Fishing boat advice

[TRENCHES06]

I'm new to fishing. Suggestions for a fishing boat that is $5K or less. I know I'll have to go the used route.

Just need help picking out what kind of boat for lake fishing.

[Dogman_1969]

Man I'm rebuilding my '85 Phanton ski boat now. If I was looking to fish I'd sure check into some used 17-19 ft fishing boats on the local craiglist. With the way folks are struggling to make ends meat you may pick up a bass tracker or one of the better ones pretty cheap now.

I'd look for one with a Evenrude/johnson or a Mercury outboard though.

Dogman.............

[PPHSfan]

For Bass fishing a circa 1985ish Ranger would be a good boat. For a center console Striper type boat, a 1990ish Stratos would be a good choice. The outboard motor is what's going to set the price. Good Luck.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by TRENCHES06
I'm new to fishing. Suggestions for a fishing boat that is $5K or less. I know I'll have to go the used route.

Just need help picking out what kind of boat for lake fishing. What lakes do you like to fish and what fish do you target?

[Rabid Cougar]

JasperMan he said he wanted to fish a lake not your inland sea.:)

[lostaussie]

SKEETER:D

[Farmersfan]

I currently have a 18ft Maxxum that I bought as a combination fishing and family/ski boat. I fish 90% of the time and ski 10% of the time so it appears I made a mistake. If you fish smaller and calmer bodies of water then a standard bass boat would be great for you. If you are like me and get into fishing Texoma type lakes for stripers then you might consider a center console. (at least 20'). That is what will be my next big purchase.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
JasperMan he said he wanted to fish a lake not your inland sea.:) Nah. I don't salt water fish. I mainly fish Conroe and Livingston, but what I'm fishing for depends on what lake I go to. There's also a big difference in what boat you need if you're fishing for bass versus fishing for catfish. That's why I was asking.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by lostaussie
SKEETER:D I thought this thread might get your attention! Been doin' much fishin' lately?

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
I thought this thread might get your attention! Been doin' much fishin' lately? quit about 3 weeks ago when it got real hot. Had a 24lb. stringer on Pines about 6 weeks ago and only had 4 fish!!!! pretty good for a 4 hour tourney huh? lost another 5 pounder that got hung in the grass!!! I should have brought 29 or 30 lbs. to the scale.........didn't matter, I still thumped everybody else.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by lostaussie
quit about 3 weeks ago when it got real hot. Had a 24lb. stringer on Pines about 6 weeks ago and only had 4 fish!!!! pretty good for a 4 hour tourney huh? lost another 5 pounder that got hung in the grass!!! I should have brought 29 or 30 lbs. to the scale.........didn't matter, I still thumped everybody else. Wow! That's just sick!!!

[lostaussie]

i have traded in my rods for my stick and string...........may fish a couple more times but i am ready to stab something real soon.

[JasperDog94]

you lost me...:confused:

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
you lost me...:confused: i have been shooting my bow getting ready for archery season.

[waterboy]

Originally posted by lostaussie
i have been shooting my bow getting ready for archery season.
So...........you've been bow-fishing?

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by waterboy
So...........you've been bow-fishing?




I saw a Gar on Texoma this past weekend that looked like it would be 6ft long and as big around as my leg. A bow hunter would have had a great shot at it since it played on top for a good two minutes before going down. I could not get it to even show interest in my lures though.

[95mustang]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I saw a Gar on Texoma this past weekend that looked like it would be 6ft long and as big around as my leg. A bow hunter would have had a great shot at it since it played on top for a good two minutes before going down. I could not get it to even show interest in my lures though.

Tie you an old piece of cotten rope with frayed ends to the endo of your line. The gar latch on and get the rope caught in their teeth and can't get away. I know they can get loose from lures and hooks easily.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
I could not get it to even show interest in my lures though. Was this the lure you were using?

link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daOZIKsHBAQ)

[Farmersfan]

Funny the subject of Gar should come up. Take a look at this: Click on fishing reports and then "20 pounder".


http://www.sixoldgeezers.com/discus/

[BwdLions]

I bought a 20 year old Champion bass boat with a 150 Mercury about 10 years ago. I kept it for six years and it was very reliable.

[icu812]

Originally posted by 95mustang
Tie you an old piece of cotten rope with frayed ends to the endo of your line. The gar latch on and get the rope caught in their teeth and can't get away. I know they can get loose from lures and hooks easily.

That'll work on a smaller Needlenose Gar but if that sucker was 6' long it was an Alligator Gar. I don't think a piece of rope will get caught in that bad boys teeth.

[VWG]

Never buy a new boat.
Be patient, there's always somebody making a good deal on a used boat. Be sure and have the motor checked, as PPHS fan said, that's the biggest expense.
Also, check out aluminum (welded, not riveted) boats.

[JasperDog94]

I may be in the market to sell my dad's G3 boat that he used a total of 3 times in the past 3 years. (at his request) Not sure what he wants for it though. It's been kept in his barn the whole 3 years.

[TexasHSFB]

I'm a saltwater kinda guy, but we have a 21' 4'' Kenner and a 22' Shallowwater (My uncles--- but I use it alot).

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by VWG
Never buy a new boat.
Them are pretty durn close to fighten words:D

[hookandladder]

Look into a Kenner or BlueWave 18', these boats are well built and work well for fresh and saltwater. If you ever try saltwater fishing you may never go back to freshwater, you can find these boats in very good shape for around $5,000 to $6,000. Good Luck.

[VWG]

Originally posted by lostaussie
Them are pretty durn close to fighten words:D

Sweetest deal I know is a guide over in Lake Fork. Gets a new boat every year. Doesn't have to make payments on it for 12 months.... so he fishes about 9 months in it and then sells it and gets another new boat. He just keeps flipping boats without ever making any payments.

I had a guy who owned a marina tell me that...."never buy a new boat", and he sold new boats!!!

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by VWG
Sweetest deal I know is a guide over in Lake Fork. Gets a new boat every year. Doesn't have to make payments on it for 12 months.... so he fishes about 9 months in it and then sells it and gets another new boat. He just keeps flipping boats without ever making any payments.
Who is it...........he probably gets it from me.

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by lostaussie
Who is it...........he probably gets it from me.





What type boats do you sell? Any center console?

[waterboy]

lostaussie sells Skeeter boats.

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by waterboy
lostaussie sells Skeeter boats. I don't sell them I build them and yes we do build some center console bay boats.

[waterboy]

I know what you do, but I was generalizing. Your company makes them and somebody else sells them. Without somebody selling them, you wouldn't have the job you have as plant manager.:D