As the title says it, I'm considering getting a 2 man boat.

I live in the Texas Panhandle a little south of Amarillo and my only real options are to go in to Oklahoma or New Mexico. In addition, my wife and I are trying to pay off her student loans for vet school. Money is not an issue, but I'm not going to buy a real boat to only use when at my parents and I'd like something that someone else can go too which rules out a kayak.

However, I grew up in Central Texas and my parents have enough space to store a 2 man boat. My dad actually has a 17'Ranger that's in good condition but it's never ready to go and I'd rather not take my chances.

Lakes near my parents include Aquilla, Navarro Mills, Whitney, and Trading House.

I'd only go out if the weather allows when visiting so it's not like I'm going to take this out on anything when the winds are over 20 mph and I wouldn't go very far anyways.

So should I consider getting a 2 man boat or just see about hiring a guide anytime I want to go fishing when visiting my parents?

Primary target species are bass (including white bass) and crappie.

I don't think that I'd want to be in one with winds over 10 mph let alone up to 20. I almost bought one and ended up with a 15' bass boat. I don't even enjoy taking it out in the open over 15 mph winds. I am really glad that I didn't get the 2 man boat. I'd put the money into fixing up the ranger and using it if it were me.

I use a small two man boat when I fish from my house in the metroplex. I also have an aluminum tracker boat I use at Possum Kingdom. My reasons for using the small boat as as follows:

1. Stores easily in my garage eliminating storage fees. My PK boat fits in my garage at PK.
2. I'm usually fishing by myself and the boat is big enough.
3. I use an electric motor and it's cheap to use.
4. I can launch anywhere. I prefer closed ramps as I have them all to my self.

The boat I use is a sea Eagle foldcat. It has a lot of downsides. Like any small boat it is difficult to hold position in the wind. Anchors will only hold in low wind. If you want to stop and fish it's best to tie up. Tough to cast from it, so I troll allot. With a small motor you are stuck fishing the area close to where you launch from. The motor I have with get me about 7 MPH max. If the water is cold big waves can get you wet. If you fish a small boat you will have to deal with the fact that some boaters get pleasure from driving a big wave/wake over you seemingly trying to sink you.

All that said, you cannot sink it. I have fished in Texoma when the wind was 25 MPH and the gusts were so high the front of the boat was raising up and threatening to flip me over ( I moved all my gear to the front and kept fishing). I have fished windy points at Texoma when the waves looked like the Atlantic because I was catching stripers and smallmouth off those points.

I saw one of these on craigslist for $600.

Well, let me add that my dad's Ranger is in good condition meaning that the only thing the outboard needs is the lower unit fluid changed and maybe the water impeller changed. There's a mechanic in Waco that he uses and only they can touch it even though both of those items are easy to do...

So I'm looking for something easy. I only plan to take it in protected areas and no open water fishing with the exception of the brush piles just off the shore at Navarro Mills. And once again, that would be weather permitting.

The boat I would get is the Bass Hunter EX:

Ben, I had one very similar to the bass hunter many years ago. I was young, with small kids and there was not a lot of money laying around. I fished farm ponds and flood control lakes in Oklahoma. I really enjoyed it. It was cheap, easy to use and got me off the bank. The biggest disadvantage, as previously stated, was the wind. I got caught in a freak wind storm one afternoon. The boat ended up level full with water, but it stayed afloat. I don't think you could sink one, but you can sure get wet. I have some great memories from fishing out of that little boat.

Ben,
I would suggest looking on Craigslist for an original BusterBoat by Splash Marine. Splash Marine sold out a few of years ago, and purchaser only made the boat for a couple more years. but their often for sale on the web.

The boat is just as durable as the bass hunter, but it is made from ABS plastic so it not as rigid. The deeper sponsons make it more staple, and the taller sides stores/secures your rods much better.

I had an 8 footer in the late eighties when I got into fishing again, fished Whitney, Ray Roberts, Lewisville, Cedar Creek, Fork, Bob Sandlin, Monticello Richland Chambers, Palestine, Sam Rayburn and a whole lot of small lakes, in high winds and never had a worry. I had a 4 hp motor and a trolling motor so I kept my fishing to within 3 miles on what ever ramp I launched from. Moved up to real boats from 95 to last year, had a Champion, Ranger, and Bass Cat, after back surgery I wanted to slow down so I went back to ten foot Buster Boat. Rigged it with another 4 hp four stroke, and 45 lbs trolling motor, Lowrance elite 5 hdi /gps and a 8 foot "stick it" pole. I took out the seats and fish standing up, I squat down when running the gas motor.

