Bass Tracker Pro 170?

[HardcoreBassin]

Hey guys,

In a few months I'll be moving.  The move will put my current "home lake" about an hour away.  There is a much closer lake to where I'm moving, but it has a 20hp limit.  I'm currently fishing out of an '04 Stratos 27x Pro XL with a 90hp Johnson on it. 

 

Dilemma:  I am trying to find a "mini bass boat" that a 20hp will push fairly well.  What I came up with thus far is either a john boat with modifications (casting deck, livewell, rod locker, etc.) or a Tracker Pro 170.  I know that no matter what I fish on, it will take some getting used to after fishing from a stable, wide Stratos.  I want something that is going to give me some of the luxuries of a bass boat but not be EXCRUCIATINGLY slow on the water.  My thought was to get a Pro Team 170 with a 20hp ELPT and put a stainless prop on it to maybe help with lack of power?  I've toyed with the idea of putting a 25hp on it, but I am backtracking on that now.  I want to fish small boat tourneys on the lake, and I don't want to run into an issue with tourneys or fines if I get caught.  It's just not worth the headache.

 

Who here has a Pro Team 170 or Pro Team 160?  Can you give me your pros vs cons on the boat?  If you don't own one, but have fished from one, what are your thoughts on it?  I'm looking for any sort of guidance here.  I don't know anyone who has one to test it out, nor can I find any videos about the stability of the boat. 

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks all!

 

- Dale

[desmobob]

I have a Pro 170 I bought new this summer.  It has a 40HP Mercury four-stroke.  I love the boat.  I put a lot of hours on it this season and I haven't found much of anything I don't like about it.

 

Initially, I was concerned about the standard 12V 45lb. bow mount Edge trolling motor, and figured I'd want to upgrade right away.  I've found I don't have any pressing need to upgrade.  And that's a good thing, because the one thing that bugs me a little about the boat is that there is not room in the aft fuel tank/battery compartment to add another battery if I wanted a 24V trolling motor.  It's actually a bit tricky to get the starting and trolling motor batteries in and out of the compartment.

 

I'm a big guy (240 lbs), and I usually fish alone.  I have a lot of gear stored in the boat.  It pops up on plane fairly quickly and has a top speed of about 35 MPH (new Merc. Spitfire prop).  The boat has very mild deadrise and plenty of beam, so it's very stable.  It doesn't have any handling quirks that I've found so far.  

 

The live well set-up isn't the greatest but I rarely use it, so it's not an issue for me.  It would be easy to upgrade, though.  There is plenty of storage, even for long one-piece rods.  

 

I can't think of what else to add... let me know if you have any specific questions and I'd be glad to try to help you.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[HardcoreBassin]

I have a Pro 170 I bought new this summer.  It has a 40HP Mercury four-stroke.  I love the boat.  I put a lot of hours on it this season and I haven't found much of anything I don't like about it.

 

Initially, I was concerned about the standard 12V 45lb. bow mount Edge trolling motor, and figured I'd want to upgrade right away.  I've found I don't have any pressing need to upgrade.  And that's a good thing, because the one thing that bugs me a little about the boat is that there is not room in the aft fuel tank/battery compartment to add another battery if I wanted a 24V trolling motor.  It's actually a bit tricky to get the starting and trolling motor batteries in and out of the compartment.

 

I'm a big guy (240 lbs), and I usually fish alone.  I have a lot of gear stored in the boat.  It pops up on plane fairly quickly and has a top speed of about 35 MPH (new Merc. Spitfire prop).  The boat has very mild deadrise and plenty of beam, so it's very stable.  It doesn't have any handling quirks that I've found so far.  

 

The live well set-up isn't the greatest but I rarely use it, so it's not an issue for me.  It would be easy to upgrade, though.  There is plenty of storage, even for long one-piece rods.  

