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Posts: 166
Location: Merrill, Wisconsin | Hey everyone, next year im going to be shopping for a boat, whether its spring or fall i'm going to be looking. Its going to be a dedicated musky boat. I'm open to consoles, W/T consoles, or even tiller boats. But it has to be under 6k but able to fish two people comfortable. Any makes, models or anything I should look into??? I have no preference between glass or aluminum boats.
Thanks for the help! |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | What size lakes do you fish |
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Posts: 682
Location: Sycamore, IL | Under 6K go with a tiller...older 90's Tuffy, Ranger, Lund. In that price range your buying a motor with a boat attached. I would be looking for a 680T. |
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Posts: 383
| I'd check out the '92 Ranger for sale on this site. Looks like a great boat for the money. Those older Ranger 680s and 681s are super boats. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | I really like my Tuffy Esox Ltd. Fishes two very nicely, and could fish three if you had to.
Launches and loads easily. With an older 40hp Johnson, top end with two guys and gear is around 27. |
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Posts: 72
| Another vote for 680T |
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Posts: 383
| Take your time and enjoy the search. There's some good ones out there. I picked up a Lund Nisswa Guide over the weekend. It's a 16 foot glass Lund tiller with a 79" beam. I've been wanting one for years. If you keep an eye on the web and you're ready to buy when you find something you'll find a great boat in your price range. |
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Posts: 152
| I would go with an older Tuffy esox mag (newest you can afford). Mine with another guy and gear with an 88 40hp evinrude goes 27 as well. Great boat, stable, comfy to fish...I would research when they started getting composite transoms though. Buying an older boat with a wood transom can be like opening Pandora's box. |
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Posts: 166
Location: Merrill, Wisconsin | WOW! I didn't realize that many guys like tillers??! I fish a lot of 300 acre lakes and some rivers and smaller flowages. Nothing crazy sized! Are these tiller style glass boats okay in a little chop??? Compared to like a bass tracker aaluminum boat? |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | The glass tillers these guys are talking about will do just fine on the waters you talk about. So will most any aluminum boat, especially when you get into 16 footers.
I started with a 1995 16' Sea Nymph with a 2 stroke 40 hp Evinrude. Fairly narrow boat and not real roomy, but fished two musky guys or 3 walleye guys fine. That boat went to the Chippewa Flowage a few times and fished Lake Wissota a lot (6,000 acres) with no troubles. Windy days were rough, but do able.
Next boat was a 2000 Alumacraft Navigator 165. Very capable boat in most conditions. Took it to Lake of the Woods and it did fine. You could probably afford one with a two stroke, and maaayyybbee a 4 stroke, but don't expect it to look pretty. I really prefer to buy used boats that look like they have been taken care of. I sold mine this year for $7,800 and think I could have sold it for a bit more if I waited longer for the right buyer.
What tillers do for you: 1.) they are less expensive. 2.) you are most likely looking at a boat in the 16 foot range or less in your price range, and the tillers offer more interior space in a smaller boat.
I would look into the Tuffys the guys are talking about, but be very careful. For 6K you'll be looking at one made with wood, and rot was common unless they were cared for really well. Can be fixed I'm sure but would add to the cost.
An Alumacraft Lunker, or similar boats in Lund, Crestliner, etc. will probably just be in your price range with 40-50 hp 4 strokes. If you can find it in your range, you'll appreciate running a 4 stroke, rather than an older technology 2 stroke. They run cleaner, quieter, more efficient, and don't stink.
Whatever you buy, make sure it has been cared for. Look for excessive dock rash, water stains, dents or serious scratches. You won't find a perfect new boat, but 6K will buy you a decent 16 foot late 90's to early 2000's boat if you are patient. Have fun looking! |
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Posts: 134
| Lot of recommendations for the Tuffys which is what i was looking for when i was in the market for first rig 15 yrs ago. I came across a Lakeland 1675 which is of near identical to the esox ltds. Had a 50hp mariner and would do 32mph with 2 guys and gear. Fished moderate sized lakes and 2 trips to NWangle out this rig. Well built boat that would serve your purposes well and may not be common enough to catch your attention if you dont know what it is. Wish i would have had the space to keep when i upgraded 7yrs ago as it was perfect for the river and flowage fishing i do locally |
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Posts: 357
| there are always some nice 18' Tuffy Rampages for sale in that range...or the like stated the 680 series rangers. Also some of misc Lunds are pretty solid if aluminum is fine. |
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Posts: 206
| The older Rangers will have a composite transom where other glass manufacturers were wood (and prone to rot) until approx 2005-ish. Aluminum boats are still wood transoms today... No matter what used boat you buy REALLY have the transom examined by someone that knows how to do this. You are preventing a $4-6k+ repair. |
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Posts: 1283
| I paid 4500 for my 95 17ft Nitro in great shape with a 60hp Merc on it. Love the boat can easily fish 2 and have fished with 3 plenty of times without issue. Looks cool and goes 35 with 3 people.
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | If you are fishing rivers, small lakes with crappy launches get an aluminum boat. A mod v tiller or a v bottom with the deadrise of a princecraft or a princecraft. |
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Posts: 626
Location: Madison, WI | I would look hard at that 04 Esox LTD for sale on this site. looks like a sweet rig |
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Posts: 1675
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | I got an alumacraft lunker 165 LTD for 3,000. I sold the 798CIHD and the 50 lb power drive for 850. I put an 80 lb Terrova with ipilot and 2 HDS 7's on the boat and I have a good rig for about 4,500 bucks. I had to replace the bilge pump and added a charger. It took some hard work to take most of the interior out of the boat to upgrade to the 24v motor, but I could walleye troll with it easy. I have crazy battery life and decent size screens. |
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Posts: 148
Location: pittsburgh, pa | Lots of boats out there that can handle the water you talk. One thing i will say like someone else said you are basically buying a notor. Make sure that the motor runs good and have compression and other things checked. Motor problems get expensive. You can always fix the interiot yourself through the winter to your likings for farely cheap
Edited by todd_yester 9/4/2015 11:53 PM
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Posts: 1023
| You guys are very lucky to have the used boat prices that you do. In Canada, you could never find a decent boat for under 6,000. When our dollar was stronger I bought two boats in the States. Was worth the drive - saved thousands. |
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Posts: 23
| I wouldn't pay $6K for an "older" Tuffy , Ranger ,Lund or any other older fishing boat......your asking for $$$ trouble........
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