Thread: WTB something to get me on the water

Scott, 3 yrs ago i was in the same situation you are in. I watched Craigslist for probably close to a year and in early Oct I found what I was looking for and it was "nearby". After summer is probably the best time to find what something, IMHO. Also, there is a facebook group called "fishing supplies for sale" that you might check out. Anyways, good luck!

Check Arkansas too. Bigger selection of boats, especially Jon boats, than OK.

Originally Posted by Scott Hemstreet

I'm running some WTB ads on Craigslist for a smaller boat and another for a kayak or 2-man pontoon type boat in the northwest OK and the OKC sections. Maybe I will find something in the $1000 - $2000 range that will work.

Having said that, I live in Enid and have just started actually catching some fish down at Carl Blackwell. I tried Canton from shore and it was a bust. Considering some trips to Ponca City over the next week or so to check Ponca Lake, Sooner Lake, and Kaw Lake.

With limited funding, what would you guys recommend? Jon boat, small V-hull, little toon, or fishing yak? Crappie, sand bass, walleye, striper, LMB, and even cats are the targets.

Depends on where you are going to fish. For Creeks and Streams any of the above will work. For Oklahoma lakes I would choose nothing smaller than a 14' V-hull and even then I would be selective on what weather I fished in. A 16-17' deep wide-bow aluminum bass boat would work much of the time but I would get it in a modified V and you won't find something like that in your price range. Even small Oklahoma lakes can be problems in the wind. I would not put a short jon boat on an Oklahoma lake except maybe a few days a year (they are super in creeks and streams.) Watch Craigslist as buys do come around. Also check the ads in Crappie.Com - occasionally there are some real bargains to be had.

Originally Posted by Scott Hemstreet

I'm running some WTB ads on Craigslist for a smaller boat and another for a kayak or 2-man pontoon type boat in the northwest OK and the OKC sections. Maybe I will find something in the $1000 - $2000 range that will work.

Having said that, I live in Enid and have just started actually catching some fish down at Carl Blackwell. I tried Canton from shore and it was a bust. Considering some trips to Ponca City over the next week or so to check Ponca Lake, Sooner Lake, and Kaw Lake.

With limited funding, what would you guys recommend? Jon boat, small V-hull, little toon, or fishing yak? Crappie, sand bass, walleye, striper, LMB, and even cats are the targets.

First I had a yak then I ran a flat nosed 16 foot aluminum tracker with a 40 HP for two years. The waves at Kaw lake finally did the rivets in. Anything small in that part of the state will really limit when you can go out because the wind. I run a new 17.5 foot modified V-nose tracker now, and things are now a lot less... shall we say... interesting, and I dont mind that! Getting back to the dock when the waves come up shouldn't be a white knuckle adventure. I would save longer if need be and skip the white knuckle adventures and get a boat suited to your part of the state. At least 17 foot and a V or modified V.

You didn't mention if this needed to be "lake ready" of if you are able to put some work into fixing it up. If you can do some work on the boat (but one with a good running motor already), you open yourself up to a lot more possibilities.

I just did a search on Craigslist for Tulsa area for your price range and there were lots of nice fishing boats that are lake ready.

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/boa/4489806501.html

If you have intentions of fishing Kaw or Sooner, better have a V bottom 16' or longer unless your an accomplished boater in high and rough waters. Those lakes are extremely rough in high wind conditions. Also check the Wichita Ks craigs list. They have no lakes around them, so when they sell boats, its usually cheap compared to folks selling boats around the Ok lake areas.