I'm a woman, 66, first boat ever, and I'll be fishing alone. I need a boat I can handle - get in and out by myself. I want fiberglass, and can't spend a king's ransom. Makes? Models? Hit me!

Fishing alone does make a difference! I fish alone a lot and my 18’ 11” bass boat is all I want to handle by my self. Has a lot to do with where also. Are there docks? Or bank beaching only? It’s work but I love it! As far as brand , make. Ect I don’t really think that matters in the loading / unloading process. Just takes practice. My .02

You got to give us a little more to help you.

Where do you plan to fish? Big water, little water, farm ponds, rivers, creeks, inshore salt?

Do you have any experience at all with a boat? Jet ski? Cruiser? Jon Boat? Bass Boat?

What kind of fishing? Bass, crappie, catfish, blue gill, red fish, trout?

What is a king's ransom to you? $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000?

Do you want a new boat, or will used work?

What do you have for a tow vehicle? Do you plan to tow, or dock your boat?

Buying a boat isn't like buying a car. Lots of factors to take into consideration.

Yep, a lot to be answered.

I just notice you're from Midland. There ain't no water out there, anyway, is there? LOL

Lived in Lubbock in 1974.

No water but Midland / Odessa has some of the highest boat registrations per capita in the state.

Hire a Guide

Came off the bank into the kayak thing for a few years but got tired of being wet. Bought an old Triton TR21 and sit high and dry. I'm 73, go by myself and live in Lubbock. Ya, no water around here, one little private lake (Buffalo Springs). Caught several this year including a 5er. Makes life worthwhile.

Okay, my home waters will be two lakes and a river (Brazos). The biggest lake is Granbury, 8100 acres. This is Texas, so the wind can get up on any given day.

NO experience with boats. I've owned an inflatable boat, that's it.

Bass fishing - fly fishing and spin casting.

I'd like to keep it less than $35k. Used is okay if it's in great shape - don't want to spend a ton on maintenance, especially right after I buy it.

I'll be towing it. Husband has to buy a new truck first - he currently has what we refer to as, 'the quarter pounder'. Can hardly handle my inflatable

Thanks for any help you can give me.

You do not lie. We just moved outside Fort Worth, between Granbury, an Benbrook (two lakes right there).

Cracks me up that they can support a Tracker Dealer there - no surface water to speak of within two 1/2 hours!

Whatever you get, take a look at a Drotto latch talked about in this thread: https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/13767147/trailer-boat-latch#Post13767147

I bought one that I haven't installed yet but everything I've read says it will make your launches a lot easier, especially if you're solo.

Also as mentioned in that thread, having steps on the front of your trailer to board your boat is something I couldn't live without anymore.

Sounds like a used 18 - 19 footer if you want fiberglass. Bigger if you go with an older boat. With that kind of funding, you should be able to get a 2 - 3 year old boat of pretty much any brand you would like. I'm a Skeeter man, so recommend them, but all the name brands are good boats.

For a beginner, I would recommend a new boat. The comfort of a warranty is invaluable, if you can't do your own R & M. Believe me, something is going to break, fall off, or tear up.

I haven't looked lately, but a Z17 Nitro was under $30K last time I looked. Cheaply rigged. Add another $3K for upgraded accessories, and you're still in budget. If you move up to a Z18, you're looking at about $40K, but a lot more boat.

If you look at aluminum, the choices open up even more.

I would expect all the major brands would have something more or less equivalent to a Z17. I'm not a Nitro fan, just have buddies that work for BPS. Not generally impressed with the boats, but for small waters and not hard usage, they do bring a very attractive price.

If you're in the DFW area, you should be able visit any number of dealers that can show you anything you want. Recommend you find one your are comfortable with and try to work with them. I'm sure some of them would offer you some training.

Enjoy yourself. I'm 74. Retired. Fish 2 - 7 days a week. Fish alone 95% of the time. Fish a couple buddy tournament circuits alone. Have been known to cash a check every now and then. Be honest with your self and your physical capabilities. Launching and retrieving a bass boat by your self can be a physical strain. I've been doing it all my life, but it gets a little more difficult every year. You definitely want trailer steps. Not familiar with the trailer latch. Get you a good life jacket. I like the automatic inflatables. Wear it all the time. I swam competitively in school, and can still swim well, but I wear mine all the time. If nothing else, it will make body recovery easier.

Thank you! That will help.