Good small fishing boat? 2024

bassmanET reply :

Just started fishing this year & I'm hooked . I bought a small Jon boat from a neighbor, but sold it after 2 outings. It was just too small for my son & I. Looking for some advise. Want something that can hold at least 2 average adults & is light enough to car-top on my mini-van. Or something that might fit inside the van too. So far I have narrowed it down to several choices. A sports pal 14' canoe, 10' or 12' Jon boat and a mini bass boat (bass raider). Would also like to have a trolling motor. Any input would be very helpful!

hokiefisherman93 reply :

My experience is that canoes are very versatile, and can be easily maneurved, but if you are looking to hook up a trolling motor with it; it would be best to get a square back canoe to make mounting easier. Of course a jon boat makes mounting a trolling motor much easier, but I find moving in a canoe very easy (not to mention easier to carry or lift). Canoes are a little less sturdy than a jon boat, but I never had trouble fishing from one. Just my 2cents though

Catt reply :

Keep in mind bottom width determines stability

TopDog reply :

Get the biggest boat that will fit in the Van. Canoes are uncomfortable after a few hours of fishing, plus coordinating moves with 2 people can be a nightmare. With the boat (Jon or raider) you can at least stand up for a minute of two and stretch your legs. Having a back rest is a big plus. I have had all 3 of those boats.

Just my .02

fishizzle reply :

Catt is right. I have fished in many alum rowboats and I found that the ones that are 48" wide are much less stable than ones that are 54" wide. Grumman and Meyers and Alumacraft all have wider beams. I had a 10'er that worked fine for many years but upgraded to a 12'er to fit more gear. 2 200lb guys can stand up and fish and move freely without that tippy feeling when the other guy makes abrupt movements. You can even attach a clamp pedestal seat if you feel better leaning or sitting up high. If you shop around a lot and keep your standards high, a good condition 10' will cost $350 and a 12' boat will cost $450. A new one is over $1000. If you find better you're a great shopper. The $200 boats I looked at were all beaters with patchwork and lots of paint. I stayed away from aftermarket painted boats because I hated seeing flaking paint on my gear and the water. A square back canoe is hard to steer with the motor being directly behind you when its windy and you have to keep your hand on it the whole time. Thats why they make those side mount motor clamps so its at your side with twisting 180 degrees. Hope this helps

bassattackerdad reply :

We used to fish in a canoe with a 28lb thrust trolling motor. Moved it along pretty good. But you have inadequate control with this type of arrangement. Also, it is tough to stand and bass fishing requires standing much of the time. Try sitting down and pitching or flipping! Canoes are fine if you don't have anything else. We also have a jon boat. Better than a canoe but not long enough. There's always going to be some sort of compromise. Small hand totable boats are good for ponds and places without boat ramps. Other than that, a bass boat with a main motor, flat decks and a foot pedal trolling motor in front is the only way to go.

done reply :

I had a tracker 1436jon , but trailered it behind my minivan for a while. I took my kids out lots in it and it was great. Mind you not nearly as good as the PT 175txw I replaced it with but we fished it for 4 seasons and besides really windy high wake, conditions, it was awesome.

I did mod it though, added front and aft casting decks and put in some pedestal seats.

bassmanET reply :

Hey Thanks everyone! Your replies have been very helpful. I would like to stay away from anything that needs a trailer. I just don't get out enough to spend more $ on a trailer hitch, trailer, bigger boat, etc...

So, I thought that a small boat would be fine. I usually fish @ my local honey hole that is electric motor only & is only 5 minutes down the road (sweet!! ). My mini-van is a Honda odyssey so, with all the seats out I can fit 4x8 sheets of plywood in it. It also has factory roof rack. I like the mini bass boats but, I've read that they can fill up with water making them heavier? I was loading the jon boat I had inside the van & just tying the tail gate down. It was a gamefisher 10' jon. It only had a capacity of 245#, which is why I sold it.

fishizzle reply :

the capacity is deceiving. It actually represents the capacity weight after the boat has sunk. So your boat full of water will hold 245lbs before it actually sinks to the bottom.

Also I forgot to specify the V hulls in my post are better than flatbottom boats in stability

FishDiver reply :

Quote
Just started fishing this year & I'm hooked . I bought a small Jon boat from a neighbor, but sold it after 2 outings. It was just too small for my son & I. Looking for some advise. Want something that can hold at least 2 average adults & is light enough to car-top on my mini-van. Or something that might fit inside the van too. So far I have narrowed it down to several choices. A sports pal 14' canoe, 10' or 12' Jon boat and a mini bass boat (bass raider). Would also like to have a trolling motor. Any input would be very helpful!

