Fishing boat and/or bowrider

[bassin]

Want to buy a fishing boat for a long time. Wife and kid want to have a bowrider. I know that bayliner, Tahoe, Four Winn and other boat manufacturers make fish and ski boats. Does anyone have first hand experience with those fish and ski boat? Can I use those fish and ski boats for slow trolling for walleyes or go to shallow for bass? Any of your input will be appreciated.

 

Tight line.

[John]

I think that you first need to decide what the primary use for the boat will be. Most that use their boat firstly for fishing and secondly for family runabout/ski/tubing will probably recommend aluminum hull, full windshield, outboard. If you buy the right boat and get it equipped with bow cushions you may just keep everyone happy. A glass boat will be heavier to tow and depreciate faster. It will however provide a softer, smoother ride. It will also be much less forgiving the first rock or shoal that you grind the hull over!...

 

I did lots of research before I bought this year. If I can help PM me.

 

By the way welcome to the board...

[bassin]

Thanks John for your very informative reply.

 

I will be using the boat for fishing a lot and will leave the boat in my cottage. So, towing is not an issue.

 

However, I am very reluctant to put my wish ahead of my wife and my kid’s wish. I would likely purchase a fiberglass bowrider with a swimming platform. All I want to have is: it is a bowrider, but it shall have some fishing features in place (such as live well, rod storage etc.) so that when my wife and kid do not ride it, I can run it for fishing.

 

I fish for walleye and bass. Do not know a fiberglass bowrider such as fish and ski boat will rightly fit into the intended use.

[Mr. Follow]

I bought my first boat this year and Got a Alumacraft navigator 175. It has a 150 yamaha 4 stroke on it a full windsheild a full top 80 lb thrust trolling motor all the GPS and depth finds and the wife and daughter love it it has a great ride they are comfortable and I can fit it with the Ski bar if I want to do waterskiing. Awesome boat I'd recommend looking at alumacraft to anyone. I also have a friend that is a pro bass guy he switched from Lund to alumacraft a couple years ago his opinion was same Quality smoother ride in the alumacraft. Hope this helps.

 

Check out there website they have a few other boats that may meet your families wishes and yours. The Trophy series may be one aption for you.

 

http://www.alumacraft.com/

Edited August 20, 2008 by Mr. Follow

[modny]

lund, or a sea doo jet boat

[FLEX ROD]

Hi Bassin,

 

I have been and done this also, in my oppinion the most important thing is to make the family happy that way the whole experience will be a enjoyable for all, hence their will be more fond memories for all and you may get a chance to play more.

I have had a Glastron bow ridder with walk through widshield, we created a base on the bow for the electric and had no problem, we - my dad and I did a lot of fishing out of this boat predomenatly Bass and yes we just raised the engine and fished.

Storage was an issue but today the boats out have much more storage so you will be in much better shape.

 

Be FLEXable adaptable and have the family involeved and you will get a great toy. This way when you get your second boat you will get less resistance in what you want to buy, I ended up with my second boat being a Nitro and loved the hours that I spent on the boat.

 

FLEX

[tonyb]

Lund Tyee...That is all.

 

 

http://www.lundboats.com/sportandfishseries_2008.html

[taper]

I have to agree with John, I would look at aluminum hulls. Almost all the aluminum boat manufacturers make a bow rider model that are very fishing friendly. I purchased my Polarkraft, it is 17 foot 8 has two live wells,a swim platform, rod storage and you can buy the extra padding for the front area that all matches the boat and is very comfy if your family wants to sun bathe up front. Personally I dont find most of the fiberglass bow riders to be very fishing friendly or even set up with live wells etc.

[SlowPoke]

There probably isn't a "perfect" boat that will handle all applications...

An inboard/outboard with a swim platform will be hard to mount a kicker motor for walleye and wouldn't be a great option for bass fishing.

A typical walleye boat will have higher sides and more difficult to get in and out of from the water.

A bass boat is great for bass but not much else.

 

I don't have a make/model in mind but I think you might want to consider a deck boat.

http://www.tahoesportboats.com/boat/?boat=2697

[bassin]

Really thanks for all replies, to John, Follow, Micro, Flex, Tony and Taper, ...

 

Flex, Glastron is actually one of the fiberglass bowriders I would like to check. I will go to a dealer to have first-hand experiences and may place an order when end-summer sales starts.

 

As very much I like Alumacraft not mention Lund since I fished with my friends on those boats quite often, I reallywant to make my family happy by getting a bowrider rather than an aluminum fishing boat. My cottage is right on one of hot spots for walleyes in Bay of Quinte. I plan to get the boat and boatlift ready by next spring. When they are ready, I look forward to meeting you guys there.