 

I can't think of what else to add... let me know if you have any specific questions and I'd be glad to try to help you.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

 

 

Thanks for the input Bob!  Do you stand or sit when you fish?  I had concerns about the 12v Edge system on it too.  I have a MinnKota Maxx65 on my Stratos right now.  Have you run into any issues with the trolling battery running out while on the water?  I'm not too concerned about the livewell, as it will rarely be used.  In your opinion, do you think the 20hp is severely underpowering this boat?  Tracker offers it with the 20 HP option, but no MPH rating on it.  the lowest MPH rating they do is on the 25HP, which is said to push the boat at 20-24 MPH. 

 

- Dale

[ww2farmer]

I also have a 170..I bought mine new in 2006 with a 4 stroke 25hp Merc on it. The only trouble I have had with the boat have been self-inflicted issue cause by my stupidity. I fish the smaller finger lakes and it's just fine. I go 22 MPH by myself loaded with gear, and 16-18 with a second guy in the boat. The only time I am painfully slow is with two people, more than 1/2 a tank of fuel, and a full livewell, then I'm down to 12 MPH or so, but it's not big deal to me, because the longest lake I fish is 8 miles long. It's got plenty of storage for everything I need, infact I probably carry too much. Mine has the center rod locker ( I think the new ones are on the side) and I can fit 7'6" rods in it no problem. I upgraded the 12v TM to a 24v, there is room for both TM batteries if you down size to group 24 size, I was worried about it not having enough juice with the smaller batts. but it's been a non-issue, in fact I can fish two day or more with out killing it............but I do charge after every trip, I just forgot one day and found out that I was worried for nothing.

[HardcoreBassin]

I also have a 170..I bought mine new in 2006 with a 4 stroke 25hp Merc on it. The only trouble I have had with the boat have been self-inflicted issue cause by my stupidity. I fish the smaller finger lakes and it's just fine. I go 22 MPH by myself loaded with gear, and 16-18 with a second guy in the boat. The only time I am painfully slow is with two people, more than 1/2 a tank of fuel, and a full livewell, then I'm down to 12 MPH or so, but it's not big deal to me, because the longest lake I fish is 8 miles long. It's got plenty of storage for everything I need, infact I probably carry too much. Mine has the center rod locker ( I think the new ones are on the side) and I can fit 7'6" rods in it no problem. I upgraded the 12v TM to a 24v, there is room for both TM batteries if you down size to group 24 size, I was worried about it not having enough juice with the smaller batts. but it's been a non-issue, in fact I can fish two day or more with out killing it............but I do charge after every trip, I just forgot one day and found out that I was worried for nothing.

 

 

That's great to hear that you can still move at a decent clip with a 25 on it.  Do you run a stainless prop, or is that the stock aluminum one that pushes you at that speed?  Do you have the whale tail on the motor to help plane out?

[zachb34]

I would personally go with a decked Jon boat purely because you will want more speed. My tracker 1542 with a 15 HP 4 stroke loaded with full gas, full gear, full cooler, trolling motor and battery, and a power pike micro and 2 200 pound guys will go about 24 miles per hour. Get a little wider boat and a little bigger motor and you should be in the 26 range. I only say this because right now I'm kicking myself for not buying the 25 HP. Its not necessary to go fast but fishing areas that stretch over 20 miles gets a little tedious.

[ww2farmer]

No "whale tail", and the stock three blade aluminum prop. I forgot to mention, I'm no midget either, 6'+,and 330lbs.

[Wayne P.]

I have the 2009 PT 170 TX and use a 9.9 Mer four-stroke since my favorite waters are 10 HP max.

 

I have had two other anglers over 200# with me and it is very stable, that is why I chose it over the narrower hull models in that size catagory.

 

No, I can't get on plane with just me, 3 gals of gas, and 6 batteries, but I didn't set it up to race anyone.

