Jim,
Don't let yourself be fooled into believing its that much easier, because it isn't. You think you're gonna go out there with 10 bunker and catch 10 30-45 pounders you've got some learning to do. The majority of what you'll catch is the same as what you get from the beach 15-25 pounds. And then there's gas, getting bait, keeping it alive, the extremely high mortality rate of the fish you catch and that sick realization that there are not hoardes of 40's throwing themselves at your bait. Take a deep breath, fishing is supposed to be fun
, don't stress about the bass you're not catching and know that by the time you get your boat in the water, those bass will be dropping out of there and heading along our coast.
-Dave