I think a boat is definitely a "nice" to have but not "needed" in many cases when it comes to fishing.
I bought my boat initially for taking my family out to cruise around the lakes and then got in to fishing after the fact.
It really depends on your funds and like many people suggested a car-topper or inflatable is a definite good start. If you get in to something that needs to be towed you'll be looking in to a different league; smaller aluminum boats you can get away with towing with a car. But you still need to find and pay for a place to store it every month, which is something to take in to account as well.
With a boat you can roam around the lake and get to and fish places otherwise impossible. Definitely opens up a lot more water that you can fish. Also it would naturally opens up your wallet to buy other accessories now too (fish finders, downriggers, rod holders, etc.)
However, having said that, many times you might find yourself end up fishing near areas with shore fishermen. Travers for instance by the inlet, lots of shore fishermen goes there as well. Makes you wonder why you spent the $$$ for the boat when you're there.
I believe geographic location plays a part as well. In and around Calgary you might be fine without a boat, but when you get to larger bodies of water up north, it might become a neccessity to go out in a boat in order to catch the big girls. Such as Wabamun, Gull, Pigeon, etc.
Hope this helps and hope you can make a good decision!
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