2013 Pro Team 165 Vs 175

[Adam Smith]

Hey I had a question about buying a bass tracker. I am just getting out of high school and looking to get a boat for bfl and team tournaments. I am looking at the 2013 pro team 165 and 175. I am paying for the boat myself so i am limited on cash. I am not really worried about speed because the lake that i fish are not huge so i dont think that will hurt me that much. I am more worried about live wells. The pro team 165 only had a 15 gallon live well. Do you think that i could fit two 5 bass limits in a 15 gallon live well for 8 hours. I am from ohio so there are not even that many 5 bass limits. The reason i am not buying a used boat is that i want the 5 year warrarnt just in case something would happen. also the pro team 165 does not have divided live wells is there any thing i can buy to divid them? I just cant decied between the two boats. The 165 or 175. Any help or suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks

[CFFF 1.5]

On the 165 even if the live was divided, I can't image keeping a 5 bass limit in 7.5 gallons of water, no matter the size of the fish. I think 15 gallons is kind of small for a 5 bass limit.

[J Francho]

15 seems pretty small for 10 bass. As far as no divider goes, two sets of marked cull tags should clear up keeping each anglers' bags separate.

[Wayne P.]

I have the Tracker PT 170 TX and the livewell capacity is 21 gallons and has a divider, but I don't use that. It will handle 10 dinks OK, but 10 that are 2# plus would be a crowd. It is definately not a summer time tournament capacity livewell.

When I catch one over 9# and hold it in the livewell until I get my camera set up to take its picture, it would be a tight fit for two that size.

[S Hovanec]

Aren't there some boat requirements for BFL tourneys? Minimum length and HP?

[Adam Smith]

Aren't there some boat requirements for BFL tourneys? Minimum length and HP?

Just that the boat have insurance, 16 ft long, and has the recomended hp motor

[S Hovanec]

Sorry, I was thinking FLW. 18'/150hp minimum.

[zildjian]

I have a 2011 Bass Tracker Pro Team 190TX. 16gallon livewell. I don't use the divider or bait bucket. And that gives me a ton of room! But for 10 bass, Noway. I had 4 in there at once and that seemed like a lot. But they were 2 x 3lbers and 2 x 2lbers. But 5 looks like my limit.

[Al Wolbach]

I don't know how hot it gets during the summer in Ohio but I have difficulty keeping a 15+ lb bag of fish(5) healthy in my Champion which I believe has a 35 gallon livewell. That is in Tennessee using a lot of salt and ice and I carry an O2 tank and diffuser if they become very distressed. It may not get as hot there, 90 degree surface water temp is not uncommon here during the hot months.

The tin boats do not have as much insulation as glass boats further adding to the problem. Meaning aluminum transfers heat better than fiberglass.

I would have very real concerns about attempting to keep 10 dinks healthy during the summer in a aluminum bassboat with a 15 gallon tank......................Al

[Kevinator1]

If you can afford the bigger boat, you should get it. You will be glad to have the extra room plus the bigger livewell. I have the 175 and it does everything well to fish my local tournaments.

[3dees]

look at the Crestliner VT17. 30 gal. devided well.

[Shewillbemine]

Everything I've read about buying a boat has led to: Bigger is always better.

If you can swing it, get the larger boat. You will never say "Hmm, I think the livewell is too large". But you risk saying the opposite with the smaller one.