WTB A Crappie boat

I am looking to buy a nice crappie boat or a bass boat that can be converted.I need help deciding a few things like Glass or Aluminum . would appreciate a few opinions on which one and why ? would like to keep the price down to 15k or under but might go more for the right rig. 17 ft. or larger . I also do not want to travel too far to look, maybe 2 to 300 miles from central Tx. the closer the better, would also like it to be powered at or near the boats rated HP.

one more question: will the perfect boat even be possible to find?

Yes it can be found. It just depends on what you want. Glass boats are heavier and more stable in winds. Bass boats make good crappie boats. You did not state what kind of fishing you do. Tight line or pulling shooting docks or jigging. Alumunin boats are lighter and easier on mileage if you have to travel to your fishing grounds. It is more in your style of fishing than my recommendation.

I'm a tin can man 18'6 xpress aluminum 125 Mercury handles big waters great and can get pretty shallow runs about 42 mph loaded with a couple people pretty good on gas .loads super easy . only thing is no well in front other than that I love it.i have rode in the Lowe bosts I really like how stable they are .may not handle big waves like the express but I think they are a more roomy. glass boats are smooth rides but they heavy heavy.if you going to run a lot I would go with 4 stroke they great on fuel.:twocents:twocents

Good advice so far. I have an 18' glass bass boat w/150hp. Older boat so uses lots of fuel. Learned a lot with this boat though. The front deck needs to be wide enough to fish 2 people, whether you ever do or not. The more storage the better, mine is middle of the road. I wouldn't go smaller than 18', better to get back home in the rough conditions. A 20' with a 4 stroke would serve you well for many years. And the most ponies the hull will stand is also on target. Better to not run them wide open every time out, unless you want to. Must have room for at least 3 batteries and charger system. If you fish rivers or current you may want to go 36 volts and that's 4 batteries. Most important is to sit in the boat and feel how it works for how you fish. You'b be amazed at how well something looks from alongside that isn't worth beans from inside. Good luck,and yes, the perfect boat can be found, and now through the end of February is the best time to buy.

I am looking at a zx20 skeeter bay , with a 150 yamaha, I think it will make a great crappie boat, only issue I can see is storage room and front deck room may be a little cramped for 2 people , I will post pics if I can make a deal on this boat

I am looking at a zx20 skeeter bay , with a 150 yamaha, I think it will make a great crappie boat, only issue I can see is storage room and front deck room may be a little cramped for 2 people , I will post pics if I can make a deal on this boat

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Originally Posted by sinkermaker

Yes it can be found. It just depends on what you want. Glass boats are heavier and more stable in winds. Bass boats make good crappie boats. You did not state what kind of fishing you do. Tight line or pulling shooting docks or jigging. Alumunin boats are lighter and easier on mileage if you have to travel to your fishing grounds. It is more in your style of fishing than my recommendation.

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I live on a lake , fish mostly 1 rod 1 soft plastic jig, but will rig my next boat with rod holders for 6 to 8 rods, i will need lots of help to get this boat rigged out right and on the water

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Originally Posted by lp243

I live on a lake , fish mostly 1 rod 1 soft plastic jig, but will rig my next boat with rod holders for 6 to 8 rods, i will need lots of help to get this boat rigged out right and on the water

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You're in the right place.

You might send a PM to SatDoc1. He had a nice 18 charger with 150 completely outfitted for a good price in your range. When I say outfitted I mean everything to go fishing that day including kicker motor for pulling cranks.

Last year I bought an 04 Triton Tr20 with Yam 225....best investment I have made and we fish alot.....for years I've fished out of a Procraft 20 fish and ski and even guided out of it several times....it was great for when the kids were younger and wanted to ski and tube but alas they have grown up so wife and I found this since its alot easier to load and unload esprecially when I go alone....the Triton is set up great for crappie fishing and with it being 20 ft it handles just about any kind of water....We fish different lakes, creeks, and rivers around and it fishes very good for two or three on the front....it can easily be set up for spider rigging but we usually double dip from the front....hope this helps and keep looking and you will find what you want.

