Tidewater 2500 Carolina Bay: WALK THROUGH from a Fisherman's Persepctive after 2 years and 500 hours

This video is a Boat Review of my Tidewater 2500 CAROLINA BAY has been an ideal bay boat for fishing SW Florida. It's a tarpon fishing machine! In the past 2 years, I have put on nearly 500 engine hours and over 1000 hours on the water. I moved to Cape Coral to pursue my passion for fishing and learning inshore snook, redfish, and tarpon has been a great experience.
In this walk through, I'll explain how I'm rigged and why I made modifications.
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Mentioned in video:
1st Mate video: • 1st Mate by Fell Marin...

[@miked8227]

I like the Let’s go Brandon sticker, you need a FJB one too!👍🏻🇺🇸👍🏻

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

🇺🇸

[@gabrielcruz2349]

It's a dream boat

[@chuckurso593]

Great job and a boat I have looked at very seriously. We have fished the same area's for I live in Pt. Charlotte, on a waterway. I am looking at new bay boats now and need a hull to deal with Charlotte Harbor for you know how it can be wicked at times. I need something with some speed for I am 18 miles off to my favorite flats area's.

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

I have a Robalo 266 now. I miss the ride of the tidewater! It’s dry and smooth.

[@FromLasVegasU]

Ahhhhh, great video. But the wife wants that potty doesn't she now. Thanks for the tips. Hope we may meet up someday. Tight lines brother! Let's go Brandon!

[@bradfordhughes4533]

Nice setup nice and simple .l personally dont like music on the water much nicer when its quiet dont need to heat nothing but bass theres these thengs called ear buds ruin your hearing with them majority dont even know what there listing 👂 to 😊

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

Thanks.

[@jasonhanna2358]

What do you have it powered with? Is it enough? They’re putting up to a 400 on them now.

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

300 Yamaha. Seems like plenty to me but I wouldn’t turn down more HP!

[@lennyledet4637]

What is the height when on trailer. Love the boat but not sure it will fit in my storage

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

Sorry I have it stored off site. It’s a Coyote trailer.

[@lennyledet4637]

Ok no problem. I am going look at one soon. Will measure when I am there. Love your boat.

[@shawnn1087]

Nice walkthrough of boat. It will benefit ppl looking in the 🚤 market . Keep up the good work. Would of been nice to have fish on 🎣 at the end 😉🤩

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

They gotta watch the rest of the library!!! That boat is super fishy!!!!

[@fishmarketdohar]

Fishing is my hobby.

[@northlandacres]

Another good one man! Really enjoying the content. What kind of seas have you been in this boat? I always wonder about that with bay boats. Ill be down there in a few years. I like the hybrid style boats, Pathfinder 2700 open is what I'm looking at. Thinking it might be a little more of a blue water boat. Jeremy from MN

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

I don’t go out too far if forecast is more than 1’ significant waves. I think the boat could handle it fine but have other options (in shore) so I pick my days. My issue is more that I have 74 gallon capacity. This is a heavy bay boat and rides well in rough seas.

[@1973superdad]

Nice set up! You forgot to mention your antenna, do you have that set up for offshore? I live in Minnesota but keep a boat down there for when i come fishing. I installed an antenna and radio, picked garmin inreach, and picked up PLB. Never been offshore, hoping this year we can explore. We have 21.5 mako lts 2018 with 150 hp. Works good for what we do and fairly easy to pull and launch. I like on your boat all that storgae and extra seating, and the extra livewells. Really great set up! 500 hours in 2 years good to know.

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

I have a 10’ antenna. I fish most inshore. I have an EIPRB on my dash in that blue a box. Like my throw cushion, everyone on board knows where it is and how to use it! Fyi - I grew up in Blaine MN!!! Good people!!!

[@1973superdad]

@Canal Life you were smart to leave, this cold sucks, we will be there when the last one graduates...cant wait! We love the salt life

[@northlandacres]

@@1973superdad I’m in Burnsville and have 5ish years til we buy a place down there!! Can’t wait!!

[@1973superdad]

@northlandacres4457 im in about the same time frame. Im a real estate broker and liquidate forclosures in both MN and SWFL. Hoping to score a deal on a water front property with in the next few years. I keep a boat down there, id be down there if werent for kids in school, cant get enough of the salt life

[@northlandacres]

@@1973superdad Maybe I need to get in touch with you in a few years about buying a foreclosure down there!

[@ryancoleman9580]

Nice video....Great job on the descriptions...

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

Thanks.

[@TexasGunGuy8244]

Great video sir. I’m considering a 2023. Your review has definitely helped me

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

Glad I could help

[@The.Fatman]

Great video. So hard to find a hard core fishing boat. Looking at pathfinder 2400 open or robalo 246 cayman or carolina bay 23 or 25.

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

All great choices. TW is best value IMO. Also, dealer reputation is a factor I’d consider now. Good luck. Can’t go wrong.

[@gavin2465]

Let’s go Brandon!

[@johnm1286]

looking at ordering one possibly for next year...thanks for all the info!!

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

You bet!

[@marcosmilian8193]

Great video, I wish your video was up 3 years ago when I was stressed out deciding whether to pull the trigger on buying mine due to all the negative stuff that was online about Tidewater. Your video would have answered many of my questions and set me at ease. My 2500 Carolina Bay is set up exactly like yours except I opted for the 2nd station. 2.5 years and 300 nonbabied hours later it's a very solid and versatile boat, not great at any one thing but very good at many thing and comfortable we are super happy with it. We've gone out comfortably to 2500 feet looking for pelagics to knee high water in Flamingo and Biscayne bay stalking inshore species 60% of the time, the other 40% is sand barring and bar hopping where this boat has plenty of seats for lots of butts. I've had 10 people on board and not felt crowded.

[@CanalLifeSWFL]

Thanks!!!