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I sold my old jon boat to get something a little larger and safer.
A retired guy on SS often can't afford much of a boat these days, as they cost so dang much.
Would an old Tracker 17 make a decent crappie boat? Anything else you like better for say $5000, or less?
Thanks
Had a uncle that fished Grenada lake for years out of a tracker pro 17 with a 40hp on it! Served him great!!
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I fish out of a 175 Tracker and it does fine. Would I like to have a big glass boat? Sure but mine gets the job done.
I too fish out of a 175 Tracker and it is great.
I have always like those Tracker Aluminums.
I caught a lot of fish out of my old tracker pro 17 with a 60hp Merc.
buddy custom rigged a BT with a little effort and materials and we have fished out of it for 20 years with an ancient 28 HP motor on it and does just fine. will you go buzzing all over lake to compete in tournaments? not likely but for just feeling the thump you don't need to spend a lot. more important is your trolling motor and electronics and they don't have to cost a fortune.
Heck I have a basspup 10 foot plastic boat with only a trolling motor on it I do very well with as well and that was $700. don't agonize over cost or worry about how it looks.
I fished out of a 16 ft. Tracker for 22 years....good boat.
I still fish out of my Tracker Pro Team 17 that I bought new in 1996. It's been a great crappie, bass, catfish, and ski/tubing boat.
Trackers are just fine. Just make sure you take it out for a test spin before buying. And when you pull back off the launch, have the seller pull the drain plug to see if any accumulated water is in the bilge. Older Trackers have a rep for leaking rivets. That can be repaired at little cost, but you should at least know if there is a problem or not. It can help with negotiations. :)
Half the Motor, half the weight of a glass boat. Half the fuel used . Gas is expensive thses days
Will have to settle for a used, 48" wide, welded jon boat until I can do better.
Luckily, I have a good trailer, motor and Minn Kota foot-control to go with it.
I'm going fishing.... not racing anyway.
True on all counts, but also a bugger to keep in place in the wind or going across the lake of the wind and white caps are up. Had a Pro V 17, great boat and was very light and easy to load and unload alone at the ramp.
The metal gets hot in the sun so watch where you sit.
Now have a 21 ranger, she's a beast and weighs a ton and guzzles gas like crazy.... But she's 23 yrs old, she's not the prettiest on the lake, but she's paid for and we love her! [emoji39]
Hope you find the boat the meets your needs.Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile appQuote:
Originally Posted by DockShootinJack
1995 18.5 foot Stratos Dual console 150 Johnson. Brings to mind of riding in an Cadillac.Quote:
Originally Posted by TX Garage Guy
I chose a used (2015) Tracker 175 TF for my new crappie boat after I looked at all options. Spent the 10 grand I saved on latest, greatest, electronics and Millinium rod holders all the way around. Works for me.
Will work greatQuote:
Originally Posted by dead minner
Caught lots of crappie out of an old 14' Alumacraft semi-v. Boat, motor, trailer cost me $600. Was a good rig for fishing solo, and not bad on big lakes unless the wind was up. That boat would handle just about anything if you knew how to drive it, and it was a rocket with an old 25hp Johnson that I found on FB marketplace for $200.
There are loads of old tin boats out there for not much money. Cheap to buy and run.
JMO, a good crappie boat is one that floats and is affordable to you. The boat doesn't catch 'em, after all.
My boat is a 1991 tracker pro 16 with a 25hp johnson and I don't have any problems with fishing out of it. Friends say that I probably have had more fish thrown in it than a lot of those 50 to 60 thousand boats with 200 or 300hp motors on them. I also have a friend with a tracker pro 17 with a 30hp mercury 4 stroke that sips very little gas that catches crappie all the time. I will say buy what you can afford then save your money up and buy the biggest best sonar you can get. Millennium boat seats would be nice also and your back and back end will thank you.
The boat I miss the most was a 64 model 14 foot tri hull Crosby Sled with a 25 hp tiller steer Yamaha. Small little open fishing boat with two bench seats.
Even old Tracker's such as a Pro 17 are around $4000.... the price keeps going up.
I have noticed that
You mean like this : https://www.crappie.com/crappie/pers...aft-boat-sale/Quote:
Originally Posted by BluegillHunter
I have fished out of a Tracker TX17 w/50Merc ... and they are easily pushed around by wind/waves. But then so are some glass boats, unless they're deep V & heavy. My own ProCraft 16 w/90Merc is subject to being blown around by the wind, and believe me when I say that the wind seeks me out wherever I go on the water. Nonetheless, I just adjust and continue on as best I can.
Keep your eyes on the Personal Classifieds ... you just never know when a bargain boat will appear. :ThumbsUp
For that money you could buy Skeetbums Bumble Bee bass boat listed in classifieds. It is a very sweet ride.
I will stick with aluminum
A member has a nice boat for sale in the classified section here in your price range. Not sure where exactly in Alabama you are but his listing says Starkville, MS which isn't a bad drive unless you are from the south part of the state or all the way on the east side.
I got a tournament pro 17 with 50 ho motor and yes it does get blown around, but a couple of buckets in either side and a chain out the back I can fish in up to 12mph winds.
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I got a new to me boat in March. 15' John type boat, no idea who made it but it's pretty old. Has a 2014 20hp Honda on it. Might have got it for less but I don't dicker on anything. This one they wanted $3000 for and it was good by me so got it. Looked at a lot of boats finding this one and I swear, people seem to think their boat is made of gold! Inexpensive boats are out there but ya have to look. If you need a boat with a big motor your probably gonna pay out the nose. Price a new motor. I figure I bought my motor and they threw the boat, trailer and bunch of other stuff in for free!
I found a 15' welded (no rivets) jon boat..... that's the best I can do for the next year or two.