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There are many different types of walleye
fishing boats, the best one for you will be determined by the type of water
that you normally fish for walleye and your level of expertise and knowledge
and stamina for weather and waves.
The Midwest, Upper-midwest and Great
Lakes Region, is where I will assume most typical walleye boats will be
purchased.
The typical length of a walleye boat is
between 19-22 FT, these are the types that the pros run and are equipped with
outboard motors around 200-225HP. Most of us weekend walleye guys can get away
with a smaller boat 17ft and smaller motors all the way down to 40HP tiller
model.
When purchasing a walleye boat, my top
concerns are can it handle the water I will fish, does it have enough
space/storage, how is the ride/comfort aspect, warranty, how will it troll,
what are the costs VS how much I will use the boat and is it easy to tow/launch
or will I need a new vehicle to tow it. Also, where will I store it and what
will my costs be in regards to winter/summer storage and up keep.
Also to be considered is the whole
Aluminum VS Fiberglass debate. I tend to like aluminum because of cost and
lower weight while towing, however in an aluminum you will get pushed around
more in the wind while trying to troll or drift. Sometimes the ride in a
fiberglass boat is smoother. Most of the pros have fiberglass boats.
The pro boats have open cock pits usually
and little protection from wind and rain, this I do not like, especially on the
Great Lakes where it seems to rain and storm every weekend.
I chose a Starcraft 196 Fishmaster with
115HP Mercury for my boat because of price, functionality and beefyness. The
196 is 19ft 6 inches, but is very wide and deep, has a livewell and decent
storage, but never enough. When buying a walleye boat, storage of rods and gear
should always be considered. Walleye fisherman are notorious for tremendous
amounts of gear.
The Fishmaster has a retractable Bimini
top that helps in rain and wind, but it is almost impossible to see through
when raining or splashing. The cost of the boat is actually 50% or more wrapped
up in the motor of the boat, so a good warranty from Mercury is critical. You
can get up to a 5 year warranty in many cases.
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