Newbie: considering 19' Angler, NY, Finger Lakes: input pls?

M

Mawgie

New member
Folks -

I am a 49 y.o. married man, charged with buying a boat to do this in Central NY:

1) fish, wife ride, cruise Erie Canal, Skaneateles Lake, Onondaga Lake, Oneida Lake, Otisco Lake, Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, Henderson Bay on the big Pond (not when it is anything approaching big or nasty);
2) got to be able to fish three guys total on occasion, flatlining for landlocked salmon, tiger muskie, pike, occasional laker, maybe light trolling, but not heavy trolling, one downrigger at most;
3) overnight capability is of lesser concern, mostly fishing, and occasional cruising, but I like the storage, and storage/ a stashed porta-pottie for wifey is a huge plus;
4) low maintenance;
5) easily solo launchable and retrievable at good ramps (not gravel, with no dock, and a cross wind);
6) tow weight no problem, as I have a 2010 Dodge Ram 150, HEMI, rated to 10,000 pounds, but (believe it or not), I'd like to keep the efficiency up on the boat.
7) 4 stroke power, ideally Yamaha, Honda, or Suzuki.

My search boats presently include Scout, Alumacraft, Lund, McKee, Arima (...), Crestliner, North River, Alumaweld, Starcraft.

My budget is to the low 20s.

I really like the look of the 19' Angler. I am concerned that it may not be big enough to fish three guys. It does seem to be awesome overall, otherwise.

My wife's father used to run a 32' Trojan on Lake Ontario. Thus, anything I show her "looks a little small." However, budget, and my newbie skills, mandate that we start small. Will a C-Dory 19' Angler feel roomy for two?

Thanks, from newbie - Mawgie
 
It depends on your definition of "roomy" but in general, a 19 is plenty comfy for two people. The angler has a smaller cabin and a bigger cockpit than the cruiser so it might be a tad claustrophobic for two if you want overnight on it. A 22 is a little nicer in that regard. As for fishing 3, either the 19 angler or the 22 cruiser is ideal for that in my opinion. I had a 22 and I always thought that 3 was the ideal number - 3 rods out (usually two on down riggers and one flat lined down the middle for me). One guy at the helm, one reeling in a fish and one netting. The cockpit space in a 19 angler and a 22 cruiser are very similar in dimensions (Cockpit: 4’ long x 5’7” wide for the 19 angler and 4’6” long x 5’9” wide for the 22 Cruiser).

The biggest problem you will have in either case is finding one within budget. Far more 22's were made than 19's so 19's come up for sale on the used market far less often than 22's. A budget in the low 20's will limit you to older boats for the most part. If you're going to go the down rigger route, I'd recommend you get two. It's just easier to fish one rod per down rigger than to double up one one. Once you mounted them they're really not in the way.
 
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