Have you considered buying a couple of float tubes or pontoon boats? These are cheap and portable and very comfortable.

I have caught tons of fish from my tubes over the years. Even though I own a bass boat boat, I still prefer my tube for pure simplicity occasionally.

ring fry reply :

Crawdad®

Model No. J12M010

Features Specs Expert Info Warranty Made of virtually indestructible Ram-X® material Length 12'/365 cm Beam 48"/122 cm Weight 131 lbs/60 kg Maximum Capacity 420 lbs/191 kg Maximum 6HP Multi-use jon boat with 36 cubic feet of cargo space Comfortable, full width central bench seat Reinforced central and rear bench seats allow chair mounting Rivot and seam-free construction for smooth, watertight finish Double-hull ribbed construction for greater strength and stability Reinforced motor mounts at transom and bow Tri-grooved hull for superior tracking Four rod holders Extra flotation enclosed for added safety Fore and aft carrying handles for convenient transportation Tough bumper helps protect against dock abrasions Two year limited warranty

I bought my first one in '88 and my second one in 2002. I love it.

andamtoft reply :

maybe look into a porta-bote, i'm in the same situation and i looked into all the other options and this one seemed to be the one most fit for me, i'm working on getting one my self, i have yet to hear anything negative about them.

J Francho reply :

Get a couple of fishing kayaks.

Carrington reply :

i have a 12 foot jon boat, i am not sure about it being able to be on top of your van though. I just keep in the back of my truck. But the boat will hold me and another adult easily.

Brine reply :

I would look at the coleman crawdad or a riverhawk. Personally, I like the riverhawk.

Fishbone reply :

I have a like new 10' Porta boat for sale.

tnbassfisher reply :

I'm not sure how big and sturdy of a jon boat you are going to be able to carry without a trailer.

bassmanET reply :

I was looking a the tracker 1032 or 1232.

They are 46" wide. The weight is 77# for the 10' and 88# for the 12'. The porta-boat look great but very pricey.

Grey Wolf reply :

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I was looking a the tracker 1032 or 1232.
They are 46" wide. The weight is 77# for the 10' and 88# for the 12'. The porta-boat look great but very pricey.

Are you sure about that 46" width on those small trackers ?

The bottom width on these two boats is 32 inches not 46 inches.

bassmanET reply :

46' is the top width

yes the bottom is 32"

dman reply :

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I have a like new 10' Porta boat for sale.

Can you post pics and a price?

Fishbone reply :

Quote

Quote
I have a like new 10' Porta boat for sale.

Can you post pics and a price?

This boat was purchased new in March of 2007. We were to pack it with us on trips with our travel trailer for fishing. The fishing trips did not happen. The boat has been used on a local lake about 6 times. It is spotless and in very new condition. The web site can show it's features and functions in great detail www.porta-boat.com . Set up takes minutes and is easily rolled to water's edge on the removable wheels. It can be powered by a gas outboard or electric trolling motor. It moves very easily with little power. Great for "electric only" lakes. Purchased new would cost $1,349.00 for the boat and $229.00 for the wheels, for a total of $1,578.00. Oars and set-up stick (used for assembling) are included. I can transport to a meet point of reasonable distance for gas compensation.

http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/rag_18/porta%20boat/

Asking $1,100 or make an offer.

Stasher1 reply :

Quote
Get a couple of fishing kayaks.

Relatively inexpensive, no registration required, easy to carry, and can go places even a tiny john boat can't squeeze into.

ArcticCat500 reply :

I have a 10ft Sears jon boat, 1032. its perfect for my daughter and myself, it will fish 2 adults, but as with any smaller craft it requires care.

It's a loaded little boat, two 360* swivel seats, MinnKota 55lbs thrust TM, and a Sears HD Marine battery. I can slip it into the back of my truck with ease, and you very well may be able to slide into the back of your van.

I did notice your in MA and your not very far, if your still looking for a 10ftr in the spring we'll keep in touch as she may be for sale. As a package!

Im sure too just got burried in this white crap.

bassmanET reply :

Yes that would be great! The boat I had was also a sears gamefisher 10'. But it had a very low weight cap @ 245# was rated for 1 person. So, I sold it.

What are the weight caps on yours?

