Ok what would be the boats you look into buying having a $15,000 budget with the max possibly being $20,000?  My favorites at this moment are Ranger, Triton, and Bass Cat is no particular order but have really taken a liking to Bass Cat's but they seem like they are very hard to find in my price range for one I want.  What I mean by that is a boat that is no less than 19' and preferably longer than that can handle big water with a minimum of a 200 engine pushing it along.

Shop a lot! I jumped too early trying to downsize from a 24 ft. Cuddy w/ 250 HPDI to a small boat to go lake fishing, fell back in love with bass fishing and lake boating now I'm trying to trade in a 2007 Lund Alaskan w/ 90 hp Honda for a bass boat (I'll give you a deal on the Lund) and through the advise from the guys on this site and one other I've learned a bunch. If you want a bass boat I'd go with an older reputable brand like Bass Cat, Champion or Ranger. Many guys take such great care of their bass boats that they in just fantastic condition and they're fully depreciated. If you have to have new boat, shop hard, find a left over and don't sacrifice on your gotta have items whatever those are to you because you need to keep that new boat for a while or you'll end up like me (I'm a little slow) and loose a bunch of money right out of the chute chasing your passion. As I've learned from the guys on this site, you have to make your own choices, just buy the best quality you can afford and you'll be happy. A smaller nicer boat is better than a bigger junky boat everytime.

I'm don't plan on buying a small boat.  Sure it would do fine in my immediate area but I plan on doing trips to big lakes.  Don't plan on buying new either I don't want to be the one that loses all the depreciation money the second it comes off the lot.  I was thinking that I should be able to hopefully get one of the three mentioned boats in my price range that is around the 2000 year range.

There's a lot more boats out there than just those 3 brands you listed.

Champion

Charger

Skeeter

Gambler

Stratos

Legend

There's also a few brands that, while not made anymore are still fine boats

HydraSports

Javelin

Cajun

That makes a whole lotta boats in your price range.  Don't fall for the "there's nothing built like a Ranger" spiel.  All the boats I listed are well made and will last you a long time.

Stratos 294XL

There's a lot more boats out there than just those 3 brands you listed.

Champion

Charger

Skeeter

Gambler

Stratos

Legend

There's also a few brands that, while not made anymore are still fine boats

HydraSports

Javelin

Cajun

That makes a whole lotta boats in your price range.  Don't fall for the "there's nothing built like a Ranger" spiel.  All the boats I listed are well made and will last you a long time.

I'm definately not limiting myself to the boats I posted about.  I will be looking at any brand boat and will choose the one I like the best overall.  

I fished out of Ranger, Triton & Skeeter with guides and thought they were nice, then fished last year in N.C. with a guide with an 7 -8 year old Javelin and just blew my socks off. What a great boat, fished an 8 hour day and just liked it more and more as the day went on. There are tons of great boats around, shop, shop, shop.

Ok what would be the boats you look into buying having a $15,000 budget with the max possibly being $20,000? My favorites at this moment are Ranger, Triton, and Bass Cat is no particular order but have really taken a liking to Bass Cat's but they seem like they are very hard to find in my price range for one I want. What I mean by that is a boat that is no less than 19' and preferably longer than that can handle big water with a minimum of a 200 engine pushing it along.

so you are definately talking used then...

I agree..shop alot...but buying used is different than buying new in my book. While i might buy a NEW Ranger...I would not buy one used. Why? They hold their resale value better than other boats and you will get less boat for your buck buying a used Ranger.

I would sit down and make a list of what you actually NEED in a boat....and then shop for that.  I have a list of what I would like in a boat...from electronics, to rod storage, to fishing deck size, etc etc.  If I came across a Ranger and a Nitro in the same price range but the Nitro had better electronics, better trolling motor etc...I would surely choose the Nitro.

when buying used I personally would not stick with brand as much as I would function. Triton, Ranger, Bass Cat...all of those you are paying a bit more for the name on the side. Yes there is a reason they have good reputation I agree...but when buying used I kinda feel like you are always at risk of buying someone elses problems.

I guess my point is that I would definately not sacrifice something I wanted or pass up a good deal or improved equipment for the sake of the brand.