How big should I go?

[Eric Peterson]

I am buying my first bass boat in the next few months. I have never driven a bass boat but have ridden in alot of them. I am looking to seriously get into tournament fishing. I want a 20-21 foot boat to compete the best I can and to run big water easier but I think of getting a 18-19 due to cost and availability. I am taking a loan out and plan to have the boat at least 5 years. Will I be disappointed if I go smaller?

[slonezp]

Pros and cons to both. If you will regularly fish with a partner, then bigger might be the better choice. If you will regularly fish bigger water, then bigger might be the better choice. Larger boats are more difficult to maneuver in tight spaces around docks and can be more difficult to launch/load by yourself. Best advice I can give is to go look at different models/sizes and crawl around in them. See which one(s) suit you best and then make a decision. 

[DINK WHISPERER]

IMO, something in the 19ft with a 200hp range is the best of both worlds. 

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

IMO, something in the 19ft with a 200hp range is the best of both worlds. 

Agreed.  I've had 18', and that was a little tight with my two boys, but fine on tournament day.  The 21'10" bullet had an amazing front deck, but was not nimble around docks.

[Lures'n'Liberty]

After reading the threads on here and doing my research, I'm pretty sure you need 2 kayaks, a bass buggy, a 12' jon, a 16' jon, a 17' bass boat with a 9.9, and a 24' bass boat with 400 HP and at least 3 power poles to be close to truly satisfied, even then something may be missing. 

[Rick Howard]

3 hours ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

IMO, something in the 19ft with a 200hp range is the best of both worlds. 

Exactly what I am thinking and looking at. 

 

Not to high jack the thread but does pertain to the subject matter.  Would a 19' 200hp offer a fuel efficiency over a 20 or 21 with a 250hp or is it negligible? 

[J Francho]

Best way to get good fuel economy is go with the max HP capacity of the hull, and don't run WOT.

[Fishing Rhino]

2 hours ago, Lures'n'Liberty said:

After reading the threads on here and doing my research, I'm pretty sure you need 2 kayaks, a bass buggy, a 12' jon, a 16' jon, a 17' bass boat with a 9.9, and a 24' bass boat with 400 HP and at least 3 power poles to be close to truly satisfied, even then something may be missing. 

You left out a half dozen Popeil Pocket Fisherman combos.

[WRB]

11 hours ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

IMO, something in the 19ft with a 200hp range is the best of both worlds. 

^^^this^^^

19’ single console w/200-250hp is the ideal tournament size bass boat.

You need to test drive a few boats and consider buying a low hour (under 50) garaged used boat.

Tom

[Al w.]

I have a Triton that is 19’ 4” with a 200 hp Mercury. It serves me well even when my son and his friend are on board fishing also. It’s a good size for me. 

[TOXIC]

To me it's all about safety.  If you are fishing the big water and doing tournaments, you do not get to choose whether of not you fish in whatever mother nature throws at you on tournament day short of it being bad enough the tournament is cancelled.  Obviously, you always have the choice not to go out in bad weather conditions.  What if weather moves in after blast off and you have to get back?  I have fished big water on Lake St Clair for 15 years (not my home water), the Potomac River for 30 years and a lot of big water lakes/rivers up and down the East Coast.  The "general" rule for big bad water is usually 2 camps.  Guys who want the biggest boats possible (21-22 ft) and guys who want smaller (19-20ft).  Each has it's pro's and cons and those pros and cons change depending on the body of water.  For example, the bad days on St Clair are nothing like the bad days on the Potomac.  You add tide and wind vs bad weather and big cruisers and the wave types are totally different.  For another example, when I got my 21 foot Ranger I read where guys on Lake Michigan hated them because the had a tendency to spear waves on that body of water.  Those guys wanted either a 20 footer or a 22 footer for that reason.  The smaller boats with a good driver drive the waves whereas the longer boats "as a rule" are not as nimble.  My best advice....go to the lakes you are going to be spending the most time on and see what size boat dominates the preference of local anglers.  Personally, I have never had an issue with a larger boat loading/unloading or fishing around docks.  You do have to weigh the fact that a bigger boat will require a bigger tow vehicle and the bigger boats trailer will be dual and will need more maintenance as in tires/brakes/bearings, etc., compared to a single axle.  Motor maintenance is a wash because they all require about the same.  As for it being your first boat just take your time and consider a used rig so that you can get all of your rookie mistakes made before you sink (no pun intended) your cash into a pristine new rig.  Good luck.   

[J Francho]

@TOXIC is right on with that post.  I'll add that certain props will offer better bow lift as well.  My Trophy Plus 27 (cupped to 28 four blade) doesn't have the potential top speed that the cupped 31 3 blade I tried out, but, it can lift that bow on my almost 22'  boat with a blip of the hot foot.

[Catt]

It's first driver and then a combination of all three in the proper proportion; length, width, & horse power.

 

I have a friend who has a Champion Mean 16, it's only 16' in length but it's has a 90" beam & coupled with a 115 HP Merc you feel completely safe in any water.

 

I agree with @TOXIC in that the bodies of water plays a huge role. What's needed on the great lakes wouldn't necessarily work on Toledo Bend. We have boat lanes you must stay in when running which means you can not pick how you hit waves.

 

A lot of guys down south are going to 18' boats with 150-175 HP because of cost & ease of storage. BassCat's Sabre FTD at 18' length 93" beam & a 175 HP will handle anything a 19' boat will handle.

