Tiller Vs. Console for fishing?

[beretta]

Im looking at getting a new (used) boat for fishing. I will mainly be fishing LOTW along with some smaller lakes near Brainerd. Now having said that I wont be out in 4 foot rollers...I live right by the lake so I have my choice of days to fish. So I dont need a 24 foot yar craft or anything like that. I'm looking more along the lines of a 16-19 foot boat with a 60-120hp motor. I'm simply wondering what everyone's thoughts are about a tiller vs a console (steering wheel) type boat? What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks for any input.

[Myrt]

I had 16ft side console Crestliner from 93'-2000, and now a 20ft tiller Lund Alaskan 04'. I did the pro/con list when I went to buy a boat in 2004.

For me it went like this:

Pros(tiller over console)

more room(especially for me)

Cons

can't see as well from back while travelling

more chance to get wet(etc.) while travelling

I did not feel boat control would be an issue because I run a front trolling motor and a tiller one(minnkota vantage), which you could also do if you wanted to with a console.

I chose room for now, with the notion that if the day comes that I do not want to feel the elements as much(probably with age) then I may switch back to a console.

MOST IMPORTANT... MY BOAT, MY PREFERENCE, MY DECISION!!!

[rodmaker]

I would guess with the Economy the way it is, all dealers are running pretty good deals now. Hopefully things will improve soon.

[rodmaker]

Agree 100%. Personal choice, preference!!!

[River Dan]

Best thing about tillers is you can hover and great boat control, last fall i bought a brand new 1825 lund, I never even considered a console model, born and raised a tiller man, this is my 4 tiller and for me its the right choice, rodmaker is correct comes down to preference

[rodmaker]

I think I'll be a tiller guy until my shoulder can't take it anymore.

I agree with the boat control, especially when it comes to backtrolling.

[PerchJerker]

Most "serious walleye guys" these days run console boats. Not all of them, but most of them. There are still a lot of "serious walleye" tiller guys out there too, but fewer and fewer every year. Maybe a dying breed (j/k)

I think your fishing style and your personal preference should dictate what you go with. I like big lakes and rivers, I like multi-species, I like fishing a lot of different techniques thoughout the year, I like my boat to go 50 mph, I am predominantly a "serious walleye guy" and do some tournament fishing, and my wife and kids spend a lot of time in the boat with me. A console boat is perfect for me and I've had one for years. I have a kicker and bowmount electric motor and some driftsocks. No issues with boat control here.....

The size of the lakes you fish, and the size of the boat you want, and the price tag you want to buy at are key factors. As pointed out, in smaller boats you get more room if you have a tiller boat. And on smaller lakes where you have shorter boat rides and smaller waves a tiller could be a better choice. So it really comes down to where / how you fish and what you want.

[MN Shutterbug]

Pretty old thread, but found it during a google search. I'm looking at a couple 16 footers with 40 hp motors, mainly Bass Trackers, and can't decide between the two. Besides what has been mentioned, is there any type of maintenance or break downs that a person should be concerned with re: a console?

[delcecchi]

Pretty old thread, but found it during a google search. I'm looking at a couple 16 footers with 40 hp motors, mainly Bass Trackers, and can't decide between the two. Besides what has been mentioned, is there any type of maintenance or break downs that a person should be concerned with re: a console?

There are only two things that might pose a problem. One is the steering cable, and the other is the box with the lever for starting and shifting.

In 30 years with two boats, I did have to replace one of the remote throttle/shift units. Cost a couple hundred bucks to have it done. It would be more now, but not a big deal. (I think the design was poor in the first place on that one, it had a button you had to push in for fast idle and that part broke)

[tunrevir]

You can always get a console boat with a kicker motor to back troll. I think the tiller versus console comes down to the type of fishing you prefer to do. I would have to say that you can perform most applications with a console that you can with a tiller with the exception being back trolling. Hovering in current can be tough with a console but a good bowmount trolling motor can achieve that with a console boat. The console is nice for cold mornings running across the lake but you lose fishing space with a console and a lot of space with a full windshield. I feel that console boats tend to ride a bit less bumpy during moderate to heavy seas then a tiller.

Tunrevir~

[MN Shutterbug]

You can always get a console boat with a kicker motor to back troll. I think the tiller versus console comes down to the type of fishing you prefer to do. I would have to say that you can perform most applications with a console that you can with a tiller with the exception being back trolling. Hovering in current can be tough with a console but a good bowmount trolling motor can achieve that with a console boat. The console is nice for cold mornings running across the lake but you lose fishing space with a console and a lot of space with a full windshield. I feel that console boats tend to ride a bit less bumpy during moderate to heavy seas then a tiller.

Tunrevir~

I'm not much into walleye so back trolling isn't on my agenda and I don't fish rivers so I don't need to be concerned with current, although I'll still make sure I have a bow mount trolling motor. I'm also a fair weather fisherman so I don't plan on being on the water when it's cold out and definitely not heavy seas. I'm thinking a 16 footer with a side console will probably yield as much room as my old 15 foot tiller so either will probably suffice for me. I'll mainly be fishing a small lake in SW MN and maybe Minnewaska a couple times a year.

Thanks, and you too del.

[harvey lee]

Personally for me, I own a console and always will. I like it for the comfort and the drier ride in rough waters.

Yes, for boat control say on a breakline, the tiller will shine but I will take the comfort.

