Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

[Hit_it_Ethel]

Hello all, I have a dilemma with my upcoming trip. Myself and seven others are going to leech lake on october 19th through the 24th. I have been there quite a few times in the fall before. My father was supposed to go but was hospitalized a week ago. My one friend is taking his tracker 17' boat my dad was going to take his 17' crestliner fish and ski with no windshields. Now that he is not going they want me to pick the boat we take. Mine or my dads. So what would be better for leech lake in the fall, 1996 17' crestliner 1760 fish and ski with 100hp mariner outboard it has trolling moter and live and bait wells rated for 6 but has shallow sides and no windshield. Mine is a 1987 21' sea ray sorrento with 5.7l inboard with full windshield deep sides and convertable top if bad weather comes up and is rated for 8, I can put portable livewell in it but no trolling moter or built in live and bait wells. Both have plenty of storage but one will take less gas to pull up there from Iowa and use less gas on the water. But which one would be the better choice for october on leech lake? Any advise is appreciated and thank you in advance for your help.

 

[JB]

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

Take your boat.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

ALways take the larger boat in cold weather or choppy weather.

My Chaparrel 19' with a 5.0 L saved our butts nicely after a island picnic of 80 people.

I took a total of 6 people ALL seniors. Clouds darkened. Lets go!! Spread the people around correctly. Waves started at 3'. Added in a little motor out trim. Waves 4'. More trim. 5' waves.
crap. Full running trim, bow up at about 35 degrees. Waves were splitting aside with no water into the boat.
1 mile like that. No one spoke until we entered the small protected dock area.

Which boat are you taking ??

Better be the big one.

Trolling with weights & lures. Or better yet. Choppy drifting along the bottom & 3' above it works great .
Get some 5 gallon pails WITH COVERS. put in 20 % green seaweeds, water, catch small...4" to about 6" Perch. use live or as strips of 1" x 3" strips. send me a PM after the trip.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

someone needs to rename that lake

 

[Dakota Dave]

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

Leech lake gets rough this time of year. take the big boat. Most of the resorts up there have boats, If you don't want to tow a boat at all give them a call. You didn't say where you planned on staying.

 

[Hit_it_Ethel]

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

Cabin on Stoney Point. I was leaning towards my larger boat as well but its not exactly set up for fishing, but I can fish out of almost anything.

 

[Hit_it_Ethel]

Re: Need help with boat choice for fishing trip to leech lake

Thanks all for the input. Appreciate the help. Will let you know how it goes cyclops, most of my group are mostly drifters working the walleye chop. Flats should be good for perch. Thanks again.