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I am really new to this crappie fishing thing. If I am on the market to purchase a new boat what would be some things to look for and what not to look for. I am here in MS and would like to see what all used boats are around for purchasing. I will be fishing with friends and men from my church. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Probably get more info over on the MS OT board
You first have to decide how you are going to fish ? There are no jack of all trades boat . jmo . My only opinion that I would give is is to put what size motor the boat is rated for on it . Ride/fish from as many as you can because few have owned that many different boats and certainly you can not compare a boat of the same make that one is 25 yrs. old .Name brand does not guarantee anything either . There is no comparison between a lower end war eagle for example and the top of their line . The best for the money is what you can buy (and for me , that is cash )and what you intend to do with it . How often will you fish ? I have a friend that bought a 30-40 thousand dollar boat ,that might fish 20 times a year . He works in a local factory making 12-14 dollars an hour . Buy what "you" need , not what someone else has . jmo .
Thank you sir!!!!
thank you sir!!!!
Everyone's needs and wants will be different. Seems like most of the TV crappie fisherman fish out of a high end fiberglass bass boat. I guess I could find a way to afford one, but they are just too much of an investment for me. Most of the boats I see around here (Arkansas) are aluminum.
Just to give you a few to look at ... Typical crappie aluminum boats would be ...
Bass Tracker 175 TF
Ranger 178C
Stick Steer from bass tracker, Xpress , G3, etc
the one thing that makes a "crappie boat" is having side by side seating on the front deck. A lot of new crappie boats will have three pedestal mounts up front, so you can sit in the center or side by side for spider rigging.
some of the aluminum boat manufacturers that make crappie style boats
Bass Tracker
XPress
Triton
Alumacraft
G3
Ranger
War Eagle
crestliner
there are a lot of them, talk to Big River Marine in West Memphis when you're ready to buy.
Nothing wrong with a 14 ft Jon boat with a 15 hp merc or Yamaha with a 45 lb thrust minn Kota trolling motor. you can catch all the crappie you will ever need with a used one for about $2,400 or so.
I bought a Ranger 1880 Angler, but it will be the last boat of my lifetime probably.I crappie,bass and striper fish out of it and my wife loves to go out in it also. A lot of room,very comfortable you can use it for anything from fishing to skiing.
I have a 14ft Alumacraft Crappie Jon with stick steer, 15hp Merc, Trim and Tilt, Front and rear HDS 7 Touch sonars, Ethernet Network, transducers front and aft with 2d di front and 2d si di aft with si di transducer remote controlled depth control. Pole holders front and aft, MinnKota 70# trol motor with copilot. A bargain at $100,000.00.
I brought a G3, would not buy that model boat again, bass boat have a lot of storage, ones that are targeted at crappie fisherman sometimes choose not to have a lot of storage, the more storage the better. Make sure if you are going to sit two on the front deck (side by side) that there is width enough for both to fish comfortably, dual bait well front and back are great if you use live bait. front and back live wells are also great. Make sure trolling motor is strong enough to push the boat even in a good wind. Electronics are invaluable but big $$$$, just my 2 cents worth
Take a ride through this thread http://www.crappie.com/crappie/main-...507-boats-off/ and you will soon learn there is no wrong boat, just need to figure out exactly what you intend to do and consider the most popular methods in your area in case you decide to expand on that a bit.
Thanks a ton my friend. I would probably fish 2 on the front at some point. What are some wider model boats to look at? Plus I am 6'2" and weigh 250 lbs. a little on the larger side as you can tell. I want something that I can take a leak of of and not tip over lol!!!!
I got about 30lbs on ya and can take a leak with no worries in my Pro160, but you are not fishing side by side either front or back, just not wide enough. I would start here and move up TRACKER Boats : All-Welded Jon Boats : 2016 GRIZZLY 1760 MVX Sportsman Description used Tracker cause I am familiar with their models, this one might be manageable have to really look hard at it TRACKER Boats : All-Welded Jon Boats : 2016 GRIZZLY 1754 MVX SC Description there is a bunch of boats that would work in all styles. Just have to find the one right for you.
Best advice on boat purchase is look, look, look. It took me about 6 months to find the boat I wanted at a good price. I love to crappie fish and striper fish so a deep v was the best choice for me to do both from. I finally found one about 8 years old that a man bought when he retired, but did not like fishing. It had about 35 hours on it when I bought it at half new price. Look at setups on-line and at friends boats before starting on yours.
Thanks man!!!
Sounds like you need a Lowe stinger 195. Im only saying that because that is what I have. There is PLENTY of storage and room for 2 big ole boys in the front for side-by-side rigging. What I dislike about my boat....it has a low MAX HP rating for the size boat it is in my opinion which is 115. Even with the 115 i only get about 39mph. Another downside is the hull design when it comes to cutting waves. If wind is blowing and you have to cover some ground......ur getting wet. I have those life jackets that deploy when they get wet and I have been nervous several times about them self deploying while im driving! Hahahahaha
I chose my boat because exactly what I wanted. I would advise u to buy exactly what ya want the first time, so you dont have to buy again later. If I had it to do over again, I would definitely buy from BRM. I diidn't know him at the time I bought but wished I had now. Woulda saved me some moneys!
don't forget the lowe stinger crappie boats. I have a 2008 Lowe Stinger 175 crappie edition and it's a nice setup. I am considering selling it because I really haven't used it much in the last 2 years because I now have 2 small kiddos. Nothing against the boat though. I used to fish 2 or 3 times weekly. The last 2 years I've only had it out maybe 5 or 6 times each year. They are really wide boats and will float in almost no water. Really stable when you are walking around. You also have a wide front deck with plenty of room for 2 people (240lb+ size) up front sitting side by side, has 3 pedestal seats holes. Also you get the live wells with minnow bucket holders in them both front and back. Those are handy!
I'm in eastern Oklahoma. Send me a PM if you have any questions about this model.
I'm 6'1" and used to be about 240ish until I lost some weight. No problem taking a leak either front or back. No worries of tipping it over. I do agree you might get damp on windy days. Never been truly wet. I fish mainly on Lake Eufaula and it's a large lake and the waves can get pretty big. I have never felt unsafe in the stinger.
I have fished from the bass trackers and have felt unsafe in them with large Eufaula waves.
do your buddies single pole or troll more ?
Troll 4-5 each
I can tell you that as a big guy who fishes with a big guy bigger is better. I have a 240 seaark. I also fish catfish on the mississippi river so I wanted a lot of boat. Probably overkill for most folks. I also have good electronics. Again bigger is the ticket here. I went through several boats before I got this one. The only other thing I can say is a glass boat is quieter and won't blow around as much. I just didn't want to worry about scratching it etc. Good luck. As they say the best 2 days of a boat owners life are the day he buys it and the day he sells it. :Rofl
Hahaha!!!! Boy have I heard that one before! I appreciate all the input for sure. I'm gonna take my time and continue looking! Thanks again!!
Lowe Stinger 175 or 195 I love mine set up now to fish 4 peeps spider rigging