Bass boat in saltwater question

[jicasiano]

I've owned an older ranger bass boat for about 2 years now. It's been exclusively in freshwater only. However, lately I've been getting the itch to try for some spotted bay bass since I live only 10 miles away from Los Alamitos Bay (much closer than my usual trips to Castaic). My question: how harmful is saltwater to my boat, trailer, and outboard? Is it just a matter of rinsing everything out and running fresh water through the outboard after a session?

[TUNAVIC]

Just take a walk around the marina,there you will see many vessels sitting in saltwater some worth millions of dollars,some worth many thousands of dollars,it's all about how you take care of your boat,just take a little more time than you would after a day of freshwater and you'll be fine,don't fear the salt!

Cya Tuna Vic

[DockRat]

Go for it. Head offshore early, gray light. Dorado, Yellowtail, Tuna, Sharks within 10 miles.
We got 21 Yellowtail on my buddies Ranger 3 weeks ago.
DR

[jicasiano]

Go for it. Head offshore early, gray light. Dorado, Yellowtail, Tuna, Sharks within 10 miles.
We got 21 Yellowtail on my buddies Ranger 3 weeks ago.
DR

My boat is a little too short (17ft) to go offshore and gets sketchy in choppy/windy conditions. I think I'll stick to the bays. By the way, do most marine launch ramp facilities provide freshwater rinse equipment?

[DockRat]

I think Davies LB and the Queen Mary LB ramps have pay water hookups.

[vortec_cruiser]

Newport Dunes has a pay freshwater wash-down area.

[jerryG]

If your within 10 miles of Los Alamitos then your not too far from Newport either. You could probably just rinse it down as soon as you get home and flush your motor out fresh water.. Run it for a few minutes to make sure you flush out all the salt.. If you do use the wash down at the ramp make sure you bring a hose, a spray nozzle, bucket, brush, the muffs for your motor, and lots of quarters. Be paying close attention to the water when you flush your engine because if that water stops you need to shutdown your engine immediately.. Make sure to hose down your trailer under pressure to blast all the salt off as well. You should be fine.

[drifter023]

I run mine once a year in the Salton sea they have fresh water hookups just wash it down good motor boat and brake drums I have a adaptor that hooks to the hose that fits into the brake drums. No problems go for it that what owning a boat is all about.....

[DEVOREFLYER]

If your trailer frame is C channel iron you should be able to wash the salt off if it is a rectangular tube frame it will get salt in it and it will never flush out as any penetrations for clamps/hardware will allow salt water in.

[bassmeister]

I use a product called Salt Away I believe I got it from West Marine but you can google it as well on where to buy. You can get the mixer that you hook up to a garden hose (kinda like the miracle grow feeder that you get at home depot) and that goes between the ear muffs and hose and you can flush out motor and it only take ten seconds and your done. I also make up a mix in a 2 gallon pump sprayer to spray down trailer after launching and all gear when done for the day. Saves on paying the wash down station and having all that coinage problems and if there is no wash down station no sweat!

[jicasiano]

I finally braved the salt and took her out today in the Long Beach Harbor which is huge!! It was quite an experience and something I will definitely do again!! I felt like a flea compared to the large cruise liners in the harbor. I live only 10 minutes away from the harbor so I waited until I got home to give her a good scrub down and ran fresh water through the outboard for several minutes.

[Ifishtoolittle]

I finally braved the salt and took her out today in the Long Beach Harbor which is huge!! It was quite an experience and something I will definitely do again!! I felt like a flea compared to the large cruise liners in the harbor. I live only 10 minutes away from the harbor so I waited until I got home to give her a good scrub down and ran fresh water through the outboard for several minutes.

Sounds great! Any luck with the fish? lol if you feel like a flea around the cruise liners then you can't even begin to imagine how I feel around them when I tube.

[jicasiano]

Sounds great! Any luck with the fish? lol if you feel like a flea around the cruise liners then you can't even begin to imagine how I feel around them when I tube.

Yeah I caught 3 small Calicos and a Sandie. Not too bad for a first timer who fishes exclusively for freshwater bass. I was pretty unprepared as I had only a few big hammers which I was throwing with 8 lb test fluro which I usually use for senkos at Castaic. I got snagged on the bottom and lost those pretty quick so I improvised and checked what freshwater bass baits I had and I busted out the shakeyhead with a Yamamoto hula grub in green pumpkin and they annihilated those. And my daughter caught a mackerel on a Kroc and she was real stoked!!

[Ifishtoolittle]

Nice! Saltwater bass feed very much like freshwater bass so there's no real need to buy every big hammer you see for this kind of fishery. Don't get me wrong though. Big Hammers do catch nice fish, but I would say it's just extra stuff to buy. Although an angler can never have too many lures right? lol

[DockRat]

Congrats on your trip. Next trip hit the break wall. Where did you launch ? The outside is great when flat. If the wind is light you can go Angels Gate and drift the outside. The wind will push you towards LB. I've done 2 hour wall drifts with the motor off on my 17' 6". All kinds of fish out there too.
DR

[TUNAVIC]

I finally braved the salt and took her out today in the Long Beach Harbor which is huge!! It was quite an experience and something I will definitely do again!! I felt like a flea compared to the large cruise liners in the harbor. I live only 10 minutes away from the harbor so I waited until I got home to give her a good scrub down and ran fresh water through the outboard for several minutes.
WTG,I knew you could do it,there's also some nice halibut in harbor so stay ready,and they will eat the artificials!

Cya Tuna Vic

[flyhigh123]

i do the same, another tip is if your bilge gets any water in it, consider putting in an metal annode to help with the rusting....

i put 2 large zinc bolts in my bilge... not sure if its helping, but anything to avoid the rust.

[jicasiano]

Congrats on your trip. Next trip hit the break wall. Where did you launch ? The outside is great when flat. If the wind is light you can go Angels Gate and drift the outside. The wind will push you towards LB. I've done 2 hour wall drifts with the motor off on my 17' 6". All kinds of fish out there too.
DR

I launched from the Southshore launch ramp by the Queen Mary. I wanted to try the outside of the Breakwall but things were getting too hairy out there, especially with a bass boat, with the large south swell coming in. I actually went again the next day with a buddy of mine and we absolutely killed them. We both got 20 a piece with mostly Calicos and a handful of legals included. I also caught an 18 inch sandie that fault insane. Next mission is to catch a halibut and a spotted bay bass! Anyone have any advice?

These last couple days have been amazing. I think I was jaded by the green fish called largemouth bass for these last several years. Nice to discover an amazing plethora of other fish in my backyard!!

[DockRat]

How about a Jon boat for Tuna ?
Cory shows how it's done.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrnGFpD3mtQ#t=192

[P.A.W.]

Bloody deck, bloody knees hahaha! Love it.