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Boat size requirements for tournaments? #12430840 09/18/17 04:40 AM
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lumberjack Offline OP
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I was told that most big tournaments have minimum sized requirements on boats to enter. I have only fished working mans tournaments and that was 20 years ago. Looking to buy a boat that my dad an I could enter a few big payout tournaments. (No intentions of winning just the excitement of "maybe").

Moritz Chevrolet - 9101 Camp Bowie W Blvd, Fort Worth, TX - Monte Coon (817) 696-2003
Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12430903 09/18/17 11:46 AM
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P_102 Offline
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Can't speak on the rules but you should be fine at 18', 150hp. As always, bigger is better with more comfort and more stable ride/platform. P_102

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12430904 09/18/17 11:47 AM
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I think it doesn't matter, as long as it's capable of carrying two anglers safely.

The only restriction I know of is 250hp max on some trails.

I have fished the opens a few times, and have been in as small as a 18' boat.


Eat. Sleep. Fish.
Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12430909 09/18/17 12:08 PM
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joebass2 Online Content
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Haven't seen a length limit, but have seen some in the past that required typical steering (not stick steering). Most require a functioning live well system and a kill switch for obvious reasons.

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12430911 09/18/17 12:10 PM
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What Joebass just said is pretty much spot on.

Last edited by popcork; 09/18/17 12:11 PM.
Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12431086 09/18/17 02:05 PM
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what Joebass2 said. I have an 18'8 boat and never have had a problem fishing tournament. The only thing is the bigger the motor the faster you get to your spot but having a big motor will not help you put fish in the boat.

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12431102 09/18/17 02:12 PM
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Canny Offline
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Around here I have seen tournaments with a 17 or 16' min. This keeps folks with small flatbottoms from going places they shouldn't on Rayburn and getting into trouble safety wise. As mentioned above the bigger the better that way you are better equipped to handle various weather conditions and rough water if it may occur on tournament day.


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Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12431107 09/18/17 02:14 PM
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I have seen 16' min, cuz that is prolly not safe for a draw type tournament. But all you have to do is read the rules. I'm sure a working livewell is the first thing.

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12432099 09/19/17 01:36 AM
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meP2too Offline
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usual requirements
active livewell, kill switch, no stick stering, no tiller steering, no jet drives, motor hp must not exceed coast guard rating. never seen a length restriction. i started tournament fishing in an old skeeter sd 80 (15'-4") that was fun on ray roberts running from marina to upper end of isle du bois.

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12433161 09/19/17 08:59 PM
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This is where, Size doesn't count, LOL, fished a 45 boat average trail, the points champs 2 years running
fished out of a 16ft Bass Tracker III with a 40 Mercury. So much for our high performance ,latest electronics,
Power Poles, Yamaha 250's, etc. Mine included roflmao
Best of Luck!!

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: El Skeeter] #12434067 09/20/17 02:33 PM
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EL Skeeter, Back in the early 80's they were having tournaments almost every weekend on a state lake I fished in mississippi, I didn't have a boat so I made me a Trolling Motor mount that would fit the 15' John Boats you could rent at the Lake, You should have seen the looks I would get at the ramp when I would pull up and start rigging up 1 of those rental John boats with my home made Trolling Motor , Swivel seat and Big Old Igloo cooler I had made into a livewell
Was almost as priceless as the look on them big boys with the Top of The Line Bass Boats faces at weigh in when I took there Money

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12434084 09/20/17 02:45 PM
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Lumberjack, if your planning on Fishing the big open water reservoirs around you Find you a good used 21' Ranger, Champion or Triton
Don't worry about who it will out run but how well it will handle rough water
You'll fish a lot better in a boat that is comfortable when the weather gets a little rough

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: daddystog] #12434363 09/20/17 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted By: daddystog
EL Skeeter, Back in the early 80's they were having tournaments almost every weekend on a state lake I fished in mississippi, I didn't have a boat so I made me a Trolling Motor mount that would fit the 15' John Boats you could rent at the Lake, You should have seen the looks I would get at the ramp when I would pull up and start rigging up 1 of those rental John boats with my home made Trolling Motor , Swivel seat and Big Old Igloo cooler I had made into a livewell
Was almost as priceless as the look on them big boys with the Top of The Line Bass Boats faces at weigh in when I took there Money


You should have took their money and bought a boat....

That's what I did after my first year fishing Bass opens.


Eat. Sleep. Fish.
Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: SteezMacQueen] #12434570 09/20/17 09:50 PM
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That is exactly what i did, Started out with a 16' Ouachita and worked my way up, My last boat was a 21' Triton XHP with a 250 PRO XS

Re: Boat size requirements for tournaments? [Re: lumberjack] #12434823 09/21/17 01:31 AM
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lumberjack Offline OP
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Thanks for the replies guys! Money is not the issue it's a cost vs use analysis. I would probably only fish 10-20 days a year so 20-50k on a boat makes no sense whatsoever.

Last edited by lumberjack; 09/21/17 01:32 AM.
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