[desmobob]

Thanks for the input Bob!  Do you stand or sit when you fish?  I had concerns about the 12v Edge system on it too.  I have a MinnKota Maxx65 on my Stratos right now.  Have you run into any issues with the trolling battery running out while on the water?  I'm not too concerned about the livewell, as it will rarely be used.  In your opinion, do you think the 20hp is severely underpowering this boat?  Tracker offers it with the 20 HP option, but no MPH rating on it.  the lowest MPH rating they do is on the 25HP, which is said to push the boat at 20-24 MPH. 

 

- Dale

 

I sit to fish most of the time, but there's plenty of nice, carpeted deck to stand on, fore and aft.

 

A lot of days, I fish from before sunrise to after sunset.  In this past season of fishing, I think I've only drained the trolling motor battery down low (never killed it completely) two or three times.

 

Because of the nearly flat bottom of the hull, I would guess (and it's only a wild a** guess) that if you kept the weight down as far as is practical, the boat would plane and run along OK with a 20HP.  As for props, the Mercury Spitfire props I tried were surprisingly good for the money.  I tried two different pitches, and liked them both.  They definitely get you out of the hole and up on plane quicker with hardly any loss of top end.  And they only cost a little more than stock 3-blade props.  I think they may come standard on the new Merc outboards... I'm not sure.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[tnriverluver]

I have a Tracker 1542 with a 20hp 4stroke Merc and have the boat fairly loaded down with floors, pedestal bases, depth finders etc.  With me and my 65 lb Australian Shepherd I run 27-28 mph and am very impressed with the stability of these boats.  My last boat was a 201proXL Stratos and I have wobbly legs due to back problems.  My 1542 is much more stable than my slightly larger decked out 16 Alumacraft Angler bassboat with a 50hp and only 2 mph slower.  Over on Tinboats.net a lot of people have decked these boats out with all the bells and whistles and are still happy with the stability.

[HardcoreBassin]

I have the 2009 PT 170 TX and use a 9.9 Mer four-stroke since my favorite waters are 10 HP max.

 

I have had two other anglers over 200# with me and it is very stable, that is why I chose it over the narrower hull models in that size catagory.

 

No, I can't get on plane with just me, 3 gals of gas, and 6 batteries, but I didn't set it up to race anyone.

 

Yea I'm not looking to race, but I'll lose my mind (if not already lost) if I get a boat that can't get on plane.  I've toyed with the idea of putting a 9.9hp on my Stratos, but for the price, it will be worth it to buy a new boat and sell the Stratos I think.

 

 

I would personally go with a decked Jon boat purely because you will want more speed. My tracker 1542 with a 15 HP 4 stroke loaded with full gas, full gear, full cooler, trolling motor and battery, and a power pike micro and 2 200 pound guys will go about 24 miles per hour. Get a little wider boat and a little bigger motor and you should be in the 26 range. I only say this because right now I'm kicking myself for not buying the 25 HP. Its not necessary to go fast but fishing areas that stretch over 20 miles gets a little tedious.

 

I have a Tracker 1542 with a 20hp 4stroke Merc and have the boat fairly loaded down with floors, pedestal bases, depth finders etc.  With me and my 65 lb Australian Shepherd I run 27-28 mph and am very impressed with the stability of these boats.  My last boat was a 201proXL Stratos and I have wobbly legs due to back problems.  My 1542 is much more stable than my slightly larger decked out 16 Alumacraft Angler bassboat with a 50hp and only 2 mph slower.  Over on Tinboats.net a lot of people have decked these boats out with all the bells and whistles and are still happy with the stability.

 

I'll have to look into the jon boats a bit more.  Decking it out would be a fun winter project.  Just not sure if it will be that much of an advantage to do a jon over the Tracker.  I can get a brand new 2013 Tracker 170 for $10k.  Someone ordered it then wound up not going through with the purchase, so its been sitting in the factory shrink wrap on the dealers lot since this time last year. 

 

I'll probably go out to a boat show in a few months to take a look at what is out there and what will get me around the lake the way I want.