Far as back trolling, I never do.

Personal preference as many have suggested.

[Kyhl]

For a fair weather fisherman I'd go tiller. The windshield is great for the cold mornings or spray from rough water. If you aren't driving through that then tiller so you have more room to fish.

[gunner55]

I'm in tunrevir & harvey's camp with this one.I fish eyes a lot & don't have much problem with boat control with just a 12V bowmount.There's a 24v on the transom too but it doesn't get used a very much.If it gets kind of windy I'll just throw a sock or 2 out.Ours is a sideconsole & it does take up some room but we rarely fish more than 3 at a time.The console boats are rated for more hp,which isn't always needed but nice to have when you do.We have the max cap on ours & can usually run it about 2/3-3/4 WOT which really helps with mpg.

[PurpleFloyd]

Pretty old thread, but found it during a google search. I'm looking at a couple 16 footers with 40 hp motors, mainly Bass Trackers, and can't decide between the two. Besides what has been mentioned, is there any type of maintenance or break downs that a person should be concerned with re: a console?

I know my next fishing boat is going to be like this

[MN Shutterbug]

I have recently learned that when looking for a used boat and when you finally find one at the year, size and hp desired, a person really doesn't have a choice. There are just so many options and I'm finding I can't have everything I want. Then again, if I had a money tree it wouldn't be an issue.

[Kyhl]

I have recently learned that when looking for a used boat and when you finally find one at the year, size and hp desired, a person really doesn't have a choice. There are just so many options and I'm finding I can't have everything I want. Then again, if I had a money tree it wouldn't be an issue.

The third choice is patience. If you don't have the patience then expect to pay up when the right one comes along, or settle for something less.

I knew what I wanted and what I wanted to pay. Took me over a year to find it used. I went an entire season boatless. Luckily I have friends with boats too. Four years later I have grown out of what I wanted then. Time to move up. I really like the layout of my boat so a direct replacement is the only option.

I thought about upgrading to a newer version with a bigger motor. After remembering how long it took to find the current one I decided to repower this spring instead of hoping for another to come along at the right price. The pay up option.

[tunrevir]

Purplefloyd, Pontoons are great to fish off of especially when setup for fishing with a bowmount trolling motor. Stable lots of room to work from. I have fished off one for years and have learned how to use it to perform controlled drifts using the motor as a steering device in light winds. Downside to toons in my opinion is trailering can be a bit of a hassle and they catch a ton of wind and the drift is difficult to control in 15+ mph winds and they are a bugger to anchor up on windy days!

Tunrevir~

[RuKiddingMe]

I'm a family man and the boat needed to accommodate that first and foremost - I also fish until the bitter end of the open water season and lot of times rivers after ice up, and then right away again in the spring or winter with a decent weather day if at all possible. So a full windshield console boat was a no-brainer for me, I don't think I'll ever own anything but a full windshield. I primarily fish musky with Walleye Bass and panfish secondary - I can honestly say I have never thought to my self "man these consoles are in the way".

[Savage Brewer]

I'm a family man and the boat needed to accommodate that first and foremost - I also fish until the bitter end of the open water season and lot of times rivers after ice up, and then right away again in the spring or winter with a decent weather day if at all possible. So a full windshield console boat was a no-brainer for me, I don't think I'll ever own anything but a full windshield. I primarily fish musky with Walleye Bass and panfish secondary - I can honestly say I have never thought to my self "man these consoles are in the way".

I agree 100%

I switched to a full windshield last year because of those reasons.

Several years ago when it was just me in the boat, tiller all the way, but now running on bigger water, and in rougher weather, and add in family memebers, full windshield is the way to go for me also.

[delcecchi]

And you can put a top on a full windshield boat. There have been some times I have been fishing that a top and a full windshield would have been welcome.

[Savage Brewer]

Here is the top I put on my 175 Competitor LC:

[amateurfishing]

I have an '84 crestliner single side console. I think its the best of both worlds for room & size. big & roomy enough for kids to walk around without full view walkthrough, but im not good enough for backtrolling or anything, my bow mount auto pilot takes care of that. passengers can get occasional splash though when going 20+ mph.

[leechlake]

one comment on having a top up. One my pontoon whenever it rains pretty hard we put the top up. While it obviously helps it has some draw backs. Biggest issue for me is I'm generally fishing with my rod and one arm not under the cover, when water pools, wind blows in the wrong direction larger amounts of water will fall from the top and on my arm. Seems I get wetter than if the top wasn't up. Two, setting the hook. While it can be done you need to allow for the top in the way.

I always seem to put the top up in a down pour but generally in reality we should just head in and come out when it quits pouring rain. Also, being an one-who-thinks-I-am-silly sometimes I try to but boat on the lift with the top still up??? Takes me a few attempts until my buddy's point out the top is running into the lift canopy….Like I said I can be a little spacey.

[RuKiddingMe]

Only time the top/bimini is actually on our boat is for family fun day - my wife likes to have for a sun shade and place for the kids to get out of the sun and eat some lunch. With the sides being mostly wide open I haven't even considered having it up or even on the boat when fishing in the rain, just seems like it would be to intrusive.

[Savage Brewer]

Top up from probably about 11:00 to 4:00.

Otherwise I cant stay out all day unless its cloudy. Just cant handle the mid day sun like I used to.

I use it mostly for sun protection.