Ranking The Top Fisherman Boat Options On The Market Today

So – you want to buy a boat. You’ve convinced the wife that it’s a sound financial decision, and while it felt like you’ve been making your case for years, they finally gave in.

Great! The next question is to figure out what kind of boat you want to have. Any boat can be a fishing boat, but it depends on the type of fishing you want to do.

For example, you wouldn’t take a “flat” or a “Jon” boat out into the open sea. It would be underwater (or you’d get thrown off), faster than you can say “that’s a big wave!”

So how do you find the right kind of fisherman boat for you? You ask yourself the following questions.

What Kind of Water Will You Be Fishing?

Boats are divided into two categories, or three if you want to be picky. Saltwater or deepwater boats are made to stand up to waves and are generally stronger, bigger, and have a more cutting hull.

Freshwater boats are usually flatter, hull-wise, and are made for speed. They can go in shallower water than saltwater boats, though they can’t access the “flats.”

To access the flats, which is another way to say shallow water, you’ll need a “flats boat.” These boats have very shallow hulls, which allow people to boat in water that’s just four feet deep.

Hybrid Boats

There are some boats that are made to go between deep and medium-deep water. Those boats usually have a semi-flat hull in the back, that cuts into a v-shape in the front.

It’s worthwhile to think about what kind of water you’ll be fishing, as buying a flats boat to go out on any water with waves would be a waste of money.

Boat Size

The second thing you need to think about is the size of the boat. Boats are rated by feet and their person capacity. When you see a boat that’s a ____ model 15, the boat is likely 15 feet long.

Most semi-commercial fishing boats are in the 20-30 foot range. If you get any bigger than 39 feet, the boat is technically a yacht.

Boat cost goes up with boat size, so you want to be clear about how big of a boat you need. The best way to do this is to go to a showroom and walk around on their model boats. That way, you know how much room you like and what’s nice, but not worthwhile enough for the price.

Fishing Add-on Options

When it comes to fisherman boat options, you’re looking for things like net boxes, live wells, fish boxes, and rod racks.

If you’re buying a boat for fishing that doesn’t have at least two of those features, look at a different boat.

Other optional add-ons (for an extra price) include fishing radar, an on-boat, head, trolling motors, and multiple outboards.

Picking the Best Fisherman Boat for You

While you can do most shopping online nowadays, you wouldn’t buy a car 100% online without ever seeing a model in person. The same is true for boats.

Don’t buy any fisherman boat without getting on the model and checking it out. Happy fishing!