Hey Guys.  I'm in the market for a used bass boat, and I have a bit of a conundrum.  I'll be bass fishing 90% of the time, and I'll need a boat I can tournament fish in.  However, my fiancé wants a boat we can take to the coast with us to do some inshore fishing as well.  Obviously, there's the ranger intracoastal, but I'm trying to stay around 25k so that isn't really an option for me.  What other bass boats out there have the wiring and trailers necessary to be able to hold up to the occasional saltwater use.  I know Triton used to make the TX, but that's the only other one I can find.  Please include makes/models you know of, and I'm open to opinions on these boats and other options as well.  Thanks!

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

 

The hull design characteristics of a true bass boat may limit inshore fishing opportunities to only the most protected water.

 

A modified / deeper V or Multi-species hull design may suit your needs a little better.

 

Good Luck on your search.

 

A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

 

The hull design characteristics of a true bass boat may limit inshore fishing opportunities to only the most protected water.

 

A modified / deeper V or Multi-species hull design may suit your needs a little better.

 

Good Luck on your search.

 

A-Jay

Thanks A-Jay.  You're right on the deeper V hull.  It makes a big difference in chop.  I'd be wary of fishing any large bays/sounds from a bass boat for that reason, and even if I had one I can use in salt it would be only to fish backwater creeks for trout/drum.  If I wasn't intending on using it for tournament bass fishing I'd probably go that route with about a 21'-23' foot center console bay boat I could do some near shore fishing with as well.  For my purposes though a bass boat is the way to go.  It's just a matter of finding one with the appropriate marine wiring, aluminum/galvanized trailer to handle a dip in the salt 4-5 times per year.  If only I had the space and resources for two boats.  haha.

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

 

The hull design characteristics of a true bass boat may limit inshore fishing opportunities to only the most protected water.

 

A modified / deeper V or Multi-species hull design may suit your needs a little better.

 

Good Luck on your search.

 

A-Jay

 

Absolutely spot on.  There is a reason you can find many 13 foot Boston Whalers, and not a single bass boat at the docks of marinas.  I've been out on the ocean in a thirteen foot Whaler and a fifteen foot wooden work skiff in conditions where a bass boat would get swamped.

 

Bass boats are seriously lacking in freeboard.  That is to reduce the impact of the wind on the hull, so it doesn't drift as easily as the average boat.  Compromises, compromises.  Gain something here and lose something there..

 

Bass boats are built for one purpose fishing.  They have plenty of storage.  They are fast.  They are the ultimate fresh water fishing machine, but they are not designed for ocean conditions.

Champion use to make one but I can not remember the name?

I think it was 20', had deeper sides, a front deck, 4 pedestal seats behind the console.

It was an awesome boat!

You might want to find a used Tracker Tournament V-18.  It's an 18 footer, with a modified deep V hull, but still has all the attributes of a bass boat.  Unfortunately, it's no longer manufactured.  I bought my 2004 model, used, in Houston.  It came with a galvanized trailer.

Look at intracoastal models from Ranger, Bullet, or Skeeter.

If you're only using it 4-5 times a year in saltwater, just make sure you take you boat and trailer and give it a good rinse down and bath.  Looking at buying one myself and will more then likely fish bays here in S.Cal as well.  Rinse it down when I pull it out and head for the carwash on the way home to finish the job.  

If you're only using it 4-5 times a year in saltwater, just make sure you take you boat and trailer and give it a good rinse down and bath. Looking at buying one myself and will more then likely fish bays here in S.Cal as well. Rinse it down when I pull it out and head for the carwash on the way home to finish the job.

Contact Rick Glover at Anglers Marine, Anaheim.

Rigging a bass boats for bay use is common in SoCal.

Whalers are very popular small salt water boats, however tend to kit and blow over is high wind.

No panacea trying to find a tournament bass boat that is safe in the ocean. There some higher free board "big water" bass boat hull designs around and Ranger still makes them; 621VS for example.

Tom

Champion FH194. ,)

Contact Rick Glover at Anglers Marine, Anaheim.

Rigging a bass boats for bay use is common in SoCal.

Whalers are very popular small salt water boats, however tend to kit and blow over is high wind.

No panacea trying to find a tournament bass boat that is safe in the ocean. There some higher free board "big water" bass boat hull designs around and Ranger still makes them; 621VS for example.

Tom

Going there next week.  They have a couple Champions I want to look at.  Being that I work on the ocean, yes the farthest I'd take a bass boat is the Long Beach harbor (inside the breakwater not outside).  Mainly wouldn't leave Newport, Mission Bay, Alamitos Bay, or Huntington Harbor if I was to go bay fishing.  Wouldn't take a bassboat any further then that.

Going there next week.  They have a couple Champions I want to look at.  Being that I work on the ocean, yes the farthest I'd take a bass boat is the Long Beach harbor (inside the breakwater not outside).  Mainly wouldn't leave Newport, Mission Bay, Alamitos Bay, or Huntington Harbor if I was to go bay fishing.  Wouldn't take a bassboat any further then that.

Depends on the ocean surface, it can safe or very dangerous and you don't know how fast things can change.

Years ago we raced 14' OB's from Longbeach to Avalon and also water skied race the same event over the same coarse. We also broke a boat in half hitting a freighter wake and 1 year about 1/2 the boats missed Catalona due to fog. The race foremate was changed to around Catalina island and the boats got a lot bigger!

Tom

PS Rick is always ready to deal and he is the owner!

Depends on the ocean surface, it can safe or very dangerous and you don't know how fast things can change.

Years ago we raced 14' OB's from Longbeach to Avalon and also water skied race the same event over the same coarse. We also broke a boat in half hitting a freighter wake and 1 year about 1/2 the boats missed Catalona due to fog. The race foremate was changed to around Catalina island and the boats got a lot bigger!

Tom

PS Rick is always ready to deal and he is the owner!

 

 

Totally agree Tom, have to respect the ocean at all times, well any body of water really.  You don't respect her she will show you how disrespectful she can be.  Okay, think we have hijacked the op's post enough.  

Champion use to make one but I can not remember the name?

I think it was 20', had deeper sides, a front deck, 4 pedestal seats behind the console.

It was an awesome boat!

Bass'n bay was the name

Totally agree Tom, have to respect the ocean at all times, well any body of water really. You don't respect her she will show you how disrespectful she can be. Okay, think we have hijacked the op's post enough.

Just a note; Anglers Marine has a lot of deals on bass boats, nearly every brand, worth checking into regardless where you live.

2024 Ranger 24' Bahia center console with all the goodies is listed.

Tom