Advice needed for a noob here...

[CWFAsian1129]

Hey guys, I live in Palmetto, FL and I only fish from shore. I do not have any kind of offshore experience beside when I went out few offshore trips with experienced fishermans

One of my buddy's dad bought a 18.5ft 115hp Johnson single motor with 24 gal fuel tank on a v-hull boat and he wants to start to do some fishing. This boat has live bait well and few installed rod holders.
And also we are planning to take this boat out only when its a calm and Sunny day

The question is, is this boat capable to do any kind of offshore fishing?

If it is, what do we need in order to start to prep?

We don't have a fish finder or anything...we have a boat and rods but no experience...

Any recommendation or suggestion would be deeply appreciated. Like how to locate fish and what kind of equipments, rigs and else we need. We would love to catch some snappers and groupers if that's possible

[TerribleTed]

No experience with boat?

lets see the boat.

If you don't have any experience fish the intercostal for a wile just to hang of how the boat runs. I will suggest a GPS and a dash mounted compass. seriously you can get tuned around easy offshore. GPS sometime fail. Calm and sunny can turn into lighting and nasty and praying you make it to shore.


But its a blast I run a 19 foor bayboat No problem running 20-30 mile off.Is the boat self bailing?

[Iluv2hunt]

Need better description of the boat. I have a 20' Key west Bay boat and run 20 miles all the time.....but I pick my days. I won't go if the winds are forecast more than 10knots

[TerribleTed]

Burn this into your memory
NEVER GO OFF SHORE WITH A FRONT MOVING THRU.

also find NOAA web sight under buoy. This will give you sea condition reports and buoy's will show what there registering. You can get you weather report here also you need a radio on the boat A marine VHF ship to shore mandatory.

[CWFAsian1129]

This is the only pic that I could get about the boat

It seems like not bad a boat but like I said neither me nor my friend's dad have experience with offshore fishing.
He told me that he has gone out in the seas for days multiple times because he used to own a sailboat and did all kinds of tournaments and stuffs but thats just sailing you know...Nothing to do with how to find and locate fish I guess...

I can always get the fish finder and if I do, which one would you guys recommend for affordable and decent fish finder?

We're not trying to go out really far just enough you know. Maybe maximum 15-20 miles thats it

[kc45]

My biggest concern would be the condition of that motor.
Make sure it's been checked out and is in good running order. Make sure to have spare parts like fuel line filter, spare prop, tools, etc.
The boat should be okay from what I can see and I've run out further in smaller boat without any problem. Just pick your days out carefully and pay attention to weather updates while out there.
I don't know much about fishing electronics so I can't help you there.

[CWFAsian1129]

My biggest concern would be the condition of that motor.
Make sure it's been checked out and is in good running order. Make sure to have spare parts like fuel line filter, spare prop, tools, etc.
The boat should be okay from what I can see and I've run out further in smaller boat without any problem. Just pick your days out carefully and pay attention to weather updates while out there.
I don't know much about fishing electronics so I can't help you there.

The boat and motor are checked by few boat mechanics and they are good to go. According to them, the motor is barely used and the boat doesn't have any single issue.

And it turned out to be 20 feet center console not 18.5ft so its little bigger haha

Thank you for your answer!

[kc45]

A 20ft boat with couple people, full fuel tank plus gear is going to be heavy.
With a 115HP motor is a little under powered so it will be a little slugish.

[CWFAsian1129]

Were planning toto take 4-5 people. What do you think the MPG will be? Has 24 gal tank

[bodysnatcher]

One word "Skyway"

[kc45]

Check again as 24 gal fuel tank is very small for boat that size.
My brother's 18ft CC has 48 gal tank. I'm guessing that that boat/motor combo will consume between 13-15gal per hour while crusing around 30 mph. With 24 gal tank you'll run for less than 2 hours at 30 mph for total of about 50 miles.

[Skunk Ape]

3 mpg,you better take some boating courses and make sure that rig runs good.

[TerribleTed]

Plan on only two people max 3 in that boat and 24 gallons your not going off shore. Always save a 1/4 take of fuel - meaning when you come into port you should have at least 1/4 tank of fuel. If weather turn bad you will burn the 1/4 tank getting in possibly. A short trip off shore for me is 25 - 30 gallons 1/2 day. That's only 8a reef and back to Pork Canaveral.

[CWFAsian1129]

One word "Skyway"

I was really thinking about that. I remember watching a fishing show where these two guys were catching bunch of groupers and all kinds of species only few hundred yards away from skyway. I guess only near the skyway pier was overfished. Do you know any good spots where I can go try? What do you think I can possibly catch there during this summer heat?

I'm planning to get an affordable fish finder. Any suggestion??

We might go out on this thursday from early morning till about 5pm

And anout the size of fuel tank, I'll double check to make sure if it is 24 gal or not.

[drgn4sr]

there are a few "markers" you can locate near shore on some inexpensive charts.charts are at walmart. Old sunken ships or debris put down by govt. Also 3 would be the most I would have and an extra gas can. 25 years down the keys at my folks place also taught me to look around as a water spout can sneak up on you.