ArcticCat500 reply :

Quote
Yes that would be great! The boat I had was also a sears gamefisher 10'. But it had a very low weight cap @ 245# was rated for 1 person. So, I sold it.
What are the weight caps on yours?

the weights on most 10s are low, I've fished 2 adults in it before, but like i said you have know your limits. Fishing it with my daughter has never been an issue at all, but I think mines is about the same maybe like 275.

bassmanET reply :

That's very true.

I have found that tracker 1032 has a weight cap of 320#. When you got a small boat every # counts.

So, its looking like the 12' or the 10' tracker for me.

But, I will keep yours in mind.

Thanks

J Francho reply :

Quote

Quote
Get a couple of fishing kayaks.

x2

Relatively inexpensive, no registration required, easy to carry, and can go places even a tiny john boat can't squeeze into.

And if you get the right boat, you can stand, and carry a ton of gear. My boat is rated for up to 600 lbs, and its FAR more stable than any jon or semi-v I've been in.

Fishes in trees reply :

Prior to getting my current boat (2002 18' Lowe) , I had a Buster boat, Trophy model. It came on its own little trailer, 10'long by 4'wide. It was an amazingly stable little boat. It would hold 2 guys and a modest amount of gear. They only come one way - fully rigged.

Built in cooler - built in live well, comfortable seats, trolling motor, depth finder all wired in.

I don't know their web site address, but you can Google it. If you're looking at a 2 man boat, these are a really good 2 man boat.

South FLA reply :

Ever hear of a GHEENOE?

http://www.gheenoe.net/index.html

Not sure you can get them up there, but they are very stable and fishable boats, I would venture to say more than any kayak short of outriggers. If I didn't have my Jon boat purchased and owned already I would get one in a instant.

Eternal Angler reply :

I bought the Pelican Bass Raider boat from Sports Authority. I got it on sale for $400, it retails for around $650-$700. It has more than enough room for two adults, let alone an adult and a kid. Both my Brother and I get on it and have plenty of room, I'm 6,1 225 and he's 6,4 230. Just make sure you buy the 10 foot if you get it so you have enough room for tackle box and stuff.

Problem is it's not good for rough lakes, but what small boat really is though. It's awesome for inland lakes.

It fits perfectly on top of my girlfriend Durrango. I wish it was winter so I could take pictures and show you. I just put some padding up top so I don't scrape the roof. You really save a ton of money with this boat because you don't have to buy a hitch or trailer.

bassmanET reply :

Hi everyone,

I'd like to thank everyone, all of these post have been very helpful. i just came back from looking at the radisson 14' canoe. It looked good on the website but, i think its to cramped not much room to move around. So, it looks like a bass hunter (raider) or a 12' jon boat. Smallmouth41 are you putting the 10' raider up on the roof by yourself? I usually fish alone, my 13 year old son has taken alot of interest in fishing' so he sometimes comes along. I need something light enough to handle myself.

I hoping to get the Basspro shop within the next couple of weeks. Keep you posted. Only 3 months til spring :'(

DaveT63 reply :

Last summer I bought a BPS 10' Pond Prowler. It's 48" wide, has two raised seats like the Pelican pictured above, and weighs about 110#. It fits great in the back of my pickup truck, and probably would your van if you can haul 4x8 plywood. Weight capacity with gear is something like 600 pounds. It will easily hold two adults comfortably, sitting or standing. I only use it on a couple local small electric only ponds, and it's great. Highly recommend for what I understand you to be talking about.

Dave

OH-bass614 reply :

you should be able to get the boat on top pretty easy i put one on top of a blazer before it wasnt to bad but between the 12 foot jon and the plastic in the long run you could customize the jon a bit more with decks and stuff depending on stability but the plastic one is pretty nice and stable and it kinda has decks allready

on a side note idk if you will have the problem with a new one but a friend of mine gave me a old pelican bass raider and he had it outside for a long time but it would leak water inside the pontoon part but it may have been cause he didnt take care of it

Eternal Angler reply :

Sorry for the late response, yeah I put it up there myself. It's easy for me since I'm an amateur body builder, been lifting weights since I was 15. But, my Dad complains he couldn't do it.

What I do is put some foam up on the roof, lean the boat on the Durango and then grab it from the bottom, I then let the boat slide on the foam on top of the roof. I find foam a lot better than any rack system since you would probably need two people to mount a boat on the rack system.

