NYBasser

I definitely would go with a 24v system over a 12v. I used to run a 12V 46lb thrust motorguide on a tracker 185 and the battery would only last roughly 4 hours or so. Switched to a 24V minn kota and the run time more than doubled.

Definitely Daiwa or Shimano over 13. I have a buddy who had the anti-reverses go out on a couple casting reels after a year or so of use. Granted this was 2-3 years ago and things may have changed, it still leaves a bad impression in my mind.

I thought I'd add my opinion and observations as a collegiate angler. I've fished a couple MLF tournaments including the college national championship in 2021. From what I've seen, most guys who are fishing the collegiate tournaments are either running a boat provided by the school (some schools have programs that do this), running their parent's boat, or run their own boat/have a sponsorship deal. Most guys seem to run either a school boat or their parent's boat and the few guys who run their own boats are usually using smaller/older/aluminum rigs.

I started off with a Tracker PT 185 and now I’m running Phoenix 920 Elite. Needless to say that there’s no comparison between which is better lol

I used to run a Tracker 185 mod v boat and had it out on Lake of the Ozarks hitting some of the 4-5ft yacht wakes. While it certainly wasn’t comfortable or fun, it handled the job fine. I think you would be fine either way you go, just gotta pick your days and obviously don’t go out on the big lake if it’s too rough.

Definitely trim tabs not transom straps. I think you can actually see the disconnected straps on the trailer next to the trim tabs.

I had nothing but issues with a 08 75hp Optimax. The engine would always have a miss at idle and was told by the dealer that this was normal and that most opti’s do this.

Most tournaments around the tri-state area are run by bass clubs. Hudson Valley Kayak Bass Fishing is a kayak club that fishes tournaments around here. If you look around you should be able to find some boat bass clubs too.

I'm a merc 4 stroke owner and I love the engine but you can't go wrong with any mercury/yamaha/suzuki 4 stroke.

Congrats, you're gonna love it!

Another thing you may want to consider when buying a new boat is where you are going to service your boat if any warranty related issues come up. I definitely feel like dealing with Tracker/Bass Pro is going to be more of a headache then dealing with a Vexus/Lund/Crestliner dealer etc.

I just purchased a new Phoenix in November of last year and just from my experience of seeing how the demand has been and with dealers not being able to keep boats in stock, I feel like the prices will definitely continue upwards at least for a couple more years.

+1 on the Phoenix 19fters if you can afford one. I currently run a Phoenix 920 Elite and the thing is a beast in rough water, but I came out of a Tracker PT 185 and that thing ran pretty well too. I fished Ozarks out of the tracker and while it definitely wasn't fun hitting some of those bigger waves, it was certainly doable.

Yep unfortunately we are very limited with accessible lakes in the tri state area.

Definitely a medium or medium light rod with a light tip to let the bait work and feel the vibration. I'm personally running a custom phenix medium power rod. A jig rod would be too heavy in my opinion for 3/8 and 1/2 oz blades

I just went through this process recently myself as I switched from an old Tracker PT185 to a new Phoenix 920 Elite. 1. From all the things I've read, stay away from Nitro. I've heard tons of good things, but also tons of bad things, and to me it's not worth taking a 35-45k gamble. Tritons are still a step above nitro and are not a bad option if looking to stay on a budget. Phoenix and Skeeter are definitely my top 2 boat manufacturers, and I ended up going with Phoenix because of all the great reviews on their customer service and their boats. I also wasn't a huge fan of the 250 SHO as I've read stories about people blowing powerheads. Bass Cat also makes nice boats but I wasn't a fan of their layout. 2. Fiberglass is definitely the way to go if you are looking for speed and ride quality. Aluminum boats tend to ride rougher (lund may be an exception) and be much slower. The huge issue with my old tracker was that with any wind, it would act like a kite and sail across the lake. Fiberglass boats that are heavier and lower and tend to not have this issue. Lund makes a nice boat if you are set on aluminum, but my vote is for fiberglass. 3. Hours kind of depends, low hours is probably anything under 200 as most engines seem to go over 500+ hours nowadays. But a boat that has consistently been run and taken care of is better than one that has been sitting. Make sure you have to boat and engine water tested if possible to look for leaks, any nonworking pumps, and get a feel for how the engine runs. Some years. I think 2006 or 2008 Yamaha HPDIs were known to blow powerheads so watch out for that. Last thing, take a look at Reynolds Boats in CT, they were awesome with me on the boat buying experience and were super professional and helpful Good luck in your boat search

Yeah definitely contact them, mine works fine.

Always go bigger than you need to so you wont have to worry about running out.

Ask the seller to water test the boat to ensure there are no leaks, all the pumps and everything function correctly, and the engine runs correctly.

All my spinning reels are currently Stradics and they have been awesome, haven't really had a reason to try anything else.

Both the Shimano SLX and Tatula CT are within your price range. I have both and would definitely lean toward the Tatula CT as the magnetic brake system on it is super easy to use and adjust.

Take a look at the dobyns fury series rods, great value for around $120 each. Tackle warehouse is also having a dobyns sierra series sale in about a week or so. Those are good step above the fury and are $180 normally. I think the sierra sale is 30-46% off so maybe take a look at that.

Check the champ extreme 745, most guys like it a little better for 1/2oz+

Better resale value on maxing out the hp as well

Take a look at Lund boats. My buddy recently purchased a Lund 1600 Fury and he has had no problems with using it in both saltwater and freshwater. Just make sure you purchase a boat with a galvanized or aluminum trailer if you plan on dunking it in saltwater.