OK I'm probably opening up a big debate here but what in your opinion is the best lake boat for larger lakes mainly used for fly fishing for trout and some pike fishing ??????? I'm going to be fishing Corrig and Mask in the West of Ireland.

This question has been on so many other threads,

ill start the ball rolling ,

burke boat, without a doubt, ,

For fly fishing in a wind/wave it has to have a keel, and the standard lake boat design is well proven for drifting.
For calm weather fly fishing that traditional design shape is not so absolutely necessary but for Corrib and Mask I'd recommend it.

For size and weight I'd consider who is launching it, how many assisting and if it will be trailered or left at the water's edge, because water rises and falls, and the farther away you live the farther up the beach it has to go.

The fewer the helpers and the longer the distance it travels the more it's launched and taken out the more it should be a Darragh 17.
The more local the usage, the more the helpers, and the better the mooring, the more frequently it's adjusted to suit rises and falls in lake levels - the more it can be a Burke 19.

An 18 is a middle size for the western loughs, for Ireland in general the Sheelin 16 and Darragh 17 are medium and 18' boats are large.

The more you troll for pike the less you need a boat with a heavy drifting keel because the boat is stable under way without it. So trouting on the drift needs a heavier keeled boat.
Mobile or anchored piking requires less, a 15-16' would be adequate for those lakes if you're a troller, and a drogue and or rudder could make the smaller boat into a fly fishing compromise.

The bigger the boat you go for, the more expensive the trailer that allows it to move and be used. Budget for a drop dead trailer of 2000 if you get a Burke.

All the above ... prefaced with "in my humble opinion".

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Norm

Float Tube Fishing 30+ years
Float Tubing Info Resource

I have a Sheelin boat and a Meagher boat both are 19ft and both are very good boats ,both are very stable and comfortable to fish from and i have had no problems getting them in and out of the water ,The Sheelin is on a double axle trailer and is very easy to tow and the Meagher boat is on a single axle trailer and again is very easy to tow ,the Sheelin is heavier and is finished better than the Meagher boat but the Meagher is lighter and quicker ,if buying a Sheelin don't buy brand new buy a good second hand boat experience has taught me that

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Come when the leaves come,angle with me,Come when the bees hum,crossing the lea,Come to discover the angling delights,of the Melvin with me.

How many years of experience colin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are lots of good quality second hand boats out there and hulls if you feel like doin a bit of woodwork. The type of boat you use is down to personal preference. They all have their plus and minus points. My biggest problem with the new boats from established manufacturers is that they are not putting enough fibre glass into them.

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Confusious Say: "Upon seeing the shadow of a pigeon, one must resist the urge to look up"!

I've been offered a McAlinden Kingfisher. Any opinions before I buy ???

Constantly drift to the stern and you need to ask why the person is selling it, you should also push your knee into the side of the boat under the rowing position and see if you can push the side of the boat in

They are fast but there is faster boats out there

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Confusious Say: "Upon seeing the shadow of a pigeon, one must resist the urge to look up"!

Seen a sheelin cracking up the middle barry, , put me off them , the guy reckons to much fibreglass made it stiff and not flexable enough ,



agree totally with the mc alinden , heard they drift at a angle, , dont like the way the back seat is either,

preferance is a straight full seat across the buoyancy tanks at the back, no gaps,

using boats about 20 years ,dealing with assholes in Cavan about 5 mins

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Come when the leaves come,angle with me,Come when the bees hum,crossing the lea,Come to discover the angling delights,of the Melvin with me.