There are a number of boat manufacturers out there that build technical poling skiffs but only a few that make the list for the top technical poling skiff brands in the industry. Technical poling skiffs are not just a boat to get you on the water, they are boats built to perform a specific task. Picking a skiff from a reputable builder ensures you will get a high quality boat that will last generations.
What are the 5 top technical poling skiff brands?
- Hell’s Bay Boatworks
- Beavertail Skiffs
- Chittum Skiffs
- East Cape Boats
- Maverick Boat Company
These boat builders are recognized not only for their high quality, well designed, and high performing skiffs but also for their dedication to the flats fishing sport. Continue to read along to learn more on why these brands make the top of the list.
1. Hell’s Bay
Hell’s Bay Boatworks is one of the revolutionaries of the flats fishing boat industry. Flipp Pallot, Hal Chittum, and team amazed manufacturers and anglers alike when they introduced a fiberglass boat that could go in as shallow of water as a small aluminum jon boat but could get there with a comfortable ride while being dead silent. Hells Bay has continued on with this boat and further refined it to make some of the most beautiful skiffs that are amazing fishing machines.
Hell’s Bay Boatworks offers a 8 skiff models categorized under either their Stealth or Open Water lines of skiffs. The Stealth boats are really geared towards a minimalist design and layout and are optimized for super skinny water fishing. The Open Water skiffs are built slightly more rugged to handle heavier chop and wind but can still get in skinny water for technical polling.
| Model | LOA | BEAM | DRAFT | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eldora | 16′ 4″ | 69″ | 3.5″ | 350 |
| Whipray | 16′ 4″ | 70″ | 3.5″ | 570 |
| Waterman | 18′ 0″ | 73″ | 4.5″ | 610 |
| Professional | 17′ 8″ | 73″ | 4.5″ | 625 |
| Guide | 18′ 4″ | 79″ | 4.5″ | 695 |
| Glades | 17′ 8″ | 58″ | 4″ | 440 |
| Biscayne | 16′ 4″ | 70″ | 7″ | 595 |
| Marquesa | 18′ 1″ | 79″ | 7″ | 695 |
2. Beavertail Skiffs
Beavertail skiffs is a family owned and operated custom boat manufacturer out of Bradenton Florida. Every beavertail skiff is as unique as it owner being built factory direct to order using only the finest materials and processes available.
Beavertail skiffs offer one of the driest and most comfortable rides on the water for a great value. It's hull shape and design helps to cut through chop in open waters but will still float in super shallow waters to get to the most tucked away locations. The folks at beavertail also did a great job at helping with boat organization by provided plenty of places to safely and securly hold your gear while on the water.
The Beavertail Skiff boat lineup includes 7 models in 3 categories of skiff: ultra skinny water; skinny water ; and big water. The Micro and Mosquito skiffs under the ultra skinny water boat category are stripped down to the bare essentials to minimize weight and reduce draft. These boats will get you in the skinniest of water but will not take heavier chop and wind as well as the big water flats boats such as the Air and Lightning.
To learn more about each of these boats, click on the links in the table below. Here you can see some available options for each boat and some really nice videos that go over design approach and key features.
| Model | LOA | Beam | Draft | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Micro | 16′ 8″ | 60″ | 5″ | 400 |
| 18 Mosquito | 18′ 2″ | 70″ | 6″ | 540 |
| 17 Strike | 17′ 6″ | 73″ | 7″ | 550 |
| 17 Elite | 17′ 8″ | 72″ | 8″ | 600 |
| 18 Vengance | 18′ 0″ | 82″ | 8″ | 675 |
| 18 Air | 18′ 3″ | 77″ | 9″ | 700 |
| 20 Lightning | 20′ 0″ | 82″ | 11″ | 1200 |
3. Chittum Skiffs
From one of the founding members of Hell’s Bay Boatworks comes another amazing boat manufacturing company, Chittum Skiffs. If you are looking for a multipurpose boat that can “do it all” Chittum is NOT it. Chittum’s claim to fame is a performance driven fishing machine that is designed for the most avid and dedicated fishermen and guides on the water.
