I should be buying a boat soon.Up until a few months ago,I would never have considered buying a stick steer,but I'm really thinking about it.You can sure cover alot of water quick.....I'll probably be buying used,so it'll be whatever is available.
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I should be buying a boat soon.Up until a few months ago,I would never have considered buying a stick steer,but I'm really thinking about it.You can sure cover alot of water quick.....I'll probably be buying used,so it'll be whatever is available.
Just my opinion:
I have both stick steering and side console. I far more prefer the stick steering because the console takes up my ice chest space, and a lot of room in general. The stick steering is nice because once you get in the boat, you don't have to move around and risk stepping on a rod, etc. It's also nice to just pull up to your spot and start fishing.
My vote is for the stick steering......
There are some awesome deals on old fiberglass "hawg troughs" as my dad calls them, if you know how to work on outboards. I bought a whole rig for $425 bucks with a 65 merc on it that just needed rewiring, and a whole stick steer rig for $100 that required a used crankshaft, piston, and connecting rod for $20 off ebay, along with a NOS ebay steering system that I got for $75 (a steal!!--wish I could find another steering system for that price). Look for good transoms and solid floors, though, or you will have a nightmare. Also, make sure that the floor isn't full of water----if it is, you don't want it.
GOod luck,
JBJ
I debated that question when I bought my last boat. The stick steering is no doubt the handiest since you don't have to move from the seat to fish or run the outboard.
I have had both in the past and I now own a console steer. My reason is I am more comfortable in it in rough water. I have gotten caught a few time in really bad blows and it is hard to run a stick steer boat through a rough high chop and you will get soaked. I also find it more confortable to make long runs (which I try to avoid) with the console.
My wife is a non-fisher but she occassionaly likes to go our for a boat ride and it is more comfortable with the 2 of us seated side by side on the bench seat behind the console.
If all I did was short runs and only used it for fishing, the stick steer is a fishing machine.Since I can't afford 2 boats, I find the console more versatile.
Really depends on the type of fishing and the lakes you will be on.
SeaRay
hVE BOTH..AND FOR CRAPPIE...ITS THE STICK STEER FOR SURE...HERE ON BISTINEAU THE TIMBER IS SO THICK ITS MUCH EASIER TO GET IN AND OUT OF IN A STICK STEER RIG...IN OPEN WATER YOU MAY GET A LITTLE WET FROM THE SPLASH BUT FOR ME ITS STICK STEER INDEED../GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CHOICE..ENJOY IT
Mo for where u fishing u will Probley be Better off with a side console and can Probley make a better deal on one. Go talk to ms laurette at boat city USA. And let her know what u are looking for. Or get on computer and loon on craiglist. If u wanna drive u can make a deal just had a buddy by a 21ft allision boat with motor. 7500 including fuel cost to drive 700 miles
The stick is the way to go,you never have to move once
you sit down and if and when you are older as I am that
mean a lot.
I've had both. The convenience when fishing is great. Rough water or passing oncoming boats is very rough and sitting in front is the roughest wettest ride. I have a console Ranger and wouldn't go back. It depends where you fish and what you want to enjoy most from your boat.
I've got a stick steer and really enjoy it for the same reasons others have mentioned already. One other reason, is the ability to see things in the water closer to me. Sitting right in the front gives you a little more advantage from that perspective. Whichever you get, hope you get years of enjoyment with it.
Scott
Stick steers, in my opinion, are also safer. Especially for kids. They are a lot less likely to fall out of a stick steer than they are with a boat that has gunwhale-level decks.
I used both also. I'd perfer a large bass boat. where moving around isn't a problem, but sometimes hard to get in tight areas, and there expensive. I had a smaller bass boat that had a smaller deck on front, I nearly stepped off into the water a few times and tripped over the trolling motor cables a few times also. currently I use a 15x42 Flat Bottom, tiller 25 Yam, a floor in the middle and a deck on the front.
I have a stick steer Bass Tracker Panfish 16 and love it for the way I fish, which most of the time is by myself. The only drawback, as far as I am concerned, is the motor size on most stick steers. My boat has a 40HP and I wish I had a 50 or 60 HP. Anyway, good luck with whichever boat you choose.
Stick steer is the way to go as the ageing process takes place. Once you are settled in your boat with a stick steer, there is no climbing around, up and down back and forth in your boat. I have had both styles and would always keep the stick steer now.
