Boat Recommendation

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03-09-2020, 06:17 PM
REDSLED

Boat Recommendation

Hi everybody!! I am a long time reader and have just joined the group. I grew up crappie fishing and as i got older i phased out of it a little bit and bought a mastercraft wakeboard boat a few years ago, now that i have a little one i want to start crappie fishing again. Heres my dilemma, i am going to sell my mastercraft and keep my southern skimmer skiff, i need a boat that i can not only catch slab crappie on (8 pole spider rig and shooting docks) but also haul at least 6 adults and be able to play on the lake (ski,wakeboard,tube) and keep the wife happy since she wants a pontoon. I have been looking at a sea pro 228 bay or something of that nature but i am completely open to anything. So what are yalls recommendations? Budget is 50k...ish. sorry for the long post.
03-09-2020, 06:57 PM
ShowmeCrappie

Why not make the wife happy along with yourself and go with a pontoon/tritoon?
I have a tritoon setup that I fish off of when there is a "party" going and enjoy it just as much as my Wareagle honestly!
Not sure how dock shooting would work but all the other techniques would and do!! I spider rig, longline, single pole and pull cranks off of mine.
It can't be beat for pulling cranks or long lining off of.....probably my favorite!
I am running a 24v trolling motor (Ultrex) and it does fine but if/when the time comes to replace I will step up to a 36v trolling motor.
03-09-2020, 07:01 PM
Cray

Look at one of the big Sea Ark catfish boats or their Big Easy. Can accommodate about any style of fishing plus carry a load of people. Could ski behind put on swim deck. Pretty versatile boat.
03-09-2020, 07:13 PM
tcounty

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cray

Look at one of the big Sea Ark catfish boats or their Big Easy. Can accommodate about any style of fishing plus carry a load of people. Could ski behind put on swim deck. Pretty versatile boat.

That big easy is nice

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03-09-2020, 07:41 PM
REDSLED

Thanks for the replys!! The big easy looks great, the wife has showed the most intrest to the big easy over every boat i have shown her. I am curious to how it maneuvers in a tight cove dock fishing
03-09-2020, 07:43 PM
REDSLED

We have a "family" pontoon that my parents, sister and myself share and it seems like it would be awkward fish from. We have catfished from it but that is it
03-09-2020, 07:43 PM
Snubby

What cray said, them big seaarks are the next best thing to pontoons. The 240 cat pro is an absolute beast I've seen it in person and was impressed for sure. Seaark is top of the line in my book on aluminum boats, couple it with a Suzuki outboard then you in business my friend!

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03-09-2020, 08:02 PM
REDSLED

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snubby

What cray said, them big seaarks are the next best thing to pontoons. The 240 cat pro is an absolute beast I've seen it in person and was impressed for sure. Seaark is top of the line in my book on aluminum boats, couple it with a Suzuki outboard then you in business my friend!

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Thank you!! I have been out of the "outboard" game for awhile so you will have to excuse me but does Suzuki make a good motor?
03-09-2020, 08:10 PM
Snubby

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDSLED

Thank you!! I have been out of the "outboard" game for awhile so you will have to excuse me but does Suzuki make a good motor?

The absolute best in my mind. Won't find many service centers for them cause it's little call on fixing those motors. Suzuki is the best outboard on the market right now in my honest opinion. Tohatsu, Honda, Yamaha, all great as well.

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03-09-2020, 08:26 PM
Chuck Adams

I agree on the Big Easy.
Be lucky to get a used one for 50k.
I say Yamaha 250 Four Stroke and 36 volt trolling motor. And then there’s electronics.
BOAT=Bust out another thousand!!

Good luck
Sold my 24 foot Alweld back in the fall and still miss that boat!!

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03-09-2020, 08:41 PM
REDSLED

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snubby

The absolute best in my mind. Won't find many service centers for them cause it's little call on fixing those motors. Suzuki is the best outboard on the market right now in my honest opinion. Tohatsu, Honda, Yamaha, all great as well.

