The Ultimate Fishing Boat

[TMF89]

Alright guys, I'm bored, so here's a thought. If you could buy ANY boat in the market, Lund, Ranger, Tracker, Alumicraft, whatever. and outfit it with ANY motor, kicker, trolling motor, graphs, and any other accessories, what would you do? The posts have to be about boats that are on the market today, and all accessories/modifications must be feasable. No 300hp 4-stroke on your 14 foot john boats guys!

Name the boat, what you would do with it, why you chose that boat/those modifications, and the style of fishing you would primarily use it for.

[dan z]

well this it tough I would probably buy a warrior 20 footer or so with a tiller 150hp no more with steering assist a 101 vantage transom mount trollin motor, 80lb terrova up front and some lcx-37's this would be the ultamite musky or wallaye boat

[WaveWacker]

Yarcraft 2095BTX with a 150 or 175 Merc or Yamaha 4 stroke on the back. 36 volt MinneKota Vantage trolling motor on the back with a comparative Minnekota troller on the front. Lowrance LCX 112 on the front and back with a Vexilar flasher on the back as well

Chose Yarcraft as out of Ranger, Warrior and Yarcraft, this is the one that I feel is set up the best. I mainly live bait or jig fish walleyes but do get an touch of the muskie bug come this time of the year so that's the need for the front troller.

I should mention...Shhhh, don't tell my 1775 Lund ProV/75 hp 4 stroke Merc, 74lb Vantage on the transom, 65lb minnkota on the bow, LCX 110 Lowrance and LCX 15MT. This rig is actually all that I need but one day may jump up to what was mentioned above.

[looneyducer]

07 17' Lund Pro Angler (model not available 08) w/ Merc 75 horse EFI 4-stroke, 24 volt Vantage trolling motor, Lowrance 27c, wavewackers ...

Big enough and yet small enough.

If money really didn't matter I would have the folks at the boat shop add a networked 522 and an autopilot up front, and move the hinges on the front livewell and associated compartment to the outside, closest to the hull.

Outside of that one design flaw (the hinges), this really is the right boat for what I do, which is mostly backtroll some type of baitrig over structure relating fish on small to medium sized water, with an occasional trip to Devils Lake.

[Muddog]

A 16' lund with a raised front deck, a 25hp motor, electric bow mount motor and one in back. A splash well in back also.

The Q; isn't what I'd use it for. The Q; is, What couldn't I use it for (water sking isn't fishing)?

I could pull it with my car and it gets 26mpg.

I can't see why a person would buy a FISHING boat that you couldn't troll with. Wouldn't that be a casting boat?

[caseymcq]

1800 Pro-V with a 175 Hp Mercury OptiMax and a 9.9 4-stroke kicker. a 24V Minnkota Terova with Autopilot, Co-pilot and Universal Sonar. I would have a Lowarnce LCX-27 at the wheel and upfront with the bow-mount. I would have it on an Eagle Trailer with bunks, brakes and oil bath hubs.

[davesfriend]

Oh, this is a fun one.. I would have to go with the 2008 Crestliner 2150 sportfish SST with the XLT package (vinyl floor with wash down system) Merc 225 XL Verado and a Merc. 15 prokicker. Full Bimini top enclosure. Electronics are kinda tricky though. On the helm I would stay with the Lowrance 525C DF, but I would like to try the Dual side imaging thing on the front (unless this would not be compatable). I would then rig the rear with 4 Cannon down riggers 48" eletric on the outside and 30" manual on the inside. I don't think I would waste any space for a trolling motor since I have the kicker on there and most trolling is done in large areas. For sure it would have a Two way marine radio, CD changer, small fridge under the dash, and the rod holder trac system so I can use as many rod holders as I want. Oh yes and a nice trailer. I can't think of any thing else. That was fun..

[TUMBLEWEED]

Funny, I am thinking the ultimate to me now, would be

a shallow, 12 foot Alumacraft, with a trusty Johnson

5 1/2 horse motor,with a 5 gallon Mile Master tank.

No electronics, but I'd have that glass tube thing

you tossed in the water. It gave temp and depth!!

Sweet and simple!!!

[Tonka Boy]

18' Tracker Tundra WT with a 150 Merc. IMO much better boat than comperable fiberglass boats and WAY better than riveted Lunds or Alumacraft. It's set up perfect and it rides better too. Fortunately the stars aligned and I was able to pick one up last year...I couldn't be happier!