Thx for the feedback.....age is not an issue yet(I'm 37)...but I can see how a stick steer would be better for a crappie angler in his "golden years".....lol
I have been checking Craig's list,looks like I may have a side console in my future.There just isn't many used SS boats for sale,and trying to purchase used....I'll get a SS when I hit 60,Lord willing!:biggrin
I like my Stick Steer. It's good for one person fishing mostly with an occasional second person. This is how I set up
Attachment 83739
Spinning rod, bass rod on shelf to left (the bass rod in rod holder I lay on floor by stick). Rag and crappie nibbles on floor (left front). 10' jig rod on shelf to right, 2 or 3 small tackle bags on floor or right. Large tackle bag behind seat. There is a storage compartment on deck in front of me with a bunch of small misc. items.
Attachment 83743
Red cooler (drinks and food) and larger blue cooler (fish box) are both within reach on my right side. If I want to use live well I spin seat around to left and it's within reach. If I use shiners the bucket w/air pump goes on floor on my left side. I reach to my front to grab the trolling motor rope.
All in all it's pretty handy. Fully loaded w/full tank and me (just over 250) The Merc 40 HP 2 stroke will top out about 28. I normally run 20 - 23 GPS and get very good fuel mileage. Would like to have more HP but...I've never seen a 20 mph bass or crappie yet.
Nice pics GB. I have both and can confirm the rough ride in a light chop, BUT a Sticksteer boat is a dream in slick water, bayous etc. with shorter boatrides. Sticksteer is also hard to beat running jugs or yoyos - works well by your self. Keep your eye pealed for the older fiberglass versions and buy a distressed rig and fix it up.
Personally I've never owned a stick steer or fished out of one. I've had a console for the past 7 years and I won't own anything else. I've not yet reached my golden years so the back and forth doesn't matter to me. I don't move that much anyway. I had my live well doors turned around when I bought it so no I just leave my doors open and I can throw a fish from the front deck to the livewell. I normally fish by myself so it's nice to have the room. I also wanted the hp to get off the lake if a storm were to come up or something of that nature. A stick steer just doesn't offer that hp.
I know this is an old thread, but thought I would add my 2 cents.
For boats under 18ft, the stick steer makes lots of sense as far as maximizing the amount of useable space. Being able to fish and operate the boat motor, and trolling motor from one spot is very nice.
I own both a Stick Steer and a Side Console boats. One has an outboard Jet, the other a Prop. My Stick Steer is a 16ft Xpress and my side console is a 17ft Sea Ark Forecast. The stick steer is more comfortable to fish and "feels" bigger without the console taking up room. I have more open space in the middle to put stuff like tackle & coolers, and can even fish a 3rd person if absolutely necessary.
If you're fishing mostly shallow water, creeks and calmer water then the stick makes lots of sense. The side console protects you from the elements a bit more, and if you deal with open water and chop, then a console may make more sense. For me it's an easy decision, I just pick my days and don't go out on windy days. I am actually considering converting my side console boat over to stick steer.
The older you get the more you need stick, you don't have to get up and move around as muchQuote:
Originally Posted by RustyHook
Well, as you can see from my signature I have changed to a stick steer boat since I posted this in 2012. I found a 16.5 ft barely used Duracraft with a 40 Yamaha and it is a really nice setup. This boat has a lot of room compared to the 16.6 Bass Tracker I had. It is true the stick steer is a rougher ride in choppy water but I have started adjusting where I launch from if there is a chance of thunder storms or bad weather so I don't have to cross big open water. My buddies love it because they don't have to move once they are seated and some of them have knee or hip issues and not having to climb on and off raised decks has made them feel safer.Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
Attachment 252797Attachment 252798
That works right there Ray, thanks for posting.
My Boat has stick stearing and only 14 feet, the drawback is the front seat is mounted to a aluminum bench all way across and takes up valuable room. I installed foam on the floor and covered with plywood and Carpet The back has the same aluminum seat with the swivel seat attached as well and fabed two hatches to cover the Gas tank and Batterys making a small deck on back Tackle boxes and ice chest in the middle.... being small it gets into tight spots and light enough it does not sit low in the water like bigger boats. Bro has a big side console. he keeps all his junk on one side of the boat and it will not sit level in the water and tracks sideways trying to load on the Trailer. He got a big one to fish Nets, Trot-Lines and Yo-Yos and take a tug Boat in the River!!!!! your fishing style should dictate what you fish from . Been in a center console fishing inshore and you could not give me one of the Tubs
Pros: you can see what your fixing to hit.
