Need help with Bass Boats

so, im basically as new as you can get at boating, as I've been a bank angler all my life. As high school progresses for me and things start to cool down a little with covid, I'm finally getting more time to fish. Hopefully, ill be getting a summer job this year and was wondering what I should be looking for in new/used boats? what boats would you recommend? here's what I'm looking for

≥18 feet in length
capacity for at least 4 people
comes with trailer
live well
storage for tackle
sub 20k price

that's just about all I know about bass boats right now. don't know whether I want aluminum or fiberglass, or any of the more fancy stuff so please enlighten me!

For that budget I would prolly look for an 18 foot aluminum with a 115 that’s less than 5 years old.

Buy something you can beat up and learn with as your first boat.

You can get a lot of boat for 20k... For a first time boat owner I would actually suggest going much cheaper... something if you hit a dock or what not and scratch it you won't care... something that might give you a few problems to figure out a long the way... boats break down and you gotta have some know how to get you on/off the lake.. after you had that for 6 months or a year, then spend 20k on something... just my thoughts. I had a 4000 dollar boat for ten years.. just bought a 15k boat and feel good about trailering, navigating or fixing the occasional issue myself...

+1 I like this approach.

+1

I started in a little 16ft 1972 hull with a '66 40 hp motor that cost $2500, I got to learn how to rebuild carbs, along with a decent bit of other motor work and other upgrades on the boat to make it nicer. Was the best thing I could have done with boating, I hit many docks, stumps and my trailer didn't have to worry about that nice finish I just screwed up or anything and it set me up for owning a little nice boat now. For my second boat I only spent about 12k and I'm still learning (you always will be) but that's just my two cents.

well, I guess its decided then! plus, I wouldn't mind easing it on the wallet a bit. there so many hobbies like Mountain biking where you either go with the top-of-the-line bikes or you arent a true hobbyist that I was taking the same approach with boating. good to hear that I won't be cracking out 20k on a boat!

I agree with most of the above. My first boat was $4000, it was a 19 foot aluminum bass boat with a 150 and I caught a ton of fish out of it. I would cut your budget in half and maybe even more and just get something that will get the job done. If you end up using it a lot and loving it then you can always upgrade.

Na... thats just want people who want to feel good about their purchases make you feel. I rode 100-160 miles of trails a week on a $500 29'er and only had to replace tires, brake pads and the chain once.

Boats are close to the same. Get what you're comfy in, what fits your needs, etc. I would not go less than 18' if you're fishing most lakes in Texas as over a 20 mph wind it can get dicey. Speed kills, boats have a total of zero brakes, and the faster you go the faster it goes wrong. It is all about your comfort level. You wouldn't do the EKG drop at River Legacy your first day out, same with a boat.

If I was you; I would graduate up the ladder from bank fishing to a boat. Making that in one big leap does not give the experience one needs to make good decisions on a boat purchase.
- Join a Bass Club and get to know the guys there.
- Ask questions and fish with as many of them as you can out in a boat.
- Make your contributions to their expenses.
- By the end of the first season you will have a good idea of what boat to purchase.
- You will have a good mentor in that club to help you make all the right decision on a good boat purchase.

I understand, that you would like to have a boat now to take your friends out on the water. I do not know of very many 18 ft. boats that are safe for 4 people that are inexperienced. Start with your boater safety course and begin to work your way forward is my

This is also great advice, I will admit that when I brought my first one I was in ND in the Air Force and did not have the option of bass clubs or any other fishing clubs. When I moved to Texas I joined a bass club and fished on others boat for the first year and a half before finding a good deal on an older bass boat.

I would say get a tracker 175 with a 4 stroke motor and just learn how to handle that and see if you really enjoy fishing and you can always resale it if you want to upgrade later on at a great price plus you can get a nice one for like 7k which saves money for a good PFD and registration.

Look at the Tracker Classic XL. New with 40 hp, Trolling Motor, Graph. 14,000.00

Get you a 14ft flat bottom that has a trailer... Throw a 15-25hp motor on the back, trolling motor on the front, maybe rig you a 5" graph, and go fish! Get the hang of operating a boat first. Plus this setup is virtually trouble free.

Trolling motor and good graph are highly recommended. You can be in a 20K boat, with POS electronics and TM and you will suffer. Make sure you get some kind of spot lock.. Just my .02 ..

Good luck, and please keep us updated..

Prosise

I suggest you “go big” from the start. Top of the line brand new fiberglass rig. $90,000.00 and put it on a 12 year note. Payments more than your mortgage and be upside down in the loan until the last payment is made. If it gets to much to bare or you simply get tired of it just let the bank come take it back. JK! All good advise ^^^^ above my post! Start small and build from there as you deem “necessary”.(necessity & fishing is an oxymoron).

after boating for 60 years and being almost 80 I am going back to the back of the boat and will be fishing as a co-angler.

which means I have a 1993 20' Ranger 491 VX single console with a 1993 200 Mercury EFI, that starts every time, for sale. It is well within your budget and needs some work. Needs carpet and new live well pumps. It should have an Ultrex but no, has a Fortrex that works really good. It has 2 12' Talons and old Lawrence electronics that are just right if you learn what the images mean.

It isn't pretty because I fish at Lake Fork all the time and usually in the standing timber and stumps which leave many scratches...

I'm with Don Harper on this...start learning from others through a club. Then work your way into a boat you see will fit your style.

I started like Don stated and ended up buying my first boat from a good friend of mine that was also my tournament partner for many years. He upgraded and I bought his old boat. It was a win win for us all.

If i could do everything all over, I would have bought an aluminum boat for around the 12-15k mark. Then invest the remaining in electronics. That approach is also a double edge sword because in 2-4 years the graphs are obsolete and you have invested a decent amount of money. I would join a club tournament or even working man tournament. Make friends with those guys. Go fish with multiple people if all possible. I can honestly say I have been smoked by guys in 5k boats and I'm not ashamed to say it.

If you are set on getting a boat first thing I suggest is that you take a course on boating safety. I would look for something like this--http://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/.

Also I noticed a boat for sale that I would check on now that was just listed on the classified here today--https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/14069778/2002-cobra-viper-for-sale#Post14069778. If this is something that meets your needs I would see about getting a mechanic to check it out ASAP as it will sell fast.

Good luck with your search and whatever you buy start slow in you learning the safety of the boat and boating.

Like others have said I would cut the budget in half and look for a good used aluminum rig. Bass tracker, xpress, lowe, etc tons of options. You should be able to find a good boat 16-18ft for <10k. It will give you the ability to work on the boat yourself alot more and also wont hurt the pocket as much if something breaks. Don't cheap out on electronics, if you have an aluminum rig, spot lock will save you when the wind is blowing.