New boat?

Currently have a 2010 bass tracker pro team 170tx. Been a great boat but now that I’m getting older looking for something more stable. Looking in the 20 to 30k range. Cheaper if possible of course.

Spend 90 percent of my time long line trolling and bass fishing. About 4 months of each during the year. Stay home in the summer. To hot and to many people. Not into serious bass fishing, just go for fun.

Looking to improve on the following:

1. Handling in the wind. Pretty much have to hang it up once the wind starts getting up a little.

2. More space around seat up front. Don’t have much room to the left or right of the seat and as I get old and clumsy feel I might go for a swim.

3. Would love a live well in the front and back so when I’m tearing up the crappie I don’t have to get up and go to the back of the boat.

4. Rod storage compartment to keep a few bass rods in so if the crappie don’t want to play I can go bass fishing. I currently have 3 or 4 rods laying around the boat when I’m trolling increasing my chances of going for a swim.

5. Would love a fish finder up front that’s not attached to the trolling motor or one built in the trolling motor would work.

6. Although a low priority think I might like glass across the middle of boat to stop the could wind in winter. Do a lot of fishing dec to mar.

Storage length of boat must be 21 feet or less so it fits in my garage.

Think that’s about it. What ya think

Thanks.

https://www.rangerboats.com/aluminum.../vs1682dc.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1knKxKuvZw

Check out a Lund Impact. Just about fits the want list. Find one a couple years old and it fits the budget. I bought a 1875 impact last year. Very stale. Live well front and back. room up front for 2 across seating if want to. Plenty of room for one. Wind shield to block the cold wind. In floor rod locker for bass rods. If you find a 2013 or newer the transom and floors are covered by factory.

Targa with a walk through wind shield. Not much rod storage in the older ones. You will get more stability and high sides to keep you in the boat. Wind will blow you around a bit but with a good trolling motor you can still fish. I had one for the 19 years just got a z8 last fall. Love my z8.

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Congrats on the new boat.
LittleJohn

Dude I looked hard for two years. I mean I drove miles and miles sit in many boats. I ended up in a used fiberglass ranger. Best move I ever made.

Check out the xpress H18PFC!

Alumacraft competitor, 165 or 175 sport. It has everything you mentioned.

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Crestliner crappie versions I have all you mentioned in my 17 storm except the windshield.


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Like bamas said ranger bass boat is hard to beat for everything your looking for. In the wind you need a glass boat.

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Glass boat all the way if you can find one for the budget. I fish out of a champion Fishhunter and love it. I can go with the wind in 15 to 20 and not have to put out a windsock longlinning. The only thing that you may not get is the livewell up front but that is a minor thing compared to all the other things you gain.

What about the deep v aluminum. How are they in windy conditions.

Well I had on and not that great. They sit out of the water and are not that heavy. If you put a big trolling motor on it and fish into the wind. But that is not always what you want.

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Your gonna get blown around more. They are good for the chop when running. Deep V's are considered big water boats.So yes they are good for wind in the respect of running on windy days and staying dry.

But trying to hold with a trolling motor you're gonna get blown around more.

Anything that sits up in the water is gonna get blown around and anything that drafts shallow and light and catches the wind gets blown around more.

Heck it makes a difference if you stand or sit. Or sit high on a deck or down in the boat more.

The low freeboard fiberglass bassboats are the best thing for resisting movement in the wind . But everything gets blown around some. I fish windy points a lot holding the boat in position. You also have to have enough trolling motor if things like that are something you want to do.

That is the down side to my Lund. The wind does effect it more. I have a 80 lb thrust trolling motor on it and it handles it very good. If I was fishing lots of wind all the time I would have gone with the 112.

My last boat was a 16' stick steer aluminum and it had a lot of wind signature, so I went home early a lot. A friend had a Targa and it had higher sides and also got us sent home early unless we anchored. We both went to glass bass boat style and wouldn't go back. He even bought a Stratos that was laid out like the Targa and an 80lb TM had to work at keeping it in place. That got sold too. Lower sides, more boat in the water because of the deeper V of that style boat, and the weight of the boat all add to the stability and personality in the wind. I have a 30 year old garage queen 18' bass boat and if the 70lb that I have on the front can't keep up with the task at hand, it's probably rough enough that I shouldn't be out there anyway. Try to get in one on a windy day and see for yourself before you buy. The weight of the boat also reacts slower when you move around and adds to my comfort factor. I personally don't care for double console because of the lack of storage and a shorter rod box that I have found in some of what I looked at. My rod box goes from in front of the rear deck to under the front deck and I have put 9' rods in it when they are still assembled. Look a lot, be patient, and test ride a bunch before laying down any nickels and it will go a long way to eliminating the buyers remorse after the purchase.

