So I currently do a mix of bank and kayak fishing right now. However, I only really use my kayak when I have 4+ hours to fish (about once a month) due to the setup/tear down. I understand a Jon boat will have some setup/tear down as well, but I could leave it on the trailer parked in the garage so all I’d have to do is hook it up and drive out to the lake. Plus I’d have more room to stand and bring more tackle.

 

Ive noticed I can get a fiberglass boat for about half the cost of an aluminum one, plus with the heat in Texas, it might be a better bet. So what’s the catch? Are there drawbacks with the fiberglass boats?

Aluminum has my vote. And look for used boats. Plenty of good ones out there dirt cheap.

 

I can buy old aluminum jon boats in Florida all day long for $400 and $500. Here's one for $300.

 

https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/boa/d/cape-coral-jon-boat/7877822470.html

 

For a couple grand you can get an entire decent setup with motor, trailer, and maybe more.

 

Fiberglass is heavier. I think aluminum is more durable and easier to handle. Bottom of boat won't get hot in summer because its in contact with the water keeping it cooler. A little carpet helps.

On 9/1/2025 at 9:34 PM, FloridaFishinFool said:

Bottom of boat won't get hot in summer because its in contact with the water keeping it cooler. A little carpet helps.

The "aluminum" is hotter debate rages on drift boad forums all over the place...

...it's nonsense.  It depends on what the metal is in contact with, and what color it's painted.

Same thing with the "aluminum is louder" argument...don't hit things...no noise...

So my current boat is standard tracker green if ai were to painted a lighter color how much of a difference do you think it would make, in the heat of summer you can fry an egg in the deck and there is definitely no way you can stand the with bare feet.

Aluminum is less maintenance don’t need to wipe down, you can put aluminum away wet. Heat not an issue with either if the color doesn’t get hot from the sun. Your feet come in contact with carpet or some type of decking, keep it light grey and good to go.

It comes down to cost and cost to own. Bass boats have engines that require batteries  and electronics regardless of the hull material. 
I owned both at the same time and used my aluminum boat with small out board engine where my glass bass boat couldn’t go. 
You have a kayak for smaller waters so I suggest a glass bass boat within your budget. Simply wipe it down before going home and it will last a very long time garaged.

Tom

 

 

 

There is very good paints for aluminum that is specially formulated to resist solar heating.  I used it to repaint the trim on the gunnels of my Xpress, and it made a huge difference.

I put cheap Amazon EVA foam on my trailer fenders. It stays cool and cuts back on the slipperiness - would be a quick and easy way to cover the floor of a tin rig. Plus way less maintenance than carpet.
 

Two things to consider,

1. Towing vehicle - fiberglass is much heavier requiring a larger stronger tow vehicle and more gas depending on distance to water.

2. Wind - Being heavier, fiberglass does not blow around as much in the wind and in most cases can handle larger lakes and waves depending on the boat. That said, some of the newer, larger aluminum boats can cut waves and have improved their ride greatly in the last few years.

16 hours ago, bigbearstroop122 said:

So my current boat is standard tracker green if ai were to painted a lighter color how much of a difference do you think it would make, in the heat of summer you can fry an egg in the deck and there is definitely no way you can stand the with bare feet.

 

Lighter colors reflect light and don't get as hot.

My Crestliner is a light cream color; I don't recall it ever getting warm to the touch.

 

My drift boat is a medium grey, and it can get uncomfortably warm...If I had it to do over again, I'd go with a lighter color.

 

14 hours ago, OldManLure said:

There is very good paints for aluminum that is specially formulated to resist solar heating.  I used it to repaint the trim on the gunnels of my Xpress, and it made a huge difference.

 

Do you recall what that paint was?

 

13 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

I put cheap Amazon EVA foam on my trailer fenders. It stays cool and cuts back on the slipperiness - would be a quick and easy way to cover the floor of a tin rig. Plus way less maintenance than carpet.

 

I used spaghetti mat inside my drift boat to the same effect.

 

7 minutes ago, rboat said:

Two things to consider,

1. Towing vehicle - fiberglass is much heavier requiring a larger stronger tow vehicle and more gas depending on distance to water.

2. Wind - Being heavier, fiberglass does not blow around as much in the wind and in most cases can handle larger lakes and waves depending on the boat. That said, some of the newer, larger aluminum boats can cut waves and have improved their ride greatly in the last few years.

I don't recall ever having any issue with any reasonable amount of wind blowing my Crestliner CMV 1850 around; it's a 2005.

1 hour ago, Further North said:

Lighter colors reflect light and don't get as hot.

 

The floor of my Ranger is the polymer/vinyl hard surface and the color is a speckled light gray.  The color reflects sunlight so it isn't hot to the touch.  The specks in it provide grip when wet.

 

I would never walk around in a boat with bare feet anyways.  That's a disaster waiting to happen.

