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Posts: 50
Location: Hobart, Indiana | I have a 1900 Lund Pro V SE and its starting to nickel and dime me a lil bit with general maintenance. I know that there are different boats out there that you guys fish in, but was wondering what makes your boat the ideal musky boat? All suggestions and comments are welcome. Makes and model? |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | well any one who ISN"T getting nickled and dimed on their boat is probably either in denial or not fishing much....That's kind of just the way these things go
If I was going to go aluminum I would certainly go with a Lund,your boat may not be 100% ideal for Musky fishing but you could do a heck of a lot worse...
I'm one of many who are Ranger guys...I think you would be hard pressed to find owners of a 690, 692, 619, 620, or 621 models have many ( if any complaints) about them. They are all deeper v to handle big water but also have good storage and low to the water front and back decks to keep your boatside stuff easy and still "safe". You do burn more gas, but the heavier glass boats drift less in the wind as opposed to aluminum. Plenty of storage on all, and similar to a Lund there will always be someone out there lined up to buy your Ranger if you ever want to make a change with generally solid resale values
Edited by Musky Brian 7/6/2012 2:07 PM
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| boat stands for
Break Out Another Thousand...all boats are expensive to own.
best musky boat is the one that is paid for and runs all the time! ; )
Ranger deep Vs are great boats that hold their Value more than most. |
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Posts: 555
Location: Tennessee | Those Deep Vs are wonderful boats. Unfortunately for me here in East TN not the best choice. I'm using a 17' Nitro right now and limited in some of my waters. Planning on going with a jet drive. Either a G3 or if I want to toss down some more bucks maybe have a custom boat built. |
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Posts: 136
Location: Dane Country | My boat is great. It floats,runs and is paid for. What more can I ask for. I just completely redid my fuel system. I will email pics to Steve this week to post. |
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | As noted earlier by Musky Brian, the Ranger 600 series boats are the prized boats for bigwater muskie, but for me glass was not the ideal choice. I went with the Predator 2010ss... to me, the best boat on the market for big waterm skinny water, muskie and bass. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Hull material and manufacturing quality will dictate a good boat. In aluminum, there's Lund, Crestliner, and Alumacraft and Tracker Marine leading the pack in multi-specie rides. In glass there's Lund, Ranger, Skeeter, Tuffy, and Yar Craft.
If buying used, the Champion Fish Hunter series were really well done. Nitro is introducing a new multi-specie glass rig soon. All are very well built boats, each targeted at a specific market segment, that will give you years of service and retain a high percentage of the original value over a decade or more of ownership.
If you go glass, you can spend $78,000.00 or more on a fully rigged 21' multi-specie Deep V and easily spend $50,000.00 on a 19' class rig. Check pricing, motor options, big and small water performance, and most importantly, the interior design and layout and options that make the boat a good craft from which to fish Muskies.
When buying used, look at new pricing, compare electronics and accessories, and look at the asking price. If the rig is in really good shape, and the layout is what you want, and the brand is one of the above, and the price is correct for the age or a really good deal, buy the rig.
There is a common misconception that certain brands hold value better than others. Look at retail new pricing, and boats 5 years old or more asking prices, and you will discover the percentage of retained value is quite comparable between all the brands listed above. |
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| I was a long time Lund guy, and they are the top of the line metal boats. But I bought a 2006 Ranger VS 619....what an improvment. It sits in the water lower, and has more weight, so it is soooo much more easy to control in big wind with the bow mount motor. And we troll a lot (10 hp kicker) and man oh man, does it troll better. I like the storage and no problems in big water. But all boats are like a "Black Hole", they either need maintenance or new gadgets $$$$$ |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | I've fished out of an assortment of boats over the years, 14' aluminum with becnch seats, 16' glass with tiller and swivel seats, 18.' aluminum deep V, bass boats, and multi species glass boats. Each one did something better than all the rest of them and to get the best boat for you, first you need to know how you fish the majority of the time. Every time you want to cover more options you compromise what the boat does best to make it more versatile. The more compromises you have the less happy you'll be most of the time.
Right now my most important fishing is on Canadian shield lakes. Bigger water, but not open water so I don't expect to be out fishing in big waves most of the time. Traveling 15 miles from the dock to get to where you want to fish is nothing out of the ordinary. Covering 50 to 60 miles in a day is very possible. I looked at lots of boats when I decided to get out of my deep V I used for salmon/trout in addition to muskies. The one that stood out far far above the rest was the one I run now, a Tuffy X-190. Huge front deck, you can sit tight to the kicker for trolling with the tiller, and it loafs along at 45 mph at the most economical cruising rpms. It fit what I was looking to accomplish exactly. I fished 14 days on the same amount of gas I had used in 10 days with the deep V, only I covered more water and trolled longer too. It's easier for me to control with the bow mount as it doesn't catch the wind as much. It doesn't handle the rough water as well as the deep V did, but why have a boat that's great in conditions you rarely fish and only does OK at conditions you fish typically? That's the big selling point of a boat. How does it handle the conditions you fish in most of the time? |
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| Ranger 600 series . |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | comment on the nickel and dime ...
