What was your first bass boat?

Just curious? Still dreaming about mine... I was set to pull the trigger last year, but then my wife's car got struck by lightening and was never right after that so my new bass boat was a new car for her. Now we are thinking of moving at some point in the next year and I am holing on to cash for that and (hopefully) any expenses with us starting a family (we're trying, if you know what I mean), plus the economy kind of makes me not want to dump a lot of cash on what is esentially going to be my toy. And so here I sit, still boatless a year later but still grateful for the blessed year I have had so far.

In a pefect world, my clients will settle up their accounts by the end of the year and will feel "comfortable" spending a few grand on a little starter boat. I bet I could find a late model boat in still servicable condition for 3-5K. I would mainly fish Lake Austin, Lake Bastrop, Decker Lake, Stillhouse Hollow, and Travis....

Oh, and I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving.

a 1978 skeeter wrangler

1979 Ranger 372V w Merc 150

1998 Pro-Craft 180 combo fish/ski.No-one has skied off it yet,lol. Still runs great too.

2003 Skeeter Fish/Ski. It was a bass catching machine!!! Served its purpose well but I am way happier with the upgrade!

2004 Basstracker pro 165

Top Tenner, tri hull 15footer, stick steering, with a 40 Merc.

1965 SKEETER HAWK / 50 horse Chrysler

Ozark Fish-n-Ski with a 70hp Johnson.Hey, I was in training.

First real bass boat was a ProCraft 1650V with a 150hp Evinrude.

I got mine about a year ago and its a 2000 Ranger V518 with a 200 merc.

1990 nitro with 175 evinrude bought This year its made I happy so far now I'm dreaming about the next one

1980 Ranger 178V with a 115 Merc straight 6. Got it in 81'and it was awesome at the time. I learned so much in that boat, great memories.

1950 Lonestar Aluminium V - bought a sears aluminium with a 25 1969 Johnson on it and sold the sears.

still have them both, would not part with the Lonestar ever - they don't build em like that anymore

the one i have been fishin out of for almost four years. a 2002 basstracker pt 175 W/ 40 hp

Brand new 1987 Astroglass 151 with a big ol 40hp Johnson, no tilt. I still think I caught more fish out of that boat than I do now out my Champion. Spent alot more time fishing and less time running. LOL

1978 Lu Craft 17'6" w/ 150hp mercury Black Max.

1991 18ft. Ranger with a 150 Mariner

1972 Kingfisher with a 40 hp Gale Outboard by Evinrude. I was 12 work all summer long blueing and vatting cams at a family members machine shop saved $400 and bought this cream puff

I wasn't real fortunate as far as getting a boat, but I guess you could call my 9 foot pond prowler my first boat..I fished many tournaments out of lewisville and grapevine with it too...But, my first real bass boat, and I still own is a 1988 BLUE champion!

A couple of used flat bottom boats with oars included.

Then finally a 1972 a brand new 15 ft. Demcraft w/ 75 hp Mercury, tri hull.... after a windy day on the water check to be sure fillings in teeth survived the trip.... I believe it had a hummingbird flasher, captains chairs (instead of fiberglass), and a trolling motor. Had to be sure you had no trailer lights on when backing into lake....light bulbs would surely pop!!!!

My first boat was a 6' Water Wagon with a trolling motor, back in the early 70s. I caught 1000s of crappie from that thing.
I still miss that syrofoam plate.

My first was a 1992 Procraft V-180 w/ Merc 115 HP. It was an old fish & ski that I got from my dad. I took the wrap-around windshield off, installed a better trolling motor, installed a decent depth finder, and went fishing - free & clear.

I loved that old boat. The only problem I ever had with that boat was when the throttle linkage came undone. Chuck at Service Marine fixed that right up. It took rough water suprisingly well for a smaller boat.

Passed it on to someone that is now as happy with it as I was.

-Alton

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1993 cajun 189 with a 175 johnson. had it for 10 years till i blew the powerhead.

2005 Basscat Pantera Classic. Purchased in Nov. 2007. Been a fun and learning year. I'm 49 and never had a boat before.

My first boat was a 1973 14 ft seaking w/ a 50 horse evinrude.

