Help/Advise needed. I have a 22’ bay boat that I would like to take out for “nearshore” fishing (15-30 miles out). I hear blackfin tuna would be a possibility in the winter and mahi mahi in the spring. Do I have this right? Where do I go for these fish? What do I catch them on? Is there anything else that I can fish for in that range of 15-30 miles?
Thanks for the help!
Sure! Pick your nice weather days and have at it. Swing by the local tackle shops or shoot me a PM for all your trolling tackle needs. Buy a maps unique chart or copy the DNR pages, Fish 150 to 210 feet most anywhere up and down the ledge. Look for temp breaks and weedlines. Ballyhoo is great bait so are cedar plugs and stretch 25s.
Be safe out there!
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Awesome advise listed above
experience noun \ik-#712;spir–#601;n(t)s
the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation
that thing you get just moments after you needed it.
x2… seriously pay attention to the weather and have a safety plan. been fishing in my buddies bay boat offshore now for a while… it works 
“mr keys”
A bay boat out that far sounds like a frightening prospect to me (15 miles sounds a lot better than 30), but if you’re determined to do it? download the Fishweather app or go on sailflow.com and study the Nearshore & Chas buoy forecasts leading up to your go day. In a bay you’re looking for 0-2ft seas & light wind. With no outriggers, maybe a four line spread using something like Shimano TLD25 rod/reel combos running some sea witch skirts rigged with ballyhoo.
Edgewater 225 Express w/ 225 Yam
“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” - Sir Arthur C. Clarke
15-30 ain’t gonna get you to 150’. Bay boats are kinda meant for the bay IMO. A 22 DV CC is not that big at all in any kind of weather.
Not to piggyback this thread, but I have a similar question. My family and I recently moved here from Southern California… career Marine on my final tour before retirement. We purchased a 21ft Sea Hunt when we moved here in July and have had a great time learning to fish around the Beaufort area, to include the Betsy Ross reef. However, it’s been trial by fire to this point, and really the only thing we’ve been successful catching are BSBs and very small sharks. To put it into context, I’m not completely clueless in regard to maritime operations , navigation and safety (spent my fair share of time embarked aboard ships and lived on a boat for several years growing up), however, my fishing skills and knowledge is seriously lacking. I’ve got three girls who are quickly growing bored of catching BSBs… looking to open the aperture a bit and am considering a trip to the ledge in the Spring. The question I have for the members of the forum is whether or not a trip to the ledge would be advisable in a 21ft CC and any other recommendations, guidance or helpful information. Thanks!
I’m far from an expert here, but in my couple seasons offshore here, Wx/Sea Conditions will keep you inside the jetties probably 90% of the days with that kind of boat. Learned the hard way with a couple 6-7 hour rides back to the harbor from 200 ft in a 24ft CC. If the wind forcast has an N or an E in it…no matter how light…Forget it.
We will get those days where it can look like a mill pond out there, however…on those days…Go for it and catch 'em up!
quote:
Originally posted by WyomarineNot to piggyback this thread, but I have a similar question. My family and I recently moved here from Southern California… career Marine on my final tour before retirement. We purchased a 21ft Sea Hunt when we moved here in July and have had a great time learning to fish around the Beaufort area, to include the Betsy Ross reef. However, it’s been trial by fire to this point, and really the only thing we’ve been successful catching are BSBs and very small sharks. To put it into context, I’m not completely clueless in regard to maritime operations , navigation and safety (spent my fair share of time embarked aboard ships and lived on a boat for several years growing up), however, my fishing skills and knowledge is seriously lacking. I’ve got three girls who are quickly growing bored of catching BSBs… looking to open the aperture a bit and am considering a trip to the ledge in the Spring. The question I have for the members of the forum is whether or not a trip to the ledge would be advisable in a 21ft CC and any other recommendations, guidance or helpful information. Thanks!
First off, thank you for your service.
The best advice anyone could give when asked about taking your boat to the ledge would be for you to go with someone else experienced first. There’s a lot that can go wrong if you aren’t prepared for it. Post up in the fishing matchup section and you’ll get a ride soon enough. Get comfortable and familiar with offshore fishing before you take your kids out there.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of incredible fishing nearshore that your boat is well designed for around Charleston. The nearshore reefs are fantasic spring through fall. We also have excellent king fishing in the hot summer months; troll live menhadden as slow as your boat w
If you are having real thoughts about the bay boat offshore, pm me your e-mail and I’ll be happy to share my experiences and knowledge of bay boat life over the last 9yrs. I’ve fished out of a 21’6" Key West Bay Reef the last 6+yrs out in the ocean and in a 19’6" Bay Reef the years prior. It can be done safely and just as productive. The main difference is that your margin of error is smaller than others in regards to weather and general safety decisions.
“The problem that infuriates you the most is the one you are meant to solve.”