get to know the guts of your boat and re-wire/re-plumb/re-rig it so that you have a complete understanding of what, why and how everything is laid out. you'd be amazed how you can improve an already good boat by installing logic and order into it. there are forums galore on this site showing so many great projects, tips, hints etc... reliability is expensive LOL though, but owning a boat is no different than loving a good woman. they give them female names for a reason!!
i echo the comments above .... there are a few that stand the test of time. champion elite, ranger 200c, tufty esox mag are the ones i've enjoyed over the years, but my current rig is incredible for the waters i fish ... it's a 1994 ranger 690c |
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| If your willing to go a little smaller, get an Esox Magnum and never spend a dime on maintenance (although I don't know much about motors) other than an oil change as long as you get a four stroke Merc and save hundreds of thousands of dollars on gas for both the boat and truck  |
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Posts: 772
Location: Ames, Iowa | Ruger Shooter-
My boat's ideal for me because it's something I can afford to buy/use and something I can make myself and my two sons comfortable in while trolling or casting. I think those two factors are tops in determining what is best for you. It's a 16 foot Sylvan single console. Since you are next to Lake George I assume you aren't on huge water and could get to safe water quickly in a big wind. Don't know if you need a deep V with the bigger motor on the smaller lakes, but if you are fishing Michigan (muskies?)... of course bigger is best. |
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| Pathfinder 2200 TRS Yamaha 150...It's ideal because:1. Center console lay out...game changer when it comes to fishing!! The only layout I'll ever fish! 2. Stand up driving...God gave us two fully independent, infinitely adjustable, extremely strong shock absorbers attached to our hips! They work much better than our poor backs! Plus the added visibility and feeling of control is great too. 3. Very shallow draft! this is handier than i thought it would be! 4. It's 22' long and 8'6" wide. Ridiculous amounts of storage and space! 5. It's powered by a 150 yamy! Best motor yamaha makes. I go 46mph loaded. Let me restate: 22' long 8'6" wide boat that gets 46 mph with a 150!! 6. 60 gallon fuel tank. I hate to pull the boat to gas up or, even worse, pay "on the water" prices. I can guide 6 days on Vermi w/o filling up! 7. Trim tabs. All boats of all sizes and layouts need em. Use em once and you'll instantly understand! 8. No carpet! Is it more slippery...yes, very slightly...not a problem. Carpet sucks! It holds dirt and water and is a pain to clean! It rots decks(even fiberglass) grows mold, catches hooks, transports AIS, ect...pros don't even come close to out weighing cons! 9. light boat and trailer. At 22' it trailers insanely better than my 20' Ranger! 20% BETTER FUEL ECONOMY! Aluminum Trailer.
I could go on and on but you get the idea! I love my Pathfinder! There are certainly other companies that make boats that match my list and an extremely large used market. They are generally called "bay boats" and we'll be seeing more and more of them around! P.S. Pathfinders are priced well below Ranger and even Lund! My boat retails in the mid-fourties! |
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Posts: 244
Location: Madison | Ben,
What is the HP rating for your boat?
Kirk |
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| Rated for a 250. Larry Dahlberg runs the same boat with a 250SHO! Thats a lot of motor for this hull...I think they said it ran low to mid 60s. I'm excited about rumors of a tuned up 175/200 based on the 150 block(yamaha). |
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| For the past 12 years, I had A Ranger 681. Great musky boat and really, a great overall fishing boat. This year I traded it in and then bought a Tuffy Esox Magnum tiller. Love the tiller, love the layout and very enjoyable to fish out of. I'm on a chain of lakes and this is the ideal boat to traverse all the channels and such. Both makes are great choices. |
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | Ben Olsen - 7/16/2012 4:10 PM
Pathfinder 2200 TRS Yamaha 150...It's ideal because:
My boat retails in the mid-fourties!
The Pathfinder 2200 is my ideal boat. Very jealous!
I tried and tried to get a used bay boat. I was willing to travel across the country to get one, but just couldn't find one at a low enough price (10K budget). Yes, they are less expensive than our Rangers. But it was impossible to get some guy in North Carolina to believe i was going to buy his boat here in MN...
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | the best musky boat is the one you own. i bought a new rig this year a skeeter MX1825 it will hold 8 foot rods in the center locker 12 footers in the side locker i dont have 12 footers but my 9'8" trolling rods slide right in and there out of the way. i had it out on lake st clair over the 4th the waves thoses big boats make would have flooded my old crestliner. so i would have to say for the money the mx1825 is the best boat out there .Why because thats what i own. |
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Posts: 162
Location: Metro, MN | The best new boat for the money would be the 18 foot alumacraft competitor. loaded with 2 lowrance hds 7's, 80 lb terrova with ipilot, and a 150 verado or etec comes out at 28,000. If you have great credit it came out to be 240 a month for me!
