Boats, still looking

I have been looking at boats. Being new to boats, it's all a little confusing. For the last few years I have been using a home made jon boat. While it has got me on the water, it's a bit uncomfortable and I am not going to spend money to upgrade a home made model when that $$ could be spent on a nice aluminum boat.

My question is; I see panfish boats and bass boats, low platforms and elevated casting platforms. When in a boat, I fish everything. I'll tool along the banks looking for bluegill and crappie, but if I see bass, I switch rods and fish for the bass for a while. I'm in mostly lakes (dammed up streams that are narrow and long). Rarely any moving water. I have been looking at Crappie Jons as well as boats with elevated casting decks and low casting decks like the War Eagle 648LDV. What's with the different levels and what works best for what? Looking for reasonable prices and would rather put my money in quality rather than extravagance.

Thanks,

All my life we have used a 14' flat bottom for fishing, but last year my dad bought a 17' bass tracker. That was the best purchase ever. Much more room for storage and for more people fishing. I don't like the riveted boats, but pretty much every boat I have been in leaked some. We fish mostly lakes and the river three or times a year. The semi v can take waves much better than a flat bottom. There was a bass tracker for sale in the classifieds that seemed like a nice deal.

In smaller aluminum boats 17 or less if trolling I would prefer very low decks, casting banks and such I would prefer a high deck. Now on bigger boats like 1860 on up and bass boats that are very stable I would prefer an elevated deck all the way around unless all I did was troll then give me low decks all around. But I would not rule out any of the stick steer boats if your person load is only 2 adults and maybe a child, not 3 adults though. Something very convenient about getting in boat and not shifting all around.

How many people do you want to hold and what kind of water conditions do you encounter? Big lake and waves? Do you need to go really shallow to get to your spots?

Right off the bat if I was only interested in fishing with two people most of the time with an occasional third and I wasn't dealing with big water and waves I would recommend a stick steer model (Tracker Panfish-16 or the war eagle 17' model) with a 25 or 40 hp on it. That style of boat does lots of things well and is very comfortable to fish for long periods out of.

What they aren't good for is two people on the front spider rigging or running long distances in a heavy chop. Because you sit up front it makes for a wet ride at times.

Yeah, I forgot to mention. One and two people mostly, with possibly an occasional third. Dammed up streams to make lakes and most have 10hp limit and the lake I was on today is electric only. The lakes that don't have a hp limit are mostly no wake. So I could use a larger than 9.9 motor and just use the troller on lakes with a hp limit, but a 9.9 would be nice. Will be in shallow water occasionally. I'm thinking tiller steer to keep it economical but am open to stick steer. I have been pricing the Alumacraft Crappie Jon and Crappie Deluxe as well as a Used Alumacraft Angler.


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from what your saying I think you will be happiest with an elevated casting deck. Get you a big comfortable butt seat ( I have one that also has a place to hold a drink and some fishing stuff.) A light built 16' Jon with about a 70" beam. You want light so you can push it good with a 9.9. And a 50lb foot controlled trolling motor and I bet it does all you want and won't leave you wanting for a lot.