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Posts: 151
Location: Chippewa Falls, WI | Hey fellas, I currently fish out of a 2001 triton tr-21. Its a dual counsel bass boat with tons of storage and deck space to fish out of. I bought the boat a few years back and acutally just put a new 101lb i link terrova on it paired with a new 998 HB. I love the boat myself to fish out of (and yes the speed is fun) BUT I'm thinking about actually switching to a different boat. My brother fishes out of a '04 Ranger Reata 210 VS with a full wind shield. It's a great boat for riding around and fishing from but lacks the rod and tackle storage of my boat. I'm seriously considering making a change to either the Reata, 620/621 fisherman, or something similar in the tuffy lineup. I'm married with two young boys (2.5 yr old and infant) and my wife likes to fish. I spend a lot of time musky fishing and usually have 1-3 other people in the boat fishing with me. I like the fact that you have a good amount of back deck space in the Reata and you still have 4 seats for a comfortable ride. I also like the fact that the side walls of the boat are higher for the kids safety. The bimini top has also come in handy in either really bad or really hot weather on his Reata. I'm looking for feedback from guys who fish out of the 620 or similar tuffy boat with a full windshield vs the double windshields. I also am looking for feedback on the back deck situation on those boats. It seems that if you want to have 4 seats in then you only have the small back deck above the livewell?? I'm thinking that might not be much fun to stand on and attempt a good figure 8 when the water is a little rough... Most of my time now is spent musky fishing after memorial weekend with walleyes coming before that. However in the future I'm sure it will be used as much for pulling tubes and cruising as fishing. As far as a budget goes I'm thinking my boat is worth that $10,000-$14,000 range depending on what I leave on it and I wouldn't be looking to spend more than mid $20's on the newer boat. It appears that puts me in the '03-'06 models with Ranger (I see some '04 reata's for around $20k, my brother bought his last year for $16k!!) also depending on the model and extra's...
Thanks,
Adubs |
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | The rangers are awesome boats. With out the deck extension it's still very easy to fish out of the back of the boat, Inwould not worry about that. The 620 is plenty for the family! |
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Posts: 1023
| I think the boat u have is already better than most people own. My friend has the same one.
I would save the $ and keep what u have especially if it is paid for.
Just my opinion. |
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Posts: 99
Location: West Virginia | I have a 620 and love the layout. Tons of storage and a very versatile boat. I have 2 kids as well and pull tubes and run the river with the deck out. I also troll with the deck out and I have stood on the small deck to cast early and late in the day with no troubles. I fished Lake Erie a few weeks ago and was very stable on the smaller rear casting deck. Once the waves got too big, I stepped down inside the lower deck. The large rear casting is really comfortable. It is truly the best of both worlds for me. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | as stated by others, there is plenty of room to cast in the 619/20/21 Ranger models even without the rear deck piece put in. I don't get to fish out of the back of my boat very often but when I do I just love it back there...
As far as the windshields go...Riding behind a full windshield is a dream. I own the double shields and wish I had a full. The ranger "wind" shields only do so much, in bad weather or when driving fast it is nicer to have the full shield protecting you in my opinion |
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Posts: 151
Location: Chippewa Falls, WI | thanks for the feedback fellas, thats what I wanted to hear as far as fishing off the back deck. I'll be on the look out for a 620 with a full windshield.
Landry, I do really like my boat like I said, for what it is, and yes it's nice to have it paid for but thanks to a great job and understanding wife the newer one would cause me to have a payment either. I think the tradeoffs for riding around with a full windshield would be worth it, HOPEFULLY! Its really tough to have a boat that can only fit a max of three adults and no kids when you have a big family and lots of friends to fish and boat with.
thanks again,
Adubs |
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Posts: 139
| i have a ranger reata and love the boat. I have a 2008. And yes there is a need for more storage, but i have gotten used to that. I don't leave stuff in my boat anyways. Other than that, its a great boat, and i couldn't think of anything i could want right now. I too came from a bass boat. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | full windshields make me feel claustrophobic ... single console all the way. |
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Posts: 218
| A single console is fine on a small Wisconsin lake; I did it for years on Lac Viuex Desert. It took less than 5 minutes to travel across the entire lake. Take a one-hour boat ride home on LOTW or Eagle on a regular basis, and one will appreciate a full windshield. This is especially true in early June, late September and October. In addition, not much muskie fishing space is lost with the full wind shield. There is no problem with 2 casting on the front deck and one off the back. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i like the single console on Eagle and LOTW too ... you couldn't pay me to own a full windshield. they get in the way ... i suppose if you're a sally they are nice. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Plus they don't look as cool  |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I like the full windshield. I just don't like a big boat as much as I used to.
s(sally)worrall |
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Posts: 218
| I am sure a full windshield would get in the way if one is clumsy and tends to trip over his own feet.