This boat has a TON of room with a giant casting deck. Long rod storage and performs, especially on big water, amazingly.
I think its the best boat you can find for the money right now if you are an avid muskie fisherman |
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| has anyone fished out of a Larson 1750, the layout look great and i've seen them priced around 23 for a tiller and 27 for a dual console model w/ a 125 |
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Posts: 12
| Check out a Skeeter or Yarcraft. Killer boats and you won't pay a couple extra thousand for the name on the side of the boat like a couple others. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Guest - 7/18/2012 11:29 AM
has anyone fished out of a Larson 1750, the layout look great and i've seen them priced around 23 for a tiller and 27 for a dual console model w/ a 125
just my opinion but for 27k you could buy a whole heck of a lot of a boat used rather then new, definitely better then anything 17.5 feet with only a 125 on it....In my opinion buying used is the way to go on boats
Edited by Musky Brian 7/24/2012 12:20 PM
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Location: 31 | Musky Brian - 7/24/2012 12:18 PM
Guest - 7/18/2012 11:29 AM
has anyone fished out of a Larson 1750, the layout look great and i've seen them priced around 23 for a tiller and 27 for a dual console model w/ a 125
just my opinion but for 27k you could buy a whole heck of a lot of a boat used rather then new, definitely better then anything 17.5 feet with only a 125 on it....In my opinion buying used is the way to go on boats
x2. I also kind of disagree with the opinion that most brands of boats depreciate equally... maybe from new, but not so much if you're perspective is buying/selling used.
Edited by Jerry Newman 7/24/2012 1:13 PM
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Posts: 12
| muskyhunter47 - 7/17/2012 8:59 PM
the best musky boat is the one you own. i bought a new rig this year a skeeter MX1825 it will hold 8 foot rods in the center locker 12 footers in the side locker i dont have 12 footers but my 9'8" trolling rods slide right in and there out of the way. i had it out on lake st clair over the 4th the waves thoses big boats make would have flooded my old crestliner. so i would have to say for the money the mx1825 is the best boat out there .Why because thats what i own.
Didn't see this before, but to add to it:
32 gal. 50 inch livewell.
50mph boat with a Yamaha 150 gas tanks full, full livewells, full rod/tackle lockers, and two people.
All for about 36k, kinda hard to beat haha. I recommend the single console. Opens up a lot of space on the front deck. |
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Posts: 432
Location: Eagan, MN | I saw that mx1825 at the minnesota muskie show this spring... really an awesome layout. I wish it had been available when I bought my ranger 1860 a few years back... it would have given it a serious run for the money. The dealer told me that skeeter is coming out w/ a 20' version soon. Will be interesting to see how that turns out. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | the 1825 fits in my shed any bigger no go its tight but glad i bought it
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Posts: 151
Location: West of the metro, MN | in my mind a good musky boat can run shallow water but take the big waves. just sold my lund this spring and bought a tuffy and there is definantly a difference in the way it rides. to me the fiberglass is just way smoother and dryer. i went with a tiller because a guy never has enough room once you put all your crap in there with two guys and a big, thrashing fish. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Ben Olsen - 7/16/2012 5:10 PM
Pathfinder 2200 TRS Yamaha 150...It's ideal because:1. Center console lay out...game changer when it comes to fishing!! The only layout I'll ever fish! 2. Stand up driving...God gave us two fully independent, infinitely adjustable, extremely strong shock absorbers attached to our hips! They work much better than our poor backs! Plus the added visibility and feeling of control is great too. 3. Very shallow draft! this is handier than i thought it would be! 4. It's 22' long and 8'6" wide. Ridiculous amounts of storage and space! 5. It's powered by a 150 yamy! Best motor yamaha makes. I go 46mph loaded. Let me restate: 22' long 8'6" wide boat that gets 46 mph with a 150!! 6. 60 gallon fuel tank. I hate to pull the boat to gas up or, even worse, pay "on the water" prices. I can guide 6 days on Vermi w/o filling up! 7. Trim tabs. All boats of all sizes and layouts need em. Use em once and you'll instantly understand! 8. No carpet! Is it more slippery...yes, very slightly...not a problem. Carpet sucks! It holds dirt and water and is a pain to clean! It rots decks(even fiberglass) grows mold, catches hooks, transports AIS, ect...pros don't even come close to out weighing cons! 9. light boat and trailer. At 22' it trailers insanely better than my 20' Ranger! 20% BETTER FUEL ECONOMY! Aluminum Trailer.
I could go on and on but you get the idea! I love my Pathfinder! There are certainly other companies that make boats that match my list and an extremely large used market. They are generally called "bay boats" and we'll be seeing more and more of them around! P.S. Pathfinders are priced well below Ranger and even Lund! My boat retails in the mid-fourties!
Agree with everything above, but for my 200C. I'll only ever have bay boats from here on.
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