Cons: if you hit something, you coming out da boat.
The Xpress that I have is really built well, it's been a great boat. The next boat I get will likely be a custom 18ft James River Jet w/ Stick Steer to accommodate a 3rd person better and run the shallow river with a UHMW bottom.
My current hull is a MOD V, and as long as I'm not in some heavy chop, it's a pretty dry ride. I spend most my time fishing the tributaries of the lower Potomac River, or the Upper Potomac above the falls (which is shallow). I don't make any really long runs, and I launch relatively close to where I intend to fish for the day. It's nice and comfortable for the type of fishing that I do. Losing the console and having the extra space on a 16ft boat makes a big difference.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...bafffdf7a9.jpgWhere I fish at (skinny water/ small bayous) stick steer is the way to go. I don't have to get on plane to see where I'm going. We also deer/duck/squirrel & turkey hunt and run lines/jugs & yo-yos very comfortably from it. I also feel safe letting our boys drive it. This has been interesting to read everybody's opinions and see their pics but being that it was posted 4 1/2 yrs ago doesn't anybody know what Mo Slab ended up getting? Lol
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I bought a used stick steer back in the spring,, love the ease and covenince. Like others have said,, sitdown, start the motor go where you want to fish ,kill the motor, drop the trolling motor and start fishing and never get up out of your seat,,,lol, thats for me.
After that post, I bought a side console 17.5 ft War Eagle, practically brand new that I found on Craig's list.....I sold that and now have a 16ft Ranger alum, with a tiller handle 40 Etec.......Think I'll wait a little longer before I get a stick steer.
Up here on Black Bayou a stick steer works best for me. Especially if I am fishing alone. My SeaArk allows me to get into tight places in the trees or try places in open water. To me I like not having to move around in the boat to use the motor. Plus being down low allows me to get under the trees in places.
The stick steer boat appears to be the type boat to fit my needs and solve my problems after reading these posts.
I don't like to launch and load by my self.
I don't like being on the boat, I like being in the boat.
I don't like moving around in the boat
I like fishing by my self.
The stick steer would solve the problems listed above. The trade off would be rough ride and may get wet but I only fish in good weather and small lakes.
Wow I have read and talk my self into purchasing a stick steer boat but what size LxW.
Mike
Glad we could help Mike......if u have any other problems, we'll help with that too;-)
Thanks for the reply, it's pretty cool your original post lived this long and helped out a lot of folks! Good fishin' to you Mo Slab[emoji106] [emoji106] [emoji106]Quote:
Originally Posted by MO Slab
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Speck Beck
Just my 2cents, but you can minimize somewhat the rough, wet ride with a 16 to 17 ft boat vs the smaller 14 ft size because most are much wider and deeper than the smaller counter part. Mine has a large live well seat in the middle with full length rod lockers down each side and there is plenty of room on either side to walk to the back or front. I try to plan my launch as close as possible to where I plan to fish if there is a chance of bad weather. Even so, you will get caught every now and then bucking the waves.
My dream boat was one of the Royal Stick Steer fiber glass boats made in Alabama, but out of my budget unfortunately.
Looks as though Alweld now makes an 1856 Stick Steer with a mod-v
alweldboats
Sold I'm going to buy a 16' + stick steer used boat would buy new but my CPA and IRS has postpone buying new for awhile but maybe someday I will have the option of making a decision between Alweldboats and Royal Boats.
A great big big THANKS to everyone that posted.
Mike
16ft I said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speck Beck
I have a Dura Craft 1648 stick steer with a 40hp Johnson with trim & tilt. It's a 98 model that was made in Delhi and I love it. The trim is important to keeping me dry running across the lake and it has a livewell under each seat along with an aerated shiner bucket for each seat also.
Attachment 253246
Interesting,I have the same boat in 1999 but it has one large livewell in the middle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barneyrb
Want to sale?Quote:
Originally Posted by Barneyrb
NLOL.Only reason I got mine was I saw it soon as the seller posted it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speck Beck
Had 3 sold before I could get to them.
I may have to wait until I can afford a new one.Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
Yes sir I would sale it. I don't think you could afford it on account it would have to be sold with the wife and you sure don't want to take up payments on her. :biggrinQuote:
Originally Posted by Speck Beck
Mine was called a "Suburban". I have nothing in between the seats on mine, sorta wish it did have on livewell and storage under the seats.Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay