Best Bass Boats

Picking bass boats is really a personal choice for each fisherman. There is everything from one man inflatable mini boats all the way to the Skeeter with more power than a Corvette. A big fast $60,000 toy is pretty manly, I have to admit, but that is not the best choice for most people. Not only because of budget restrictions, but there are only a few lakes in Arizona requiring that type of power and speed.

I am reluctant to use trade names, because we are not endorsing one product over the other. The goal is to cover the different classes of bass boats (and flotation devices) for every budget and application.

Tubes, both hard and inflatable are a very good way to get to that special spot or change your direction of attack if you are only fishing from shore. I would not suggest trying to cross a lake in them, but for the price and how well they work they are a bargain. This really can’t be considered a boat, but it is worth mentioning.

Small single person boats are a good choice on a budget, especially if you fish alone. Be sure your boat is an unsinkable version or inflatable if you are going to fish in areas where the winds can pick up in a hurry. Lake Pleasant is a good example of a location that can go from smooth water to 18 + inch and higher waves within 30 minutes.

The next step ups are small and inflatable 2 person boats. These can be designed to have a motor or only oars and some designs have benches. When selecting a 2 person boat spend the extra money to get one with a hard bottom. On a one man boat this is also a good idea, but on the 2 person you will probably be standing at some point when fishing.

Most of the inflatable boats are very inexpensive comparatively, but some can get pricy. This is the case here.

The little two-person inflatable pontoon boats with motors (gas and electric), swivel chairs and fish finder can set you back over $20,000, but that’s mostly in optional equipment. You will get the feel of a bigger boat with the convenience of disassembly though.

Now we come to the more conventional bass boats. This is just personal opinion, but I think one of the best bass boats is the 14’ foot flat bottom “John Boat”.

This boat is a mainstay that has been around forever. I think it is called a “John Boat” because it dates back to Biblical times. It is very cost affective, safe and easy to transport because it fits in the bed of a full size pickup, it just doesn’t make a fashion statement.

The flat bottom and tri-hull aluminum and fiberglass bass boats are designed from beginning to end with bass fishing in mind. They are not a kayak or a converted power boat; they are engineered as a bass boat. Often times these are equipped with well over 200 HP so they have the potential to be competitive in tournaments when you want to get there first.

At the top end are the power bass boats. These are very expensive compared to the other boats but they are very popular as bass boats. For their price and popularity they must be a really good ride for bass fishing. My family has one of these, and I think it is one of the best bass boats around. Ours is a Nitro that we bought used from bass pro Gary Senft, and it will run like 65 mph, and you can ski behind it. One nice boat!

The best of bass boats is the one you are using that will get you too the fish. You will not be putting a fish finder on your tube, but you will not be hiking into Apache with a tri-hull on your back either.

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