I'm cheap so I'm starting small to see where I want to end up. East Matty has been the target area so far.
'87 Whaler Striper - $6,200.00
(need to give my new knees as old back a break)
90HP Yamaha 2S (40 mph without the top), 9" draft, keel guard, vhf, (2) 5" Lowrance units [one for GPS, the other for sonar - $50 investment], trolling motor w/spot lock, top (when needed)…
Easy to launch, drive, beach, pick back up. We can run all day on less than $70 in gas and oil… great for two adults, good for three, not fishing four
Fishing 2-3X/month and still under $8k total expenditures (fishing stats, true accounting totals will vary). Will keep using this rig for exploring the area while deciding on the next boat purchase. Was really pleased with how well the boat performed heading into a 2 1/2' chop @30 mph across the bay.
First pic - my son catching bait inside the pipeline on East Matty - great place just down from the cut - you could probably do just as well hitting the grass north of the cut and avoid the pipeline, second… East Matty south end somewhere - fished the duck ponds where the reds were simply hammering the bait (still learning the area)