I gave it away in Jan 2006. Article link below.

http://bassfanarmy.com/bfa_news_article.asp?c=1&ID=132

1999 Triton Tr-17. Still have it and I like it. I think good electronics makes any boat a lot better.

I got a 12 foot Sea king alunimum boat w/oars for sanding and painting a 1968vw bug for a friend. Best paint job I ever did it looked NEW. added a 4hp seaking motor and a minn kota 17lb trolling motor. I threw it in the back of my toyota pickup. I caught alot of fish from that boat. I like bass boats alot BUT you can catch alot of fish from a alumimun boat 12-14 ft with a 4-15hp motor, add trailer, a trolling motor, seats and graph and you still are less then $1,000. See them on craigslist all the time. buy what you can afford at the time and step up later. Right now my favorite boat is a 6' piece of styrafoam i made like a water wagon, a pair of flippers, rod holder and a graph and yes it is fun to fish off of. Nothing like a 4 or 5lb bass turn you and your boat around 180.

1975 Sidewinder, 85hp merc. console steer, 12volt MK, die hard battery, tilt and trim. Hummingbird super sixty. Sidewinders were made with 2" marine plywood in the bottom it was one tough boat. It was made in Gladewater Tx, and I caught a ton of fish out of it. I remember going to Sandlin when it first opened and sleeping in my Grand Prix fishing all weekend out of the Junction on 21 bridge. Those were some good days.

A '12 Jon/15 Yammie that I had for a few months before doing a major upgrade...

In 1977 my dad for graduation bought me a use Skeeter Metro (I dont remember the year it was )with stick steering and a 40 hp johnson .

1992 - 8' buster boat, 4hp evinrude, 30# minnkota, lowrance flasher. - wish I still had it.

It was a 1986 16 1/2' Vector with a 70 H.P. Yamaha. The boat was a Hydro Sport knock off. Bought it brand new for $6,800. Ran it for 5 years until the motor blew up.

1983 monark 35hp merc

in 1982 I bought a brand new 14' Grumman with a 15 Evinrude, I though it was the greatest boat in the world (for a while), now I have a 16' Lowe Stinger 16 with 50 Merc... Best boat I ever had was a Xtrme Sunfish 14' with 25 Merc, man that boat could run for a little boat wish I still had it

78,I think, 17ft Hustler with a 115 Evinrude. Loved it.

14' aluminum with an old 9.5 HP Evinrude.

In 2006 1997 Ranger R82 Sport with 150 Yamaha. I paid $2000 fot the boat motor trailer. Put another $1500 into it and then steped up to the 2002 Stroker. Sold my Old Ranger for $5800 The guy that has her called me out of the blue last month and thanked me for such a great deal on that boat. He loves it and it has given him zero probs. That was an ugly but very good boat.

'88 glasstream '88 merc
had it about four years still fishin out of it.
rough on choke in a north wind!

My first fiberglass boat was a Skeeter Starfire 150 with a hopped up Merc balck max. topend was 68 mph in that 17' boat I bought it from my stepdad. I learned how to drive fast in that boat. I still learn every day, and working on rough water skills. Ray Hubbard will teach you how to drive in the slop very quickly

12' jon boat with a trollin motor. me and my dad started fishin club tourney's out of it. and then we borrowed a flat bottom aluminum boat with a 35hp on it. then we got an 83 ranger 372v with a 115 hp evinrude

1977 Terry Bass with stick steering and a 50hp evinrude.

Ha! In '85 I bought my very own 15' Hobie Power Skiff with a 40hp (I think..) Suzuki. I put hot pink pinstriping all over it to make it girly. That little boat would go through anything! As hard as I ran it through barge wakes I still wonder how I never capsized it. God must have been watching me pretty close! I put a trolling motor up front and commenced to doin' me some bass fishin', which basically made me the laughing stock of the Alton Pool. I didn't care - it was a blast!

1993 Sea Nymph bass boat w/50 horse Evinrude. Ran great till I ignored the constant beeping of the horn while fishing a tournament in 2003. Yep, it blew up. But, had it rebuilt and ran better than ever for another couple years.

Funny story. Sold it to a guy that worked for me in 2005 (bought a new Nitro). The transducer was ripped off by a buddy that borrowed it and hit a stump with it (or something) and the trailer wiring was messed up. I paid like $300 to get a new transducer wired up and mounted and to have the trailer lights complete redone. I drove the boat out to him in Indiana (from St. Louis). By time I got home, he called my cell to tell me that after he parked it in his driveway, his new Black Lab puppy ate all the friggin wiring off AND the new transducer!!! Only me!! If I'd a known that, I'd a left the old [censored] on there!

