# What's the smallest boat for Lake St. Clair



## Socks (Jan 8, 2007)

So what's the smallest boat for Lake St. Clair?

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## Dead Bird (Oct 2, 2001)

I read both your threads... I had a 14ft Alumacraft with a modified V that I used at Fish Point... Haresens Island and out in front of SANG and the bay behind metro and in front of Ginos...

It seemed to work.. it was to small for most of Lk St Clair if I got out in the early mornings before the lake would get chopped up from boat traffic... there is alot of good fishing in some of the bays around Harsens and the stretch from 9 mile up to Algonac...


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Smallest I used with any regularity was a 1958 15' Lonestar Malibu. It had a closed bow and windshield that stopped the inevitable wave over the bow from being a disaster. That was back in the 70's when there was a heck of a lot less traffic out there chopping the lake up. (But we would go jumping freighter wakes in it) My Dad would have killed us if he knew. LOL


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

also read both your posts. IMO i wouldn't try to buy 1 boat that does 2 drastically different things unless your are absolutely sure your confident in weather vs. surroundings affect that body of water. Meaning, the bays get awful death defying in a very small amount of time.

if i wanted to do both managed and big water, i would get a big boat...and then a canoe/4hp for managed.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

I've done a 14ft flat bottom....shi kids old boat....but only when I was absolutely sure of the weather....and even then if it was unsafe I stuck close to the launch. But yeah....the advice given above is true....there isn't really truly one good boat for all of Michigan. 

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## taizer (Feb 6, 2009)

some days ive been scared in my 17ft deep v. 
Just pick the days right and honesty any boat will be fine. think of the gys on kayaks


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

14x36 for small lakes, inland marshes, rivers and managed areas....or really shallow spots on the bay. Looking at a 18x54 for bigger water....that's a future purchase though that's going to take a little bit of saving if I get exactly what I want. 

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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

taizer said:


> some days ive been scared in my 17ft deep v.
> Just pick the days right and honesty any boat will be fine. think of the gys on kayaks


Keep in mind some of the kayaks out there handle big water better than most 14ft utility boats. 

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## WACKNSTACK (Dec 9, 2010)

I run a 14r sea nymph with a 25 Johnson on it. I jig the Detroit river. Troll brest bay and have had it on huron bay and keweenaw bay trolling for salmon/lakers off lake superior. Its done me well! 

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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

Swamp Monster said:


> Keep in mind some of the kayaks out there handle big water better than most 14ft utility boats.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Hows your native handle the big stuff? Haven t really punished mine yet so I don't know what it is capable of.


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

Yeah kayaks can handle big water for sure. Seen guys out on lake michigan trolling for salmon with them. Crazy stuff. But I kinda agree with shi kid. Big water is spooky. We used a 14 footer flat bottom with a long shaft go devil for years. It did us OK but when you get in that bigger stuff its spooky. I'd get a boat to do big water and a nice cheap used canoe for other hunting. Even on good days things happen to change big water in a hurry. I've been puckered up many a time. Not the funnest thing ever. Just my thoughts 

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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

jonesy16 said:


> Hows your native handle the big stuff? Haven t really punished mine yet so I don't know what it is capable of.


I don't know yet.... I have not had it on Lake Michigan yet but plan to. It is not an ideal big water boat though so caution will be the name of the game. I will be adding a sit on top to the fleet one of these days that will be used in colder water and big water. Love the Ultimate to much to give it up though since it works so well inland and is so dang comfortable. 

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## deadduck365 (Nov 5, 2010)

Depends on what you mean by LSC. Flats can be smaller. Remember all 3 channels get really nasty fast. Many of the old timers tell me never go smaller than a 16 deep v. I have put mud left in over my head in My 16 plenty of times. It's not fun. Twice I went to a different launch and parked the boat. Then got a ride to the truck and trailer from a friend. Be smart with what you get. 


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## Socks (Jan 8, 2007)

Thanks everyone! I've read on here before that you can't have a do it all duck boat but I thought maybe with the managed areas and the easier areas of LSC I could maybe do both, but it doesn't sound like it. Combine all that with I don't really know enough it doesn't sound like a good idea. 

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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

Socks said:


> Thanks everyone! I've read on here before that you can't have a do it all duck boat but I thought maybe with the managed areas and the easier areas of LSC I could maybe do both, but it doesn't sound like it. Combine all that with I don't really know enough it doesn't sound like a good idea.
> 
> Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Some summer time exploring on calm days can teach you a lot. I was the same way....just didn't feel that I had a good lay out of the land until I started taking the boat out and exploring spots(thanks to some help). Yes its a small boat and I've had a few sketchy moments but its all I have until I get something larger. You learn to make it work and pick your days. I usually have plan a,b,c in case its too rough. Start small. 

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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

Get a 14-15 foot modified-v boat with 20" sides and at least a 42" bottom and a 25hp tiller and you'll be as close to a all around boat as possible. I hunted the sag bay the last 3 weeks by myself in a 1442 with no problems. Just be smart and pick your days for the big water.


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## Peter the Great (Feb 8, 2008)

I have a 15 foot lowe s flat bottom and fish the Detroit river and marine city have to watch the wind and be smart about it ,would not take it to erie


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## bad dog (Mar 31, 2004)

Some of the guys running big boats on SLC can be very rude. In fact, most of them. It not uncommon to have a big boat pass within feet of you. You may have to deal with a five foot wake, on an otherwise calm day. There tends to be a total disregard for the saftey of others. When I ran an 18' tiller I would make a point of getting off the lake by 11:00 AM on weekends.


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## taizer (Feb 6, 2009)

bad dog said:


> Some of the guys running big boats on SLC can be very rude. In fact, most of them. It not uncommon to have a big boat pass within feet of you. You may have to deal with a five foot wake, on an otherwise calm day. There tends to be a total disregard for the saftey of others. When I ran an 18' tiller I would make a point of getting off the lake by 11:00 AM on weekends.


thats the truth


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

WACKNSTACK said:


> I run a 14r sea nymph with a 25 Johnson on it. I jig the Detroit river. Troll brest bay and have had it on huron bay and keweenaw bay trolling for salmon/lakers off lake superior. Its done me well!
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I500 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Good to know. I got a similar boat but only a 9.9. I got a troller for it also. I may try jigging the sag a few times, maybe the d if I get calm days.


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