The small boat is great, easy to launch,(I have a trailer)and fun to fish. They will make you fish much more thoroughly since wide open throttle is 7mph.

When you get one make sure to buy a rudder if you can.

Rudder?

I didn't think that was an option or that it mattered since you usually put a trolling motor on it.

The Bass Hunter EX is great cost effective option--light enough that you can lift it in and out of a truck bed. Can launch it anywhere.

Also, take a look at the Twin Troller (more expensive)--extremely maneuverable, fishes well in the wind for a small boat, the motors are contained in the hull (no problem fishing thick pads/grass) However, it's heavy (won't be able to carry it far by yourself)-- this also limits launch options.

The rudder modification with Bass Hunters isn't necessary. But, if you put the TM up front and DIY a rudder stern; this improves efficiency and maneuverability.

Here's a DIY rudder option by another TFFer

We love our 8 ft pelican and 45 lb minn kota. Works great for the small water around Kerrville,Ingram. A little cramped but we are both "smallish" and try to have a little patience with dealing with the small space. Never felt unsafe. I switched out the hard plastic seats for thick padded seats from wal mart. Well worth the money, practically a necessity. I have spent 7 hours at one time in boat by myself and enjoyed it. If 2 people are more towards "average" size I would look into the 10ft models. A lawnmower trailer with rear load ramp from tractor supply makes the whole thing awesome.

I rocked my 10ft uncle buck's pond prowler in 25mph winds on several occasions... just always had to plan to be making my run back in with the wind at my back incase I wore the TM out getting out. Made for interesting fishing strategies and lots of drift fishing, but always fun and mostly always dry... at least at the back of the boat. Sometimes misty for my front passenger.

You'd be amazed the new and awesome places you can find to fish them too, lots of small hidden gems of lake all throughout Texas. 10ft model very roomy for 2 people and tons of fun. Will haul a bit of butt with a 5hp outboard too!

This would work great. If you mount the trolling up front on the bow the rear of the boat will spin around in the light winds. The rudder will eliminate it.

This, I had the same kind of boat that Pkfishin had before we got a bass boat. He must be braver than I am. I just don't see how you could have it out in over 20mph, and anything over 10 was a pain. It was big enough to fish two pretty well though.

I've played with small boat calculus for the past 5 or 6 weeks after I decided to get one. Boats
I considered were the Bass Hunter EX, the Bass Baby, the UltraSkiff, and the Twin Troller.
These are all rotationally molded high density polyethylene crafted boats. All clam shell
boat designs were not considered.

I liked the Twin Troller a lot but I had one self limitation which pretty much made me decide
against it. I do not want to trail the boat. I want to carry it in the bed of my pick up. The weight
of the Twin Troller at 175 would be a handful to transport in this fashion. If it would have been
lighter I would likely have ponied up on it's higher cost.

The UltraSkiff has been set aside, even though I like it a lot, because it is basically unobtanium at
this time and will likely be this way for a while. Also there is no option for a kicker on this boat.
The builder has told me that there will be two transoms on the UltraSkiff II version. Perhaps I will
consider it in the future.

I decided to get the Bass Baby over the Bass Hunter EX because it is 6 inches wider and has the
built in wheels. The extra length of the Bass Hunter EX is somewhat of an illusion (for space) because if
you look at the front of the boat you see a lot of the extra "length" is actually just the projections
of the pontoons and does not really add up to much floor space. The excellent design of the Bass
Baby however does add up to some extra room. Even thought the hull bottom will still fit on the floor of
a standard pickup bed (48") the hull flares as it rises to create a wider top deck (54"). This adds up to roughly
an extra 8 square feet of top deck. This boat also tracks well due to it's twin pontoon hull and does
not need a rudder. At 130 pounds I can handle it fairly easily to transport using my pickup.

I've seen 'em, like 'em.. let the fun begin!!