John Cox's Tin Boat - What is the big deal???

I do not understand the hype and big deal on the internet being made out of John Cox's tin boat and winning the FLW Cup.

Fishing and winning big time tournaments out of tin boats has been going on for years. It would happen more often if BASS would not have changed the boat use rules the year after Menendez won at Dardanelle. The benefit of using a tin boat is determined by the fishery and the tournament schedules.

Albert Collins won the BASS Nation Championship last year with one. We would see tin boats at the Red River for BASS and FLW tournaments. Example - Steve Kennedy. Sean Hoernke won a big one there in a 17 ft tin boat. Clunn fished out of one for several tournaments. Biffle won on the Arkansas river. Etc....

For comparison of Cox's PT20 to a Ranger Z520C
Length: 20' 5" vs 20' 9"
Beam: 96 vs 96.5
Dry Weight no/motor: 1567 vs. 1825
Max HP" 200 vs. 250
Livewell Capacity: 45 gallons vs 31
Fuel Capacity: 32 gallons vs 45
Cost: big difference

He also did it without any electronics which is impressive to me. He used GPS only, no sonar so that he wouldn't be tempted to fish deep which is not his strong point. Maybe I need to throw my electronics overboard!

I met him at Lowes by my house when they were here for the TTBC
I remember the boat, I believe it was a Crestliner and it was pretty big!
Congrats to him.

Because its perceived to be inferior equipment and a handicap... they guessed wrong. Talent is talent.

All you got to do is catch bigger fish than anybody else .

From another poster about the tournament: "Cox started this tournament with a transducer but broke it off in practice. He said he couldn't tell how much cooler the water was in that creek because he had broken it off."

I'm confused, why are you mentioning other people that have won out of one... It's no big deal, remember .

I think in the past the finalist in the FLW had to fish out of fiberglass Ranger on the last day. Had that been the case he probably doesn't win if he could not access his spot.

The BASS Elites changed the rules a couple years ago. That you have to fish out of the same type boat the entire season. Thus, now you have to pick either glass or aluminum for the year. Can't just do it for one tourney.

That's silly in my opinion. I can't remember who, unless it was Roland, fished out of a Jet powered aluminum rig years ago and some whined about that. And some complained when Martin had rigged up a portable platform on his boat for sight fishing many years ago. I guess BASS caves in to some whiners in the interest of a "level playing field". In my opinion the new guys breaking into the Elites are nowhere near on a level playing field with the older guys who have contacts all around this country. Bottom line, the adage, "haters gonna hate" applies here like it does most other places.

I think he got second last year in AOY with an 18'ft and a 150.

It's not the boat that impresses me about Cox at all, it's his persistence to fish shallow year around. Awesome to watch. He has a ninche and it works...that's impressive in today's sport where everyone talks about having to being so versatile.

The reason why BASS set the rule that you have to fish out of a similar boat all year round is to keep the playing field as level as possible.

Those that are well known like KVD, Roland Martin, etc etc.... They have access are can get those types of different boats better than a no name person.

The reason for the change was an unfair advantage, they simply have either deep pockets or access to that equipment. Not everyone has that option.

The camera boats were following him in fiberglass boats. Byron was watching him from a fiberglass Ranger. I dont think tin was an advantage this time. He just out fished everyone else.

Aluminum

I bet you there are more fish caught out of tin boats than anything else. Just dont have cameras following them all the time
Maybe not from the pros but overall, I'd almost bet

I disagree. I think they want everyone fishing out of fiberglass boats because they want the general public to believe you have to have all of the high dollar equipment to compete, catch fish, and win.

They are scared that if too many people start winning in $20,000 rigs, it will hurt the bass fishing industry.

You telling me a person new to the sport has an easier time getting a $75,000 bass boat than a $20,000 aluminum boat?

A person has to have money no matter what to buy a $75k boat.

All we need is for someone to win in a kayak so the kayak boys can stand on their soap box for a little while.

Geez, his winning had nothing to do with his boat. He's a great angler. All you aluminum boat guys have a chip on your shoulder, no one ever said is the boat that wins for you, or that if you fish out of an aluminum boat you're inferior. If you can find a post or an article that says otherwise please post it. It's almost like you're jealous of guys that can afford a nice fiberglass boat that cost 60k. Give it a break already, no one Sees you on the lake and thinks, oh that guy sucks he's in a alum boat! I know y'all think that's what we do but we don't I promise

Fish don't bite based on boat.

I know. Tin....aluminum.. all the same. My point is it was water that was accessible by any boat. So no advantage.

A alum. boat with a 200 on it, is not cheap. Don't know his brand but has to be a 20 ft. boat or close to it; so in the neighbor hood of 30K.

That boat is not cheap and i bet the price might be around the 40k to 50k range...

No what I am telling you is that it is easier for a person to get an aluminum boat with a status of a Roland Martin, KVD etc, who already fishes out of a 21' boat as opposed to a no name who is fishing out of a 20' bass boat.

If I find the article I will post it. That is the primary reason they made that rule change. I think I also read it in BASS Magazine.

Think of the gas savings he gets with this setup both on the water and with his tow vehicle. As far as these guys drive each year on the road that has to add up.

