Offshore Fishing

[Hoski1]

First Thing , Iam new to this site . I wanted to say hello to everyone here . *8)

Iam interested in buying a wellcraft v20 , was wondering if I can go alittle off shore with this boat ???

or what size of a boat or what kind would be a ideal for the bay and a little offshore fishing ???

[TMcGovern]

8)I use mine for both inshore and if inlet and weather good some offshore. Travel out of Oregon Inlet and that thing can get real nasty quick. Even the larger sounds get pretty choppy and V20 handles it all very well

[mmiklosz]

The V20 can handle rough water at a level equal to most other manufacturer's 25 footers. You are still limited by a 60 gallon tank. You need to still be careful. I upgraded from an older Johnson outboard to a new Yamaha because I want to fish for salmon 10-20 miles out into Lk. Michigan.

[macojoe]

Were are you located at??

I have been as far as 25 miles out with mine. Thats off of Cape Cod.
As long as you watch the wind and stuff you will be fine!!
At the first sign of wind or little white water its time to head in! V20's give you a false sense of security!! I have been fishing and the thing is so stable while drift fishing, even in the nasty water, that you may not realize its time to head in!!
But it will get you home!! ;D

[tlb888]

Hoski1,

I went out of Oregon Inlet striper fishing last weekend and traveled 57 miles north and back on a 60 gaL tank with about 15 gal remaining. The only problem is trusting a digital yamaha gauge. I will be purchasing a flowscan soon. These boats are very capable of going offshore you just have to pick your days. Oh ya kept 3 stripers from 35-38 and released many blue fish from 25-35 inches.

Tracy


1983 V20
200 Yamaha

[Blue_Runner]

I've taken mine out of OI striper fishing this winter. *27 miles one way, troll several hours, and headed back all on 36 gallons. *I believe the gulfstream is only 25 miles offshore out of OI, which should be well within in range on a pretty day. *I hope to try it out this June or July.

TMcGovern, have you boated any tuna, dolphin, wahoo in your V20? Also do you have outriggers?

Thanks,
Blue

[garbubba]

I run offshore in Mississippi out to 35 miles to fish reefs & rigs & the V20 can do that easily. It can also pull up to a barrier island beach, swing stern to beach & let my pretty little wife get off dry. Few (if any) boats can do both so well.

Doug

[offshorega]

Same as garbubba, but out of Savannah. The v20 is an extremely versatile and capable vessel in the hands of a skilled cap'n.

[sfprovyn]

The wonderful little V-20 with a single engine and 60 gal tank was not in my humble opinion designed to be a canyon runner but on clear calm days I've seen them as well as whalers and gradys of the same size 15 to 20 miles out but I prefer bigger boats with twins and extended fuel capabilities for long big water runs but thats just me.The older I get the more I realize how quickly the Ocean can turn from calm to deadly in a short period of time because I am retired and get out 4 days a week all year long . I truly love V-20's but 4 foot quartering seas mean a very long trip back in with following seas at inlets right on your tail plus freighters , tugs and other traffic. I've been caught out like that myself numerous times and its best to find a big sport fisherman or dive boat to suck up behind especially when running dangerous inlets like here in North Carolina. Frank

[Skools Out]

Hey sfprovyn,
Where are you located in NC?

[sfprovyn]

Skools out:I live in Beaufort on the intercoastal. Frank

[Skools Out]

hey really is that your V20 sitting on the lift on Front St. in Beaufort? I have a place at Emerald Isle so i go to Beaufort every other weekend. We should go fishing sometime once it warms up some.

[on_the_fly]

I have gone out Barnegate NJ inlet on days the bigger boats with charters have turned back. I have also been out (pick your days) around 16 miles offshore...and that was with an old Merc on the stern. I hope to close in the transom, add a bracket, and repower -should get me out a bit farther and safer.

[sfprovyn]

Skools out: No its not mine but there are a bunch around and very cheap in my opinion considering the incredible hull design and overall quality. A fishing friend of mine went out last week in my albemarle when I was out of the country and caught a 520 pound Blue fin dressed and lost another one that just would not come in that he thought would go even larger . Two guys taking turns on the reel could not get him close enough to the boat so they gave up and cut him off, they were around 31 miles out from the Sea Buoy in 4 foot seas. I've got to go to Asia for a while but I will get up with you in the spring. Frank

[Skools Out]

sounds good, do you ever fish in The Big Rock?

[sfprovyn]

Skools Out: No I dont do any tournament fishing but I have a lot of friends that do. I've only lived here for a year and a half so I am still finding my way around with some long trips to Asia now and then which breaks up my fishing plans. I still go back to the Virginia Chesapeake bay quite a bit where I fished for over 27 years and recently brought my Albemarle back to Beaufort and am selling it to a friend of mine in Wilmington who is really in to the Tuna thing but I'm not. I bought a Wellcraft 25 coastal which I actually like better than the Albemarle for my kind of short trip off shore fishing . 500 pound Tuna are a lot of work and I would much rather catch dolphin and kings plus I get some nice puppy drum and trout right off my dock.Last week I was in Costa Rica and we did OK on Sails but no real monsters.The Grouper bite was incredible unfortunately the Snook were few and far between and it was blowing very hard on the Pacific side. I am going after Stripers for a few days next week in the Chesapeake where the guys are getting some over 40 pounds but with my luck it will probably be blowing 30 out of the north east.....Frank

[steelheader13]

As a very new member here, I will say yes this boat can go offshore fishing, but so can a canoe !!!!!

Be smart, buddy boat when possible, have all necessary gear, PICK YOUR DAYS, watch the weather.

All Captain's experience levels and boat handling abilities are different. Know your limits and don't push the envelope. Live to fish another day.

I have run 30-35+ miles out of and back in Sebastian inlet in Florida, which can get as ugly as any inlet in this state, this is a great boat hull, but certainly not invincible.