Bass Boat Draft

[TxGator]

Im having trouble finding what the draft is on almost all brands of bass boats. Im going to be in the market next spring if all goes right, and im trying to do my home work. Kinda considering a bay boat since i live on the gulf coast and would like to be able to fish salt water as well as at Toledo Bend. One of my concerns is that the bay boats all seem to draft 11-13 inches depending on the set up. Im just wondering how much shallower a bass rig can get.  Thanks for any input.

Gator

[Sfritr]

You will not get any shallower with a bass boat.....

[Adam Harbuck]

A pad boat (high performance bass boat runs on plane on a "pad") would have a deeper draft than a displacement hull like a bay boat.

[Nitrofreak]

Bass boats are made for shallow waters, mine with the engine up and me on the back draft's 8 inches.

But each boat is different with different engine options etc... thats why you will be hard pressed to find the info your looking for.

But most all of the bass boats I have ever checked run around 8 to 10 inches.

[TxGator]

Thanks for the replys, im thinking that one or two inches wont make a big difference. If im gonna fish shallower than that I can always get dads express.

Gator

[TommyBass]

Theres a difference in what it will float in and what it will run in.  Theres no way most fiberglass bass boats run on plane in any less than a foot of water.  Realistically is probably closer to 18+ inches.  Bay boats etc generally run anywhere from 6-12" on plane, depending on type/style and if it has a tunnel.

[Mike Z]

Bass boats are made for shallow waters, mine with the engine up and me on the back draft's 8 inches.

But each boat is different with different engine options etc... thats why you will be hard pressed to find the info your looking for.

But most all of the bass boats I have ever checked run around 8 to 10 inches.

Was surfing BPS last night and wnt to te tracker site. The few boats I looked at ranged from like 14" to 20" IIRC. None as shallow as 10"

[Adam Harbuck]

Or, just look at the "scum line" on the transom of a bass boat, or on the outboard and measure that difference down to the bottom on the "pad", not the bottom of the transom, and I bet you would be looking at close to 16, 18, or even 20 inches. Light weight aluminums certainly wouldn't be that deep, but a big heavy 20' high performance boat sits deep at rest.

[TommyBass]

Or, just look at the "scum line" on the transom of a bass boat, or on the outboard and measure that difference down to the bottom on the "pad", not the bottom of the transom, and I bet you would be looking at close to 16, 18, or even 20 inches. Light weight aluminums certainly wouldn't be that deep, but a big heavy 20' high performance boat sits deep at rest.

X2

Add a 250 HP motor hanging off the back, three deep cycle batteries, one starting battery, and full livewells and the rear end really starts to sag. 

My jon boat is actually a tunnel hull designed specifically for shallow water.  18 feet long stock with a 60" bottom (85" beam), around 19.5' long with added toons.  It is stated to take off fully loaded with a 90 hp 4 stroke in 12-14" of water.  I'd imagine the rear end sits down about 9" sitting still, but the front end drafts much shallower.  I've drug it through 6.5" of water with my trolling motor before.

Point of all that being, a non-specialized fiberglass boat that weighs alot more and whose motor sticks down alot further probably will be significantly higher.   I had an 18 ft triton fiberglass a couple years ago and it wouldn't go where this boat will go, and would by no means take off anywhere close to as shallow.

[Nitrofreak]

Guy's I owe everyone an apology for posting some misleading information I was not measuring my draft correctly nor on my friends boat's my draft is actually 14" not 8" like I previously posted and with a passenger I am sure it would be upwards around 16" I am truly sorry for posting that and will double check to be sure before posting any more info.