If you spend time fishing, it will reach a point when you finally decide you want a fishing boat. While you may be excited about owning your first watercraft, you must take time to consider important aspects related to boat ownership. This means asking yourself where you plan on fishing your boat, the time and energy you are going to put in the investment, your budget, as well as boating skills.
Understand that the right boat will depend on your individual needs. Also, finding one will require a lot of comparison shopping and research. So, this guide acts as an important first step in the buying process.
Key Features You Shouldn’t Overlook
There are a lot of things you should consider adding to your search, but here is a highlight of a few features you shouldn’t miss.
• A Hull Design That Meets Your Needs
Some hull designs are better than others when it comes to different types of fishing. If you’re a light-tackle bay angler or flat angler, you’ll need a semi-V to drift fish. If you’re an offshore angler, a troller or powercat’s deep-V is best suited for you.
• Sun Protection
Given that you’ll be fishing under the intense heat of the sun, you need to have the right sun protection. Your boat needs to have a hardtop, Bimini, or T-top to escape the sun.
• Large Fish Boxes
There’s nothing worse than going for a fishing excursion then find yourself running out of room for your fish in the middle of your expedition. That’s why you should find a sea doo dealer that can offer you a fishing boat with big enough overboard drains and fish box.
• Locking Bulk Stowage
You do not want to keep hauling your fishing gear back and forth on your boat all the time. With locking bulk stowage, you’ll have a place where you can safely lock your reels, tackle boxes and rods.
Types of Fishing Boat for First Time Buyers
If you’re buying a boat for the first time, a sea doo dealer will help you make an informed choice on whether to buy a new or used boat for sale. As a first-timer, here are the options that can be helpful in your fishing expedition.
• Jon Boat
If you want to go fishing on small lakes and rivers and looking to get into shallow hard to reach spots, an inexpensive flat-bottom Jon boat is right for you. These small, aluminum boats are easy to strap to the roof or trailer, making them an ideal choice for first-time boat owners.
Simple models go for a few hundred dollars. If you buy used boat for sale in Michigan from a sea doo dealer, it should have a capacity plate or manufacturer’s manual for recommended engine size, weight, capacity, and the maximum number of people to carry.
• Skiff/Bay Boat
If you’re not thinking of venturing offshore, then a bay boat may be right for you. They’re about 16-24 feet in length and are smaller, and economical compared to walkarounds and center consoles. The versatility of these boats provides you with different angling opportunities like casting over nearshore wreck and chasing down snook on the mangrove shoreline.
If you want to experience great fishing in shallow waters and inshore while keeping operational costs low, this is the right boat for you.
• Bass Boat
These boats are designed for bass fishing. They’re also great if you want to fish bluegill, crappie, and pan fish. Since they’re designed for freshwater fishing in rivers and lakes, these boats are fast and sleek, and can sometimes cost more than $50,000. Bass boat sizes range from 16 to 25 ft with outboards that are anywhere between 50 to 300 hp.
There are over 15 million boats currently being used in the United States. So, when it comes to selecting the right used boat for fishing, it’s important to know your fishing needs. Many sea doo dealers will have plenty of boats for sale. So, depending on your budget and fishing needs, you won’t miss settling on one that’s right for you.
