Small Pond Fishing
When fishing from a small pond, there are several options. There’s always the option to fish from the shore and sometimes that is the best, but if you want to fish from a boat then here are some other options.
- Kayak Fishing – as far as simplicity goes, there’s nothing less hassle than fishing from a kayak. Kayak’s made specifically for fishing give you the convenience of places to store your fishing gear and there’s no boat easier to transport. They are relatively lightweight and can easily travel on top of an SUV or in the back of a truck.
- Bass Hunters – Bass hunter boats are very simple boats. They are lightweight yet durable heavy duty plastic construction. They are able to reach shallow places in the pond as they are shallow floaters. As the name implies, they are great for reaching those parts of the pond where bass like to hide. There are also other brands with similar features if one searches.
- Aluminum Boat – A simple flat bottom aluminum boat is a classic choice(also commonly known as a Jon Boat). These boats are usually no frills and very cost effective. Many people make different variations of an aluminum boat. You just need to search for the right one for you. If you aren’t a fan of aluminum construction, plastic versions of a flat bottom boat can also be found at similar prices.
- Inflatable Boats – It may seem counterintuitive to use an inflatable boat when fishing since fishing involves sharp objects. The last thing you want is to deflate your raft. But you may be surprised how durable inflatable fishing boats can be. This can also reduce the need for a boat trailer as the boat can be inflated at the fishing location.
Lake Fishing
Lake fishing isn’t that much different than pond fishing. The main difference being that you may need to travel further distances so upgrading to a motorized boat is advisable. The same boats used in ponds can obviously be used in lakes. But if you are going to venture out without a motor, be sure to put your boat in the water where you think the fish are.
- Aluminum Boat with Motor – This is exactly the same as used for pond fishing. The only difference is mounting a trolling motor on the boat. You can watch a helpful YouTube video to learn how to mount a motor on a Jon Boat. A simple trolling motor will cost anywhere from $100 to $300.
- Pontoon Boat – pontoon boats make an excellent multi-purpose boat. They can be used for a leisurely day on the lake with family and friends. But can also be used to fish with plenty of room on the deck for 3 or 4 anglers.
- Traditional Bass Boat – A traditional bass boat is the kind of boat most people associate with freshwater fishing. If you aren’t sure what a bass boat looks like, then look up bassmaster boats and this will paint a picture of what a bass boat looks like. Bass boats can be expensive but a decent used bass boat can run less than $10,000. Monthly payments are that much depending on the financing terms one can get. Use a boat payment calculator to see how much monthly boat payments might be.
River Fishing
River fishing is going to be similar to other freshwater fishing. Choose your weapon of choice from the list of boats above. When it comes to river fishing, try to find the side channels where the water is moving slower or not at all. This is sometimes most likely where the fish are. In this sense, it isn’t any different than lake fishing.
Bay Fishing
Now we are talking about saltwater fishing. When we talk about saltwater, boats become a little different. Whether we are talking about bay fishing or deep sea fishing, the boat now has to be able to withstand more substantial water turbulence. In other words, waves.
- Bay Boats – Bay boats are somewhat similar to bass fishing boats because they are meant to stay in the bay where waves will be more subdued. However, they are a little deeper than a bass boat to be able to handle waves a little better. Still, these boats are not made to withstand substantial waves. Bay boats are like a combination between a bass boat and a center console boat made for the ocean.
Deep Sea Fishing
When we talk about deep sea fishing, now we need a different type of boat to withstand substantial waves. If you want to do a variety of saltwater fishing, then it may make sense to plan and prepare for deep sea fishing…but then be able to do inshore saltwater fishing such as bay fishing as well.
- Center Console – a center console boat is a boat with a console in the middle of the boat. This type of boat is good for fishing because it lets you walk to each area of the boat to fish. However, most times the pole is mounted on or near the back of the boat.
- Cuddy Cabin – A cuddy cabin is a name for a small cabin under the deck of the boat. These may not be ideal for fishing but they can be fished from. In addition, they provide opportunities for multipurpose uses such as a leisurely afternoon on the water.
- Walk Around – A walk around boat is sort of like a center console boat combined with a cuddy cabin boat. They are created with the cuddy cabin but maintains the convenience of being able to walk around the boat 360 degrees.
Conclusion
When purchasing a boat, it’s important to know what type of boat you want. A confluence of factors will be involved in anyone’s decision. Price, function, and transportability are just a few factors. Hopefully this list will help you start your search for the perfect fishing boat.
This article was written by IQ Calculators where they strive to create smarter financial calculators.
