bay boat for bass fishing?

I bought a bay boat 3 years ago due to the fact that I do a lot of salt water fishing, I still like to bass fish and my wife wanted something we could pull a tube on occasion. Other than getting used to standing at the helm versus sitting and the fact my max speed is 45mph (I never caught a bass at 70 in my Nitro bass boat) it fishes almost identical to most bass boats I've fished out of. I rarely tournament fish. I'm just curious how many of you feel the same, or who have changed over to bay boats?
I do like the cleanup much more. With a power washer, I'm done with the whole boat in 10 minutes.

A friend of mine bought a very nice bay boat after selling a Ranger. He intended double-duty (bass/bay). That lasted only a few months; now he has a Phoenix for bass fishing. He does tournament fish, and says a bay boat doesn't cut it for that, and his preferences.

I would only switch to a bay boat if bass fishing makes up less than 50% of your fishing.

The down side ... you can't really lay rods on the deck ... I guess you could, but the hard deck is a lot tougher on them than carpet. Storage for bass fishing tackle is not as good and you get blown by the wind more.

If you like to fish other species and enjoy getting to the coast more than once a year, a bay boat is definitely for you. The bay boat also makes a better family boat because of the higher gunnels. It's just a better boat for toting kids, tubes and such.

I don't lay my rods on the deck as I have 6 rodholders on the console (4 more if you count the ones behind the console seat. The only negative I've found in that setup is when fishing in heavy cover as I did in Rayburn's flooded woods. I just laid the rods down on the floor while fishing that area. Not sure I get your comment on getting "blown by the wind". I have two rod lockers in my boat and storage in the front middle for tackle etc. I run a 2012 Seafox similar to this one. It has a Carolina front end which gives me more room up front.

I just went from a Skeeter to Kenner Vision. I like the higher sides for my kid. Storage is very limited but think about it. When I bass fish I have already selected my arsenal and I never use or even came close to using all the tackle I would bring. The ride IMO is much smoother and drier to boot.

does that come with a free black light poster?

I went from a Skeeter 21i to a 22' Bay Boat and would not go back. As for as storage goes I put everything in the bay boat I had in the bass boat and is a whole lot easier to get to and so much better ride.IMO

I agree with this ^^^^^

I will say if I had to pick one boat to try and do both it would be a bay boat. Their are some bay/skiff boats that can get in some skinny water tho some in as little as 5". I would not like it has much for bass fishing as a bass boat tho, they each have their place.

I just bought a new 22 epic bay, so far love it but the boat does catch more wind than a bass boat also I have plenty of storage and 2 rod lockers huge platform up front and back, and imo not quiet as stable side to side as a bass boat, probably because sets up higher. Also the standing up is taking some getting used to, but I've only got 4 hrs on it, and so far bring on the rough water! Smooth and DRY!

you bring up a good point. Never again will I be afraid of 3 ft rollers on a lake like Rayburn if the wind comes up while on the water.

The walking back and forth to the center console to switch rods is not nearly as effective as reaching down to switch rods at your feet. As far as being blown, there is no doubt a bay boat gets blown around by the wind more than a bass boat. Don't get me wrong, I'm on my 5th bay boat and they fit my fishing perfectly - I love bay boats. I've run a 22' Nitro bay boat (the first year they came out with a Nitro bay when Tracker Marine bought Kenner), three Skeeter 22' bays and I'm in the Skeeter SX-240 now. I've also run a few ZX 225s, a ZX 20 and a 20i, so I have definitely experienced the difference between various bass and bay boats.

If you are primarily a bass angler, stick with your bass boat.

I have always owned bass boats, and my father has always had bay boats. I have fished out of them both quit a bit. The big advantage I see with a bay boat, is the higher sides, which is better when fishing with children and in rough water. But the bay boats just don't have high enough or long enough front deck for me to enjoy bass fishing out of IMO. I always find myself trying to climb higher on his bay boat.. he laughs when he see's me standing up front on top of his cooler.. lol, but again his boat is way better than mine in the bay where he fish's. They both have there places, besides sounds like you really like you bay boat so just keep it.

I have a very heavy 21' Robalo CC and absolutely love it. It will still draft in just over 1' of water and rides better than any other boat I have ever ridden in. It is indeed slow, but I don't fish tournaments and don't have to race anyone to where I'm going to fish. The live well could be better, but I also have a 55 gallon bait well that I can put in the boat if I really need a good live well. I doubt that I will ever own anything but a bay boat after getting used to this boat. Bass boats are great for bass fishing, but I am a multi species angler so they don't suit me.

I fished many years out of my Champion 202 before switching to a 22' Bay Boat. I never really bass fish much, its Stripers and Hybrids for me with an occasional crappie trip, so the bay boat I really like. I do miss the big deck up front when casting for whites, and the storage space is less. Also, if you have rods in the console standing up, that takes up casting space as well. And yes, you will catch more wind.

"come on out and fish with me in my Kenner" He said. "I can get into the same places you can get into with your 20 ft bass boat" He said.

Its all about how you fish (w/offshore structure fishing being the exception), I've tried fishing wooded/heavy cover areas with several guys with 19-22 ft bay boats and it's too much of a pain especially in the wind. My FIL has a sweet vission 22 but its almost impossible to put your nose in the wind and fish cover out of. All night crappie fishing......absolutely! shallow water heavy cover bass fishing.......not so much.

Hey we saw a center console Master Craft with a trolling motor on it , boy was I confused .

I never have wind issues. Maybe it's the Carolina deck and how my boat sits, but I can get into any wooded space any 20ft bass boat can fish and stay steady in a strong wind. I also have quite a bit of front deck space...and none of that carpet to try to clean.

I decided to go with a 22' bay boat November. Like so far, I don't tournament fish so the upper 40's speed is fine with me. Have had 0 issues bass fishing so far except one thing not mentioned yet in this thread, with the high waters this spring, can't go under at least 2 bridges due to the higher profile without taking the windshield off. This is easily doable but I have had plenty of other water to cover so didn't bother. Love the drier smoother ride in big water.

love my boat!


It does vary on your fishing preference. I multi-fish so for me it works. When I want to bass fish we use my BIL's boat. Any other time, especially rough waters, my boat is preferred.

Chris,
I love that Sea Hunt. I still kick myself that I chose the less expensive option of Sea Fox versus Sea Hunt.

Thank you, I love that it's versatile. Been trying to get into night fishing, here is a picture.

I've been thinking of making the switch myself, in particular a SCB.

Runs 90+mph and runs in less than 6 inches of water. Because of the cat hull, it takes on rough water very well also.

SCB are sick boats, but recently bought by Shallow Sport. Don't think Eric Simmons will be involved in building them anymore, but not sure.

Yeah sad deal how that played out. Not sure what is going to happen.

That was a bad deal. I seen yesterday that Eric and the former SCB crew partnered with Full Throttle BoatWorks.

I bass fish out of the bay boat in the wintertime mostly, or on TB when it's going to be windy. I like the bay boat bass fishing as good or better than the bass boat unless I'm beating the bank, then it's hands-down the bass boat is better. I really like the open deck of the center console especially if the kids are fishing with me, just so easy to move from bow to stern. One annoying issue with the bay boat is the fill for the livewell comes from the bottom of the hull, which is great for saltwater as it works while on plane, but it sucks up all the vegetation in the slop.

If I had to only have one boat to do both, I guess I'd keep the Ranger in my sig. Just seems slow going 50mph, but in reality it's plenty fast enough, just missing the fun factor.