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I don't walk on my windshield.
Actually, if I do stumble, the full windshield is in a good place to stop the tumble much of the time.
Might happen more as I get old(er). In my tiller....just flat on my face I guess. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | a tuffy esox mag fishes bigger than a 620 with a full windshield ... sorry, a huge ranger fan but a 619-620 with full windshields is an enormous space waster throughout their brand. too much fishing area is taken by console and floor space. from the molding to the nose isn't much different and fishing right next to a guy especially on eagle could be the difference between a hay-maker and a day you wish you could forget. i've witnessed it first-hand.
having comfort to keep your eyes dry on a ride vs. fishing performance ... unless you are working the back of the boat trolling or fishing with a family with chics and kids as stated above (which is why full windshields are offered), you sacrifice fishing performance and if you hit it hard, it will eventually cost you.
teach the wife to drive it or hope her name isn't sally and get a single console like you want.
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | Mudsledhen, what works for you might not work for everyone. I see this as total personal preference as well as dependent on what type of fishing you are doing. Full Windshield all the way for me. Great Lakes fishing as late as December and as early as March the windshield has made a huge difference for me. They do take up space but its a loss ill take, and you learn how to adapt. My preference is to have one. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | muskihntr - 6/11/2013 12:29 PM
Mudsledhen, what works for you might not work for everyone. I see this as total personal preference as well as dependent on what type of fishing you are doing. Full Windshield all the way for me. Great Lakes fishing as late as December and as early as March the windshield has made a huge difference for me. They do take up space but its a loss ill take, and you learn how to adapt. My preference is to have one.
i'd love one on the Great Lakes too ...
driving your own boat without a guide on the shield - give me a casting platform. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I completely agree the single console is better suited for fishing purposes and gives you a lot more room...but I know in my boat my double consoles give me little-to-nothing in terms of keeping wind and rain out of my face when driving. Then there was the bat I almost took in my face last year @50 MPH, but thats another story....basically they look cool and I can store tools and other things behind them. That's about it.So in a choice between double console " shields" and the full windshield I would def. go full if I had the cash |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | dbl console..short shields on my 620 works like a charm. long boat rides like in canada i use a pair of ski goggles to keep the tears away. |
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Posts: 151
Location: Chippewa Falls, WI | well I decided after a week on LOTW in my brothers Reata 210vs to buy one myself. (I currently have my triton tr-21 for sale). My question for you guys is about the front deck extension? This new boat doesn't have one so I'm going to either buy one from ranger and have it installed or put a custom "JUST ENCASE" box in it. I mainly musky fish but I do some walleye and bassin' in the spring. The problem with putting a custom tackle box is it would sit on top of the rod locker. The rod locker only holds 7' rods anyways so my musky setups won't be in their but I was trying to figure out the best way to extend the front deck?? The cost I think for the deck extension is around $400 installed and the JUST ENCASE will obviously be more but I thought it would give me the best of both worlds especially when out musky fishing. When i'm not out musky fishing I would just remove it...
What are some of your thoughts ??
thanks,
Adubs
edit: just talked to ranger, custom deck lid extension is $212.88... Just Encase was estimated around $700-$1000 depending on demensions and features...thats a lot of extra baits to put into my homemade hangin' clear box. My brother made one on his own out of plexi glass to fit under his front deck lid for around $40... probably leaning towards the carpeted deck lid and my own clear box...
Edited by adubs 8/20/2013 11:15 AM
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Posts: 1042
| Can you really go wrong with a Just Encase box? Those things are awesome! |
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Posts: 139
| I used to fish out of a and own a stratos bass boat. Great boat for fishing but not much else. It was fast, close to the water and had tons of room on the deck. Now I have a 1850 Reata. The deck isn't as big, and the boat isn't as fast, but I like it tons more. I fish out of it 80% of the time with no issues, and the other 20% is used for skiing and tubes making it a great multi purpose boat. with my bass boat I could only really fit 2 maybe 3 people with my reata I can sit 6-8 without an issue. To me the bass boat was a one trick pony.. it was used for fishing and it would idle or go full speed no inbetween. the reata is just more versatile.
Edited by hunter991 8/20/2013 2:21 PM
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Posts: 221
| After going from a boat with no windshield to a Ranger 619 with full windshield I'd never go back. Especially for late season fishing when it's below zero in Northern Minnesota. Add a full bimini in the mix and it's a dream come true out there. |
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