 

Like I said, im not trying to race anyone, but I want to get from point A to point B faster than a paddleboat.

[tnriverluver]

Yea I'm not looking to race, but I'll lose my mind (if not already lost) if I get a boat that can't get on plane.  I've toyed with the idea of putting a 9.9hp on my Stratos, but for the price, it will be worth it to buy a new boat and sell the Stratos I think.

 

 

 

 

I'll have to look into the jon boats a bit more.  Decking it out would be a fun winter project.  Just not sure if it will be that much of an advantage to do a jon over the Tracker.  I can get a brand new 2013 Tracker 170 for $10k.  Someone ordered it then wound up not going through with the purchase, so its been sitting in the factory shrink wrap on the dealers lot since this time last year. 

 

I'll probably go out to a boat show in a few months to take a look at what is out there and what will get me around the lake the way I want.

 

Like I said, im not trying to race anyone, but I want to get from point A to point B faster than a paddleboat.

 

If you can get the 170 already setup with the 20 for $10g that would be a good route to go.  Only downside is it will be extremely slow and underpowered.  Think 10 to 12mph would be about tops with that size boat and weight even lightly loaded.

[HardcoreBassin]

 

If you can get the 170 already setup with the 20 for $10g that would be a good route to go.  Only downside is it will be extremely slow and underpowered.  Think 10 to 12mph would be about tops with that size boat and weight even lightly loaded.

 

There is so much mixed feedback about the speed out there.  I found a video on youtube of a guy with a 20hp EL (without power trim to play with) mounted to a 2013 Pro Team 165, which is only a bit smaller/lighter than the 170 (I think 5-6 inches shorter and about 80lbs lighter).  In the video he tops out at 24mph.

[tnriverluver]

There is so much mixed feedback about the speed out there.  I found a video on youtube of a guy with a 20hp EL (without power trim to play with) mounted to a 2013 Pro Team 165, which is only a bit smaller/lighter than the 170 (I think 5-6 inches shorter and about 80lbs lighter).  In the video he tops out at 24mph.

I find that very very hard to believe.  I seriously doubt the 20 being less than even half the rated HP could even plane a 165 much less the 170.  I love my 20 but I think that might be stretching the limitations just a bit.  If and I stress IF the 20 can get the boat on plane it might push it 20mph.  I just don't see it happening unless the hull has been gutted!

[curtis9]

I think if you are limited to 20hp, I'd look for a tiller model boat. On the small bass boats I think you'll find the console gets in the way more than if helps. You won't be going fast enough to need to be behind the console. I had a tracker 175 and the console limited rod storage on the front deck.

[NAbassman]

I have bass tracker 175txw,it has a 60 HP mercury.The ride is pretty smooth,but not as smooth as your stratos.I can get in shallower places with it than most fiberglass boats.It is light so on windy days u have to fight it to keep your boat position correctly,than your stratos.I wish live well was bigger,but other than that everything ain't much difference.It is pretty stable for an alummium boat.

[BassinLou]

I have a 1999 Tracker Proteam 165, with a 2000 25HP motor. I am the original owner. I just recently added a 55# MK variable TM. Does the boat have its pro's and con's. Yes. Con's, its not a speed demon that's for sure. Top speed is a whopping 18-20MPH. However it drafts shallow. That's an advantage during low water conditions. Its not a wide boat, but 2 people can fish comfortably. Stability? Not the best or the worst. Storage? Not whole heck of alot. But i have adapted. As far as standing or sitting. I stand 100% of the time while fishing. There's not that much walking room in the front, but again i have adapted to the narrow space. Its light to trailer and transport and easy on the gas. I have a 13 gallon tank and i don't travel long to my fishing grounds. Over the years i have learned to appreciate my boat. I have been slowly upgrading things here and there. One i mentioned already, TM. I am having a Lowrance Elite 4x fish finder installed tomorrow, and my next major upgrade will be buying a 40HP motor. My boat is perfect for the type of fishing and time i use it for. Its low maintenance and easy to handle. Best of all its paid for.... lol.

