Are Aluminum Boats In Tournaments Common?

[Brandon K.]

There are always a lot of alum. boats in tournaments around here. Mainly because of the type of water we fish (River with gravel bars and stumps). From local tourneys all the way up to the state team. There is one guy that always does pretty good. He owns a glass boat. But, if you see him pull in the ramp with his friends Bass Tracker everyone knows he's on good fish.

[PotomacBassin]

I use my Bass Tracker 190 with a 115 in our local tournaments.  Does just fine and I can keep up with some of the glass boats, although they may be only going half throttle.

 

For the pros... it might have been last year's Bass Master's Classic where the one guy was talking how he wasn't sure if he was going to use his aluminum hull again today so he could get to where the other guys couldn't.  Not sure about FLW though.

[Teal]

Rick Clunn has fished a few events with a Tracker boat. I think he fished out of it at his last classic

Aluminum boats are very common in tournaments here. While glass boats make up the majority there all always tin boats in the mix. They are so common that nobody really turns their noses up at them because its usually the little old man in the 16' aluminum boat that will take everybody's money.

[FD.]

Rick Clunn has fished a few events with a Tracker boat. I think he fished out of it at his last classic

Aluminum boats are very common in tournaments here. While glass boats make up the majority there all always tin boats in the mix. They are so common that nobody really turns their noses up at them because its usually the little old man in the 16' aluminum boat that will take everybody's money.

 

Ain't that the truth.

 

I started fishing tournaments in a 17' Triton tin with a 75.  Now I fish out of a TR20x2 glass with a 250.  There are times when I miss the tin but for safety and comfort I stay in the big boat.

[Teal]

I was missing mine back in October, the fish were so far in the backs of the creeks that i could barley get my trolling motor down where they were. It was a "long cast kinda day". The javelin won't get quite as shallow as the alumacraft once did.

Aluminum boats definitely have the advantage when they fish are shallow and in calmer water.

[jhoffman]

That 190 comes standard with a 115 optimax... that thing is gonna run balls to the wall. The bottom end nitro has the same motor on glass which is going to be 1000lbs heavier.

[jhoffman]

FYI

 

I fish out of a 92 tracker tx17 with a 25hp evinrude 2 stroke. Takes awhile to get there but I can pull it with a 06 suzuki grand vitara and a tank of gas would last weeks even though I only fill it half way for weight savings.

 

Top speed is about 20mph on a good day. Guys blow by me like I am sitting still at times. Funny how fast they show up when I start crankn hogs over the side.

[james 14]

That 190 comes standard with a 115 optimax... that thing is gonna run balls to the wall. The bottom end nitro has the same motor on glass which is going to be 1000lbs heavier.

Not so sure about that...at least not according to Tracker's website. Z-6 is only 250lbs heavier and 7-10 mph faster. However, the 190 is a foot longer and rated for up to a 135 which will certainly yeild more mph but I'm not sure how you go about getting a motor that's not a Merc.

[Shewillbemine]

I have used my aluminum Tracker 6 times since I filled it up. I still have more than 80% fuel in it and towing it feels like nothing. At some point, I'll step up to a fiberglass but this one's great for the time being. 

[Crookedneck]

There are usually a few aluminum boats in the tourneys around here, to include mine.  I've actually got a 17' 6" aluminum bass boat, it actually has a v hull not your typical flat bottom aluminum bass boat.  Hard to find and I looked for a while to find it.  90% of my bass fishing is on rivers where the water can get pretty skinny.  I have fished some rough water on windy days.  That is where a good trolling motor comes into play.  Where some people laugh at my 80lbs thrust saying it is over kill for a tin boat, I don't get blown off my spots.  Currently it has a 65 horse Merc.  But, is rated for 115, I would like to get a 90 or 100 to put on it.  I think 115 would be scary.    I do get out run, but fish don't care how fast your boat is.  My fishing partner has a 19' glass Ranger, when we travel we always take my boat.  Saves gas money.  The only real difference between the two boat that make a difference in tournement fishing is his boat has two livewells, and mine has one. 

[Gunner59]

Thanks for asking that question,

I have been wondering that very same thing, my Tracker is a Pro 17.6 with a 40HP.

I was looking at the FLW Walmart series that has an event on Lake St Clair here in Michigan but the rules say min of 19feet and minimum HP of 150.

I do see boats like mine in the local NBAA events as well as the high dollar rigs.

Are these tournaments strict on the Min requirements? Or should I stick to smaller local events?

Thanks again for starting this post as well as all the comments.

[Kprzybyla]

I started fishing the B.A.S.S. and FLW open team tournements in my state last year, out of a tracker tournement V18. I had it in my head how awesome it would be to beat these guys in the big Bass Cats and Rangers... it didn't happen. Our big lakes in NH get really rough, and getting tossed around all day in wind and chop definately effected our ability to fish effectively. Absolutely loved the boat for 99% of my fun fishing, great for the club and small lake stuff but when it came to the money tourneys... not so much... there's a reason these guys spend the money they do on the big glass rigs, speed matters, stability, SAFETY... I love a good underdog story but these guys are waaaaay to competitive, up here anyway. There are competitive tin boats, but at Glass price points...

[12poundbass]

On 11/16/2012 at 7:32 PM, slonezp said:

, I'm in the market for a bass boat. I need more room. The kids are grown and I'm not pulling them on tubes anymore

What happened to that plan? LOL

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

What happened to that plan? LOL

Bored are we, opening 6 year old threads? ?

I was looking at bass boats at the time. A repo'd Ranger with 15 hours on it, but someone else scooped it up before I could arrange financing. A leftover Z9, but BPS refused to put a bigger motor on it. A used Charger in your neck of the woods, but the engine reports had a number of unexplained alarms Had there not been a Predator in a local showroom, for me to fall in love with, I would have ended up with a new 19ft Ranger.

[12poundbass]

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

Bored are we, opening 6 year old threads? ?

I was looking at bass boats at the time. A repo'd Ranger with 15 hours on it, but someone else scooped it up before I could arrange financing. A leftover Z9, but BPS refused to put a bigger motor on it. A used Charger in your neck of the woods, but the engine reports had a number of unexplained alarms Had there not been a Predator in a local showroom, for me to fall in love with, I would have ended up with a new 19ft Ranger.

Haha. Somebody else revived it and I looked through it. I didn't look at the date until I read something made me stop and look at the date. I read yours wondering why you'd get rid of the Lund already. 

[NHBull]

Didn't fall for it this time ?

 

First thing I do not is check the OP date.......?