# Erie Fish & Ski Boat Recommendations



## gdalea (Aug 29, 2008)

Looking for recommendations for a trailerable Fish & Ski boat for Lake Erie from those experienced on the lake! What is minimum size recommendation for the lake that I hear can get rough in an instant? What makes, models, recommended motor size and any other suggestions? Grew up fishing Lake St. Clair, but I hear Lake Erie is an entirely different situation! Greatly appreciated!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

A ranger reata 2050 is a very nice ski/erie boat. Another option would be a dual consol boat like my keywest 2020 dc, forsale by the way if your looking used. Personally I feel 20' is about right for traiering ease plus fishability while not too big to hinder skiing ability with huge wakes. Another option would be a starcraft dual consol if you wanted a good all around boat. The boat show starts next weekend and there will be all brands avaiable to look around in. I know vics should have plenty of starcrafts and rangers to check out.

Scott


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## JerryA (Aug 16, 2004)

Crestliner Sportfish and Superhawk are good tin combo boats. The 17 degree hull, 25 in transom and bow design will handle Erie in most conditions - within reason. 18-20 ft and get a bigger motor if you plan to use it a lot for water sports. These boats setup nice for casting, jigging, drifting and trolling. You can easily take off the fishing equipment and they become good ski boats. One nice design feature of these boats is the rear deck access to the stern. This is good for fishing out the back of the boat and, with a ski ladder/platform, makes getting in and out of the boat easy. It's a matter of personal choice, but I would never own a boat for Lake Erie without a full windshield.


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

I can see maybe skiing on sandusky bay, but even with 1 footers on main lake, be kinda rough. be careful about skiing over someone's planer boards too


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

just my 2 cents but in my opinion the rangers dont have enough freeboard for the big lake. Seen an awful lot of that style boats bobbing in the waves cause they've been washed out. I would recomend the starcraft 20ft fishmaster myself has an enclosed motor well and one of the deepest hulls for its size out there. You want a deep interior especially if kids are gonna be onboard.
just my 2 cents
triple-j


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## ohiojmj (Apr 16, 2004)

You didn't mention your budget for a boat or details of your fishing desires. You don't need a 20 footer to troll or perch fish a few miles from shore on fishable days (less than 3 or 4 footers). There's plenty of 17 and 18 foot aluminum deep V's out there during the soft water season, but bigger boats improve your odds of returning if the weather gets nasty.


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

I've had a Lund 1750 Tyee for several years. My kids learned to ski behind it on inland lakes and I've put lots of Eries trip on it. It will take bigger water than I want to ride in . Anything over 3's gets pretty bumpy. Overall, I've been very satisfied with it. It doesn't take a dually to tow either. I have a 90hp on it. Sometimes I wish it had a bit more for skiing, but on Erie there arent too many times when you'll run full throttle. I have a 9.9 kicker for trolling and the boat is small enough that I can use it on the 9.9 lakes if I want to. The 9.9 will get me about 7mph. For me, it's been a great all around boat and is deep enough that I've felt safe with the kids when they were smaller. The open bow is great for cruising and has a cover for Erie. On nice days, the cushions come out and a pedistal goes in. Every boat has it's good and bad features but this one has suited us to a T. Hope this helps!
Whatever you get, make sure you get a good radio and GPS!
Scott


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## buck.eyehunter (May 27, 2007)

In my opinion ranger are great in big water I have a 621 and fished lewt, mwc, many other events, and count less hours out on lake erie. and have fished in fourty mph winds with fifty mph gusts with 8 to 10s ft waves and felt safe. 
so with that being said. there enough. yes starcrafts are great too. as well as many others. I would go to vics sportcenter they have both or hitch a ride with somebody that would be best. my 2 cents .............................mike


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## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

10 foot waves and felt safe????????wow!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

Double J said:


> 10 foot waves and felt safe????????wow!


He was in a ranger and he is so fearless he would battle chuck Norris! If you have ever seen his killer mustache you would understand!


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

If I had his "stash" I wouldn't be afraid of anything either 

I've had my 621 in some ass puckering conditions that would make a grown man cry and leave most other boats at the dock...handles it fine...Hetfieldinn sold his Lund with all sorts of freeboard...after riding in my 621 in monster waves 25-30 NE winds 6-8 ft swells. he was shocked at how well it rides. Freeboard is false saftey as far as boat handleing goes...doesn't mean jack. Ride in one and you'll understand. Starcrafts are some bad dudes too with the 19 degree deadrise as well...just a little wetter.


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## buck.eyehunter (May 27, 2007)

I was not trying to sound tough chuck norris is one bad mofo. There is a difference between
Scared and ass puckering. I didn't feel my life was in danger. This day I refer to was a lewt event 
This past may and papascott will vouch about conditions as he was there. ..... Mike


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## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

with 10 footers keep her docked and fish another day.


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## rod bender bob (May 19, 2004)

buck.eyehunter said:


> In my opinion ranger are great in big water I have a 621 and fished lewt, mwc, many other events, and count less hours out on lake erie. and have fished in fourty mph winds with fifty mph gusts with 8 to 10s ft waves and felt safe.
> so with that being said. there enough. yes starcrafts are great too. as well as many others. I would go to vics sportcenter they have both or hitch a ride with somebody that would be best. my 2 cents .............................mike


Did you have to slow down to 50 mph. Hope the original poster has more sense than to do this. .


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## buck.eyehunter (May 27, 2007)

This day I referred to was a tournament. It was not those condition in the morning. The original poster was asking about a fish and ski boat a ranger reatta was suggested and rangers where bashed. About getting washed out in big water. I was stating I was stuck out when it got rough and it did not get swamped,washed out or what ever.

This post was hijacked and sorry if affected anybody by it. No I don't go out in those conditions and never suggested anybody to. I was north of kellys when it got windy. Along with 50 other boats. No you can't go fifty in those conditions let's be realistic about it.


Mike


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

TRIPLE-J said:


> just my 2 cents but in my opinion the rangers dont have enough freeboard for the big lake. Seen an awful lot of that style boats bobbing in the waves cause they've been washed out.


I've been fishing the big lake since 1976, and I've never seen a single boat 'of that style' washed out (I have no idea what that means, but I take it that it means swamped). If you have, that tells me that you saw someone that has no business owning a boat, let alone taking it out on Lake Erie. I was sold on Ranger boats less than a mile from the dock that day I went out with K Gone in his. I bought a 2050 Reata the following season. It is touted as Ranger's fish and ski boat. I was 18 miles out in 5-7 footers twice this season, and never had a doubt that I would get back to the dock safely.

When unfortunate events happen in inclement weather out on the lake, the majority of the time it is due to pilot error, ie: an idiot at the wheel.


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## Reel Bad Habit (Feb 9, 2007)

Pilot error means Shouldn't have left the dock. I have hauled many back to the ramp.


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## Team Pursuit (Mar 27, 2008)

uuummmmmm, nevermind...lmao


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