[Dwight Hottle]

"Best of all its paid for.... lol."

 

Those are the very best boats.

[tstone]

Not exactly a bass boat, but an awesome little skiff. It'll run 24mph with the 15hp or 28mph with the 20hp. $8k boat, motor, and trailer with the 15hp

http://www.wingmasterboats.com/sandpiper-150-skiff/

[HardcoreBassin]

I have a 1999 Tracker Proteam 165, with a 2000 25HP motor. I am the original owner. I just recently added a 55# MK variable TM. Does the boat have its pro's and con's. Yes. Con's, its not a speed demon that's for sure. Top speed is a whopping 18-20MPH. However it drafts shallow. That's an advantage during low water conditions. Its not a wide boat, but 2 people can fish comfortably. Stability? Not the best or the worst. Storage? Not whole heck of alot. But i have adapted. As far as standing or sitting. I stand 100% of the time while fishing. There's not that much walking room in the front, but again i have adapted to the narrow space. Its light to trailer and transport and easy on the gas. I have a 13 gallon tank and i don't travel long to my fishing grounds. Over the years i have learned to appreciate my boat. I have been slowly upgrading things here and there. One i mentioned already, TM. I am having a Lowrance Elite 4x fish finder installed tomorrow, and my next major upgrade will be buying a 40HP motor. My boat is perfect for the type of fishing and time i use it for. Its low maintenance and easy to handle. Best of all its paid for.... lol.

 

That is some helpful information.  Thanks!  Like I mentioned, I'm not worried about speeding around, but I want to be able to plane out.  Did the 1999 come with a 12v TM system?  Did you have any issues with killing batteries while on the water?

[BassinLou]

That is some helpful information.  Thanks!  Like I mentioned, I'm not worried about speeding around, but I want to be able to plane out.  Did the 1999 come with a 12v TM system?  Did you have any issues with killing batteries while on the water?

 

I am glad the info helped. My boat came with 12 volt system which I have til this very day. The only time I have had a battery issue is when a previous battery was not holding a charge well  after 6+ yrs of svc. Keep in mind, my previous TM was a 42lb 5 speed MG, on a 24 series battery with 0 electronics. I ran this way for 14 yrs. Now I have the 55# MK variable speed which after 8hrs on 27 series battery the battery is only at 50%. Now I also just included a fishfinder off the same battery, so we'll see what the charge looks like at the end of the day. Any other questions just let me know. 

[HardcoreBassin]

Not exactly a bass boat, but an awesome little skiff. It'll run 24mph with the 15hp or 28mph with the 20hp. $8k boat, motor, and trailer with the 15hp

http://www.wingmasterboats.com/sandpiper-150-skiff/

.

That is a nice skiff, but I think if I'm going to go that route, I'll probably get a mod v jon boat and deck it out.  That way I can customize my storage options.

[boostr]

Check out the Tracker Grizzly Sportsman 1548 and 1648 They come with 25hp tillers with or without power lift, sponsons, casting deck, covered floor, rod box, removable gun box (Which can be used for storage if you don't hunt), and is prewired for a TM.

[HardcoreBassin]

Check out the Tracker Grizzly Sportsman 1548 and 1648 They come with 25hp tillers with or without power lift, sponsons, casting deck, covered floor, rod box, removable gun box (Which can be used for storage if you don't hunt), and is prewired for a TM.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  I took a look at those.  I like the boat, but I can't bring myself to spend $10k on a boat that I would need to modify (larger casting deck, storage, etc..).  I would also probably run into a problem fishing a 2nd person since there is no real back deck.  At that price I'd probably rather go the route of the pro team 170 since I wouldn't need to modify anything.

[Chris S]

This http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bod/4821177181.htmlplus this http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/4797092020.html    or

 

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/4804586194.htmland keep the other boat