Boat size advice?

[txchaser]

I expect I'll buy a full-size boat this year and I'd love perspective on length.

 

Details:

No storage length constraints.

Primary lake is smallish, less than 4000 acres

Some other nearby lakes in TX that I'll probably end up fishing too, like Fork or OH Ivey

Half the time I'll have a co- in the boat; sometimes a dog.

Zero chance I'd be on big northern lakes on this boat.

Sometimes like to be able to move around in really low water (less important, but still on the list)

 

I really want to do this once for a while, vs changing, if I can. So while I can mostly get by with a smaller boat, I'd prefer to be in zero regrets mode. 

 

Assume anything I don't spend on the boat I'll just spend on more tackle, so no price difference concerns.

 

What will I love and hate between a 19' and a 21', given the mission profile? 

What do you wish you had known before you bought your last boat? 

 

 

[Susky River Rat]

I always suggest going with the biggest boat and motor you can afford. Everything else can be added later. The only asterisk to this is storage. I won’t buy a boat I cannot fit in my garage. 
 

as far as what brand? That’s like anything else. It really comes down to what you want and looking at a lay out that will suit your needs the most. 

[Catt]

 

[Way2slow]

First part of the size boat equation should be what size tow vehicle do you have, how far do you plan on towing it and what type of terrain.

With the vehicle, don't let the manufactures advertised towing capacity sucker you in.  You have to think about the fact you need to be able to safely stop a couple of thousand pounds trying to keep pushing you forward when have to make a sudden stop and most boat trailers don't have trailer brakes and a lot that do are those old cheap drum brakes that rarely work worth a darn.

[gim]

This one 

 

 

[volzfan59]

4 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

I always suggest going with the biggest boat and motor you can afford. Everything else can be added later. The only asterisk to this is storage. I won’t buy a boat I cannot fit in my garage. 
 

as far as what brand? That’s like anything else. It really comes down to what you want and looking at a lay out that will suit your needs the most. 

I agree with everything @Susky River Rat has said.

 

Out of all the boats that I have owned, and there have been plenty, I have two favorites. Both were great rigs.

Fiberglass, 19' ChampioN with a 200 h/p Mercury.

Aluminum, Tracker 185 with a 90 h/p  Mercury.

[Susky River Rat]

@gimruis better add 10k to that this year lol

[Junger]

12 hours ago, txchaser said:

What will I love and hate between a 19' and a 21', given the mission profile? 

What do you wish you had known before you bought your last boat?

 

Like everyone said, get the biggest boat/engine in your budget if you have no storage restraints. I bought my boat off the lot. There was a 1 year+ wait if I wanted to order the boat with features I would have liked, but I wasn't going to wait. I wish my boat had a padded deck, a Seadek type material over carpet, a galvanized custom trailer, and some other minor aesthetics. So, if you time, consider ordering a boat to your specs rather than buying off the lot.

 

As for boat, of course I'll advocate for the Lund PVB...go 2075 with a 250HP Merc ProXS. I come through shallow grass pretty easy, but also handle 2' chop pretty easy. But if I had no storage restaints, I'd probably look at the Xpress 23B center console.

[Way2slow]

For any useful advice/recommendations a lot more info is needed.  Are you wanting a new or a used boat.  Are you wanting an aluminum or a glass boat.  How much are you looking to spend?  What do you plan to tow it with?

Right now, who knows, you may have just come into millions and there is not limit, or you may be like many of us that have to consider the cost of fishing in our monthly budget.  So, a little better idea of what you have in mind is needed.

 

I will say, for bass fishing, I've never had a boat under 17' that I've liked, of any kind.   Since 1963, I have probably owned close to 100 boats.  After getting married in 1969, buying boats in need of repair, fixing them up and selling them was a very good source of extra income for me.  If I liked one, I would keep it for myself for a couple years until I found another, I liked better.  Around 1980 I got my first actual 17' "BASS BOAT".  It was ok but not a lot of storage and room.  I went through a couple of 17 footers and in 1993 I got a 1989 Stratos 285 Pro.  That was like a Rolls Royce compared to I had previously.  I kept that one until 2003 when I got a 1999 Javelin Renegade 20DC.  I kept that one until about three years ago when decided I no longer wanted the maintain it just to sit and not being used.