Happy Turkey Day.
Yancey

1983 15' Thunderbolt with a 55hp Chrysler.And proud to have it.

1984 Monark McFast with 90 Johnson VRO I got two years ago. Learned alot in that old boat. Looking to upgrade next year. Finally done with college.

71' Dogget 40HP Merc Stick steering.

dang you beat my boat by 13 years

68 Skeeter Hawk 55HP Evinrude

Mine was a 14 foot MFG basically a fiberglass jon boat with my dads 1963 Evinrude 10 horse, had a Ted Williams trolling motor and any battery I could find. I would load it in the back of my Lil Red Express and go fishing. Was a lot of work but I did catch fish out of it!!

ML

1982 15' Glasstream w/ 115 Yamaha V4 (ran 63mph at sea level)

First boat was a 1992 Bass Tracker Pro TX 175 w/Johnson 60HP.

1980 Dyna Trak 166 with a 1979 90hp Merc. That was the best built boat I have ever owned. Very solid and heavy. Man that was one tall skinny motor.

Dads boat-14 ft Lonestar, with an Elgin 12 hp, my 1st was a 1970 16 ft Hustler, fiberglass, 50 hp mercury

My first (and only) boat so far, was a brand new 89 Fisher Marsh Hawk 3V with a 35 hp Mercury on it. I was partners in it with a good friend and fishing buddy. It was all we needed on the small San Diego lakes. Had to leave it behind when I moved to Texas in 99. I fished in it last year with him when I was home visiting. Still going strong. Hoping to fish in it again come Christmas time. Always nice to go home for Christmas!

1976 16' Dyna Trak by Ebbtide boats. Great boat I loved that boat was painted the color of a Keystone light can. I would still have it if it weren't for the motor dying on me. But now I have a 20' Cobra and love that dance floor pitching deck and the ability to fish ruffer water.

93 Procraft v170B with 90 horse Mercury.

1974 Falcon Competition Tiger with a 85 HP Evinrude motor

1988 Charger 18ft w/ 150 Mariner chime walkin dude

1966 Glasstron with an 18hp Evinrude. Learned to ski behind it too.

SE Kansas grass grower

1986 Hybrid Bass 18.4 long
140 hp Johnson

1980 Bass Tracker, Aluminum. Wedding present from my dad.

The bass boat I have now; 1996 Stratos 278DC with 130hp Evinrude. The best money I have ever spent.

Be safe,
Rayzor

1998 Sprint 267S w/ Johnson 90hp...runs like new. Great first boat!!!

Coleman crawdad set up to do tournaments with .Had a 56# min autopilot on bow and a reg min 56# on the rear,cooler live well ,5600 Bottonline tournament pro fish finder and a cheap trailer with over size tires for long hauls.Won alot of small boat T`s out of that thing.Worked up to a Gambler/200 now with alot of dif boats in between .

Yr 2000 Nitro NX882 w/ a Mercury XR6 150HP on the back. Bought it from a great seller about 2 months ago.

I've wanted a fishing boat all my life and finally got it.

I love it. I'm taking it out on Saturday.

bass buster

1992 skeeter ss90. wow theres alot of skeeter first boats

97 zx185c 150proV

1983 ranger 323 / 75hp merc from barber boats on harry hines brand new 13 grand out the door. man those were the days, still in high school too.

teamron

96 javelin 379se with a 115 evinrude it was a smooth riding boat with a great platform it cost me 1500 to fish it for two years.

1982 17' Ray Craft
70 hp Evinrude

"The Tri-Hull Terror"

Not my first boat, but my first bass boat was a 14 1/2 foot, 1972 model Terry Bass, stick steering and a 50 HP Johnson.

The first boat I ever owned was a 11 1/2' fiberglass v-bowed boat bought in Oregon and hauled back to Indiana and eventually made it to Texas. It had a 5 1/2 hp Johnson Sea Horse with self contained tank. That dinghy took 2 adults and 3 teenagers out in Puget Sound salmon fishing. It was run off of a new reservoir in Indiana because it was deemed too little by the game warden. I sold it to a college professor at ETBC when I was graduating and he ended up punching a 8" hole in the bottom by running over a stump in LOP. Wish I still had that motor and that boat.

Now the first thing I ever called "my boat" was a inner tube from an 18 wheeler. I rigged a seat out of a swing set and used a canoe paddle for propulsion. Spent most of my time spinning around and going in circles. But I did manage to fish some out of it. I was 9 or 10 at the time.