I have a tin boat and definitely have some envy when I look at the high end bass boats but at the end of the day I have absolutely no need for an expensive boat. I don't fish enough to warrant the spend but I don't have a problem with guys that spend that much. I think the fact this guy wins in one helps validate you don't need all the high end stuff to compete and win when you are a great angler.

I agree with a point above about this possible making the industry a little nervous given the amount of upmarket stuff coming out each year.

The only thing that really matters is just how talented of an angler he is. He could have won from a kayak if that is all he had. He knows his strengths and he has faith in himself. The rest is just meaningless details.

You can buy that boat for 32k. It's 1500lbs dry without motor.

Didn't he win in an aluminum boat on either Toledo Bend or the Red River a few years ago?

BASS made the ruling when Biffle won on the river after he borrowed a tin boat with jet drive. No one could run where he was running with a fiberglass boat because they would have tore it up bad! Biffle is the first one to say "if you can't see it it's not there" talking about stumps.......

That was last year. This year he put sonar on as he needed to be more flexible.

I like follow Cox, just because he is a bit more non conventional. He is the only one on FLW running the tin boat I believe, last year did no sonar. I think his approach is unique. He just has more of a "bubba" feel than "pro" feel. So I like to route for him and his quarks.

Cox's first win on FLW was the Red River, second one was earlier this year, third one was the Forrest Wood Cup on Sunday.

I thought I remembered this. He did fish out of a 17-foot aluminum boat when he won on the Red River in 2011.

http://www.flwfishing.com/news/2011-05-22-cox-finally-closes-on-red-river

Congrats to John Cox. No matter what he fishes out of, going wire to wire and winning the Forrest Wood Cup is a big deal, period!

Congrats to Cox , winning in an aluminum boat versus fiberglass is classic .
I fish out of an aluminum boat , fits my needs fine and it fit my budget at the time . I only negative about aluminums is the wind can move them easier making it hard to fish plastics , using a TM is harder in an aluminum versus fiberglass .
Towing them is easier , less cost for gas and repairs etc...
Lastly , I think some guys that see me in a an 18' aluminum (without a boat wrap ) versus their own 21 foot Ranger with boat wrap and patches on their jacket absolutely think they are better "sticks" than me , I see it all the time .
Tight lines ,
Robb

Of the guys in the Top 10 I am glad Cox won but it is not about a tin boat or using/not using sonar. He is an exceptionally good shallow water angler that reminds us that many times there are enough shallow fish to win the tournament. I purposely said reminds us because it happen last year in the FLW Cup and many other times during the Summer but we often think deep.

Its not the arrows, it's the Indian......

Jeff Gustafson who finished I think 6th in AOY also fishes out of a Aluminum boat. A little different though as it's more of a multispecies boat than a shallow water boat.

Yep.

I think it's funny how caught up people can get over "stuff" these days. Yes it is a tool that can absolutely make you better as an angler; and there's nothing wrong with having it. And I'm not blaming anyone who is caught up in it, because I've definitely been there. But the thought that there is a shortcut to becoming the best at something by spending all this money on a fancy rig will magically make you fish at a top level is false. It's your skills and knowledge that make you good or bad.

Here's a story:

I used to think this way in college when I was a semi/professional guitarist; recording music and playing shows in front of thousands of people. I had this old $500 beat up Martin guitar that played great and had great sound and had character, but I so desperately wanted a $3,500 Martin D-35 guitar so it could make me "better" and I could really take my skills to the next level.

So I finally saved up enough to buy one.

I got to the little guitar shop where I had been eyeing my dream guitar and asked the guy to take the D-35 down from behind the counter because "today was the day". It was so pretty, and perfect. It sounded amazing. So as I began to warm up a play some solo's and picking faster and faster; I noticed that it played exactly the same as my little old $500 Martin from "Santa". This fancy dream guitar wasn't making me play like a big timer like I thought it would. I was shocked. I realized that day that it was me, my fingers and hands and soul, that effected what sound came out of a guitar; any guitar.

That guitar that I had thought for so long would take me to the next level, didn't.

There is no magical tool that will make you a master at a craft. Although, in a way it did take me to the next level, because it made me realize that I had to make myself better by studying and putting in the work to be the guitarist I wanted to be.


I feel the same thing is true with fishing. Its the person on the end of a bass' line that determines how skilled the fisherman, not the stuff that he is holding or standing on.



Not knocking anyone with nice stuff either; I love to use the best tools I can also. But I just feel like there's this thought out there in today's society that the Arrow makes the Indian, when it's really the other way around.

The Big Deal is that he won The Forrest Wood Cup out of that tin boat! John Cox is a great guy, accomplished angler and Crestliner is fortunate to have him on their team. Jeff Gustafson also fishes out of a Lund and competed at this years Cup! It is the second largest championship held in America each year, with the Classic being #1.

Let John Cox, Crestliner and all of his sponsors enjoy their time of celebration without sour grapes!

Congrats Again John Cox on Your Wire to Wire WIN!

I tournament fish from my Alumacraft 195 with 150 mercury. Love it!