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Thats good hear!! I was looking at Parker's over the summer and they all had suzukis on them so i had a gut feeling that they were top notch
03-09-2020, 08:44 PM
REDSLED

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Adams

I agree on the Big Easy.
Be lucky to get a used one for 50k.
I say Yamaha 250 Four Stroke and 36 volt trolling motor. And then there’s electronics.
BOAT=Bust out another thousand!!

Good luck
Sold my 24 foot Alweld back in the fall and still miss that boat!!

Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

It can get expensive quick!! I would like to find a good used one for about 30k so i could hen strap on another 10k in accessories haha but it seems like people hold onto the big easy's as i have found very very few for sale that are used
03-10-2020, 08:58 AM
M R Dux

My Pro Staff Excel Bay Pro 230 will be for sale as soon as my new Storm Cat is ready. It has a Suzuki 250 with very few hours, Minn Kota RipTide Ulterra 112 , 2 Humminbird Helix 12s Mega GN3, Helix 10 Mega GN3, Cornfield Crappie Gear double mount, Precision Sonar mount on console, Millennium Spyder-loc rod holders with multiple bases, Millennium transport racks. I’ve fished 6 out of it comfortably. I’d like to sell it complete. Price will be in your range. You can reach me thru link at bottom.

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03-10-2020, 09:42 AM
tnduxcaller

I have a friend that had a Lowe Party Barge for years and it was great to fish out of and family time was good too. I would not get a pontoon. I would entertain Doug's idea or look at Express boats. I spoke with an Express dealer the other day and he mentioned the chines(ribs) on the front of a making noise on other brands of aluminum boats. He said those front chines make a lot of noise in the water and scare the crappie. The Express brand does not have the chines on the front. Good luck on your choices.
03-10-2020, 12:25 PM
REDSLED

Double post
03-11-2020, 12:45 PM
M R Dux

Quote:

Originally Posted by M R Dux

My Pro Staff Excel Bay Pro 230 will be for sale as soon as my new Storm Cat is ready. It has a Suzuki 250 with very few hours, Minn Kota RipTide Ulterra 112 , 2 Humminbird Helix 12s Mega GN3, Helix 10 Mega GN3, Cornfield Crappie Gear double mount, Precision Sonar mount on console, Millennium Spyder-loc rod holders with multiple bases, Millennium transport racks. I’ve fished 6 out of it comfortably. I’d like to sell it complete. Price will be in your range. You can reach me thru link at bottom.

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My Excel Bay Pro is no longer available.
03-11-2020, 05:28 PM
Mbsbeek

Redsled, we've got a 2016 Lowe fish-ski 1710 , customers boat at shop now. It looks just like the sea ark procat200. I'm servicing 115 merc. 4 stroke and adding 2 batteries (24 volt set up) optima high proformance AGM's for Ultrerra. I'll take pics tomorrow it's a sweet boat. I think they're about 45k
03-11-2020, 06:43 PM
Mbsbeek

I should have said new. Used 20ish
03-12-2020, 07:22 PM
Mbsbeek

1 Attachment(s)

I'll show pics. anyway. Attachment 368450
03-12-2020, 07:23 PM
Mbsbeek

1 Attachment(s)

HereAttachment 368451
03-12-2020, 07:27 PM
Mbsbeek

1 Attachment(s)

It's Attachment 368452
03-12-2020, 07:31 PM
Mbsbeek

1 Attachment(s)

Attachment 368453
03-12-2020, 09:06 PM
REDSLED

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mbsbeek

Attachment 368453

Thats a nice looking rig, im looking for something bigger, pretty much as close to a pontoon as it gets haha the wife and i went and looked at a aluminum deck boat today and found it be be a little on the cramped side
03-12-2020, 09:08 PM
SGT67

Lund alaskan 20' when you care enough to send the very best!!! also double nicely as a tender boat for diver hunting