91 Ranger 482V

stick stering Sidewinder with 65 merc.

my 1st was a 1971 terry bass boat similar to the one in this picture I found online. I had a stick steer up front though.

'75 MonArk 15' aluminum bass boat with a 25hp Johnson. Wish I still had it...would float in about 6'' of water.

My 1st bass boat was a 1976 ThunderBolt 148 with a 1966 34 hp Evinrude. I worked part time for a guy that had a boat repair shop, he got this one in on trade with a bad motor on it, I could not find another motor that I could afford, so I went out in the back of the shop to a motor pile & started digging through to see if there was anything usable there, low & behold I found an old motor there that the lower unit was scrap, I took that powerhead inside & checked the fire & compression on it & dang if it was'nt better than a new one!! I put that powerhead on my downhousing & BINGO!! I was in business!! LOL! I went through a total of 5 motors until I put a one owner 1967 65 hp Mercury on it & my motor problems were solved!! Man, I caught several boat loads of fish outa that old boat!! that old Merc was a dandy! I even had the original owner's manual to it!! Of all my bass boats of the past, that one was my favorite one for sentimental reasons, it was in a time that was & is still dear to me.

1996 Skeeter SS90 with a 60Hp Mercury

1972 skeeter metro, 50 johnson and a 18 lb motorguide ans a lowrance flasher paid 1800 brand new

1972 14 ft. Caravelle Bass, 50 horse Johnson. Had a Super Motor Guide(12 volt of course), two chairs - mounted on fiberglass boxes, 6 gallon tank and a center console. Dilly trailer. That trolling motor wouldn't motivate in any wind over about 15 mph. Can't tell ya how many thousands of fish I caught out of that old boat. I kept it for 12 years. It would run all day on that 6 gallons. Sold it for about what I paid for it. I was glad to get a bigger (and better) boat, but I had me some big fun in that one.

1973 Ranger - a little different than my Z20

1976 SKEETER WITH A 115 RUDE. GOT IT IN 2003 FOR A PAINT JOB ON A CUSTOM CHOPPER. DEDICATED A WHOLE STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR ZIP TIES AND DUCT TAPE.

My first was a 1984 Skeeter Starfire 175 with a 150 Evinrude I bought it when I was 17 in 1996 great memories but I am suprised I survived being a late teen with that boat.

17 1/2 ft alumacraft..with 75 hp Merc....it is a wonder that I still have all of my insides....Little different from the Stroker

Stick steer Raycraft with 35 chrysler. Had a small leak, but would run all day.

My first was a 1976 caddo 14 ft with a 1969 55hp johnson. The boat had red,white,blue seat`s and astroturf. Shakesphere trolling motor.Bought it in 1980.
JD

2006 Bass Cat Puma Merc 225.

The day after I posted on this topic, I got my first bass boat back. The guy called my up and just gave it back to me. He never even transfered the titles, so its still in my name.

1978 Skeeter Sport Wrangler w/ Mercury 115. Swapped 2 Brangus Bulls to my Uncle for it.

you know theres been lots of responses but my first one was my best one dont you agree

That I must. Thats why I took my first one back when offered.

We just bought my first bass boat

It had only 2 owners and was garage kept and in excellent condition!

It is a 1988 18' Bayliner Bass Trophy Boat.
125hp motor
Trolling motor
Fish finder
2 live wells
1 Rod storage (front)
2 Misc storage (rear)

Just bought my first one:
1996 Nitro 170TF Rick Clunn Edition
FORCE 120HP

A 60s something 15' Duckhawk with stick steering and a 40 Mercury and three seats in a row. It resembled the early Skeeters except no pointed nose. The floor was very thin and we punched it once on Toledo Bend.

1957 thunderbird 15 foot runabout all fibeglass even the seats,
had frontfull seat with walktru back , rear seat had full back
and behind that you kept the 6 gallon tank and battery ..
no flotation , but had a sub floor with plug so you could add a little water / or drain ..

it had the first electric start ,no alternator single lever control from mercury. was factory painted white ,wow no more throttle ,and shift lever
1961 model merc 500 it was called ..50 hp , andwould get that boat up to hi 30.s on the pitot speedometer.
I was in the Navy then and a few sailors and I would pool our quarters and buy gas ..ski all afternoon. this was in 1961, gas was about 25cents

Took it out to the carrier anchor in Pensacola bay once .
stuffed the bow and took off the winshield, bilge pump was a buddy with a large coffe can.

