What articles / shows have contributed to the change in your opinion?
Here's my take:
Not unlike alot of other boat anglers, my boat aquisitions went through an evolution. From 8' aluminum canoe, to 16' aluminum bass, to 17' glass bass, and lastly 20' glass bass. I primarily fish small to moderate size inland lakes for bass, with the occasional "Great" lake foray thrown in. This set-up works very well for me. I'm not a tourney fisherman, so there's no incentive for me to beat up myself or my equipment if the water gets unruly, but I'm certainly happy to have the larger rig when caught in adverse conditions.
Your choice should be predicated on the type of water you'll most likely be fishing, the type of fishing you'll be doing, whether you'll be needing extra space for family / friends, and if you'll be using the boat for 'other' water related sports activities. If I was primarily fishing rocky Northern US or Canadian waters, I'd probably opt for aluminum for durability sake. If I were fishing large inland lakes prone to larger waves or weather influences, or where trolling may be involved, I'd go for a larger glass or aluminum V-hull. Ditto if I planned on entertaining more than one or two other anglers in my boat. Bass boats generally have shallower drafts (allowing you access to some spots V-hulls may not accommodate), definitely have an edge in the speed department, and more effectively allow techniques like flipping and pitching where a raised deck is almost paramount. Today's glass bass boat designs are far safer and more efficient, and glass multi-species rigs such as the Ranger "Fisherman" series offer excellent compromise in both layout and capabilities. That said, I don't think there has been any more innovation than what has gone into today's aluminum boat offerings. They still have the lion's share of the fishing boat market, and offer up some great values, and top of the line fishing amenities
Shopping is half the fun. You just need to decide what type of rig will best serve your purpose before you pull the trigger.
I live in Canada and have a Crestliner Fish Hawk aluminum V-bottom boat ,because of the rocky lakes here we don't see many Bass boats .There are some but not many,I would love to have one but with the type of lakes it would get beet up in a hurry .
Like has been said it all depends on what type of water you will be fishing
