My fishing partner just recently purchased a new Crestliner aluminum with a Merc 150. Has the largest front deck I've ever seen on a bass boat. It's like fishing off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Matched up with an Ultrex it doesn't have much problem with the wind. If considering an aluminum you might give one of these a look.

I just bought a 2004 Lund with a 2016 Yamaha 150 four stroke. I can't wait to put it on the Tennessee River. My Ulterra is being installed this week.

Who in the world only has one boat?
That would be like having only one gun .... or worse!

When I moved to Tx, I decided to keep my 2014 Alumaweld Free drifter I bought when I lived in Oregon as an all purpose fishing and hunting boat.

Well that is a question ... depends I guess. I have owned three alum boats, starting in 1969, the last a brand new 2003 Lund Pro Angler 16. The Lund was a sweet boat for sure. Due to fishing alone and getting older I now have a Twin Troller X10 (10' long boat). I have a lake house on Rayburn. The Twin Troller is very easy to fish out of and really no trouble for me, no ramps just fish. I never worried about the Lund in waves it was deep and wide for a 16' 6" boat, I was never in danger - Thank you Lord. Twin Troller goes out on nice days - which is fine by me, what is the hurry?

I certainly wouldn't mind another alum boat if I was still fishing like I use to, Pre-Retirement. You bump into a rock or stump, you might land in the boat and hurt yourself (I did that on a sand bar in Ute lake), the Lund boat will likely be okay. A glass boat not so much. A Ranger alum boat looks pretty good, so does Crestliner. I have a friend that has had an older 18' Ranger glass boat for many years it is great to fish out of and has had no real problems. So get what you like and test drive it first!

P.S. That 2014 Alumaweld Free drifter above looks like a solid sweet boat for sure.

Aluminum boats built in the south don't come close in construction to the boats built in the northwest. The Alumaweld and Willie are just a couple mfgs. Boats built in the northwest are built twice as strong as what you see down south. Look at the specs on the aluminum for the bottom and sides. Those boats aren't cheap, but they're built to last forever.

I fish fiberglass, but aluminum boats today are nothing like grandpa's old aluminum Lone Star!

I bet those boat builders in Arkansas would enjoy a debate on this topic.

I fished out of Lund ProV SE. Water was really rough but that boat was great in the chop. I actually wanted a Lund but couldn't find one that I liked that I could afford and I came across the really nice Champion bass boat that I have now. I am really happy with the Champ and this is my last boat. I'm 73 now.

Wayne

I went from a tracker to a Skeeter to a NarticStar 244 XST. There is not one thing that I dislike about this boat. Plenty of room and handles rough water so much better than the Skeeter

I would get a little neurotic trying to keep fiberglass from getting banged up.

no doubt that is one sweet ride. i would be afraid of scratching it up but i'm guessing you have figured out how to fish without dodging timber and other things.

I have a tracker 175 TXW. Hard to control in the wind but I added a Terrova 80 LB to it and it works fine. A fiberglass boat is for Bass-holes. If you are not fishing bass tournaments you don't need one. I guess there could be the sadistic pleasure of idling though the crappie guys tied up at the bridge then blasting off at max speed with your 350 hp monster and watching with glee as your wake swamps boats, send drinks and articles flying along with a smattering of curses from the poor slobs tied up trying to fish. Ha ha, wasn't that fun...

If I had purchased a fiberglass boat I would have knocked a lot of holes in it in PK. Between docks and trees I think a guy who just wants to fish is far better off with an aluminum boat. Its also a lot lower cost to purchase and operate. If I wanted to spend half what one of these used skeeters cost, I'd just get an aluminum boat and put the best electronics and trolling motor on it. Could do that for a fraction of what one of these boats cost.

https://www.boattrader.com/boats/make-skeeter/

I haven't hear anyone suggest a fish & ski or a pontoon yet.....i can see the appeal of comfort but as one already pointed out, who only has one boat??!! I have a cobalt 21' pleasure boat for the family. it was built in 1989.

I sold myTritoon when we quit taking the kids out on the weekends. I think a fish and ski, with a big front deck would be ok for large lakes, although they are not usually laid very well for fishing. Now fishing from a toon is ok, if you can tie up...trying to anchor one out is terrible...guess if you had a strong enough trolled, it might work ok.