# All You Bass Boaters



## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

So I've never owned a bass boat. I would prefer to buy a lowe, smokercraft, tracker, crestliner, etc with some sides on it but there just aren't many options for used ones for sale. Lots of bass boats though and considering picking one up. But have a few questions. Seeing how I have never been in one here are my questions:
A. How do they hold up in rough waters (Strawberry, Flaming Gorge, Lake Powell?)
B. I've never seen a downrigger placed on a bass boat. Sure it's possible but is it a very common thing?
C. Have any of you ever pulled a skiier or a tuber behind your bass boat?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Cant speak of bass boats, but I've had waves crest my transom on my 17ft SeaRay ski boat in rough water at the berry when making a turn (I like to keep the bow into the waves in rough water normally)... very very spooky. A bass boat would have a much lower transom and would have been screwed in that situation.

Electric downriggers would be ok IMO on a bass boat. Manual ones could suck if the sides are low enough that you would have to bend over to crank them.


-DallanC


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Keep looking. 
Doesn't sound like a Bass boat is what you need.


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

Yes keep looking. When you buy a boat you want to be totally satisfied with it. You have heard all the quotes and sayings that go with boat ownership, why topple that with wishing you had a different boat. I almost bought a bass boat, ended up with a 20 foot alumacraft. Love it to death. I have witness many bass boats at the gorge with down riggers, and they have plenty of power for pulling play toys and such. But they can be unconfortable for more than four people, with nothing but standing room on the bow. They fish great but what do you really want in a boat is what you need to ask?


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## Fiction32 (Feb 21, 2011)

As previously stated, make sure you shop carefully for what will fit your personal needs. I was wanting a bass boat but am also a waterfowl junky. I turned a G3 jon boat into a small bass fishing, goose killing machine. I have heard great things about Lund boats and have a friend who does quite well in bass tournaments with his. I'd personally be looking in that direction from what you've mentioned. Take your time, it's an investment that will last a lifetime if you make the right choice.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

FWIW we own a 2006 1800 Lund Fisherman and LOVE IT...best boat one can get for fishing IMHO (but I'm partial to Lunds). Aluminum construction same as aircraft construction, 18.5', very sturdy, Deep V, 96" beam width, both engines main and kicker are 4 strokes...main motor is 150 Merc Verado. Kicker is a 9.9 Merc. I don't have any down riggers on it as I don't have the need for them but would not be a problem to mount as the gunwales are at least 6 inches wide.

Here's a link to Lund:

http://www.lundboats.com/lund-difference

Oh and for towing toys...well not an issue as we've towed my son 18 and his friends on wake boards. Jerks them right out of the water up to speed quickly that they're giving me the thumbs down to SLOW DOWN...won't get the huge wake board waves they like but that's fine. With any outboard engine if you plan on towing toys you'll need a rope harness. Lund boats do cost more but well worth it as Lund boats are a known legend to us folks from midwest area one of the oldest boat manufacturers on the market...Second to none by us.

As others have stated what do you want to use the boat primarily for...will it be fishing or will it be pulling toys?


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

americanforkdude said:


> So I've never owned a bass boat. I would prefer to buy a lowe, smokercraft, tracker, crestliner, etc with some sides on it but there just aren't many options for used ones for sale. Lots of bass boats though and considering picking one up. But have a few questions. Seeing how I have never been in one here are my questions:
> A. How do they hold up in rough waters (Strawberry, Flaming Gorge, Lake Powell?)
> B. I've never seen a downrigger placed on a bass boat. Sure it's possible but is it a very common thing?
> C. Have any of you ever pulled a skiier or a tuber behind your bass boat?


Ask yourself these two questions, it will have your answers imbedded in them.

*WHY* are there so few Lowe, Lund, Smoker Craft, Tracker, Crestliner fishing boats with sides on them *for sale used*?
Why are there *lots of bass boats for sale*?


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## gunplay (Apr 28, 2008)

I own a 18" Nitro and love it for bass and fly fishing. the low deck makes the casting off the boat fantastic. THIS BOAT IS NOT GOOD FOR TROLLING. That said it has been done once or twice but its not my thing anyway. I do have a tripod for tubing and skiing I can attach to the back and we use it when at Powell but it isn't great for that either because the boat always wants to go very fast. They have there uses and fans and I am one of them but they are not an all around boat. That said, there are things that all around boats aren't as good at.
It has done well on some rough water but will beat you to death. The other thing is that if you see bad weather on the way, The boat will get you off the water in a hurry. It will also get you from point A to point B faster than any off the cross over type boats.


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## Mavis13 (Oct 29, 2007)

I have a 17ft Bass Tracker with a 60hp, electric bow mount and a 3hp kicker. I love it. It’s a great size and works very well on the small waters in the Cache Valley area. I have used a clamp on downrigger on it to troll at Bear Lake but it wasn’t ideal mostly I just use leaded line for trolling. The shallow floor means having to get on your knees to run the downrigger if you’re like me and don’t bend very well. If you’re really into trolling I’m with K2. I’ve never owned one Lund’s but I see them at Bear Lake and they handle big lake waves much better. I’d love to get one in the future. If it gets rough I have to get off in a hurry as a three foot wave will easily come in over the transom. I’ve only experience this at Bear Lake but I assume Willard on a windy day would be the same. So for me Bass boat = great on small water; Big water not so much.


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

gunplay said:


> The boat will get you off the wa It will also get you from point A to point B faster than any off the cross over type boats.


I don't totally agree with ya. these cross over aluminum boats are quite fast. I have a 250 HP outboard. It will not keep up with you but it is plenty fast! I have the stand up deck that drops into the bow, and has a seat post making it just like the front of a bass boat. It has a seat on the rear next to the outboard and then has two more seats I can move to where ever I want. Have the same electric motor up front, 2 live wells and a built in cooler. a cover that will completely shade the whole boat if I choose. It has 3 toe wells in the gunwale at floor level so when I reach over the side of the boat I have control not to slip. the gunwales are 8 inches wide which I can practaly run up and down and it has carpet wall to wall, including the top of the gunwale. I had a pylon tripod installed for skiing. They really did do a great job crossing a bass boat and a big water boat.


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## SlapShot (Sep 25, 2007)

AFD - I dont think you'll find any one boat that can troll, bass fish, and water sports very good. A fiberglass runabout is probably your best bet if you want it all. High sides for bigger water and water sports, add a kicker motor and downriggers for trolling, then add a ele. trolling motor on the bow and convert the bow and back decks for regular casting for bass. I would stay in the relm of 20'. Now you have to pull it. A 1/2 ton pickup is now a requirement. Just because Toyota says a Tacoma can pull 5500 LBS doesnt mean you should.
To your questions:
A. My 21' Cobra can handle big water fairly well. My older 20' boat was not nearly as good. 1.5 feet really makes a difference.
B. You could attach downriggers but since the gunwales (sides) are so low you would have to kneel on the deck or just sit in the seats and lean to one side to watch for strikes. Plus most bass boat transoms are not square across the back so attaching a kicker would be tough and trolling with the big motor may be a little too fast.
C. I have pulled a tuber/knee boarder, but the boat and engine are not designed for that. Not meant to carry a bunch of spectators and with a 225 outboard the boat planes out and takes off pretty fast. Difficult to find the sweet spot to pull skiers or tubers.

My first boat was a Fish-n-Ski and I only used it for fishing. Just not designed for multi use.

SlapShot


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