A Fierce Fishing Machine: ECC Fury Review, Part 2

(Editor's note: This is part 2 of a 2-part story reviewing the new Fury poling skiff from East Cape Canoes & Skiffs. If you missed part 1, click here to catch up. Part 2 discusses the Fury's shallow-water performance, fit and finish, and features.)

Shallow-Water Performance

You don't buy a poling skiff because you want to run 40 miles offshore. If you're eyeing one of these pint-sized rigs, it's because you've got skinny water on the brain. 

I'd be lying if I said I got to push the Fury to its shallow-water limits. The redfish we targeted were in 10 to 18 inches of water, which was absolutely no problem for this skiff. ECC grades the Fury at less than 7 inches of draft, and it should be noted that measurement is a true-to-life number with two anglers, fuel and gear. 

The combination of the 60-horse Evinrude E-TEC and aggressively cupped three-blade prop got the boat on plane in a hurry. Make no mistake, this isn't the kind of setup you hammer down the throttle on and expect to power itself out of the hole. But with a little practice and learning the proper combination of throttle and trim tab setting, the Fury can be finessed up in extremely shallow-water with very little bow rise. 

Rigging, Fit and Finish

I don't know who the person is that East Cape has running the wiring on its boats, but my guess is he's an obsessive-compulsive type—probably the sort of guy that organizes his sock drawer for fun. The cleanliness and organization of the wiring is impeccable, and the cranking battery and fuse box is housed neatly within the flats tower, where it's easily accessible.

That might not sound like a big deal, but I've seen skiffs with wiring run in places that are so hard to get to you need a 4-year-old with tiny hands just to reach the backs of switches. Do you know any 4-year-old boat mechanics?

Over time, salty air will take its toll on connections, so it's vital to have easy access to all fuses, switches and other hardware when you need to do a little maintenance. 

The hatches on the Fury are flush with the deck and all hardware is rugged, high-grade stainless steel.

Simply put: East Cape didn't cut any corners on this rig. I couldn't find any indication of rushed work like shards of fiberglass or rough edges around hatches. And speaking of hatches, you won't find any of the drop-in style plastic compartments on the Fury. All hatches are molded in and flush with the deck, so you don't have to worry about stubbing your toe or fouling your fly line on a raised lid. 

Features

I could write a whole feature on all the bells and whistles packed into the Fury I tested, but in an effort to keep this short, I'll just stick to the high points.

• All the aluminum work on this Fury, including the steering wheel, was powder coated. The coating not only added to the overall style of the boat, but also cut down on heat and glare. The powder coating is a lot easier to clean than untreated aluminum, too. 

• The hatches feature channels around the edges that work to funnel water into the cockpit and out through the bilge. If you ever take a big wave over the bow you don't have to worry about saltwater soaking your gear.

• A 20-plus gallon gas tank provides ample range with the fuel-sipping 60 E-TEC. 

• The 23-pound, self-contained TH Marine Atlas Micro jack plate is virtually maintenance-free with no hydraulic reservoir or lines to deal with. 

• The V Marine push-pole holders can be removed when not in use. 

• East Cape provided two anchor points on the front deck so that the casting platform can be moved to accommodate conventional casters near the bow or fly fishermen further back.

• The Fury features a tournament-ready livewell on the back deck as well as two other insulated hatches—one under the console and one on the front deck. 

• There's no shortage of storage on the Fury. Between the massive front hatch, two hatches on the back deck, a glove box under the console and plenty of empty space in the battery compartment, the Fury is ready to accommodate lots of tackle, tools and any other safety equipment or miscellaneous gear you may need.

• All the hatches on the Fury I tested were fitted with locking latches. If you're a tournament angler or travel and stay in hotels a lot, this is a feature you won't want to pass up.

The Fury features a huge front storage hatch along with an insulated cooler/storage area. Notice the water channels around the hatches and how they drain into the cockpit.