I've kinda been poking around in the boat and equipment section, but I thought I'd come talk to you good ole catters!

I guess I'm an anomaly, I like to catch catfish AND I enjoy bass fishing as well. Apparently there is a rivalry between the two?

At any rate, I am looking for a boat that will suit my needs. I see a ton of pretty bass boats on here for sale, but im thinking that pretty carpet + catfish slime = not good! Plus the low gunnels and high positioning of a bass boat would seem to put you at a disadvantage leverage wise against those big ole cats.

So I was thinking about a center console. Can get around the boat easier, will haul my family of four around easier than a bass boat (plus the high gunnels are safer for kids I reckon). It can get into the shallow waters for bass fishing still and according to my research can take a wave like champ lol. Finally, the vinyl floor seems like it would be a lot easier to clean up.

SO what do you think? Is a CC a good choice for a Bass/Cat/Occasional Crappie guy? It would be nice if it could pull a skier/tuber (for the kiddos) as well.

Thanks for any insight!

Yep

I've got a 19' Bluewave CC. I've got a Minn Kota on the front for the same reasons you're talking about. It catches a little more wind than a bass boat but it can also haul buns in water that would keep most bass boats in the slip.

Yup, I think it would do just fine for what you want. I run an 18' Mako CC and love it. Only thing I'd do different if I had it to do over again would be to get a bigger one.

I have a Lund which is more like a small Striper boat and I bought it for rough water and comfort, getting too old to sit right on the water. They don't sell them in Texas anymore BUT if I had to do it all over I would go with a CC just over 20 feet with a motor big enough to pull the kido's. Just my opinion. You can't beat a good CC for fishing and you will find you may lose intrest in making 250,000 casts just to catch one of those large mouth trash green fish! LOL....... You also get a lot MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK when buying a CC compared to a pretty bass boat, again, just my opinion....

I got a Baymaster CC with NO carpet and love it. There is a really cherry 22 ft CC for sale in the boat sale section. It would do everything you are looking for at $10,500.

center console is the best boat for all of that stuff.

I love my 18ft CC. And like parttime said, id get another one but it'll be a 21ft. You can never have enough room

CC are the perfect boats for our family! We pull kiddos around in the summer "tubing", Use it for every type of fishing (Catfishing, Crappie, Hybrid/Striper, take it 30 miles off shore at Port O'connor and "yes", even Bass Fishing ) We run 24' CC Skeeters.
Love my boat

From my experience riding with them the CC are GREAT!

CC is the only way to go IMO

I love my cc, fish for whatever you want, and mine will run shallower water than a bass boat every thought about 6"

The only negative to most center consoles that I can think about is the lack of a good sized live well. As far as bass boats, I catfish out of a Lowe aluminium bass boat so here are a few notes:

Pros:

1. Fishing stability - you can stand right on the edge to fight a big one. You, your net man, and a 40# cat can all be on one side and you won't feel like you are going to fall in.

2. Large livewell - I have temporarily stored and released a 42# catfish before.

3. Storage

4. Low sides make drift control easier

Cons:

1. Rough, sometimes wet ride

2. Low sides make it less than ideal for small children

Neutral:

1. Carpet - catfish slime does wash off and a dark color should stay looking good, but there are better choices for a catfish boat.

With all that said my next boat will be some other type.

That is a good point to use as a rule of thumb. Those 24' CC's like Salsa has give a much different ride than a 17' or 18' boat.

I'd get a blue one.........with silver racing stripes..........