I spend most of my summer ski fishing, but I also fish just about anything that swims at the appropriate times. Sometimes those are extreme conditions (e.g. nobody else would think of going out) and the Tundra performs like a champ. Otherwise small metro lakes are fine too.

[Scoot]

It'd be a Skeeter 1880 or 2100. If the 1880, I'd have a 200 Yammy HPDI on it. If the 2100, I might go with a 250 4 stroke, but not sure about that. I'd have a Yammy 4 stroke 9.9 kicker, a transom and bow mount trolling motor, a 7 inch Lowrance graph/gps combo on the dash (X-27 maybe) and a 5 inche gps/graph combo on the bow (522 maybe). It'd be gray, white, and blue. Removable carpet, rod holders, other bells and whistles... Man, I'm only about 25 years away from this dream becoming a reality!

[eyepatrol]

For a family boat, I'd have to go with the Ranger 1850 Reata with a 175 Verado and 9.9 Prokicker tiller. 80lb Terrova on the front. LCX 27c at the dash, on the bow and at the stern. Convert the front ice cooler to a livewell. 4 seats and 1 butt seat.

If I didn't have a family, I'd go with the Ranger 619VS with 225 Verado and the same add-ons as the family boat.

The why for these two boats is because I walleye fish 95% of the time and fish pannies the other 4.99%. The mod with a front livewell is two-fold: first, my wife doesn't touch fish so it's easier to have a livewell up front and not walk to the back every time a fish is caught and the other is if I've got a friend along we can keep our fish separate with his in the back and mine up front. Also would allow the separation of fish on a multi-species day.

Why Ranger? I guess I could respond by saying Why Not? Besides the long tradition of well built boats and the fit & finish, they are a bit more sleek and wouldn't catch the wind while trolling on a windy day like the boats that sit higher out of the water. They also have a faster hull design than some others. Lastly, they are glass boats and we've all heard the glass vs aluminum debate when it comes to the ride.

[Tonka Boy]

Man, I'm only about 25 years away from this dream becoming a reality!

Keep the dream alive Scoot...sometime things just gravitate your way. Trust me, I didn't have a dime to my name - next thing I know I had the boat in my garage, completely paid for. Can't afford the gas but that's another story...

[JohnMickish]

Ranger 620 with a Merc 250XS along with a 9.9 Pro Kicker. Lowrance 113 on both the bow and helm. Minnkota US/AP with co-pilot on the bow. Outfitted with the full top option, of course.

Hopefully santa can fit it down the chiminy by Xmas!

[Mille Lacs Guy]

I would have a Yar Craft 2095 BT tiller with a 150 Suzuki 4 stroke on it. Wave wacker splash guards, Vantage 80 pound on the transom, terrova 80 pound on the bow, Lowrance 110 in the back and a Vexilar up front. Also would have oxygenator, 6 ram rod holders, marine radio, and Am/FM radio with CD and MP3 player.

By the way this is the rig I have and it is what I got after several years of research and fishing out of and looking at various boats.

This boat would be for walleye fishing 99% of the time. It is fast enough for tournaments (50 mph), can troll slow enough for pulling cranks (2.2 mph), can back troll in rough water with the big motor or backtroll with the Vantage as well if it isn't rough. It also has enough room for getting the family out and they won't complain about a rough ride or getting wet.

Overall it is the boat that fits my fishing style the most.

[eyepatrol]

I was going to say, when I started reading that description, it sounded awefully familiar!

Wanna trade that 110c for my 68c....even up???

[Chode2235]

It'd be a Skeeter 1880 or 2100. If the 1880, I'd have a 200 Yammy HPDI on it. If the 2100, I might go with a 250 4 stroke, but not sure about that. I'd have a Yammy 4 stroke 9.9 kicker, a transom and bow mount trolling motor, a 7 inch Lowrance graph/gps combo on the dash (X-27 maybe) and a 5 inche gps/graph combo on the bow (522 maybe). It'd be gray, white, and blue. Removable carpet, rod holders, other bells and whistles... Man, I'm only about 25 years away from this dream becoming a reality!

Till today's boat depreciates to where you can afford it, or buying your dream retirement rig?