[J Francho]

21 minutes ago, Catt said:

We have boat lanes you must stay in when running which means you can not pick how you hit waves.

This was an eye opener my first time fishing down south.  Anytime I encounter "boat lanes" up here, it's a channel, and there's a no wake zone.  The St. Lawrence can get hairy with wakes from barges and freighters, and you have to keep your head on a swivel.

[TOXIC]

All bets are off on St Clair where you get the wind blown waves, 600ft freighter wakes and 3,000 different boat wakes all coming at you from different directions.  No timing, no rythum, no rhyme or reason just big waves.  

[Junk Fisherman]

There is some excellent advice in this thread.  I primarily fish big water but I only fish club tournaments on big water that easily get cancelled or moved if the conditions are sketchy.  Guys that only fun fish on big water can always decide not to go out or to drive to a different launch.  I have always thought people overestimate what you need on big water. Sure, if you are fishing big tournaments on big water you want a 20' boat but an 18' is fine if you are fishing for fun.   But to answer your question, I do think you'll be disappointed inevitably with an 18' boat when you have a tournament on big water when the conditions get rough.  So if the big Door County tournaments are what you want to fish, get a 20'er.  

 

Since it is your first boat I would definitely go used since you are going to make mistakes and you'd rather do that on a used boat.  This is the 2nd year on my Tuffy that I bought new and I have only made a couple minor blemishes and this was after nearly 15 years of owning aluminum boats that I never worried about scuffing up.   Hope if helps.  

[Dwight Hottle]

Another aspect to consider is that most 19' 20 & 21 footers require a dual axle trailer to carry the weight & load. 18 foot & smaller are usually on a single axle trailer. Dual axle trailers don't pivot like a single axle does either but do cost more. When fishing big water the bigger boat is always preferred. 

[WIGuide]

Eric, if you're looking to get into a boat, you're going to have to keep in mind what you're fishing. I fish tournaments out of a 17' Ranger and have been all over WI in that boat. From Sturgeon & Green Bay, to the Madison Chain, and up into the far reaches of the north. I've fished in some of the craziest nastiest wind and weather mother nature can dish out on those ponds and have survived to tell about it. However, I've been a boat owner since about 12 years old, and am on the water more than most people. I'll be the first to admit as much as I love my boat, and it got me through everything safely, a bigger boat would have done it better. Being that you're going to be a first time boat or bass boat owner, and looking at your posts about your aspirations about fishing in the opens down south I really wouldn't go with anything less than probably a 19' at the very minimum and if you can afford it, something in the 20' -21' range. Until you figure out what you're doing, it's going to be far more forgiving than the smaller boats, and once you get things dialed in, you'll have more capability than you will in the smaller boats. Another thing to keep in mind when buying your boat is the amount of storage it has, and when you're fishing in tournaments, you're going to need room for your non-boaters gear. Boat companies have done a great job to maximize the storage capacity of newer boats, but there's only so much they can add so take a look at that while you're searching. 

[dwtaylor]

The first and most important thing to consider when boat shopping:  your budget.  This is a must because it is extremely easy to get carried away with costs.  It is important to stay within this budget and consider all costs associated with a bass boat, which could include gas, oil, outboard maintenance, tow vehicle gas and potentially the wear and tear a tow vehicle can experience.  Consider this and then consider your add on electronics that may not come with the boat to begin with.  

 

It is important to start somewhere.  It may be wise to start out with a 18 ft boat and build your skills at a lower cost and potentially try the bigger tournaments.  Typically the bigger the engine, the more it costs to run it and to fix it. 

 

 

[slonezp]

2 hours ago, dwtaylor said:

The first and most important thing to consider when boat shopping:  your budget.  This is a must because it is extremely easy to get carried away with costs.  It is important to stay within this budget and consider all costs associated with a bass boat, which could include gas, oil, outboard maintenance, tow vehicle gas and potentially the wear and tear a tow vehicle can experience.  Consider this and then consider your add on electronics that may not come with the boat to begin with.  

 

It is important to start somewhere.  It may be wise to start out with a 18 ft boat and build your skills at a lower cost and potentially try the bigger tournaments.  Typically the bigger the engine, the more it costs to run it and to fix it. 

 

 

I disagree. Budget is important but safety is more important. Navigating a 500 acre lale is very different than a 50,000 acre lake, or a river with barge traffic,  or the Great Lakes. The boat needs to match the environment its being used in.

[J Francho]

You usually have your budget before even looking.  It's not an "important consideration," to me, it's a constant.  Picking the style and configuration is my #1 consideration, and safety fits in right in there.  I've had plenty of days where I simply could not take my bass boat (22' Bullet) where I wanted to because it just wawsn't built for the Great Lakes.  My next boat will likely be going back to a deep V tiller, like I had back in the 90s. 

[slonezp]

5 hours ago, J Francho said:

You usually have your budget before even looking.  It's not an "important consideration," to me, it's a constant.  Picking the style and configuration is my #1 consideration, and safety fits in right in there.  I've had plenty of days where I simply could not take my bass boat (22' Bullet) where I wanted to because it just wawsn't built for the Great Lakes.  My next boat will likely be going back to a deep V tiller, like I had back in the 90s. 

I see a Lund Pro Guide in your future