Happy New Year MFCC! 
With winter now upon us, I figured now would be the perfect time to share this post which I've been planning on writing for quite some time.
I grew up fishing in a little aluminum skiff with an engine no larger than 25-30hp, and over the years I've been fortunate to have caught countless fish from these tiny vessels.
The author and his fiancé Kenzie Lloyd can often be spotted fishing together for striped bass, flounder and other species on calm days during the summer on the waters of Cape Cod Bay.
As you may have seen in numerous fishing videos filmed with Ryan of MFCC, he also owns a small boat and is able to land plenty of fish!
From fishing freshwater ponds for stocked trout, to chasing the largest of stripers, to even once hooking a tuna, I know from experience that these small vessels, when paired with the right engine, can do it all.
In this post I'd like to share my experiences owning and using a small boat, and discuss a few of the many advantages of small boat ownership.
Boat Ownership Challenges
Pictured here is the author's 16’ Lowe Sea Nymph aluminum. The boat is paired with a 25 Mercury HP outboard engine, and it's been in the author's family for over 20 years.
There are many cliches when it comes to boat ownership, and many of them do hold true. For example, we've all heard how boat is an acronym for "break out another thousand" and how the best kind of boat is your buddy's boat etc.
Boat ownership sure does have its hassles and headaches, but to me those are minor inconveniences when it comes to the most important thing of all - how boats allows us time on the water.
Three big challenges with boat ownership include:
These "big three" are a lot to keep up with, especially as the size of the boat increases. However, you don’t need the biggest and baddest boat out there to have a successful fishing trip.
Small Boat Benefits
When fishing from a small boat, the term "pick your days" is quite applicable. Larger vessels can of course handle windier days and rougher seas much better.
Larger boats also have a greater range and are able to head further offshore. With that said, small boats come with their own set of benefits.
Here's a few that come to mind...
With fuel prices continually on the rise, many anglers are on a budget these days. I’m astounded when I see $500 plus dollar fuel receipts. With a small vessel, I generally average around $25-$30 for a full tank.
Shallow Water Striper Fishing
Smaller boats make it easy to get into areas where stripers like to hang in shallow.
For example, the two schoolies in the photo below lead us to a school of more than 100 stripers that were hanging in less than 3 feet of water!
In fact, some of the bigger stripers I’ve ever caught were taken in very shallow water that would be too shallow for larger vessels to access.
For example, this past summer from out of nowhere a beautiful 46 inch bass ate a small piece of mackerel that Kenzie was chunking on the bottom in shallow.
This fish took us for quite the Nantucket sleigh ride, before we were able to revive and release the fish safely. It was another pleasant shallow water surprise to say the least.
In addition, a smaller vessel will also allow you to keep pace with a school of blitzing stripers (or bluefish or albies) without causing too much of a commotion.
Small Boat Versatility
A key part in fostering my lifelong passion for the ocean has been through the striper fishing I've done from my small boat. However, striper fishing is certainly not the only activity you can pursue from these vessels.
New England's coastal and inland waters offer a wide variety of opportunities for small boat anglers. Whether you want to fish freshwater or salt, you'll be able to target many different species.
For example, for Kenzie and I, our fishing season generally starts in the early spring with trout and bass.
One amazing aspect of small boat fishing on Cape Cod is that you could be chasing big striped bass in the salt in the morning from your small boat, and then fishing for trout and other freshwater species in the afternoon-from the same small boat!
Recreational lobstering is another small boat activity that my friends and family and I have enjoyed each summer for as long as I can remember.
Spearfishing for tautog is another activity in which the small boat shines. With the smaller vessel I'm easily able to get in tight to the rocks and boulders which tautog love.
Stripers, bluefish, black sea bass, and even bluefin tuna are all accessible to the small boat owner.
With regards to tuna, although I was not hooked up for very long, a few years ago I hooked into a bluefin tuna from my small boat while fishing near a school of pogies in Cape Cod Bay.
This happened in less than 30 feet of water!
A few years ago the author hooked into a bluefin tuna from his small boat while fishing near a school of menhaden in Cape Cod Bay.
It's really just up to the small boat owner (and the weather) to go as far as they feel comfortable to target a multitude of species.
Electronics for Small Boats
Until recently, I had never really thought about adding electronics to my small boat due to the lack of housing for the wiring and just overall lack of space in the boat.
Yet after watching a few Youtube DIY videos on how to install a fish finder on Jon boats, I discovered that installing electronics is actually quite simple, and it's been an absolute game changer when on the water.
After some trial and error I was able to add a fish finder, which has really helped a lot when it comes to locating fish. I used to blindly search without a fish finder onboard, and I can only imagine the amount of fish that I missed out on.