[jwl]

you might want to look into a couple of the Legend models...there are a couple options for bow riders, have the versatility for both fishing, and family fun. Thye have bow rider seating, and a bench seat across the back that folds down into a casting deck for fishing.

 

Just a thought, then you get a lighter boat for towing, more economical for fuel, and at the same time can be used for family boating and fishing

 

the Allsport and Xcalibur models have the option that I can think of off the top of my head...I live 2 blocks away from a Legend dealership and can easily get pricing for you if needed on new packages.

[FLEX ROD]

Bassin,

 

I can tell you we had done a lot of looking around and the Glaston was chosen because we were doing exactly what you want to do - Family then Fishing boat. That order is a must as far as I am conserned and space design storage was all of an issue and again the Glastron won in all of those areas at the time. This was about 15 years ago by the way, so I can only think that they would be ahead today more so then back then.

I love to fish and I feel that a bit of give and take will result in enjoyment for all.

As was stated aluminums have high gunwalls and a sunburned body in a bathing suit scratching on aluminum does not sound like it would go over very well.

 

FLEX

[tonyb]

I reallywant to make my family happy by getting a bowrider rather than an aluminum fishing boat.

 

If your family can ride in the padded bow seating area of an aluminum fishing boat (Tyee in this case), couldn't you have your cake and eat it too!?

 

[canadianboy]

i dont know much but i went through a similar situation i bought a bowrider its pretty good for fishing enough storgae no livewell but hey can always make one of those cooler livewells myt boat is the larson 180 lxi with the volvo i/o some people say they are terrible on gas but i was trolling for three days probably 20 hours of trolling and i used 40 liters of gas. also i/o are easy to service if you have any mechanicl skills. the boat i would recomend to you just went up for sale id buy it but im not allowed.(Family)

 

http://hamilton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-...QQAdIdZ68543648

 

good enough to troll its unsikable can take out on great lakes for salmon or whatever and im sure it is very stable

 

Cheers and best of luck in your search for the perfect boat

 

P.S. if you are going aluminum go with the legend with the bow cushions they are fishing machines and they would work great for a family as well.

[modny]

boston whaler = unsinkable!

[bassin]

Thanks, slowpoke, jwl for your generous offer, Canadianboy ... Really appreciate.

 

Flex, I know Glaston makes fish and ski boats. How did you troll the boat for walleyes without a kicker motor or a trolling plate installed? Thanks Flex for your great advice.

 

One of my neighbors just purchased a brand new Legend Xcaliber. My kid is not into it for reasons I do not know.

[linweir]

Once I saw a Mirrocraft demo, It's impressive.

As holiday and impact (yr.2008) model, you can simply switch fishing boat to be holiday or crusing model.

 

http://www.mirrocraft.com/boats/familyleisure/holiday.php

 

You can find dealers in Canada

[FLEX ROD]

Bassin, now you have me thinking, ouch it is hurting, we had installed a trolling plate on it for the times we trolled so it could be lifted up for the majority of the time and lowered when we trolled, not perfect but it worked. Also if we knew that it was a weekend of "Bassin" and or family time of just skiing and playing it was easy to just take it off. As for the bow we build a fiber glass housing to mount the electric so it matched the hull and did not ruin the esthetics of the boat.

[forrest]

All those them there fancy boats are pricey: Price range?

[Rich]

Stratos, back in the day used to make an excellent Fish N Ski style boat. Had the features of a bass boat, with the comforts of a pleasure craft.

 

If they still make anything like it, you may want to look into that.

[bassin]

Hi Forest, price is ok. Cannot set a price range for wife and kid, right?

 

Linwer, I may decide to get a fibreglass boat. Thanks for your link.

 

Rich, read your posts all time. Come down and hook up for some bassin or WGSF fun. Beer is free.

 

Flex, thanks again.

[FLEX ROD]

Hi Bassin,

 

I just stumbeled on this post, not sure on what you had planned on spending and or how big you want to go but looks interesting.

 

mailto:[email protected]?subject=20%20ft%20Glastron%20Bowrider%20-%20$11999

 

FLEX

[bassin]

Hi Flex, thanks for the link. I plan to get a brand new boat asking the dealer to put everything together for me since I am not a handy man .

 

Thanks a lot for all your valuable advice. Whoever sells a fish & ski bowrider to me owes you a commission fee . Let me get them ready and we will definately hook up. Have a nice weekend.