All Chittum Skiffs are hand built and made to order using technology borrowed from the aerospace industry and America’s Cup arenas to provide a state-of-the-art boat that fits the exact needs of its captain.
When building your perfect boat with Chittum, you are given more options than most will know what to do with to include material composition, hull shape and design, and cockpit layout in addition to the normal options such as engine, electronics, rod holders, and other accessories.
Chittum offers 2 base models, the Islamorada 18 and Islamorada 21, which are further broken down into into 8 unique configurations that can be further customized to your preference. Take a closer look at any of the available models by selecting the links provided below.
| Model | LOA | Beam | Draft | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamorada 18 | Legacy | 18'0″ | 80″ | 5″-8″ | 450-650 |
| Islamorada 18 | Snake Bight: 12 Deg | 18'0″ | 80″ | 5″-8″ | 350-550 |
| Islamorada 18 | Snake Bite: 2 Deg | 18′ 0″ | 80″ | 5″-8″ | 350-550 |
| Islamorada 18 | Laguna Madre I | 18′ 0″ | 80″ | 4.5″-6″ | 350-650 |
| Islamorada 18 | Laguna Madre II | 18′ 0″ | 80″ | 4.5″-6″ | 300-500 |
| Islamorada 18 | Mangrove: 12 Deg | 18′ 0″ | 80″ | 4″-7″ | 300-450 |
| Islamorada 18 | Mangrove : 2 Deg | 18′ 0″ | 80″ | 4″-7″ | 300-450 |
| Islamorada 21 | Legacy | 21′ 0″ | 80″ | 6″-9″ | 300-750 |
4. East Cape Boats
East Cape Boats is a small manufacturing business out of Orlando, Florida who's goal is to build a top-notch boat without breaking the bank. East Cape claims to be able to keep their price point low by avoiding un-needed overhead, such as elaborate advertising campaigns and large facilities. Instead they chose to just concentrating on the essential personnel, tools, and materials to build their boats.
One area the folks at East Cape didn't skimp on however is their customer service department. The East Cape team is very proud of its unique buying experience which provides a high level of attention to all of their customers. East Cape offers a detailed consulting service with each prospective customer to make sure their boat is exactly what they need on the water.
East Cape offers a lineup of 6 skiff models that range in length from 17′ 10″ to 19′ 2″ with beams ranging from 58″ to 79″. Each of these base models can be customized to your preferences to include cockpit configurations, polling and casting platforms, storage configurations, and electronics. Click on any of the models below to visit the East Cape website to learn more.
| Model | LOA | Beam | Draft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vantage | 19′ 2″ | 79″ | 8″ – 11″ |
| EVO | 17′ 9″ | 79″ | 7″ – 9″ |
| EVO X | 17′ 9″ | 79″ | 4″ – 7″ |
| Fury | 18′ 1″ | 72″ | 4″ – 8″ |
| Caimen | 17′ 10″ | 61.5″ | 4″ – 7″ |
| Glide | 17′ 10″ | 58″ | 3″ – 6″ |
5. Maverick Boat Company
The Maverick Boat Company is a brand name known around the flats fishing industry for consistently pushing the bar on improved skiff design and manufacturing processes. Maverick boats have been in operation for a little over 35 years and have consistently built some of the best boats since day 1. There isn't a “top skiff list” out there today, put together with anyone with any sort of credibility, that doesn't have a Maverick near the top.
Maverick boats are built to last using state-of-the art process and hold their value for years. These boats may not be the lightest boats listed today, but they probably are the smoothest, most comfortable, driest, and probably the safest.
Maverick offers three highly specialized technical poling skiffs: the 17 HPX-S; 17 HPX-V; and the 18 HPX-V. Each of these boats are tailored to meet specific fishing application needs and can be further customized to fit the owners specific needs.
Final Thoughts
There are many boat manufacturers out there and most of them will build a decent boat. However, if you are an avid fishermen who targets flats gamefish such as bonefish, permit, tarpon, redfish, and snook, you want a boat that will be reliable, comfortable, and dead silent. These boat builders have made a name in the industry for a reason which is why most profession fishermen and guides will be behind the helm of one of the boats listed here.
