Pick a boat, any boat...

[kjackson]

I'm very close to changing boats and could use some advice.  Currently, I have a mod-vee jon built by Starcraft/Sylvan/Smokercraft with a 50hp tiller Yammie. I need a bit smaller boat and am thinking something in the large 14 to beamy 16-foot range would be about right.  I'm looking used unless I win the lottery, which would be interesting as I don't buy into that game at all.  I've had a good many boats in the past, and I've run more and ridden even more than that. 

What I think I want is an aluminum semi-vee, and I need one without a built-in gas tank.  If I had unlimited funds (see lottery remark above), I would opt for one of the newer Lunds with a side console. I really do not want a bass-style boat with a large, enclosed rear deck as I do like to troll on unfamiliar waters, and an open cockpit works best for that. I will be fishing in Truman, the upper end of LOZ, Stockton and may make a run or two down to Venice for reds and trout. 

In my boat shopping, I've hit Craig's List, the Facebook market page and boattrader.com. My problem comes that there are so many choices and so many different boats with which I have no experience, so I'm leaning on OA folks to provide input and advice.  

[fshndoug]

I have owned my Boston whaler for 41 years. Used it twice this week.

[rps]

https://www.walleyecentral.com/classified/adviewer/235466

[rps]

https://www.smartmarineguide.com/L49469478

[Ketchup]

2022 Skeeter ZXR21. Should treat ya well. 

[jdmidwest]

1 hour ago, Ketchup said:

2022 Skeeter ZXR21. Should treat ya well. 

Shallow anchors get in the way of trolling....

[FishnDave]

I've owned 2 (used) Lund side console semi-V boats.  Great boats for sure.  I'm not sure of the price difference in used boats, but Alumacraft are also very good boats.

[fishinwrench]

I have an 18' Lund deep-V with a Johnson 90 and 9.9 kicker sitting here.  

I restored it 12-14 years ago and the owner became ill.   It has been sitting here ever since, he pays a dollar a day for it to just sit here.    If interested I can post pics, contact him and urge him to just sell it. 

She really needs a new home.   🤷‍♂️

 

[kjackson]

 

Wrench-- Thanks. I'm interested, but all you need to do now is tell me the year and model. I can look up the stats and pix online. Was this the boat that was at the local marina (Johnson Brothers)?

I'm really all over the board on what I want, could use, would work, which probably is why I've not settled on "the" boat by now.  I've owned three Lunds and wish I'd not sold two of them and have run a Crestliner project boat for a while, and was able to do a longish test on an Alumacraft. I've not done anything with a Lowe except for a brief photo shoot at one point, but I've been thinking the FM160-165 series might work well. I've also considered the Tracker Grizzly 1648 side console, but I'm not sure a jon-style is what I want.  

[MrGiggles]

Do you want to stick with a tiller or side console? 

One thing for sure, I wouldn't want any kind of Mod-V or jon at Stockton or LOZ. 

I always thought the Tracker Guide V14 SC was a slick looking little boat. Fairly small but still not useless in rough water. They weren't too expensive either. 

As for older boats, Lowe and Alumacraft both had a model that was similar with the same name, Lunker. And the Lund Mr. Pike series. Tracker also had a few older Deep-V models. 

One things for sure, if you run up to Minnesota there are a lot more of those style boats. A lot of jons, pontoons, and bass boats here. 

With how I fish, there is little to no benefit in a flat bottom or Mod-V, and there are many to a Deep-V. I'd suggest you consider how and where you spend most of your time fishing, and get a hull style to suit.