Quote
Hi everyone,
I'd like to thank everyone, all of these post have been very helpful. i just came back from looking at the radisson 14' canoe. It looked good on the website but, i think its to cramped not much room to move around. So, it looks like a bass hunter (raider) or a 12' jon boat. Smallmouth41 are you putting the 10' raider up on the roof by yourself? I usually fish alone, my 13 year old son has taken alot of interest in fishing' so he sometimes comes along. I need something light enough to handle myself.

I hoping to get the Basspro shop within the next couple of weeks. Keep you posted. Only 3 months til spring :'(

ArcticCat500 reply :

jon boats are fine, pound your local craigslist, also RI and CT, they're a dime a dozen. Great Canadian has a canoe that'll be plentry for you and your boy and when your running those solo trips, you'll be able to stand and fish, or just stretch out if you have to.

Be very careful modifing a jb tho, I dont recommend decking a 10 or hardly a 12 for that matter.

bassmanET reply :

Hey guys

Never made it Basspro shop. I'm a member of MA fishfinder. Met a local angler that sold me his whole set up. Crawdad jonBoat, trailer, minkota, battery, seats, ect.. all for $600.Didn't what to bother with a trailer, but price was good & still have enough $ for trailer hitch & maybe some new tackle ;D. Can't wait till spring to try it out!

Brine reply :

Congrats on the find. I think you will like the crawdad.

kybassangler reply :

Better off with a trailer. It will save your back immensely. And with a trailer you can leave gear in the boat. Saves time and work.

Eric235 reply :

I am hoping someone will have some advice for me in choosing between a Pelican Bass Raider 10E ($679.99 @ Gander Mountain) and a 10' Pond Prowler ($749.99 @ Bass Pro). I have several small lakes (bass/tiger muskie) within a block or two of my house and have decided on one of these over a jon boat. I live near both Gander Mountain and Bass Pro, and while Gender Mountain has the Bass Raider in store (for me to see/touch/lust over), Bass Pro does not have the Pond Prowler in store. I am mostly interested in hearing if one is of better durability/quality than the other. Any info. to help in my decision would be appreciated. Thanks.

aceman387 reply :

i think you would be happy with either boat.to me they seem similar.i have two 10 ft pond prowlers and they are comfortable and sturdy and easy for me to load in the back of my truck.i cant think of any negatives about them.

zerofivenismo reply :

You won't go wrong with either of the two boats. I have a 10yr old BR 10E and it's built tough. It's got tons of scuffs and scratches on the bottom from dragging on the ground by previous owner, but there are no cracks or punctures. While I've never been in a Prowler, I've seen and felt it in person and determined it to be just as well built. You have to be totally negligent and reckless to tear them up. The first thing to go is usually the seal where the top and bottom sections are attached. Based on the prices you listed, I'd go with the BR (Not because I'm a BR owner), but because the BR is $70 less expensive. That way you'll have $$ to get a new deep cycle battery from Sam's or wally world. In the end, it's your buck. Do what you're comfortable with. You can also check CL for used ones too. Good luck.

Eternal Angler reply :

I'd go with the BassRaider since it's cheaper. Check out your local sports authority, I know lately they have been putting a lot of stuff up for sale cheap.

I checked out the pond prowler and it's looks just as good. Seems to have a few more features than the bass raider, like the livewell in the middle.

Quote
I am hoping someone will have some advice for me in choosing between a Pelican Bass Raider 10E ($679.99 @ Gander Mountain) and a 10' Pond Prowler ($749.99 @ Bass Pro). I have several small lakes (bass/tiger muskie) within a block or two of my house and have decided on one of these over a jon boat. I live near both Gander Mountain and Bass Pro, and while Gender Mountain has the Bass Raider in store (for me to see/touch/lust over), Bass Pro does not have the Pond Prowler in store. I am mostly interested in hearing if one is of better durability/quality than the other. Any info. to help in my decision would be appreciated. Thanks.

bassmanET reply :

When I was looking for my boat. I found that the Bass Raider 10 or 10e was $599 at walmart & $28 to ship to mass. Cheapest price & shipping I found anywhere.

Also I, noticed that the Bass Raider was 50" wide & the Pond Prowler was 48" wide. Don't know if 2" will really make a difference in stability or transporting it?

Good luck with what ever you choose!

zerofivenismo reply :

I just measured my BR 10E and the bottom only measures 44" wide :-?. However, the boat does measure 50" where the top and bottom sections are joined together, which is above the waterline.

aceman387 reply :

the pond prowler boats fit perfectly between the wheel wells in my pickup truck, i would think since this is how most people transport them the bass raider boats would be made them same.if your not in a hurry to buy a boat check Craig's list occasionally you might find a deal.