I used Krylon High Heat.  Rust-Oleum makes a heat coat that some around me favored.  I think I went with Krylon because it was available and I was impatient.  It looks good and provided the results I was after.  I think either is a solid choice.  There are others available but I did not look into those deeply enough to have a worthwhile opinion.

2 minutes ago, OldManLure said:

I used Krylon High Heat.  Rust-Oleum makes a heat coat that some around me favored.  I think I went with Krylon because it was available and I was impatient.  It looks good and provided the results I was after.  I think either is a solid choice.  There are others available but I did not look into those deeply enough to have a worthwhile opinion.

Not to be confused with their paints for grills, fireplace inserts, etc.

10 hours ago, gim said:

I would never walk around in a boat with bare feet anyways.  That's a disaster waiting to happen.

Same.  

Stepping on on 8/0 hook is a day ender.

I fish barefoot here in Fl in my aluminum boat, no carpet. I put Tuff coat down, it’s a nonskid latex with chewed up recycled tires in it. You have to use a self etching primer that they sell.

I put it on May/2021 it stays outside and a float, on the water.

It comes in different roughness and a whole lot of colors.

 

I fish barefoot until it gets too hot to use the trolling motor in my aluminum boat.  Big deal is what do you have to pull your boat.  Glass boats take more truck while most aluminum boats are considerably lighter and can be pulled with anything.

If you can get a fiberglass boat for half the price of an aluminum, don't buy it. Something wrong here....

If I fished barefoot I’d need a paint roller to apply enough sunscreen to keep my feet from broiling. 

I love my aluminum for the type of fishing I do- fishing shallow and trying to get back into places other boats can't go. If I had a fiberglass boat, I would've wrecked it by now. 

They both have their limitations.

 

One important factor you (the OP) have mentioned is where you can store it. Since you're able to store a boat in a garage, that takes fiberglass from a "no-go" for me to at least qualify for consideration. I won't (again) own a fiberglass boat if it can't be stored in a garage. Too many materials that will get ruined too easily in the sun, of course if these same materials are used in an aluminum boat and are not immune from the effects of the sun. But more often fiberglass boats will have things like carpet, upholstery, and wood. However, since that's not at play, there are other considerations.

 

Fiberglass boats are often heavier than aluminum boats. That weight can make them ride better in choppy water depending on the hull design, abd be more stable when fishing from them when someone is moving around. But when a boat is heavier, they may also require more powerful motors to perform similarly.

 

Fiberglass boats often cost more initially, but over the long term may not hold their value as well. This is for better or worse depending on your situation. If you're in the market for a fiberglass boat on the used market, you can find some pretty nice deals for $8,000 to $15,000 if you shop carefully. 

 

A friend of mine found a twenty year old but fairly well kept Triton TR-21 with a 225 hp outboard. He paid less than $1,000 more than I did for a newer but much more basic Tracker 1648 with a 40 hp tiller. Both boats can do many similar things, but there are things that one or the other can do better than the other.

 

For instance, a 21' fiberglass boat with a 200+ hp motor can go much faster, will be more stable and less susceptible to weight shifts, will be inherently safer in rough water. A heavier boat doesn't get blown around as easily when using the trolling motor on a windy day. They will often have more storage provisions and rod lockers. On almost any day (or night) I can fish the same opportunities as a more substantial fiberglass boat, but if I don't be careful to monitor the weather, those can be treacherous. And the weather in TX is famous for changing in a hurry on a regular basis, so there's always that.

 

An aluminum 1648 jon boat will fit in areas a big or heavier boat won't, storage options are generally more limited, but it will be generally easier to clean and maintain, and it will be far, far more economical to operate. I have a few spots that I like to fish that bigger or heavier boats sometimes can't access, and I'm not so concerned about going in after 'em if I want to.

 

I have a 1/2" thick rubber mat on the floor of my tracker, but I still don't go barefoot for longer than it takes to get something on my feet after I take an occasional swim during the summer.

 

If I frequently encountered rough/choppy water, I would favor a fiberglass hull. I think the weight helps, and they would generally be less susceptible to damage from damage over time. 

 

When I was looking for my 1648 (or something similar), I had a hard time finding them where I live in southern California. In fact I drove to the n/e corner of the TX panhandle to get mine, and the price made it worth it. The gentleman was kind enough to hold it for me while I made the trip, and wouldn't accept a deposit. I found many decent deals on the eastern side of the continental divide, and many of them were in TX, so that is IMHO in your favor especially if you shop carefully.

 

These are all generalities and there may be some boats that are made from either material that defy some generalities.

 

Maybe you could use one of each ;~)

Jon boats should always be aluminum in my opinion. They are generally made to beat around be put away wet. 
 

I’ve owned both aluminum and fiberglass bass boats. Aluminum gets my vote.