested in what he thinks.

Here in China , they use a 21 foot pole to fish for fish the size of the palm of your hand. You know what...its a lot a fun. You should see the excitement as the fish are measured to see who wins the big bottle of beer prize. Of course the difference between the biggest and smallest fish is just about 2 inches. :)

:btu: Way to go Joe - Sounds like a great day.


......I have days like that from shore at least once a week :laughs:

The chances are, the surf heads who haven't converted to boat is one or both of 2 reasons. The first your body hasn't caught up with you, if you fished/worked stupid for many years then sooner or later it will. Second, money. Either you can't afford it, or you have other priorities.
Fact of the matter is, if you've been fishing for a long period of time your skunk/dink outings has surpassed your memorable fish outing 25 to 1 something like that. Fish don't fight any different in a boat the biggest difference is there fat price that not everyone is willing to pay.

Then you head over to Japan and those guys are catching fish that would slap around a 50lb striper then make it call it daddy. :shocked:

(Giant Trevally if you're curious)

It seems like the boat guys feel like they have to defend themselves and the shore guys have to have an excuse as to why they don't catch as much or as big as the boat guys. There are guys (and gals) on this site that fish only from shore that could go out on a boat and catch with a Walmart combo and vise versa for the boat guys.
Bottom line is if you know what you're doing and you put in enough time, you'll catch. I fish both boat and shore and enjoy each for different reasons. Wading at night is relaxing for me while being out on the boat seeing all the sea life is pretty cool too.
Saying boat fishing is easy compared to surf fishing is like saying fishing the canal is easy compared to fishing the surf in south county. Just because some guys go down the canal and consitently catch big fish in the dead of the night doesn't mean that it's easy.
Any fishing for me beats the hell out of my job or the work I have to do around the house.

Thanks Bloo!!!!

Good post !:kewl: