Contender Info
So for 2019 I’ve got my brand new 2019 25′ Contender Bay Boat! This boat is just absolutely sick and a phenomenal fishing platform. Contender has been making center console boats for over 30 years and they make some of the best. They put all those years of experience into this bay boat that is in a class of it’s own. The hull is hand laid fiberglass so it is solid as a rock which Contender has always been known for. Weighing in at 3600 lbs, it floats in just 10 inches of water so it can get as skinny as you could with a boat of that size. It actually goes shallower than my old 20′ seacraft. It’s powered with a 300 hp Yamaha and can cruise in the mid 40 mph range, and I often run it close to 50 mph for some of the long runs I like to do to get you there quickly. It really opens up an entire new world for fishing as far as the areas you can go to, and the time you have to hit more spots in a day. With it’s size you can get out in the gulf on windier days, yet still have the option to fish in many of the backcountry areas too. You really can do it all. It has all the latest electronics with sidescan/livescope sonar/charterplotter from Garmin, VHF, twin 10′ Power Pole Blades, a 36 volt Minn Kota iPilot trolling motor, Minn Kota Alternator Charger to keep the trolling motor running all day long no problem. Twin live wells with aeration so you can keep plenty of bait and keep it alive easily. Comfortable wrap around seating in the bow, as well as bucket pop up seats in the stern as well as a bench seat with backrest for the ride home when it is rougher. There is a ton of storage as well as nice custom cooler for plenty of space for your stuff. Also a nice JL Audio sound system for those who want some music. This boat is a beast and it is in my opinion the best bay boat on the market. Come check it out on a backcountry fishing charter with me!
Seacraft Info
This is my boat which I use for most of my islamorada fishing charter trips! She is a true classic in the boating world and 70s SeaCrafts are highly desirable hulls. In 2012 I had her in the shop for over 6 months getting everything from the ground up redone. Then I had it refinished again in 2017. The work is impeccable! The ride is unmatched for a 20 footer with the nice and heavy fiberglass hull, and brings truth to the saying “they don’t make ’em like they use to!” The floor is all one level, no step up in the bow so it’s much more fishable and easy to walk around in rough waters. She has comfortable fighting chairs which are flush mounted, a great feature not found on many islamorada bay boat charters. They also turn around 360 degrees so you can sit in them and fish the front or the back of the boat. The boat features a skinnier console that is easy to get around and has all necessary electronics and storage space, plus side rod holders. A very large 40 gallon live well that seals when full with 3 water levels depending on the amount of bait we bring. This is nice too because you can fill it to the top and prevent sloshing around of the water which keeps bait much healthier and fresh. The transom is filled in with a bracket on the back, giving room to fish back there and get around, plus the bracket makes the boat ride more like a 23 footer and with the additional jack plate we can cruise over shallow water without digging mud or chase fish/bait up into the shallows. Spray rails around the bow help lower the amount of salt spray we encounter on rough days when your florida keys backcountry fishing. All lights, rod holders, and cleats are flush mounted. Powered by a Yamaha 4 stroke 200 hp engine with 2 people can reach 45 mph but we normally cruise 30-35 mph depending on conditions. She has one of the latest (2016) Garmin Chartplotter/Sounder combination units that includes satellite hi-res imaging of the backcountry which is super useful for finding tiny channels, runoffs, etc… in the everglades, as well as Hi Definition bottom & side scanning sonar. Many of today’s guides have overlooked the advantages of having an advanced sounder with these capabilities, and the side scanning sonar helps you see fish from up to 500 feet on either side of the boat which is very useful for species such as tarpon. She was also recently upgraded with a 36 volt Minn Kota i-pilot trolling motor – perfect for fishing shorelines and structure when you want to be able to fish and move silently. With the GPS functionality we can also silently anchor the boat without deploying a traditional anchor, and move around with the push of a button if we see fish close by. If you are worried about getting beat up in the traditional ‘flats skiff’ while on your dream florida keys fishing trip then think about taking a ride in this! It often fishes the patch reefs, the gulf, bays, cape sable, flamingo, and more on days when many other boats can’t even think about it. It’s also got a shallow enough draft you can hit a lot of the shallow spots for species such as redfish, snook, bonefish, etc… on fairly low water which is often a good option for great fishing. Come see why a SeaCraft is such a legend in the boating world!
Give me a call at 305-747-6903 or email me at rick@fishingislamorada.com!