Well looks like a bass boat it is!

Look around you can find good deals on glass boats. I paid 22k for my 2010 z8 with a 250. I don't miss my Targa one bit.

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Do like bama and go fish out of a bunch of boats. I'll be glad to take you out in my skeeter bay and I'm sure some others would as well

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Find a good used glass boat. Too many things on your want list fits one perfectly and I can't think of a single aluminum boat that will hit many of them.

Check out the boat that bandchaser has it may an older boat but it’s a nice looking rig . And it has a bunch or horses to flat haul some mail if need be!

Attachment 295507

That is a lot of boat for the bucks.

Been thru several boats in my 70 years. Picked up a Kencraft 198 bay boat (18ft) back in 2004 and never looked back. Perfect boat. I've rigged it out over the years for any type of fishing I do with 115hp Yammy; salt water Xi5; removable double T-bars front and rear; 6 chair mounts (3 across, front & rear) for fishing alone or with partner; bow mounted HDS9 Gen3 with HDS9 Gen3 and HDS9 Carbon on console; Point 1 GPS; bench seat ahead and behind console; live well; rail mounted rod holders; plenty of storage below bow, rear deck and under console; removable bimini top.

As I said, perfect boat for me. I can long line, spider rig, vertical jig and cast the shallows. With 8" of draft, I take it to Florida a couple three times a year and fish the flats for sea trout & reds. I can fish during the week and take the grand kids out tubing on weekends removing all from the boat except one of the console HDS9s. The high gunnel works great keeping kids in the boat :-)

^^^^ yep love my bay boat too. Only thing is no rod storage like bass boats have. Otherwise I would have suggested one.

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Originally Posted by huntinslabs

^^^^ yep love my bay boat too. Only thing is no rod storage like bass boats have. Otherwise I would have suggested one.

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I have rack rod holders on both sides of boat. Work fine for me. I can store a dozen rods. Rods just aren't in covered storage like bass boat. I've had 2 bass boats with storage lockers. I think I like side storage better....easier to get to or store.

Take your time. Watch the used boat ads on crappie.com and bassboatcentral. Watch for a Triton TA196. Find one. Buy it. End of discussion. Best of all world. Hull of a bass boat. Open front deck of a bay boat. Live wells fore and aft. Side rails to mount all your accessories for pulling. Three across seating in front. Can’t for the life of me figure out why Triton stopped production guess cause crappie fishermen have a reputation for being tighter than bass fishermen. Come take a ride in mine someday., if you ever make it down to Grenada. You will love it!


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkAttachment 295997Attachment 295998

I second that. Iwannafish has the best boat for what we do IMHO.

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Originally Posted by usafret99

Currently have a 2010 bass tracker pro team 170tx. Been a great boat but now that I’m getting older looking for something more stable. Looking in the 20 to 30k range. Cheaper if possible of course.

Spend 90 percent of my time long line trolling and bass fishing. About 4 months of each during the year. Stay home in the summer. To hot and to many people. Not into serious bass fishing, just go for fun.

Looking to improve on the following:

1. Handling in the wind. Pretty much have to hang it up once the wind starts getting up a little.

2. More space around seat up front. Don’t have much room to the left or right of the seat and as I get old and clumsy feel I might go for a swim.

3. Would love a live well in the front and back so when I’m tearing up the crappie I don’t have to get up and go to the back of the boat.

4. Rod storage compartment to keep a few bass rods in so if the crappie don’t want to play I can go bass fishing. I currently have 3 or 4 rods laying around the boat when I’m trolling increasing my chances of going for a swim.

5. Would love a fish finder up front that’s not attached to the trolling motor or one built in the trolling motor would work.

6. Although a low priority think I might like glass across the middle of boat to stop the could wind in winter. Do a lot of fishing dec to mar.

Storage length of boat must be 21 feet or less so it fits in my garage.

Think that’s about it. What ya think

Thanks.

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I did a lot of searching for a similar set-up and the Charger Multi Species SUV would have been my choice.

I didn't price them but you'd probably have to find a used one for your budget.

I'd suggest the 21 footer if you can find one. Much better in rough water than anything shorter.

Multi-Species – Charger Boats