[ebr]

I jumped fairly quickly into this whole micro skiff thing and ended up buying an "inventory" Mosquito from Beavertail. I saw their ad on their site for what looked like the perfect boat for me as an inventory one but it had actually already just sold but Liz said she had another one just like it that was just coming out of the finishing stage.

It was really kinda perfect because not only did I get the boat I saw on the site that I really liked (as far as color, etc.) but I also got to add my mods to it which were:

• Pole caddy on platform
• Upgraded GPS to an NSS9 Evo 3 (have an Evo 3 on my other boat and love it)
• N2k integration between Simrad and Zuke
• Tilt steering wheel
• Relocate trim tab controls (just personal preference)
• Double rod holders on side of console
• Six foot power pole

Cannot say enough good things about Liz and Will (and Eric) at Beavertail. Just great folks to work with.

The back story of how I got here (from my intro post)...

Been fishing salt water for the better part of 50 years. Grew up on the flats of the middle Texas coast (Rockport) chasing tailing reds then moved to NC and migrated to doing most of my fishing in the Florida Keys - travelling there every year with my kids.

Now have been lucky enough to get a place in Islamorada and do a lot more fishing out of that area. I had a Redfisher 18 for about 17 years when fishing with my kids (I know, there is nothing "micro" about that "skiff") but moved to a bay boat (Robalo Cayman 226) about 2 1/2 years ago. I absolutely love that boat and everything it can do (including getting pretty shallow as it will float in about 12") but I really miss my true flats fishing.

Which finally brings me to what I'm doing here . In my research for a smaller boat for me to fish the Islamorada/EGNP flats, threads on this site kept popping up and had tons of good info so, now that I have my very own "micro skiff" on order, I've gone ahead and registered here since I lurked for a while and got so much out of it.
​

And, here she is:

 

[Fishshoot]

Congrats on happy purchase

 

[jlindsley]

Awesome!! love this boat

 

[trekker]

Very nice. Congrats.

 

[GaG8tor]

Very nice

 

[TooOldTo]

Congratulations. All the best on your relationship with her.

 

[Rooster]

I jumped fairly quickly into this whole micro skiff thing and ended up buying an "inventory" Mosquito from Beavertail. I saw their ad on their site for what looked like the perfect boat for me as an inventory one but it had actually already just sold but Liz said she had another one just like it that was just coming out of the finishing stage.

It was really kinda perfect because not only did I get the boat I saw on the site that I really liked (as far as color, etc.) but I also got to add my mods to it which were:

• Pole caddy on platform
• Upgraded GPS to an NSS9 Evo 3 (have an Evo 3 on my other boat and love it)
• N2k integration between Simrad and Zuke
• Tilt steering wheel
• Relocate trim tab controls (just personal preference)
• Double rod holders on side of console
• Six foot power pole

Cannot say enough good things about Liz and Will (and Eric) at Beavertail. Just great folks to work with.

The back story of how I got here (from my intro post)...

Been fishing salt water for the better part of 50 years. Grew up on the flats of the middle Texas coast (Rockport) chasing tailing reds then moved to NC and migrated to doing most of my fishing in the Florida Keys - travelling there every year with my kids.

Now have been lucky enough to get a place in Islamorada and do a lot more fishing out of that area. I had a Redfisher 18 for about 17 years when fishing with my kids (I know, there is nothing "micro" about that "skiff") but moved to a bay boat (Robalo Cayman 226) about 2 1/2 years ago. I absolutely love that boat and everything it can do (including getting pretty shallow as it will float in about 12") but I really miss my true flats fishing.

Which finally brings me to what I'm doing here . In my research for a smaller boat for me to fish the Islamorada/EGNP flats, threads on this site kept popping up and had tons of good info so, now that I have my very own "micro skiff" on order, I've gone ahead and registered here since I lurked for a while and got so much out of it.
​

And, here she is:

Oh, you got that green one - I think they call it Kiwi Squeeze? I had looked at that one online and thought that I would like to pop down there and see it. I wondered how much contrast the topsides would have and it seems like a good contrast. Sounds like they did a lot of accommodations to what you wanted to add/change. Great skiff - enjoy!

