Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I have run bass boats for the last 6 years (last one being a Ranger 185). They are great to actually fish out of...if you get one that is big enough the front and back decks fish like a dream. If you customize your storage you can have plenty of it, minus a good rod locker. You can even install rod holders and do some trolling...
However, there are definitely some drawbacks and some major issues. They can be plenty nasty on big water, and it doesn't have to be the great lakes. I have been on LOTW, Eagle, and Lac Seul in 25+ mph winds and it is anything but comfortable. You can and will get wet. Having to drive across 3+ footers is certainly anything but comfortable either. yes you can do it, but it's not fun. Having to deal with 6 8+ rods also becomes difficult and the there really just is never a good place for a net either.
The bench seats are a magnet for big musky hooks, you can be careful all you want but at some point you or someone in your boat will slip up during fishing or travel and tears will happen. The windshields are pretty much useless, it's fine on a hot July day but miserable on a 40 degree day when you are zipping across at 50 mph. Also anything you leave out (maps, lures in the wrong place, cigs if you are into that kind of thing) will blow out the first chance you make a mistake....
I was content with them until last year...An August trip to LOTW with sustained winds was just too much to handle and didn't allow me to fish where I wanted to...I think if you fish the southern zone up through Wisconsin you are good to go..MN, lake dependant...Canada? doable but not great. I switched out to a 619, hoping it works out better for those weeks where the weather does not cooperate.
Edited by Musky Brian 1/27/2012 1:10 PM
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