Having a GPS until onboard with a Navionics chart overlay can also help increase safety, especially when navigating unfamiliar waters or when stuck in the fog.
In Conclusion
Owning a big boat is a lot of work, especially for people who are just getting into boating and fishing. It can also be intimidating to invest a lot of money into a larger vessel, especially if you have never owned a boat before.
From my experience as a small boat owner, I feel a small boat really is a great way to get introduced into the world of boating and fishing at a much more reasonable cost.
Yes you may be sacrificing comfort, space, and speed, but with a small vessel I feel you can still enjoy your time on the water just as much as with a larger boat.
Many people come with the assumption that bigger boats catch bigger fish, but I tend to disagree. Sure you’re not going to make it to Stellwagen Bank in a small skiff, but you will be more than able to target many inshore havens where big fish reside.
Tight lines and Happy New Year! 
I used my father in laws 14’ aluminum boat for years fishing pleasant bay,and even the mighty Merrimack… countless stripers caught. Commercially caught 1500 lbs one season.
Spot on Charlie – could have been the story of my life. I still prefer small boats for the tight spots and tidal access they offer. I currently run a 19 foot Katchemak Dory (nice beach landings) glass on wood that came newly built with a 50HP that had to be downgraded to 30HP. As it turned out it was the perfect time to buy a new motor so I’m thrilled. I can remember as kids snorkeling around Falmouth Light with homemade spear guns we made from golf course poles with rubber tubing. Fishing out of Menemsha in a small wooden rowboat with an antique 10HP that needed a wine cork to keep the float chamber up – we’d leave the families for the day at the pubic beach, go north along the island and across to the Elizabeth’s where the sound narrows. then we’d tack from island to island fishing all the tight quiet places. We were fearless then but we always ate good vacationing there. There was a time when Aquinnah was known as Gay Head. It was a clothing optional beach then and a dip in the clay baths offered great sun protection for a day of nude surf fishing there. As I recall it was a devil of a job to get that clay layer off at the end of the day. Another annual trek was a 10-14 day stay in Waquoit Bay every year at Washburn Island. Fishing every day the weather permitted along the coast. Cheapest real estate on the Cape right there at the 11 site campground. We learned to smoke bluefish with bayberry leaves and they’d keep in the freezer for a year, made a sought after pate during the holidays. I could go on, thanks for the swell of memories!
Love that comment Mike! Thank you for sharing your memories. I really appreciate it.
Charlie-
You did a great job putting that article together! You might consider giving professional writing a try. I can see what you wrote above to be on par with (at least) almost anything you can find in any of the major fishing magazines. You have talent!
Happy New Year!
Thanks Jason! I appreciate your supportive feedback. I really enjoy writing about my experiences on the water and explaining techniques on how to do certain things pertaining to fishing/hunting/outdoors etc. Ryan has given me an awesome platform on here to reach out to other fellow fishermen with my articles so I’m glad you enjoyed this. Have a Happy new year and cheers to the 2025 fishing season!
Charlie
Thanks for the great article Charlie. I have been considering “going smaller” in order to fish in more places, salt and fresh water. My grandson has caught the fishing bug and I think a smaller boat would be perfect for us.
Thank you Charlie. I work the fuel dock at the Sandwich Marina two days a week during the season. It is thousands of dollars to fill these beautiful boats / yachts. The owners have always been very nice and will even tip. We all can enjoy the time on the water in skiffs and yachts. Happy New Year!
Very nice write-up Charlie. Calm summer mornings on a 12 foot boat and 6hp off the Bourne, Sandwich and Barnstable coastlines with my dad will always be memories that I cherish. I hope to repeat the same experience someday soon with my daughter. Thanks for the post! Good winter reading for sure.
Thanks Ryan! Every summer I look forward to getting out on those grease calm summer mornings, whether that be for fishing or lobstering. It is truly a memorable experience each time. Happy New year Ryan!
Charlie
There was a time when sixteen foot tin boats were the go to craft for many inshore fisherman due to their cost and versatility. I had a sixteen foot Duranautic which at that time was a heavily built welded utility boat and fished it from Maine to Block Island. As noted, you picked your days. I modified it by building a small electronics box in which I housed my Sitex paper machine and an Apelco Loran C. ( Now dating myself ) with a few laminated navigational charts in plastic tubes that I could take the numbers from or enter waypoints. For power I had a Johnson Workhorse 40 tiller and extention handle which was nothing more than a detuned 50. OMC even made a kit where you could change out the carb jets and run diesel, but I never did it. I had the dealer put on an alternator kit so I could run lights and electronics. That boat provided me with many banner days/nights and to this day a small boat with a capable captain on the helm can get alot done.
That sounds like quite the vessel you had there Gary! Thanks for sharing! I agree capable captains can get a lot done in those vessels. Have a happy new year!
Charlie