Wanting to buy a boat

[Jrbond]

I am going into my 2nd year of fishing and can't wait till the spawn. I bought a canoe last year and made getting off the bank a little easier (not much- lol). My father in law has a pontoon but seams to be used for family joy rides more than anything when we go to the lake. I find myself staying at the marina so I can actually fish. I am thinking about looking To buy a fishing boat. I want something that I can get up in the shallows and around standing timber but also be able to occasionally take to deep water and occasionally use for family joy riding.

I'd like to know what others are using or would recommend.

[Bronson]

If you'll do some looking, you should be able to find a good used bass boat for sale this time of year. If you were going to stay in shallow water, you could get by with a flatbottom. Deep water means you might want to get something a little heavier.

How big a lake and how rough the water are a few of the factors you need to consider. Also how many people will be in the boat at a time. Write down everything you want it to do & how much money you want to spend. Go online and check what you can get in that price range. Understand a lot of these prices are negotiable.

Be sure to get it checked out by a reliable mechanic before you buy it. Do not take someone's word for it. Test drive it if possible. If there's a problem, it could wind up costing you a whole lot more money. Ask why they are getting rid of it, if they're having problems, you might want to keep looking.

A good boat mechanic can steer you clear of a lot of problems.

[Wannabe...]

Yeah, what Bronson said. We gonna need a heap more info before any real recommendation could be made.

Wannabe...

[Jrbond]

I guess what I am looking for should be a good "all around" or multipurpose. I would be using it on resevoirs (Council Grove, KS, Smithville lake, MO, Truman Lake/ lake ozarks, MO, etc) and lakes. I want to be able to get up in the brush and also hang out near the dam (in the wind). I would be happy if I could take 1 other adult and a couple kids at a time. The ability to pull a tube or other water toy would be nice. Since we have access to a pontoon, I am looking for something more fishing oriented without keeping the occasional joy ride. In my opinion I want the biggest V bottom I can get into shallow water if that makes sense?

[Wannabe...]

Didn't mention budget, but I've got a crush on the Crestliner Fish Hawk. Sounds like a 1750 or 1850 would be the ticket for you if you could swing it price wise.

Don't know the lakes you mentioned, so not sure how well it would fish tight cover though.



Wannabe...

[Jrbond]

sorry about that. I got about $2K. I am not sure how to describe the lake size other than way to big to canoe accross and takes about 30 minutes to get to the other side of with FIL's 35hp pontoon. Truman I know, is way bigger.

[satdoc1]

For a boat like you are describin you need to be thinkin more in the 5000.00 range than the 2000.

[Good Stuff]

It's going to be hard to find a boat to do all that you said you would like to do for 2K. I'm not saying you won't, just that it is going to be hard. Start looking now and don't be in a hurry and something will come along.
Good Luck!