Need The Straight Scoop

[Mitch f]

No bias here,

If you wanted to buy the best fiberglass bass boat for the lakes we have around here, which one would you choose?

considering dry ride, best rod storage, fit and finish, great live well system, strong transom, resale value.

First question is which one would you choose if money was not an object?

second, which would you consider the best bang for the buck?

[Old plug]

I think wrench could give you a better reply on this than most of us on here could. He's rode in many many more kinds than most of us have. From what I see on here in pictures and fishing tackle talk money is no object anyway with a lot of you. Only thing I would recommend is at least 19 ft. and 20 would be better,good windshield and pay attention to how the seats are configured. Most bass boats have very pretty seats but they do not give you real good back support. I personnally do not like them because you sit so low and they are hard to get out of. They will beat you up pretty good in a chop as well

[Feathers and Fins]

Mitch, I spent over a year looking for a boat. The first question I had to ask myself was ( What will I use the boat for ) It came down to Fishing, Hunting, and lastly recreational use aka tube/ski/ pleasure cruise with wife.

For the fishing part I had to have a minimum of a V-hull and 19ft or better. It had to have rod storage to handle 8ft single piece rods and hold at minimum of 8 rods. It had to have ample storage, a good live-well and be able to be fitted for trolling at minimum of 5 rods, 2 downriggers and stay dry in rough water.

Hunting it had to be beachable without worry. ( This instantly eliminated fiberglass ) it then had to be able to hold 14 dozen decoys, 2 hunters, 2 dogs and all the other gear required.

Recreationally it had to make momma happy as we all know the old saying.

After looking over many manufactures taking many test drives and comparing everything and keeping always in mind what my MUST-HAVES were I settled on my tracker. I know its not fiberglass but for the price of fiberglass vs everything I have done to my boat im still ahead in price. It might be an option you may want to think about.

[Old plug]

My tracker targa is 12 yrs old. Structurally has taken 12 yrs of lake if the Ozark's in stride. I do fault some of the wiring harries and Iivewell installation setup and a few other things. But it has never about broken my back the way a bass boat has in a days fishing. The new ones that i have seen i do not like as well as mine be cause the front casting decks are less roomy than mine.

I had one nasty dangerous problem with that boat that was due I believe to manufacturing. The year my model was built they installed a plastic screw in plate on the transom for the drain out plug. In all these years i had never used it. But recently I installed a new sump pump in the boat and wanted to drain all the water out I could. I went to unscrew the plug and the whole plug plate and all fell in my hand. A investigation showed they had attached it with pop rivets and that they did not get them totally thru the hole. Meaning they were only kind of wedged in there. Only thing holding that that whole plate on was the marine sealer cement and that was about to let loose apparently. Had that came out on the lake water would have shot in there awful awful fast. Other than that the boat is comfortable. And very safe for this lake. One other thing is they are not easy to work on. They use a wiring harness setup that is mostly inaccessible but can be worked around and the water lines for various things( mine has two powered bait wells a 50" real devided Live well and a 20 gal front one none of which I use. ) are under the deck and you would have to remove the deck to work on them. But the electric thing and the live well thing is that way in all fishing boats that i know of.

[Mitch f]

Mitch, I spent over a year looking for a boat. The first question I had to ask myself was ( What will I use the boat for ) It came down to Fishing, Hunting, and lastly recreational use aka tube/ski/ pleasure cruise with wife.

For the fishing part I had to have a minimum of a V-hull and 19ft or better. It had to have rod storage to handle 8ft single piece rods and hold at minimum of 8 rods. It had to have ample storage, a good live-well and be able to be fitted for trolling at minimum of 5 rods, 2 downriggers and stay dry in rough water.

Hunting it had to be beachable without worry. ( This instantly eliminated fiberglass ) it then had to be able to hold 14 dozen decoys, 2 hunters, 2 dogs and all the other gear required.

Recreationally it had to make momma happy as we all know the old saying.

After looking over many manufactures taking many test drives and comparing everything and keeping always in mind what my MUST-HAVES were I settled on my tracker. I know its not fiberglass but for the price of fiberglass vs everything I have done to my boat im still ahead in price. It might be an option you may want to think about.

F&F, even though I will end up buying a Fish n Ski for the family (love the windshield sometimes), I'm still curious which brand you guys like the best for consistent quality/features?

[MOsmallies]

I don't own a boat and probably won't for a while, but if I could pick any brand at this point, I'd be looking at Phoenix or Triton. Good luck with your search.

[Feathers and Fins]

Tracker is hard to beat Mitch, but for a Ski/Sport style family boat I would lean toward Mako boats. Mako 21LTS is a good boat that could fit the bill of ski/sport. I used Mako's for years and if I was ever to move back to the coast it would be one of two boats I would own. Pure reliability is why! The other is an offshore Mako ( gotta have two ) The LT my buddy owns and constantly takes his family out on Florida's intercostal and its back waters both skiing and fishing ( him his wife and two kids ). He did modify it with a Bimini Top though for shade.

[Old plug]

I do too F&F center. The only thing i do not like is the slick floors .

[Feathers and Fins]

Heh, I solved that on my boat by simply putting down strips, Heck even in gritty boats you put a few Barracuda in the boat or WFO Dolphin bite there is not enough grit stickum or felt in the world and don't even get my going on a wfo wahoo bite, God invented them to teach us what snot is all about lol.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Skeeter, Ranger and Triton would be what I would look for. I wouldn't look at Tracker unless money was an issue. I also wouldn't look at fish--skis. You can ski behind anything with a big enough motor, but fishing is another thing. The last thing you want when bass fishing is fighting a boat with lots of area for the wind to grab.