There are plenty of people with bigger boats always looking for a crew…
But if your hell bent on doing it in your boat,it can be done just lots of planing,like was said,the smaller the boat the less margin for error you will have…and the less days you can fish comfortably too…
quote:He's one of those people. Go fishing with Mr. Bob aka Gutwrench! Oh and 23Sailfish is spot on! 14' Skiff-"Redfish Reaper"
Originally posted by Gut WrenchThere are plenty of people with bigger boats always looking for a crew….
But if your hell bent on doing it in your boat,it can be done just lots of planing,like was said,the smaller the boat the less margin for error you will have…and the less days you can fish comfortably too…
EPIRB in the summer is key. Buddy boat in the winter since an EPIRB won’t keep you warm if you end up in the water.
That being said, with the wind lately your boat will be stuck inshore with the rest of us.
26 Seahunt
Angler’s Dream
I guess i’ll be the first to mention them…
You need some of these
http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=125356
quote:
Originally posted by 23Sailfishquote:
Originally posted by WyomarineNot to piggyback this thread, but I have a similar question. My family and I recently moved here from Southern California… career Marine on my final tour before retirement. We purchased a 21ft Sea Hunt when we moved here in July and have had a great time learning to fish around the Beaufort area, to include the Betsy Ross reef. However, it’s been trial by fire to this point, and really the only thing we’ve been successful catching are BSBs and very small sharks. To put it into context, I’m not completely clueless in regard to maritime operations , navigation and safety (spent my fair share of time embarked aboard ships and lived on a boat for several years growing up), however, my fishing skills and knowledge is seriously lacking. I’ve got three girls who are quickly growing bored of catching BSBs… looking to open the aperture a bit and am considering a trip to the ledge in the Spring. The question I have for the members of the forum is whether or not a trip to the ledge would be advisable in a 21ft CC and any other recommendations, guidance or helpful information. Thanks!
First off, thank you for your service.
The best advice anyone could give when asked about taking your boat to the ledge would be for you to go with someone else experienced first. There’s a lot that can go wrong if you aren’t prepared for it. Post up in the fishing matchup section and you’ll get a ride soon enough. Get comfortable and familiar with offshore fishing before you take your kids out there.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of incredible fishing nearshore that your boat is well designed for around Charl
rapchizzle… you are the man! thanks for giving me a laugh
“mr keys”
quote:
Originally posted by RapchizzleI guess i’ll be the first to mention them…
You need some of these
http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=125356
This made me smile…My new avets need to be broken in…I miss fishing.
2006 pioneer 197 SF 150 4s
Yeah, 30 miles out is about 100’ or so. My limited experience has had me go about 50 miles off to find the “temp breaks” during the Dolphin season. Even in a 22’ CC, it has taken me 2 plus hours to get out that far in “OK” seas. I can’t imagine the ride in 3 foot at 6 to 8 seconds with 15 knots of wind in a bay boat. Not trying to discourage, but you really should make sure the day you go out is predicted to be GREAT for ALL day, not just a window in the day. Maybe even like a great day before and the day of in the predictions. And going out with someone who has done this before, in a boat similar to yours is PRICELESS experience. That way it takes the guess work out of it for you, and you get to sit back, learn and fish. It was how I did it around here, until I was comfortable enough to take my own boat out.
If you take a wave over the front where do your scuppers drain? Overboard? Into the bilge? You need at least 2 bilge pumps wired to seperate batteries one needs to be big 1500-2000 gph with seperate discharges preferrably out seperate sides of the boat.
You will need the best foul weather gear they make even on a light wind day you are not going to get out of the spray. A little spray running 10 miles off is no big deal, for a couple hours straiht? a different story
Trim tabs would really help even with a bay boat.
I have a bay boat as well as an offshore boat… I really wouldnt even consider going past the ross or at the most the first tower unless it was flat with no chance of frontal passage for a minimum of 24 hours before or after.
Which around here is almost never…
There are too many times you look at the weather and its 5-10kts and it never drops below 15kts all day. Or you look at the forecase and it says winds 5-10kt increasing to 15-20 after midnight and you are running in at 4pm in a 20kt wind in stacked 3 to 4’s getting soaked.
I would spend some time on an offshore boat at the ledge for a few trips and you will know if taking your bay boat out there is something you want to do.
Thats being said my friend has a 20 foot sea hunt escape that we fish and dive from all the time. Even on a choppy day if its stacked up you will still get to the nearshore reefs even if you are only making 12-15kts
There is a lot of great advice given above, maybe with the exception of the Tidalrails 
A couple of things were not mentioned that are most important to me, the quality, design and construction of the boat, and the knowledge, experience and skill of the skipper. You did not mention the boat brand, which to me could make a huge difference in my decision to go or not. And how much experience do you have running small boats in rough waters? A good captain can take a rowboat across the Pacific. A bad one wouldn’t be safe crossing a lake in a lifeboat.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose