Aluminum Bass Boats 2024
iamham3 reply :
I'm looking into buying an aluminum bass boat in the not too distant future, and was looking for some guidance. I'll mainly be bass fishing small to large bodies of freshwater in Texas and Louisiana, occasionally hitting up some shallow bays. This will be my first boat, and my first real experience boating. I've been in friends' boats a few times, but not often. My requirements so far are at least a length of 17', rod storage of at least 7'6", and a recessed area for the foot control. I've narrowed my choices to the Ranger RT178, Crestliner VT17, and the G3 Eagle Talon 17. Any advice on other requirements I may want to consider, or advice/info on these boats would be greatly appreciated.
KevO reply :
One of the best things I did for my tin boat was add a 24v variable speed trolling motor.
Catt reply :
Xpress or Alweld 
Long Mike reply :
If you are looking at buying a used boat, I suggest you take a hard look at the Tracker Tournament V-18. Unfortunately Tracker quit making them for some odd reason. It has a modified deep-V hull, so handles big water very well, yet will allow you to get into very skinny water It has a huge front deck and tons of storage, plus the rod locker will handle 8 foot rods with ease. Equipped with a Merc 150hp motor, it will do 50 mph.
slonezp reply :
Most definitely order with a 24v trolling motor. Get a 3 bank onboard charger You will need to pick electronics. For this, figure out which options you want and get the largest screen(s) you can afford.
As far as brand advice, There are rumors Ranger is changing the hull for 2015, they've had some porpoising issues they are trying to resolve. All 3 brands you listed make a quality boat. You should test drive each boat, on a small chop if you can. If you can test fish that's even better. Decide whose layout you like the best. Most importantly pick a dealer with a good reputation.
Slade House reply :
I have a 2005 tracker pro team 175, I would definitley if i had the money go with an xpress boat. they have ironed out all of the kinks and they are some sick boats (also big and fast). my advice is don't go with a 17 , go with at least an 18ft or above. I have friends whio have g3, aluminum ranger and triton , and im not impressed with any of those in aluminum.
Catt reply :
Xpress Hyperlift if ya can afford it!
tstone reply :
I saw you mentioned fishing bays, if you plan on fishing saltwater much I'd look for one with a galvanized or aluminum trailer. The painted steel trailers hate salt.
slonezp reply :
On 8/17/2014 at 1:16 AM, Slade House said:I would definitley if i had the money go with an xpress boat. they have ironed out all of the kinks and they are some sick boats (also big and fast).
Have they resolved the "not so" dry storage issue?
Catt reply :
On 8/17/2014 at 3:05 AM, slonezp said:Have they resolved the "not so" dry storage issue?
Aint heard that one!
ww2farmer reply :
On 8/16/2014 at 1:13 AM, KevO said:One of the best things I did for my tin boat was add a 24v variable speed trolling motor.
Yup, me too. The next thing I am going to do is add a shallow water anchor.
TNBASSIN reply :
i also plan on purchasing my first boat next year sometime and have decided to go with a Ranger RT 178 with a 24 volt trolling motor and Humminbird electronics. I just have not decided what outboard engine to go with. Maybe I could get some feed back on the following 2 engines. 75 hp Evinrude E-Tec or 75 hp Mercury Optimax?
ww2farmer reply :
On 8/18/2014 at 11:09 AM, TNBASSIN said:i also plan on purchasing my first boat next year sometime and have decided to go with a Ranger RT 178 with a 24 volt trolling motor and Humminbird electronics. I just have not decided what outboard engine to go with. Maybe I could get some feed back on the following 2 engines. 75 hp Evinrude E-Tec or 75 hp Mercury Optimax?
Personally.......neither. Go 4 stroke.
FrogFreak reply :
I have a Crestliner VT17 and I really enjoy it. I did get the 24V trolling motor and I have an onboard 2 bank charger. I should have gotten a 3 bank but I listened to the silly sales guy who said 2 banks was enough.
PM me if you want more info.
TheBig1 reply :
My wife and I had an agreement that I was going to get my boat in 2 years. I was going to get a Tracker Pro Team 175. Well this past spring while looking at Craigslist, because it was spring and I'm dying for a boat, I found a '99 Lowe 180 w/70hp Johnson on it for $5k. I told the wife that if it was everything the guy said it was and wasn't a piece of junk that this was a good buy. When I looked at it, it was all that!!! He sold me everything that was in the boat also which was actually a lot of gear as far as boating items. All I did was swap out the stock 42lb trolling motor for a used Craigslist 24v Minn Kota Maxxum Pro 80lb thrust trolling motor as well as put a 3 bank battery charger on there and my wife is now hooked on bass fishing herself. We're out once to twice a week.
The point of this story is, I was looking at all of the brands of boats, Bass Tracker, Lowe, G3, etc... for their lowest "Bass boat" model which usually runs around $13k-$15k with prep and delivery which makes payments around $150-$200/month for 10-15 years but when I found deal I had to jump on it and we couldn't be happier. For me to have bought an 18' boat brand new it would have cost around $18k-$20k if not just a tad bit more. And be willing to look a few hours away on Craigslist, that's how I found a good deal on that trolling motor, it was 3 hours away and he met me half way in between.
We were actually fishing two weeks ago and a brand new looking red Tracker Pro Team 175 trolled past us as we were fishing a weed line and I told the wife that was the boat that we would have gotten in two years and she was grateful that we didn't. It looked so small compared to our boat.
iamham3 reply :
On 8/18/2014 at 5:59 PM, ww2farmer said:Personally.......neither. Go 4 stroke.
Why do you suggest the 4 stroke?
bighed reply :
I've had a Tracker and a Triton aluminum and both were good boats with many good features. What turned me off to them was how badly the wind pushed these boats around. At times it was nearly impossible to control them. They dented easily when blown into timber as well.
jhoffman reply :
On 8/22/2014 at 12:35 AM, iamham3 said:Why do you suggest the 4 stroke?
So when the cyl blows it costs you five times as much to fix it. Jk... not really. They both have ups and downs. 4 stroke, no need to burn oil constantly the newer two strokes are nothing like the older two strokes thats for sure. Whatever you get, #1 is fuel injection.
iamham3 reply :
On 8/22/2014 at 1:45 AM, bighead said:I've had a Tracker and a Triton aluminum and both were good boths with many good features. What turned me off to them was how badly the wind pushed these boats around. At times it was nearly impossible to control them. They dented easily when blown into timber as well.
Would paying $5k-$10k more for fiberglass to keep from being pushed around by the wind be justified? Was this only on very windy days, or was it even when it was just breezy as well?
I was told it would be less expensive to learn on an aluminum boat than fiberglass because timber would only dent aluminum, whereas fiberglass would end up with holes.
TNBASSIN reply :
People I know that have aluminum boat have no problem on just breezy days (winds under 15 mph), on very windy days (winds above 15 mph) they don't go out. I don't plan on being on the water on very windy days. I bass fishing for the sport not to make a living. I'm going with aluminum because the one's made today are not like those of old. They are good stable boats and a good all around value. I asked about the Evinrude and Mercury to get some feed back on the two manufacturers.
slonezp reply :
On 8/22/2014 at 5:09 AM, iamham3 said:Would paying $5k-$10k more for fiberglass to keep from being pushed around by the wind be justified? Was this only on very windy days, or was it even when it was just breezy as well?
I was told it would be less expensive to learn on an aluminum boat than fiberglass because timber would only dent aluminum, whereas fiberglass would end up with holes.
I paid fiberglass prices for an aluminum boat. I have a Lund 2010 Predator which is a musky/multispecies boat but if I had to describe it, it's an aluminum bass boat on steroids. This is my second aluminum boat and I had a 'glass boat prior to that. Wind can be a factor no matter what type boat you purchase. Aluminum boats tend to sit higher and can act like a sail. Much of that "problem" can be corrected with proper trolling motor operation, and better equipment such as a 24v or 36v trolling motor rather than a 12v system. Shallow water anchors and drift socks help as well and, guys with 'glass boats utilize these same items to make their days on the water less stressful.
Fiberglass boats tend to weigh more and usually give a better ride in a chop. The difference in ride doesn't matter when it's calm to light winds. Common sense, proper boat handling, and time behind the wheel trumps whether the boat is tin or 'glass.
Aluminum boats are no longer "beginner" boats unless you are researching jon boats. Todays tin rigs offer every bit the glass boats have and in most cases are less expensive to run and tow because they weigh less. Top end aluminum bass boats fully rigged for bass fishing run over $40k I would hardly call that beginner.
I spent 3 years researching this boat purchase and looked at both aluminum and fiberglass boats. I fell in love with this boat as soon as I saw it. The storage, the layout, the size of the front deck, and the reputation of the manufacturer. It met every need I was looking for.
iamham3 reply :
On 8/22/2014 at 9:12 PM, slonezp said:I paid fiberglass prices for an aluminum boat. I have a Lund 2010 Predator which is a musky/multispecies boat but if I had to describe it, it's an aluminum bass boat on steroids. This is my second aluminum boat and I had a 'glass boat prior to that. Wind can be a factor no matter what type boat you purchase. Aluminum boats tend to sit higher and can act like a sail. Much of that "problem" can be corrected with proper trolling motor operation, and better equipment such as a 24v or 36v trolling motor rather than a 12v system. Shallow water anchors and drift socks help as well and, guys with 'glass boats utilize these same items to make their days on the water less stressful.
Fiberglass boats tend to weigh more and usually give a better ride in a chop. The difference in ride doesn't matter when it's calm to light winds. Common sense, proper boat handling, and time behind the wheel trumps whether the boat is tin or 'glass.
Aluminum boats are no longer "beginner" boats unless you are researching jon boats. Todays tin rigs offer every bit the glass boats have and in most cases are less expensive to run and tow because they weigh less. Top end aluminum bass boats fully rigged for bass fishing run over $40k I would hardly call that beginner.
I spent 3 years researching this boat purchase and looked at both aluminum and fiberglass boats. I fell in love with this boat as soon as I saw it. The storage, the layout, the size of the front deck, and the reputation of the manufacturer. It met every need I was looking for.
Thanks a million for the insight! This is the kind of info I'm looking for. I'm definitely going to take my time and do plenty research before I pull the trigger.
bighed reply :
On 8/22/2014 at 5:09 AM, iamham3 said:Would paying $5k-$10k more for fiberglass to keep from being pushed around by the wind be justified? Was this only on very windy days, or was it even when it was just breezy as well?
I was told it would be less expensive to learn on an aluminum boat than fiberglass because timber would only dent aluminum, whereas fiberglass would end up with holes.
I guess if beating the banks is what you like to do prob no big deal in an aluminum. Trying to stay on structure in open water on a windy day is a different story. I like doing the tourney thing so I fish whatever the condition, windy or not. Up here its usually windy, 15-20 is normal. I should say that mine was a hand control TM which I don't like and that may have added to my frustration. You won't poke a hole through a glass boat but will scratch them on timber. My pretty new white triton looked pretty bad in two years of bouncing off stumps. It had stickers for graphics on the sides that looked cool till they got tore up too. Kinda po'd me. All that said, the triton had some features I really liked. The 115 Merc 4 stroke would fish for days on $20 of gas. The front deck was huge and so was the storage. It towed easily and was easy to move by hand into my side entry garage. After this boat I moved back to glass boats and do prefer them. I'd say an aluminum boat WOULD be a great starter boat. Inexpensive, cheap to operate, easy to tow, hard to sink. JMHO
slonezp reply :
On 8/23/2014 at 3:16 AM, bighead said:I guess if beating the banks is what you like to do prob no big deal in an aluminum. Trying to stay on structure in open water on a windy day is a different story. I like doing the tourney thing so I fish whatever the condition, windy or not. Up here its usually windy, 15-20 is normal. I should say that mine was a hand control TM which I don't like and that may have added to my frustration. You won't poke a hole through a glass boat but will scratch them on timber. My pretty new white triton looked pretty bad in two years of bouncing off stumps. It had stickers for graphics on the sides that looked cool till they got tore up too. Kinda po'd me. All that said, the triton had some features I really liked. The 115 Merc 4 stroke would fish for days on $20 of gas. The front deck was huge and so was the storage. It towed easily and was easy to move by hand into my side entry garage. After this boat I moved back to glass boats and do prefer them. I'd say an aluminum boat WOULD be a great starter boat. Inexpensive, cheap to operate, easy to tow, hard to sink. JMHO
Oh? My Terrova Ipilot disagrees. This is what I meat by having the proper equipment for the type of fishing that one does.
bighed reply :
On 8/23/2014 at 8:30 AM, slonezp said:Oh? My Terrova Ipilot disagrees. This is what I meat by having the proper equipment for the type of fishing that one does.
I'd love to try one but understand they are not effective in our timber filled lakes
Long Mike reply :
On 8/23/2014 at 7:41 PM, bighead said:I'd love to try one but understand they are not effective in our timber filled lakes
I've fished both Lake Fork and the Housen Bay area of Toledo Bend with my Terrova equipped aluminum boat and have had no problems whatsoever.
Nailbender8usmc reply :
In June of this year I sold my 1995 Bass Tracker 18' Tournament Pro, it was a very solid boat and motor combination. Based on that experience I purchased a 2014 Bass Tracker PT175 TXW, I did make several upgrades however. I upgraded the motor to the 75hp Optimax, I upgraded the trolling motor to the 70ftlbs MinnKota, I added Humingbird bow-mounted electronics, I added a Hydrowave unit to the bow, I upgraded the boat to a 24 volt system and I upgraded the onboard battery charger to the MinnKota three bank. I can tell you that I love this boat! I fish a combination of rivers and lakes. The handling and performance of my boat to me is perfect for the rivers and even on those lakes where the water can get quite choppy, this boat slices through the water and does not beat you to death like my 19 year old boat used to do. I have plenty of storage space, especially in my rod locker. Live wells (I have two) have been great, I fish amateur tournaments on a regular basis and I have had no issues with fish kills. So, the bottom line for me is, I upgraded my performance over my old boat, the fishability is great out of this boat and I'm very satisfied with my purchase. You wont catch me talking bad about another manufacturer, I know that a new boat purchase can be a strssful time with all the research you have to do and with all the opinions out there, but I just wanted to share my experience with you in hopes that it helps you makes your decision. Good luck
mad basser reply :
I have a crestliner 1700 pro I like it alot motor I would get a 4stroke if not get the evinrude e tec less problems
Sweetale reply :
I have a 2014 RT 178, and love it. I upgraded to a 24 v 70# Edge, and it scoots the boat around with amazing ease. I stayed with the 60 hp 4-stroke Merc, and it treats me really well. GPS 36 mph with two adults and 1/2 tank of gas. I can't even describe the skinny water I've had this boat in, and you would REALLY need to mash it hard into something to get a dent. Great storage, fit/finish, trailer, and customer service with Ranger.
190 Tracker TX reply :
My 2013 aluminum Tracker 190TX is exactly the boat I was looking for, and the post you have received are from guys who providing you good advice. One thing you notice after fishing in whatever you decide to purchase is what upgrades will be necessary to deal with certain conditions while on the water; generally it is the equipment and not the boat that requires you attention. I have started to make my upgrades to my Tracker because my boat is a good platform. Check it out!
EmersonFish reply :
Just saw the video for the 2016 Tracker Pro Team 195 TXW. Sweet looking boat. Max 150hp, 8' 2" wide beam, 8' rod lockers, etc...
190 Tracker TX reply :
For those of you that have not seen the 2016 Tracker Pro Team 195 TXW, here is the YouTube link.
LuckyGia reply :
It looks sweet. If I were to buy another aluminum boat, this just might be it. My concern is , in big water, it's still going to act like a tin as opposed to a fiberglass.
Jason Penn reply :
wonder what tracker will change on the 17'?
Joespy reply :
A little late to the boards on buying a boat in 2014. I purchased a new 2014 Ranger RT178 in 2015 with an Evinrude Etec 75hp. I was hesitant on the Evinrude but after 75 hours last summer I am so glad I went Etec. Lighter, faster sips the gas. Run 39mph WOT at 5400 rpms. Lowrance Elite HDI5X on the console. (Upgrading to HDS7 GEN3 this spring) 5x at the bow. 80# minn Kota fortrex trolling motor. This boat has been amazing. SS prop with a micro power pole. Great fishing platform. Personally would steer clear of anything tracker. And wouldn't change my decision on this boat.
Further North reply :
On 8/23/2014 at 7:41 PM, bighead said:On 8/23/2014 at 8:30 AM, slonezp said:Oh? My Terrova Ipilot disagrees. This is what I meat by having the proper equipment for the type of fishing that one does.
I'd love to try one but understand they are not effective in our timber filled lakes
Interesting...what is the reason why they are not supposed to be effective?
PAGreg reply :
My guess would be that they just follow a route and doesn't care how many submerged logs it encounters along that route.
Further North reply :
On 1/28/2016 at 9:40 PM, PAGreg said:My guess would be that they just follow a route and doesn't care how many submerged logs it encounters along that route.
Why couldn't you stop them as needed? I do that all the time.
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