Perfect Boat

[Joe Muskie]

Fellow Musky hunters I am looking for advice on what is the perfect musky boat.Hoping to go fiberglass but aluminum is not out of the question.
Thanks.
Joe Muskie

[Terry JNR]

There's only one. Look at the Tuffy Boats. The 18ft Esox Magnum DV is probally the best fishing platform out there.

[tomk]

The perfect boat for one person may not be for the next. Its all in how you fish and what you like.

[Joe Muskie]

I am just looking for ideas.

[Musky Mike]

Hi Joe;

As has already been said, the perfect boat is often something different from person to person. So as far as manufacturer goes, that's best left up to the individual. The secret is to get the most boat for the best price that truly measures up to your expectations...and fishing style (ie., type and size of water to be fished). How often and far are you going to be trailering it, how long are your longest fishing rods, do you prefer a console or tiller model, how much motor HP do you want, are you going to keep and store it inside or outside, etc.? The answers to these and other such questions should have a bearing on your decision. For instance, aluminum boats are lighter in weight than fiberglass boats and therefore normally require less HP for optimum performance. Heavier glass boats will obviously cost more over the long haul when trailering where tow vehicle gas consumption is concerned. The majority of heavier glass boats will ride out rough water better and give a friendlier and drier ride - if you are going to be using it the majority of time on bigger, rougher water, then weight to bust the waves is of more concern. Small hull repairs are generally easier for the average person to make on aluminum boats than fiberglass if they don't have experience in working with and tinting resins. After evaluating aluminum, vs. glass, and tiller vs console then you're ready to start comparing individual boat features. If you have 8ft long rods, a 7ft rod locker probably isn't going to be right for you. How much area in the boat do you figure you can devote to livewells, more importantly - how big of a livewell do you need. For musky fishing, the ideal boat must provide maximum walk-around room without your stepping around or over too many obstacles, the gunale height has to be high enough to provide a dry ride without creating unnecessary problems when figure-eighting and netting fish. Some boats provide more locable storage than others, a definite advantage if a boat may often be left unattended at docks or parking areas. Some boat models have more of a pointed bow for breaking waves, others have a blunt wide bow area to provide more room for operating bow-mounted trolling motors and moving about to cast from the forward platform - types of water fished will have a bearing here. Aluminum boats generally tolerate direct sun better than glass where fading is concerned - not much of a consideration if the boat is going to be kept under roof, but if it is to be kept outside in direct sunlight then you better enjoy rubbing it out occasionally to maintain the shine - Fancy paint jobs on aluminum boats will probably have the same result. There are far more considerations to be made to determine exactly what is the perfect boat for you but hopefully these items will get you started on your way to making that determination. But whatever you decide, enjoy the decision making process as you go along because you will be spending a lot of time in it once it's yours and you will be much better pleased if you have taken the time to truly consider what is the perfect boat for YOU.

Cheers and tight lines,

Mike

[jon]

i fish an oddball and love it. i fish out of a 20' ranger center console bay boat called a cayman. it's a no carpet, self draining deck. i love the center console for the ability to move up and down and around the boat without running into anything. i've got dry, lockable storage with 8' rod lockers and 8 - 10 vertical rod lockers. it's only got a baitwell, but i don't care cause my muskies go back into the water right away. i'd never buy a boat with carpet or side consoles. they just start stinking, fading and getting in the way. ever seen a used carpeted boat? .... it looks used!! mine looks like the day it was bought and always will. to each their own, but look into the center consoles .... also, they are built for tough water conditions .... you'll make it back to the landing.

[Chartertalk]

Waters you fish have a lot to do with your choice. I choose a Ranger 621 for the size of Lake St. Clair. I did have a 617 for 4 yrs and it fished well but got a good price on the new rig and went with it. I like the rod storage in the middle up front and it is a balanced load with everything being centered.

[Tony B]

We have a 18' Tracker Tundra walk-thru with a 135 opti, Lowrance lcx15 gps/sonar, vhf radio, 65lb thrust 24 volt trolling motor. If we had it to do over again we wouldn't change a thing. We love that boat.

[out_o_ place]

I agree with Jon. Center consoles are very versatile and are extremely easy to maintain. I have a 19' Carolina Skiff (I know, hence my name!) I do feel out of place but when I get done fishing all I have to do is turn a hose on it inside and out and it looks like it did when I picked it up at the marina. Center consoles are easy to modify as well. I trailer mine from VA to Kentucky alot, also have taken it to Hilton Head, Florida, and out on the Chesapeake Bay. Very versatile for all conditions. Just my .02.

Bob

[Muskieboy02]

You all will have to look at a G3. I have one and it is a damm nice boat. I love it. Also a buddie of mine has a Triton189 and thats a nice muskie boat also.

[Larry Carr]

Have ya looked at the new Trtion DV aluminum? DV176 is the mdoel. There was one at the Ohio Musky Show this weekend.

LC
WishinIwasFishin

[Bigs]

One that floats

[Evergreen State Musky Guy]

After researching the heck out of boats I bought a Tuffy Esox Magnum with a Yamaha 60 4-stroke tiller. With this motor, top speed is around 34-36 mph. Great layout, plenty of storage, the rod locker accepts 8-foot rods, it has a 60-inch musky livewell and 36-inch bait well, and Tuffy's quality and customer service are second to none. Few, if any, boats on the market have greater "fishability." With a swing-tongue trailer it fits inside a 20-foot garage. I towed mine from Milwaukee to Seattle with a Ford Ranger V-6, averaging about 11-12 mpg.

While the Mag is plenty of boat for inland lakes up to 25,000 acres, if I could spend more $$$ I'd buy a Tuffy Esox Deep-V 1760 with a console and 150, which has the same interior layout and would still fit a 20-foot garage, but is more versatile because you could use it on really big water (e.g., LOTW, Great Lakes, western reservoirs).

An Esox Mag with all the options--swing tongue, on-board battery charger, keel guard, custom cover, and Minnkota autopilot--will run you about 20K. A 1760 console with a 150 is in the mid 30's.

[Otter]

Being happy a Ranger owner, I tend to lean in that direction, but what type of water you fish would be a consideration. Definitely check out the 617, 618, 619, 620 and 621. I also think that some are using the 195 as a musky boat.