Fiberglass & Aluminum boat tournaments

[Bassin101]

In the year I have been fishing Arizona I notice that Bass tournaments are split between those for Fiberglass Boats and those for Aluminum.  Why does it make a difference? ???

[Big_Bass_Rich]

The issue with aluminum vs fibreglass used to be mainly speed.. but with new innovations in the aluminum boat world that problem has been solved. It's all personal preference. Aluminum boats are a little lighter and don't handle rough water as well as a deeper fibreglass boat, with the exception of Deep V hulls that are made for big water. Aluminum boats also produce more vibrations or sounds underwater, especially if uncarpeted. Some believe this affects fishing.. I'm not too sure about that personally because I've caught fish from 3 ft away flipping plastics in my old aluminum at the cottage.

Basically price is the only difference.. Personally I think that if you can get away with spending the $10,000+ LESS on an aluminum and not compromise performance/fishability, go for it! I can't do that here, living on Lake Erie unless I go for a deep V hull, because those bass boat style aluminums just can't take the rough water as well.

That's just my opinion anyway..

[Trivib1]

If a  tournament is sponsoring a aluminum boat as a prize, it may not get entries from those who own fiberglass boats.  Once you own a fiberglass boat, it would be hard to go back to any aluminum boat.

My first boat was aluminum and after owning a fiberglass boat.  I could never go back to aluminum.  There is times I would like to have a aluminum boat under me.  For some conditions, I had encountered, but all in all fiberglass boats for me.

[BARON49_Northern NY]

I have owned several fiberglass bass boats and many other fiberglass boats.  Got tired of patching and worring about the gel coat and tried an aluminum boat in 1990.  It was a used walleye style boat and I could not believe the difference.  Used it one year and went to an Alumcraft dealer and designed the boat I wanted and they put it together and I have never looked back.  It is a 16.5 foot Walleye boat with an 84 inch beam.  Powered by a 75 horse Merc.  Fully carpeted, huge livewell, baitwell, two rod lockers, 24 vt system for the trolling motor, plus many other options.  It trailers easily with my Ford Explorer 6 cylinder.  Go to Florida and the Carolinas every year with it.  Now before someone says about rough water handling.....I l have lived on Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River for over 40 years and this deep V handles rough water very well, but the bigger Alumacraft, Triton, and Lund Aluminum boats handle rough water better then any fiberglass bassboat I have ever been in.

[GamblerFL]

I have used both boats. There are things I like about both. I use a fiberglass boat now, but I dont have anything against aluminum. Years ago my dad and my uncle bought a couple of canoe's. This was in 1972. My dad bought an aluminum and my uncle bought a fiberglass. This many years later my uncles boat has been gone for years, the sun ate it up. My dads aluminum canoe looks today like it did in 1972!

[tritonman]

Like BARON49 I was patching scratches, went to an aluminum and will never turn back. Have fished rough water with my aluminum and have ran into docks and rocks with no worries of damage to the hull.

[squid]

lol...Don't say we ran into docks...we bumped into them...lol  But yes the way Aluminums are made today...You can take them out on Lake Michigan now.  Tritonman and I run a Triton 176 Magnum that max'x out at 125hp, we have a 115 Mercury OptiMax on it.  Beam is 85".  They go all the way upto 19'4" with max hp at 200hp and 90 1/2" beam with dual or single console.  So here they are for the big tourny's.

[Bud_in_OR]

Yes, Baron49, Yes.

Same story here except it was an eighteen foot- 41" deep Crestliner with a 125 Mercury. It has every amenity that a, zero freeboard, 'bass boat' has except the upkeep.

I did the Columbia River in a 20' fiberglass 'bass boat' ONCE. It was like a potato chip in a washing machine. I kept asking..."Aren't you concerned about the water coming over the bow??" Never again, buddy.

Bud