First boats? When?

[BPACA]

When did you guys get your first boat?....This is what I am working on getting right now...been saving up a couple of months....I am thinking about getting something around 2 grand.....to 3 grand....something to get me on the water so I can at least fish some tournies from the boater side....I did some tournies from the co angler and it's not exactly what I want you learn but winning is what I want to do......but I'll put up with it.

3 Questions
1. When did you guys get your first boat?
2. What kinda boat will I need to fish small tournaments?
3. What kinda boat would you look into for 3 grand if you had it?
It is gonna be a while before I get the money but I have a good start...
Peace!

[Vabass22]

A aluminum bass boat. Like a Bass Tracker, or a Triton. 14 or 15 feet.

[skeeter944]

yeah,something small would be good. check your local classifieds,they shuold have alot of used boats.

[Vabass22]

Yeah, you could do what I am doing, or you could buy a tourney-ready boat.

[BassMoJo]

Just a few months ago, 2000 basstracker 16.5ft

[zooker]

i had my own boat at age 16 a 18 foot starcraft cuddy cabin.. at 18 i had a 30 foot islander with a merc inboard. then at 20 i had a penn yan 38 footer and my captains license-charter-with twin yamahas. at age 25 i had a 42 foot larson commander twin inboards..got tired of chartering.-1993-.sold the larson to my uncle moved south.. bought a 18 foot landua with a 130 johnson. the stringers broke -that was a fun ride.. not!-bought a 18 foot carolina skiff with a 90 horse. bought a 12 foot creek boat. got into bass fishing -oh the pain- traded in th skiff, bought a 2002 16 foot stratos. which i currantly own plus i had a 16 foot wally jon boat with a 30 horse -that got stolen- and lastly a 1971 terry bass boat..

nope don't know a dam thing about boats..

look in your local boat trader rag..


zooker

[hillbilly4u]

Just my 2 cents but a boat, whether cheap or expensive dont catch fish although it can get ya to your fav hole faster. Know your fishin waters and where the big uns are layin and you'll win more tourneys.

[PowerBass]

Last Feb. I got a 2006 Tracker pro team 170TX. Has livewll, is 16ft 3in, makes boat requirements for the clubs, front and rear raised decks, 7ft rod lockers, plenty of storage for a day on the water, nice leg room in the cockpit area, i got power trim on her, and thats about it. Her carept went from new, to stained in 1 year, and Im dang proud of it.

[bassintom]

my first boat when i was about 7 or so

[JB]

heres the one dad made me in 57, told me to hit the ohio river and go visit uncle auburn in beloxi

[bassbooger]

I bought my first one in October of 2003. It is a 14.5' Norris Craft Fiberglass Semi-V. When I bought it someone had emptied out the hull and put 2 pedistal seats in it. Since buying it, I have built a front and rear deck, added a trolling motor and installed new carpet. To me, it is all I need for now. Sure, I would love to have a new bass boat with the big engine, but this one has a special place in my heart, if you know what I mean. I got her for 250 bucks. That is boat, trailer and motor.

Bass do not care what type of boat you are fishing out of, so any one will work for tourneys. Hell, Ike fished out of a Jon boat until he won his first bassboat, so what does that show you?

If I were to have 2-3 Gs to spend on a boat, I would try to find a basstracker.

[Christopherkeene9]

Don't own my "own" yet but not only is it going to cost money to buy but to maintain. A boat is a hole in the water which you throw money into. And you know what they say are the two happiest moments of a mans life, The day he buys a boat and the day he sells it!


Christopher

P.S Zook, DANG. Why did you leave salt to bass?

[zooker]

ck
not salt water fresh -great lakes-trout, salmon,walleye.charter captain...


zooker

[Christopherkeene9]

Ahhh Okay, I was about to say!

[WTL]

Here is a picture of me last spring, getting out of my homemade boat....she was a fine, fine, vessel. Torn apart when I landed a big bass last year, that bass drug me and the raft everywhere and by the end it was just a bunch of sticks tied together with old film. Note the sail made out of the wall of an old porta-potty. I was particularly pround of that engineering marvel.

[lizardsrule]

Make sure your boat will be able to qualify for the tourneys you want to enter. The BFL for example has a minimum size of 17' I believe. So If you are trully wanting to buy this boat for tourneys, then my reccomendation would be a 18'. Now there are lot's of tourneys that don't have those kinda size requirements, but some do. So if you want to be able to fish any tourney then size is a issue. Also make sure your livewell has a divider or 2 seperate livewells.

Lizards

[HOG Ranger]

My first boat was a 14 foot Jon boat with a beam I could reach across and touch both sides with plenty to spare!

After that I stepped up to a Lund, then a Nitro and now I am fishing out of a Ranger.

That ole saying is true, if it floats it is a boat! You don't need a 30K or more boat to catch fish. What you get when you step up in boats is comfort, performance and extras. If all you can afford is a small fishing boat then make it the best boat you can by adding carpet, seats and such.

[Fuzzyfellar]

i bought a Troller(never heard of it) 2 years ago cuz i wanted my own boat.....did the job till i realized i wanted bigger...so the following year i bought a 95 ranger.........now im lookin to upgrade again...sad isnt it.....I have a 95 ranger for sale with a 150 on it if interested....hahaha seriously its for sale

[Vabass22]

Originally Posted by HOG Ranger

My first boat was a 14 foot Jon boat with a beam I could reach across and touch both sides with plenty to spare!

HMMMMMMM, sounds familiar!

[bassnman30]

1st boat was rotten, wood floors rotten transom (cant remember the name) This boat got "stumped out in LA. 2nd boat was a Diamond (they went bankrupt) but it was an OK boat. 3rd was a basshunter (two person boat) still have this boat for small water. 4th was an ebtide I put alot of money into this boat and gave it away. 5th boat is a Ranger. Runs good looks good.

[hillbilly4u]

1st was a jon boat. Have had Sea Rays, Glastrons, Skeeters, and some that I couldnt find a name. Now a 86 VIP and a 79 Harris Flote Bote 24' Pontoon. Long as it floated and got me to my fav hole she was my baby. HeHe. Oh and the Glastron Splits I always jerked the front seats, mounted a solid platform across them and instant fishin platform plus they doubled for a sun deck so the hunny could lay out for a tan and give me a little eye candy.

[Basscrazie]

My first boat 18ft jet with 455,2 was jet with454,3rd jet with 460,4th jet with468,5th stratos 19.6 with a 225 johnson and the best boat of all.I got tired of wrenching and started fishing,Life is so much better fishing.

[Wishing2BFishing]

WTL, where is the smiling volleyball?

[/quote]

[zooker]

WILSON!!!


LOL

zooker

[Wishing2BFishing]

Wilson is missing!!! Come to think of it, that might be a good name for a boat . . . "Wilson".