Though many, many boats, the worst boat I ever had that was supposed to be a bass type fishing boat was a 15' Aluminum Fisher with two pedestal seats in.  You could not sit in those seats without it leaning to one side or the other.  That one I sold as soon as I got it ready to sell, which was the case with most of the boats I went through but that one was the WORST!  

[Dwight Hottle]

I went from a 18’ boat to a 20’ and the difference in ride quality on rough water was a big deal. So if I were you I would go with the 21’ boat. It will require a twin axle trailer as opposed to a single. 

[Jig Man]

I recommend a 20’ or longer. 

[WRB]

If you are fishing with a partner using swimbait rods a 21’ is minimum.

Keep in mind most 21’ bass boats will have a jackplate extending the overall length restricting the ability to maneuver in tight places.

19’ is the longest bass boat I owned mostly fishing 2,000 acre lakes occasionally the Colorado River lakes and wishing I had a longer boat.

Fished out of several 21’ bass boats over the years and had to be careful the engine was 4’ further back then my 19’ boats.

Go with the 21’.

Tom 

[Siebert Outdoors]

I love my Phoenix 721 Pro XP.  Fast and fishes awesome.  Only complaint is I should have bought it years ago.

[TOXIC]

I own a 21 foot Ranger and fish out of a 20 foot Ranger a lot of the time.  I fish St Clair and other big water.  I have guided up to 4. To me the most versatile boat is a 20 footer.  My 21 is nice but the ride isn’t that much better and unless you are totally unskilled, it doesn’t give you that much more big water ability.  Deck space is not that much more on my 21 footer and is actually narrower than the 20 footer.  The 21 footer is heavier and takes more skill to load and unload especially solo.  Storage is also an issue.  I have had my boat for so long it’s second nature but I will say if I were to buy a new rig tomorrow, I would look at only 20 footers with a 250hp 4 stroke, hydraulic 8-10” Jackplate and dual axle trailer with brakes on both axles. First pic is my 21, second is my buddies last 20 footer.

[Catt]

@txchaser Watch the video 😉

[J._Bricker]

What will I love and hate between a 19' and a 21', given the mission profile? 

What do you wish you had known before you bought your last boat? 
 

@txchaser to answer your questions as it pertained to my recent experiences in the last 20 years. I went from an 2004 20’9” ‘dual console with a 225 Opti to a 2021 20’11” single console with a 250 ProXS. Other than the obvious bells and whistles the biggest trade off between the two boats besides handling is storage. The older boat had about a plastic tub and a half’s worth of tackle that won’t fit in the new boat. The storage space was sacrificed for a larger cockpit area. (In the end I probably didn’t need all that extra tackle truth be told.)

 

By the way you might like this video and these guys are in your neck of the woods and good luck with your decision.

 

 

[slonezp]

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Is the 2ft going to make a difference between 19' & 21'? Yup. Is it enough difference to justify the cost? That's going to be up to you. I jumped from 17' to 20' and the difference was night and day.

[txchaser]

On 7/23/2024 at 6:09 AM, Catt said:

 

width on that is really nice.

 

Thanks everyone for your feedback. One thing that came out really clear is there seems to be a big step between 19 and 20, and prob should do everything I can to at least be in a 20. And that a 21 is a double-axle was interesting. Feels like it'd be tough to get around in tight quarters or shallow waters. Probably end up with a 20, but I'll know more when I'm in-person.

On 7/23/2024 at 9:08 PM, J._Bricker said:

What will I love and hate between a 19' and a 21', given the mission profile? 

What do you wish you had known before you bought your last boat? 
 

