By Mark Romanack
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| Starcraft Freedom 180TL |
In
the dead of winter, avid anglers can think of little else beside ice
out and the first opportunity of the year to fish open water. Even
before the ice melts, many species are also in the mood for a change of
pace. Spring spawners like walleye and pike are staging near spawning
grounds weeks before the ice melts. Even fall spawners like lake trout
and brook trout, sense that the sheets of ice are about to melt and
better foraging opportunities are on the horizon.
As
an angler who views ice out like a kid views the coming of Christmas, I
can say with conviction that I will be ready to target all my favorite
fish species when the ice finally melts. Part of that organizational
process includes rigging boats that are ideally suited to fishing early
in the year and at times actually among the floating icebergs!
For
the past couple of years I’ve been taking an early spring trip to Lake
Nipigon in Northwestern Ontario to target the coveted brook trout. The
Lake Nipigon fishery is perhaps the best “drive to” destination in North
America. Being able to drive to Nipigon and trailer my own boat, motor
and trailer affords me the unique opportunity to fish a wilderness
experience with all the boating and marine creature comforts.
UTILITY BOATS
The
Starcraft Freedom 18 is my boat of choice for fishing wilderness waters
and other destinations in the early spring. Designed as a utility boat
suitable for a wide variety of fishing and even hunting situations, the
Freedom 18 is big enough to be sea worthy on large waters like Nipigon,
but small enough to launch at marginal public access sites.
The
Freedom series is also available in a smaller 16 foot model. One of the
features I like most about the Freedom is this boat series is offered
in both a side console and tiller version. My personal boat is a tiller
equipped with a 75 HP Evinrude E-Tec which kept the overall cost of the
rig modest and allows me the maximum amount of “fishable” space inside
the boat. Even this modest engine pushes the Freedom 18 about 33 MPH
with a full load of fuel and three guys on board!
For
the angler who wants a faster boat or a boat with more power to move
heavy loads of gear, the Freedom 18 SC version accepts up to a 115 HP
outboard. The Freedom 18 is actually just under 19’ in length and a
whopping 88 inches wide making it ideal for fishing big and small
waters.
IMPORTANT ACCESSORIES
To
effectively target ice out species a fishing boat needs to be equipped
with some essential fishing accessories including an electric motor and
good electronics. My choice in electric motors are the “auto-pilot”
style motors that can programmed to operate in continuous mode to follow
a compass heading or used like a traditional electric motor for
alternate on and off operation.
Often
in the early spring the best fishing is in shallow water along the
shorelines that warm a little quicker than the main body of the lake and
in turn attract baitfish. Slipping silently along the shore line with
an electric motor while casting ahead of the boat is one of the best
ways to target fish.Sonar is also an important accessory and my choice
is a combination sonar/GPS unit such as the Lowrance HDS series
products. I typically split the screen and monitor both sonar readings
and the GPS Mapping page at the same time. This provides me confidence
to navigate in unfamiliar waters and avoid sunken islands, reefs, rock
piles and other navigation hazards.
SUMMING IT UP
Ice
out is a magical time among fishermen who understand that the first
open water of the year is a gift waiting to be enjoyed. The fact that
fish tend to concentrate in shallow water at this time of year, makes it
easier to find and catch fish.
Utility
boats like the Starcraft Freedom series are ideal for this style of
fishing. Anytime an affordable and spacious boat is called for, I find
myself backing up to the Starcraft Freedom and heading for my favorite
fishing haunts. For more information on the Freedom and other Starcraft
boat models visit, www.starcraftmarine.com or visit your local Starcraft dealer.
