Nailbender8usmc

I can only give my experience and opinion here, so here goes... I had a 1995 Bass Tracker 18' Tournament Pro with a 40hp Merc for years, never had a single problem with it. The only reason I got rid of it was because I wanted something faster and a bit smoother on the water. I replaced it with a 2014 Bass Tracker PT175txw, I did order several upgrades however. I upgraded to the 75hp Optimax, she gets me to 42 if I'm by myself, if I have another person, she will run 40 all day long. The ride is incredibly smooth, no more beating you death in choppy water with all the spray. I absolutely love this new boat! I also upgraded it to a 24 volt system, added a three bank Minn Kota charger, I added a Hot Foot throttle, I added a bow mounted Hummingbird, I added a Hydrowave unit to the bow also. As far as the front deck livewell, I use mine as a cooler. For those really hot days here in NC, it sure is nice to grab an ice cold drink after several hours on the water. The original (intended) floor cooler is where I store all of my ropes. Tracker Marine customer service to me personally has been nothing short of exceptional. Lastly, I would like to add that the fuel consumption has been a very pleasant surprise, this baby really sips the fuel even after a full day of making long runs at over 5000 rpms, I still have a lot fuel left in the tank. I would definitely recommend Bass Tracker to anyone, I know this is only my two cents but based on my experience with the brand, it is where I choose to put my pennies. Good luck with your search.

I purchased my first one four years ago. Loved it, upgraded it two years ago and just this past weekend purchased another one for the rear deck. I personally can not or will not bass fish with out it, I can not sit down fishing unless we are out for crappie or perch.

In June of this year I sold my 1995 Bass Tracker 18' Tournament Pro, it was a very solid boat and motor combination. Based on that experience I purchased a 2014 Bass Tracker PT175 TXW, I did make several upgrades however. I upgraded the motor to the 75hp Optimax, I upgraded the trolling motor to the 70ftlbs MinnKota, I added Humingbird bow-mounted electronics, I added a Hydrowave unit to the bow, I upgraded the boat to a 24 volt system and I upgraded the onboard battery charger to the MinnKota three bank. I can tell you that I love this boat! I fish a combination of rivers and lakes. The handling and performance of my boat to me is perfect for the rivers and even on those lakes where the water can get quite choppy, this boat slices through the water and does not beat you to death like my 19 year old boat used to do. I have plenty of storage space, especially in my rod locker. Live wells (I have two) have been great, I fish amateur tournaments on a regular basis and I have had no issues with fish kills. So, the bottom line for me is, I upgraded my performance over my old boat, the fishability is great out of this boat and I'm very satisfied with my purchase. You wont catch me talking bad about another manufacturer, I know that a new boat purchase can be a strssful time with all the research you have to do and with all the opinions out there, but I just wanted to share my experience with you in hopes that it helps you makes your decision. Good luck

Hello fellow BR members, my name is Craig, I'm a retired Marine from Jacksonville NC. I have been fishing for over thirty years. I grew up fishing Lake Erie and all the tributary streams near Erie PA. Up there I fished for LM bass, SM bass, crappie, perch, bluegill, walleye, coho salmon, brown trout, lake trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and, steelhead trout. Living in eastern NC there is plenty of water to fish but I pretty much fish Sutton Lake, Jordan Lake, the Trent River, the Neuse River, the Tar River and the New River. I enjoy tournament fishing as well as just spending time out in the boat with my kids fishing. They both love the outdoors just like me. I just picked up my new bass boat, a 2014 Bass Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW with a 75 HP Mercury Optimax. The boat I just sold was my 1995 Bass Tracker, they are perfect for our local waters here. Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself as I have been visiting the site for some time but just finally registered. Craig