Myself I would be happy with a Lund Pro V 17 footer. Something smaller, efficient, open.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

I guess I would have to differ from most of you guys and say if I could have any boat right now it would be the new 27' SportCraft with the new diesel engine. I stricly fish LOW and I just love fishing on the big boats. Dry, safe, roomy and still fairly versitile for most kinds of fishing up here.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Funny, I am thinking the ultimate to me now, would be

a shallow, 12 foot Alumacraft, with a trusty Johnson

5 1/2 horse motor,with a 5 gallon Mile Master tank.

No electronics, but I'd have that glass tube thing

you tossed in the water. It gave temp and depth!!

Sweet and simple!!!

Yes, sometimes less IS more

[AllenW]

Have to be the boat I just bought last year, I'm coming up on retirement so comfort plays a big part, so we bought a 185 Alumacraft Tourney Sport with a F150 Yammie T-8 kicker and Terrova bow mount, I do mostly walleye, norther/musky and crappie fishing and the boat works well for all them.

Both the wife and I enjoy fishing out of it.

I've hit a few small tourny's with it and its its worked out well for them.

Boat has plenty of storage, rod lockers and nice sized live wells, all what I was looking for.

Al

[fishinJohn]

I think I would rather have a pier in my backyard. However I would also be happy with a trio of mediocre boats sized for ponds/elecric only small lakes, lakes/rivers and great lakes.

[Lightning]

The following hopefully will be helpful in your choice of boat, motor, etc.

It is the culmination of many years of experience on the water.

After using my 18ft Nordic Crestliner for 22 years, I purchased the boat of my dreams in the summer of 2006.

I had looked at a wide variety of boats(Lund, Ranger, Warrior, Alumacraft),

motors(Yamaha, Johnson, Evinrude, Mercury) and various accessories over the past several years.

I settled on the following:

18.5ft Crestliner SportFish,

Has front and rear seat conversion.

Creates very nice fishing platform in the front of the boat.

Creates the largest rear fishing platform I have seen on any boat I looked at.

Size..Width of the boat X 56 inches(measured from the stern to the front of the platform.

All welded construction...no rivets to leak.

Rides very high in the water. Rarely get wet. Only time was this spring when we got caught

in a storm 15 miles from camp with headwinds blowing 35 - 40 mph.

Rests very low in the water. Can reach over the edge of the boat in front and back and touch the water.

Wind doesn't catch the side of the boat...good for trolling

Full windshield is very nice in cold weather and doesn't get in the way for fishing.

40 gal gas tank.

Plenty big for fishing waters such as Lake of The Woods, yet small enough to be pulled without

breaking the bank.

Has a bimini top...used just once this spring when it was pouring rain...was on the boat..wouldn't have ordered it.

150 Mercury Optimax...standard with Crestliner

17 pitch stainless steel prop...only one to get..motor lugs otherwise.

tops out at 5500 rpm and 45 mph, hole shot is awesome.

Range is approx 200 miles driving sensibly...4200 rpm, 33 mph, 5 mpg

Mercury SmartCraft gauges...definitely worth the extra money...especially the fuel used indicator.

The analog gas gauge is not very accurate.

I have used this motor for the better part of 3 seasons, have yet to replace anything..even plugs

and am extremely pleased with it's performance.

65PD/AP Minnkota trolling motor, copilot on the bow

Had this on my old boat. Also had a 15hp Evinrude kicker before I got the electric trolling motor.

Took off the kicker and exclusively use the bow electric. I have found that pulling the boat from the bow is far

superior to using a kicker motor and a lot quieter as well.

This motor has Autopilot..very nice..set it in a direction and it maintains that direction.

New this year was the Minnkota CoPilot(remote control).

Got tired of the foot pedal, expecially the accelerator slider.

I have 2 transmitters mounted on rods just behind the reel.

Just the touch of your thumb totally controls the trolling motor.

Nice to be able to move around the boat and stretch a bit without losing boat control.

Also nice when one person is catching a fish and the other can steer.

Lowrance 332C (color sonar/GPS) on the dash

A must in large water. All of the islands look the same afterwhile. Nice for finding mid-lake humps.

I have the Navionics chip for Canada and the Lakemaster chip for Minnesota.

Lowrance X96 on bow, transducer mounted on the trolling motor shaft

Lowrance X96 on the stern.

Sonar detail in front and back of the boat.

Shorelander EZ-Loader trailer with rollers and independent suspension.

I have never loaded this boat without it being positioned perfectly on the trailer.

My son-in-law and I are always looking for ways to improve our fishing experience. After fishing this spring,

we can't think of a single thing to change.

[NETim]

Another vote for the Ranger 619.