@txchaser to answer your questions as it pertained to my recent experiences in the last 20 years. I went from an 2004 20’9” ‘dual console with a 225 Opti to a 2021 20’11” single console with a 250 ProXS. Other than the obvious bells and whistles the biggest trade off between the two boats besides handling is storage. The older boat had about a plastic tub and a half’s worth of tackle that won’t fit in the new boat. The storage space was sacrificed for a larger cockpit area. (In the end I probably didn’t need all that extra tackle truth be told.)

 

By the way you might like this video and these guys are in your neck of the woods and good luck with your decision.

 

 

thanks. checking it out now. 

[Obi_Wan]

Go look at AJay's posts on his 1875 Pro V Bass.  I have a 19' BassCat.  For my fishing I could go down to a smaller boat and almost did with a Bobcat.  I fish alone 99.9% of the time.  I'm not looking for a boat to accommodate someone every now and then.  I really want a boat that's easy to load and unload alone.  But, My dream boat is a 2075 ProV Bass and I don't fish water as big as AJay.

 

I think it comes down to what you have to tow it with, how much storage you have, will you have anyone else in the boat fishing with you, and then what lakes will you fish. 

 

 

[Bird]

For the money ? .....Lowe Stinger 175

[MickD]

Whatever you decide, try it out on the water before committing.  Make sure the bow layout is what you want, especially is it roomy enough, not feeling cramped.  

[DaubsNU1]

As others have said, get the biggest boat and motor you can, period.

 

In 2004 I ordered a 2500HD crew cab 4x4...and opted for the 496 / 8.1 Big Block backed by the Allison transmission. Wonderful engine, soooo much power, loved it! (okay, didn't really love a 24 gallon fuel cell and 10.5 MPG...but you gotta feed the Beast!)

 

Good luck with your search. Lots of great advice here...be sure to post pictures of your new rig!

[TOXIC]

I’ll just throw this out there that depending how good your boating skills are will help with your decision.  All the locals that have grown up on Lake St Clair that I have fished with run 20 footers.  St Clair can get really, really, nasty and these guys  can flat out drive a boat.  I’ve been with them when you drop into the bottom of a swell, the water is 2 feet above your head.  Bigger boats may help with spanning waves but in their world, there is no such thing as a point and shoot boat.  You have to drive them.  I rode on Lake Michigan with a walleye pro in a Ranger 621 fisherman made for big water and I came back with blisters on my back from being thrown up and down in the seat. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

I’ve been with them when you drop into the bottom of a swell, the water is 2 feet above your head.

 

I've been in similar situations in my old 14' V-hull with its six-horse Johnson, which has me quoting Mark Twain (again):

 

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

[slonezp]

On 8/2/2024 at 7:37 AM, DaubsNU1 said:

As others have said, get the biggest boat and motor you can, period.

 

In 2004 I ordered a 2500HD crew cab 4x4...and opted for the 496 / 8.1 Big Block backed by the Allison transmission. Wonderful engine, soooo much power, loved it! (okay, didn't really love a 24 gallon fuel cell and 10.5 MPG...but you gotta feed the Beast!)

 

Good luck with your search. Lots of great advice here...be sure to post pictures of your new rig!

24 gallon with a 496? Has to get milage like an EV

On 8/3/2024 at 10:42 AM, TOXIC said:

I’ll just throw this out there that depending how good your boating skills are will help with your decision.  All the locals that have grown up on Lake St Clair that I have fished with run 20 footers.  St Clair can get really, really, nasty and these guys  can flat out drive a boat.  I’ve been with them when you drop into the bottom of a swell, the water is 2 feet above your head.  Bigger boats may help with spanning waves but in their world, there is no such thing as a point and shoot boat.  You have to drive them.  I rode on Lake Michigan with a walleye pro in a Ranger 621 fisherman made for big water and I came back with blisters on my back from being thrown up and down in the seat. 

The Great Lakes are their own breed of water and to compare them to any other landlocked body of water or the ocean, is/are doing the Great Lakes a disservice. 6000 ships didn't sink to the bottom of the Great Lakes because of bassboat size/type of waves.