Eric235 reply :

Thanks for the info. fellas. Aceman...is that "livewell" in the pond prowler useful, or not really? It seems like the extra $70 would just get me the livewell and padded seats (although they look to be just mildly padded, not the really big soft ones). In the meantime...I agree that checking craigslist is a good idea. Thanks again.

Big6ft6 reply :

Bump!.....Bass Raider or Pond Prowler?

It seems the Pond Prowler has a bit more hp capacity. 5hp motor vs. 3.5 max for BR?

Also write-up for the Pond Prowler says "rib" design is for more stability for two adults to stand and fish. This is KEY for me. I love fishing from my canoe...but I HAVE to stand..and when I take others with me...they don't like me standing in the canoe (a bit tippy!).

Has anyone actually fished from both boats? Any stability difference?

Taylor Fishin 4 life reply :

i didnt read all the post but look at the River Hawk line of boats. They are verygreat for 2 people and great stableablity

Big6ft6 reply :

Thanks Tayler, you did reply earlier in this thread. I checked out the river hawks...look great but are 2-3x the cost of these two boats.

I can pick one of these up at the local dicks for $550 right now. I can get a Nissan 4-stroke 3.5hp motor for $900...if these are stable boats. I could have comfy boat with motor to get my dad out with me (he can't handle the canoe) for $1500 without the hassles of owning a full-fledge fishing boat/trailer/etc.

I just want to be sure if there is a difference between the two stability wise I get the more stable of the two. It seems on the pond prowler the livewell might actual just take up valuealble leg-room (i'm 6'6"!)

donmac reply :

Like many who have grey beards and have been fishing all of their adult life I can say been there, done that' to most bass fishing setups. I went from canoes, to car topper jons, to jons on trailers, to semi-v's on trailers, to flat bottom alum bass boats, to higher end Lunds and ultimately settled on Rangers and kayaks

All work of course. It's just a matter of comfort and convenience. If all you need is a hull and a oar, or an electric, any car topper will do lugging a battery around is not all that tough. But once you start adding a gas motor, tank, seats, sonar, maybe a live-well cooler, lights, plus all your fishing crap it eventually becomes a major chore especially if you do this 2-3 times a week.

Going to a trailered boat even a jon makes life MUCH easier since you don't have to assemble/de-assemble and load/unload the rig at the beginning and end of the trip.

Once you are hooked on trailered boats, especially if you are fishing a lot, maybe doing a few local tournaments, eventually you'll want a floating tackle box that gets you where you want to go quickly and is comfortable to fish from when you get there.

And, BTW, this does not need to cost a fortune. Most bass fisherman pine over new high-end bass boats. Been there, done that too. 10 years ago I bought a new Ranger - cost a fortune, but it's a beautiful boat and still looks like new. However, I hope to think I'm getting smarter as I'm getting older. I just bought a 20 year old Ranger dirt cheap as a project boat and I'm trying to set it up as cost effectively as possible (not because I have to, just because I want to). I plan to sell my nicer looking' Ranger this spring and replace it with this bargain boat'. While it may not catch as many eyes in the parking lot, I suspect it'll catch just as many fish on the water.

Regardless - I look back on all my boats big and small and have fond memories of all. The only bass I ever mounted was caught from a jon boat that traveled in the back of a pickup. I've caught lots of bigger fish over the years, but that was a special one, from a little tin boat with a good friend.

Big6ft6 reply :

Thanks DonMac, you're right and I suspect I will eventually follow the same boat "evolution" as you. However I'm at the canoe point right now and it is basically perfect for my needs and small waters I fish.

However I'd like to get my dad out some times, he is 67 years old and although in good shape, has trouble sitting in a canoe for very long.

I definitly look to have a bigger boat someday, but I need to wait for more $$$. I've purchased a couple very used trailered 12' boat/motors over the years in $1500 range, and they all are maintenance and storage nightmares and made fishing more painful (20 pulls on a motor ruins by day). I need to wait until I can buy a newer (not new) quality boat with a newer motor that will be reliable. I've seen some nice jon's with newer motors in the $5000 range...but I'm just not there financially and don't have patience to store and maintain that boat the way it would deserve to be.

From a flexibility and manouvering ability the canoe is tops....I'd never leave the canoe if I could take a partner and both of us could stand comfortably to fish. So I keep dreaming about something with the simplicity of a canoe but with more comfort and stability.

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Good small fishing boat? 2024

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