Fishing Boats for Sale

Fishing Boats: what to know

Boats built around catching fish, with rod holders, livewells, a casting deck and a layout that keeps the water clear for a rod. What shape that takes depends entirely on where you fish.

What to check before you buy

• Match the hull to the water. A flat bottom runs shallow and pounds in chop. A deep v does the opposite. Neither is better in the abstract.
• Test every pump, every light and the trolling motor before you talk about price.
• Check the transom where the engine hangs for softness, crazing or a repair somebody has painted over.
• Look in the rod lockers for standing water. It means the drains are blocked or the seals have gone.
• On an aluminium hull, look along the chine for weeping rivets.

Common questions

What is the best boat for freshwater fishing?

On lakes and rivers, a bass boat or a deep v under 20 feet in either aluminium or fibreglass. On the Great Lakes, a deep v with a hardtop, because the weather turns faster than you can get back.

Do I need a livewell?

If you fish tournaments or want to release fish in good condition, yes. If you fish for the table, a cooler with ice does the same job for nothing.

Aluminium or fibreglass?

Aluminium is lighter, cheaper, tows behind a smaller vehicle and shrugs off the rock you did not see. Fibreglass is heavier, rides better in chop and holds its value.