Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | My preference is tillers, but I agree that it depends on your fishing style and lake type. Most of my time is spent on 800-5,000 acre lakes in WI. The biggest local lake is the 15,000 acre Chippewa Flowage. I fished LOTW this year for the first time and didn't really feel hindered by my 16 foot Navigator and 50 hp tiller. There were times scooting to another spot at 50 MPH would have been nice but I didn't get that urge too much.
I mostly fish muskies once that season opens, but also fish walleyes and panfish in the spring. I don't troll a ton, but when I do I like the tiller for that. I love the room it offers - uncluttered and the ability to lay rods down on both sides of the boat. Everyone has to stand up to fish after the boat comes off plane so I don't have an issue with us walking back and forth.
Most of the time, on most of the lakes I fish, giving up 20 mph by driving a tiller really doesn't take away much fishing time, and the space and manueverability is nice.
Personally, I feel like I would prefer a tiller boat until I get into the 20 foot range, and then maybe the boat size would be so big that a console wouldn't hinder much space. Then again, the space in a 20 foot tiller...
The only reason for ME to get a console would be for more speed, and that's really not something I usually feel like I need. Plus more speed = more gas burned.  |