This one.

ya know i got a 20 footer but i also bought me a 15 ft stick boat in 06 ,its like finding your first car 30 yrs latter and id rather fish in it than my big boat ,it really churns up old memories, when fishing was r&r and not all out competition, and sunrise on the lake , yep those were the days

I bought a 14' (dont remember the brand) 2 seat front stick steering "bass boat" when i was 15, had a 50 hp merc on it, ran it around forever on Ray Hubbard, caught lots of fish out of that ole boat.

15ft Coleman canoe was my first.

1979 Skeeter Sport Wrangler 140hp Johnson.

1988 Charger 189 with 150 Mariner Magnum II

'99 Bass Cat Pantera Classic w/ 200 HP Merc

1967 Glastron Fish and Ski. She was a looker.

I am a Carpet Cleaner by Trade. I also make a Pond Kick Boat for friends who enjoy fishing small bodies of water.


how much?

I am a Carpet Cleaner by Trade. I also make a Pond Kick Boat for friends who enjoy fishing small bodies of water.

how huch
ronbaron
brownwood tx

ronbaronsr@hotmail.com

My first "real" bass boat was a 1984 Tracker 1 with a 25hp Mariner. Really liked that boat...

70's era Monark with a 40 hp Mercury. Biggest fish ever came out of that boat.

1984 Skeeter FS-80 Strada 15'with a Johnson 70HP ....Kept it 6 months and traded for a 16' Skeeter Wrangler with a 140 HP Johnson. Kept it 2 years, sold it and bought a 1987 Ranger 373V Bassmaster Classic. 17'10" with a Evinrude XP 150.
Kept that boat 17 years...Till it burned up in a boat shed fire in 2004.

i bought a 1972 k3 skeeter metro with a 50 hp johnson 18 lb motorguide and a dilly trailer with a columbia depth finder brand new for 1800.00

'77 Del Magic with a '76 50hp Evinrude. The 'Rude still runs like a champ. The boat.. not so much. Gotta take a buddy with ya to bail the water

Still sitting out back though

Two semi inner tubes and a piece of plywood.

1972 TR10 Ranger, green on green, no carpet, no aerator, w/1968 60 hp mercury.

1981 starfire 150 with 150 blowrude bought it in 88

15foot Raycraft with a 70hp Johnson

1989 Champion 184DC with a 150 ProV Great boat

1994 R-70 Ranger Merc 115 HP...Still have it and still looks new..

197? year Dem Craft. Remember that POS

Rick

make sure it is big enough for the wather you will fish

87 Cajun Blazer 16' w/90 Merc. sold it in 97 for 18'6 Challenger 150 Merc. sold it in 2006 for a 2006 Bass Cat P 4 w/ 200 Merc Optimax. If I had of known better I would have bought the Bass Cat first and nothing else but after that.

'88 19' Nitro with a 175 Mercury. I was told when I bought it that it was a lot of boat! lol

A 14 foot flat bottom skiff built by my father out of Cypress wood. I was in the 5th grade and he would only let me go out in it if he was with me...but it was supposed to be my boat. Right! We used a River Runt, Devil's Horse, Lucky 13 and Hula Poppers on direct drive reels loaded with black rayon line.

2007 ranger 188vs waited 5 years to convince the wife to let me get one and made sure to get one i would be happy with. had it 5 weeks and tommorow will be the 10th time out on it. sure as heck beats the kayak fishing i have been doing for the last 4 years.

A 1968 Starcraft ski boat. Took it and cut the front inclosed topcap off. Gutted the whole thing then made the front and back decks and everything else. Used it for a couple of years in High School and then sold it. Had a blast with my dad making it.

15' Duckhawk with a 40 Merc on the back. Had three chairs and of course it was a stick sterred boat. Fast for its time.

the one i got now

'74 12' Dura-Weld Flat-Bottom w/ 6.6hp Johnson & Shakspere hand control TM mounted on steel angle iron bow plate. Total investment - $325. Caught as many fish in that rig as I have in my $17k rig. (I was more "flexable" then ;-)

The one I have now. 1980 Alumacraft MV16 Pro w/1977 'Rude 55hp. Bought it from a guy on here approx. 3 yrs. ago. Motor had carb prob's, but doesn't matter now,I don't have any money to run it.