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Ol’ boy got the matching Yeti cup too! Beautiful skiff, enjoy her.

 

[Zika]

Congrats. You'll really enjoy that new addition. Happy Mosquito owner for 2 years now.

 

[Padre]

Beautiful. I too am thinking about moving to the BT Mosquito and have been looking at those inventory they have on their website. Please post more of what you like and don't like as I am looking at about January to make a move on a boat like that.

 

[TimR]

Congrats on the new skiff, I have always liked that kiwi/kiwi light color combo!

 

[Capnredfish]

Beautiful boat. Congrats.

 

[ebr]

Oh, you got that green one - I think they call it Kiwi Squeeze? I had looked at that one online and thought that I would like to pop down there and see it. I wondered how much contrast the topsides would have and it seems like a good contrast. Sounds like they did a lot of accommodations to what you wanted to add/change. Great skiff - enjoy!

Yes - in some lighting conditions, you can't even really tell the top isn't white so it works really well I think - just basically a softer look.

 

[ebr]

Ol’ boy got the matching Yeti cup too! Beautiful skiff, enjoy her.

LOL. Actually, that was pre-existing as my Cayman 226 is pretty much the same color so everything fits nicely in the family .

 

[ebr]

Beautiful. I too am thinking about moving to the BT Mosquito and have been looking at those inventory they have on their website. Please post more of what you like and don't like as I am looking at about January to make a move on a boat like that.

I've only spent basically three days on her but, so far, I'm very happy. The first two days were pretty much just rote engine break-in (first five hours) and fairly boring. The first three hours I did in the Bradenton area on a pretty sloppy day and I will say that running at 3000 rpm in a 15-20mph cross wind is not the best situation for this boat. It was sitting just below plane so I pretty much got soaked. Interestingly, though, if I had had someone else with me in the forward jump seat they would have been fine - even in this worst-case condition. That seat stayed pretty much dry.

Once I was able to go over 3k the boat runs quite dry and even handles chop very well (trim the bow down and it will cut right into the waves). I ran all the way from the WWS back to Flamingo in a moderate chop and stayed completely dry and made great time (also only burned 3 gallons which is really great compared to my 250 Vmax on the other boat).

When I got "in the back" I poled her up onto the flats and it was really quite easy to pole her where ever I wanted. Caught several nice snook in about 12" of water and had an all around awesome first real fishing day on her.

Only "complaint" - and it really isn't one because I was expecting this and I understand the trade-off - is that she is fairly "tippy". It is a fairly narrow boat so that's just how its going to be. This doesn't really bother me but I know I will have to be careful to warn some of my more clumsy fishing friends when they first get on her. Also, anticipate having to keep them in line on the bow so they don't throw me off the platform jumping around up there - I'm not a super practiced poller so I can definitely see that happening...

The upside of that is how easily she poles and how well you can carve out turns and navigate where ever you need to.

 

[PeteS]

I dont think you will find anyone on this site that has a negative thing to say about Liz, Will and Eric all great people.
That is the same color I had for my mosquito but the cap was Kiwi Light like it so much I went with the same colors on my BT Vengeance.

 

[Zika]

Congrats. Yes, the Mosquito really likes to run, or fly more appropriately. Get it up on top and use the tabs and it "bites" a chop. And agree with PeteS, the BT folks are wonderful to deal with.

Hope you get plenty of slime on the new ride!

 

[bryson]

Congrats, she's pretty!

 

[ebr]

Pete - mine is "Kiwi Light" on the cap as well. It just looks like a soft white in daylight conditions. I think it works really well.

 

[pointblank]

Love that color combo, looks great!!