Boat camping?

[Browneye]

So for several years now I have told myself that I'm going to pull an all nighter and sleep out in the boat. I have watched many youtube videos about how great the walleye fishing is after dark and has always wanted to try it. I'm not a tall guy so there a couple spots on the floor I could stretch completely out on a blow up sleeping pad and sleeping bag. I'm thinking if you were self contained, food, drink and bedding all with you I would fish all day, try fishing after dark than when ready to go to bed find a nice point and anchor up set up shore rods with bells in the rod holders and treat them basically like a rattle rod in a ice house while you sleep. Obviously this would be weather dependent, days with low wind and no rain forecasted. I wouldn't want to try this on a lake like Sak more likely on some of the smaller lakes. I don't live real close to any lakes and this would allow me to fish one day, hit the night bite and be right there for the morning bite without having to drive to the lake twice or get up at the ass crack of dawn to make it to the ramp at day break. I realize that shit can go wrong like this winter sleeping in the popup and a 40 mph wind coming up at 4 am. Anyway wondering how many of you do this or if you have any tips or tricks about doing it.

 

[CatDaddy]

Be prepared to catch nothing and be sore....I've done it and it was an adventure, but wasn't what I hoped for. My tip for you is to bring something warm to eat.....Jetboil and some soup or something along those lines. It kept my sanity and hunger at bay.....

 

[svnmag]

Do not pack an accordion.

 

[Captain Ahab]

If you do it during the warm months prepare to deal with 8 gazillion mosquitoes. Other than that, it could be fun. I’ve thought of owning a rig with living quarters one day.

 

[Allen]

That is a fairly specific request. I've had a few of these through my life. I hope yours work out better than my average hair-brained idea.

When it comes right down to it, we are often disappointed in the outcome. Nonetheless, they make the bestest of stories that you may be telling for many years to come!

 

[701FishSlayer]

Did it in a cabin cruiser at the gates of the mountains in Montana when I was a kid. Would maybe do it again there, no shot this would happen in North Dakota, nope.

 

[sl1000794]

We did this in Sept. 1991 with 4 of us on a 42' precision trawler with twin turbo diesels and 350 gallons of diesel fishing for albacore tuna in the Pacific out the Golden Gate. We left at 7:30am from Richmond Harbor and ran out/started fishing at 5pm. Didn't catch anything by dark so we shut down and had supper and went to bed and drifted with anchor light on so boats could see us. Got up at daylight, had bfast and started fishing again. Caught 24 albacore and headed back at 2:30. Cleared the Golden Gate Bridge at 10:30 and tied up in Richmond harbor at midnight. We were literally out of fuel when we got to the harbor. Paying for the fuel cost more than buying fresh, live lobster but was lots more fun than going to the fish market!!! When we headed in we were 105 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. Furthest out I have ever been in the Pacific.

 

[guywhofishes]

I’ve entertained this concept many times. I spent many nights on Sakakawea in 30-38’ cabin
cruisers w living quarters.

The right weather for an open smaller boat would be crucial. Condensation alone could ruin your night and the next morning.

You’re better off pulling the boat up into shore and pup-tenting it on shores somewhere IMO.

 

[ndfinfan]

^^Agree with guy - have thought about doing this myself. We've got a little 2 man tent, was thinking late May to early June before bugs get horrible. Didn't someone talk about this one time in another thread? Allen or somebody mentioned that there might be a law about beaching the boat on Sak shorelines and staying overnight - can't remember? Anyway, think the small tent route would be the way to go.

 

[sl1000794]

Couldn't people use their ice fishing pop-ups on shore to get out of the bugs and elements and have a good night of it?

 

[SDMF]

Do not pack an accordion.

That's just mean, it's not like everyone knows how to puff on the bagpipes there windbag.

 

[Lapper]

A buddy of mine did this on Oahe last year. The bugs were bad on shore so he found one of those spots you could straight for about 6 miles, put his boat lights on, set the trolling motor at the lowest setting and went to sleep. Worked great he said.

 

[Captain Ahab]

A buddy of mine did this on Oahe last year. The bugs were bad on shore so he found one of those spots you could straight for about 6 miles, put his boat lights on, set the trolling motor at the lowest setting and went to sleep. Worked great he said.

He sure put more trust in that trolling motor than I would!

 

[KDM]

I've done this twice. Once on purpose, once not. Both times were less than enjoyable. The morning dew drenched everything so I had a boat full of wet sleeping bags, clothes, and me. The bugs came in waves. The boat lights attracted everything from mosquitoes to moths to water bugs to beetles and every other flying arthropod. The boat was full of them crawling around. As far as sleep, I got none. Between the rocking of the boat, slapping of waves, and the worry of floating away, I might as well have been actively fishing. You don't really understand the value of hot coffee and a hot meal when you've had no sleep, are cold, wet, and bug bit until you don't have them. It's hard to cook in a small boat and cold cereal just doesn't do it. I've slept or tried to sleep in lots of places while hunting and the military and would rate a small boat as very close to the bottom of my list of places to sleep. If you want a miserable memory that you can pass onto your kids or illustrate your adventurous spirit to you buddies, by all means go for it. You'll have a merry tale to tell. If you want to catch fish, have a good time, and enjoy your time on the water, I'd avoid the whole sleeping in the boat thing and pitch a tent, rent a cabin, or pull an over nighter and then head home. Good Luck!!!

 

[3Roosters]

A million years ago about 6 of us went in on houseboat weekend rental out of Hiawatha Beach Resort on Leech Lake. Even tho we tugged along a 16fter in case we wanted to explore other areas for fishing, etc we pretty much stayed on the houseboat. It had a nice deck/slide on the roof so we were up there most of the time, drinking beer and solving all of the worlds problems. Didnt really fish all that much. haha
Around sundown we motored to the windless side of an island and anchored for the nite. Sometime during the nite the wind switched directions and picked up a bit so we had to pull anchor and reposition. We didnt really have to deal with bugs,etc as we were inside and also slept in bunks so it wasnt too bad.
I would suggest going this route if you want to sleep on a boat.

 

[Twitch]

Take a cruise…you can camp on a boat for a week

 

[deleted member]

We've done it on shore on Devils. Loaded gear, set up camp, fished all day and camped on shore.

 

[SDMF]

I've camped on an island up in Ont. a few times. Haul in all your gear, set up camp, then live on an island for 3-5 days.

I'm a GIANT CHICKEN regarding running a boat at anything more than trolling-motor speeds in pitch dark. I'd want something more than the tiny bow/stern lights that come w/most boats as well. The kind of light I'd want to make sure other boats could see me would then create bug problems and potential battery life-issues to run all night as well.

Too many folks running purely on their electronic GPS trail and not actually looking out at what's ahead of them makes me even chickener about being out in the dark.

 

[Rowdie]

I've done this on OAHE in my younger days. Never stayed on the boat, but would tent on shoreline a couple nights. We also had spots where we could drive and camp on shore, and then bring the boat and tie it up to shore. Those outings were the most enjoyable. I used to do that all the time but then I bought an old camper and mamma liked the bed and I liked AC. Now it's a lot less work to use campers. But staying in a campground ISN'T camping.....I think they call it GLAMPING

 

[buckhunter24_7]

Sparkle boats have lots of room upfront, only stayed out on the boat a few times but definitely didn’t have a problem staying warm