Acceptable boat model for tournaments

[Justin38]

I am a current team tournament angler and I am thinking about moving up to the coasta's or the opens in the next year or two,

My question is does anyone fish these higher level tournaments out of anything other than a traditional bass boat?

I currently fish team tournaments out of my 19' stingray fish&ski combo with a 225hp I/o, so its fully tournament ready.

I just don't know if it would be acceptable and if so if I would be the only one not in a brand new nitro, ranger, skeeter, ect...

[slonezp]

Acceptable to who? If the boat meets the requirements of the trail, who cares.

[BigAngus752]

If someone makes fun of you then you'll just have to win!

[volzfan59]

37 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Acceptable to who? If the boat meets the requirements of the trail, who cares.

I agree with him! I've fished a tournament in a ChampioN fish and ski. Fished in plenty of other tournaments against guys in fish and ski's. It just doesn't matter.

[DINK WHISPERER]

We all know you have to have a brand new Ranger Z520 fully decked out to compete.? 

[Sam]

Depends.

 

If the tournament rules state you need a working live well, trolling motor, over 50 or 100 horse power motor, you are within the boat's length limitations, and your boat meets the rules perquisites you are good to go.

 

 

 

 

[NHBull]

I fish a local trail in a Lund Impact and I did feel out of place for about 10 minutes at the first tournament.  I don't think anyone  really cares and if they do so, screw them!

[tander]

As long as it meets boat requirements, go for it.

[fishnkamp]

I fished tournaments for years out of my ProCraft Fish and Ski. It was a 20 footer with a 200 HP Merc. It had all the same electronics, a big livewell built the same as all their bass boats, in fact all the same goodies except I had a walk through windshield and really comfy buckets as well as a back bench. It still had a good size front and rear deck and did over 70 mph.  No one ever said a word. Look at most of the walleye tour boats.

[ww2farmer]

I do very well in local tournaments in a paid for, slow, and beat up old Tracker 170 w/a tired 25 hp motor.

 

My next boat is going to be even less " acceptable" to the $80K rig or your a joke crowd.

 

I'm in the stages of saving for a Tracker 1754 grizzly that I can mod out the way I want, and going to hang a 40-50hp tiller off the back, because I am DONE with carpet, under the deck wiring/plumbing/gas tanks/steering cables. Guess what? I'll probably still do alright.

[JLBBass]

been fishing for over 50 years, and my "boat' has not caught a fish yet...........

[BassinR83]

I'd like to see you whoop up on some people in that boat!   I bet it catches fish as well as any other boat.

[WRB]

I have no idea what the min/max boat/engine requirements are for Costa or the Opens you plan to compete in, FLW requirements? Draw tournaments for cash prizes have boat/engine requirements so boaters don't put partners at a disadvantage, check with organization.

Boats don't catch bass anglers do! Team events are a different with very few limitations regarding equipment.

I remember when Western Bass trail was going strong in the 80's they didn't have boat limitations and some fished out of 14' aluminum boats others used top of the line bass rigs. The dominate angler back then was Dick Trask and fished out of his old red/white Ranger bomber style boat with 65 hp Merc. Dick won 7 fully rigged bass boats and sold all them. Can't remember anyone complaining that they partnered with Trask.

Tom

[RHuff]

I fish my local tournament schedule out of a 17 ft Triton Aluminum w/50 HP Mercury. Some guys have a fully loaded Ranger. One guy has a Skeeter. One has a john boat with a tiller motor. Some tournaments the guy with the Ranger wins. Sometimes the guy with the Skeeter wins. Sometimes I beat them both. The guy with the Ranger may have a better boat, but I can beat his butt because I know how to use my tools better than he does. Be confident in what you have and know how to use it to your advantage. The boat doesn't really matter except to race out of the gate at take off and to rush between spots. Yes, the bigger the boat the more room you have for storage and standing room. At the same time it's harder to tow, costs more to maintain, and uses up more fuel. If your lucky enough to go buy one and can afford to do so then go for it. Most people can't. 

 

The point is I want to fish out of whatever I'm comfortable with in order to catch the best fish I can catch. I'd love to have a big fully loaded rigged out Ranger, but I don't want to finance $70,000 either. I bought my Triton from the seller straight up. I was lucky enough to do that. I own my boat and I am proud of it because I got it on my own. Try not to get caught up in the hoopla of the bells and whistles. They are nice but not always needed. The bottom line is you better catch fish, the right fish to win. It's all that really matters. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I fished my first club tournament in 1990 in a 17ft Aluminum Tracker with 50HP motor and I pulled it with a Honda Accord.  You can't let pride keep you from fishing.

[WRB]

Did the OP say I/O as inboard/outdrives ? FLW alloes 250hp OB as max, couldn't find anything about outdrives.

Tom

[Justin38]

Thanks guys for all your input, my boat does fish very well as I have it rigged for tournaments, but I talked to the B.a.s.s

And Flw tournament directors, the way the rules are written and interpreted they restrict the use of anything except outboards.

Sorry it took me a while to get back on after I found this out I started looking for a new boat well new to me,

Happy to say i just bought a 93 19' champion bass boat with a 150 hp xri Merc in great condition

[RHuff]

Congrats Justin now go find the fish! 

[r83srock]

I run an older Ranger with a 150, it’s paid for and I’m proud it’s mine, top of the line in its day. But, I have to admit I feel out of place at times, at least for a moment, at take off or weigh in. The tournament “scene” has painted this picture that you need the greatest of this or the greatest of that. Run what ya brought! Nice boat btw. You can smile when you run by all the new 20’ers in 3 foot waves in that ol champ! Congrats on the boat and good luck in future tournaments!