Quote Originally Posted by Atimm693 View Post
The only advice I can give on boats is to climb around in them and see how you like the storage and layout. I saw a Vexus up close at the ramp the other day, and man it was sharp! The type of water you fish and species you're after make a big difference as well.

As for electronics, a pair of 9/10" Garmins with Livescope. You can go bigger on the screens but I think you reach the point of diminishing returns pretty quickly price wise when a 9" is $699 and a 12" is $1499.
Best wishes for your retirement with your wife. Having your wife as your fishing buddy is the best of all possible worlds. My wife loved to fish which made every trip that much more enjoyable.

I currently have a 126 and two 93s on my pontoon. I just hooked the 93s up on my new pontoon. There is quite a difference between the two units. That $800 difference in price is worth it for tired old eyes.

I don't know the health conditions of you or your wife but now that you are retired that can make a difference in your choice. Do you plan on purchasing additional boats as you age or is this boat to be the boat you keep till you stop fishing?

I switched to a pontoon rigged for fishing when I turned 70. I found it to more comfortable and safer than a bass boat or regular fishing boat. While my wife was unhappy about the switch to a pontoon for the first year she came to appreciate the pontoon as we both aged.

Since you are going to be fishing different lakes I would suggest you get at least a 150 hp motor. My first pontoon had a 40 hp on it, which was great if you only want to fish a mile or two from the marina or your launch point. But it was slow if you decided to fish the other side of the lake.

I switched to a new pontoon with a 150 hp last year. It drinks the gas but gets me there almost three times as fast so I can spend more time fishing and less time riding. The new lake I call home is three times as large as the Texas lakes I fished and the two best fishing areas are on opposite ends of the lake.

Had I bought a larger motor the first time I would not have needed to get a new boat last year.