Andy

lp243... I have a 2011 Ranger 198VX with a 2011 200hp Yamaha VMax Sho (4 Stroke) that I would let go but it is more then the 15K you had mentioned. It is in good shape and runs excellent. Has 2 HDS8 units with Structure Scan and LMS520, Hydrowave, Two 8' Power Poles, ATLAS Hydro Jack plate, Oxygenator, Hot Foot, Hambys Keel Gaurd, complete BlueWater LED lighting package, MotorMate Engine Bracket, 3 batteries (2 Group 31 Optima Batteries for TM), 3 Bank onboard charger, Ranger Trail Trailer with Swing away tongue, Custom Cover, Yamaha Engine Cover, Six 12' Crappie Max Tightline Specials with reels, 2 Spyderlok rod holders for Spider Rigging (4 rod holders each for total of 8), 2 Folding Seats and Butt seat, Cumberland Crappie Adjust Double seat mount with two Tempress High Back Navistyle seats that match the boat for spider rigging. This boat handles rough water great. 65mph+. Plenty of room for two people to fish up front. Several guys from crappie.com in Oklahoma have seen this boat and can vouch that it is a good boat and in good shape. Value on the boat is 35k+ and I am asking 26K OBO. Here is a few pictures I have on my phone of boat. Tagged until June 30th 2017. Located near Stillwater, Oklahoma.

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lp243, don't sweat the storage issue. Lots of storage is nice,but it usually eats up the " fishing space". The boat I fish out of,a princecraft hudson,doesn't have much storage but I allways say I use mine for fishing not storing.

that is a very nice Ranger and rigged out very nicely, but it is way above my budget. I started with a 10 k budget and have already gone up to 15 k. thank you for the pics but I have to pass on this one

Don't Buy an EXPRESS BAY BOAT • Inshore Fishing in Louisiana - Louisiana Sportsman Reports, LA

For 15 grand you should find what you want. Take you time, check out the motor real good, that's where the money is. Had a 17 foot tin boat, went to a 21 foot glass...different as day and night. The extra length and weight added a whole lot more fishing days.

If it's your first boat, I would suggest you look for a used aluminum boat. In my opinion it's easier to manage and learn on. They also don't require as big of a tow vehicle. You won't feel guilty about dinging it on a dock, or hitting a stump etc. Aluminum boats also hold their value reasonably well, so if you ever want to upgrade you won't lose much. This will also leave some room in the budget for upgrading electronics like fish finders, trolling motors etc.

As for size, buy as big as you can afford.

I am going to mix you up a lil more. Do not overlook bay boats, especially in Texas, might get a hankering to try some saltwater, and the ride and fishability is top notch.

There's a Basscat jaguar in Grenada set up and ready to go. 250 merc. It's somewhere around an 01-03 model. It's the same hull I run and I'm happy with it in every way. My neighbor is asking 11.5 for it which I think is pretty fair.

Wannabe...

going Saturday to look at a 07 ZX 190 Skeeter pics, look good but ya'll know how that goes, pics sometimes hide a lot. it has a bird 1199 on the console and a 999 on the bow. good price and only 95 miles from my home. I will post Pics. if I bring it home

still looking, may have to expand the distance a bit, I have already driven over 400 miles looking at boats that were too well used for their price

If you go with the Aluminum boat route, you can get lots of boat for your money. I own two Aluminum boats and like them because they are easy to maintain and I can easily tow them around town. Neither of my boats have any wood in them, which makes them even lower maintenance. However, depending on how much boat traffic your lake gets, a used Ranger maybe worth looking into as well. Depending on how shallow you fish, a deep V aluminum boat may not be a bad option either.

I recommend sitting in a few and deciding on a floor plan that suits you best for the type of fishing you do. If you plan on spider rigging make sure your boat has room for two people up front. A live well is also a nice option to have up front.

Lastly, get the biggest boat that you can afford, otherwise you will be buying a new boat sooner than you think.

found a boat , I bought a new 2017 G3 Sportsman 17 PFC , with 2 1199ci hd si and a 360 imaging transom mount, minn-kota ulterra 80 I-Pilot Link. I want to thank all of you for all the help and advice so far will need more help finding the rest of the gear, rods rod holders ect.

Congratulations on your new purchase. For the rest of your setup for your new rig I would use the link below and click on Ken's Picks at the top of page. Everything you need and more on one page.

Lithia Fishing Guide - Lake Shelbyville, IL - Home