Buying a bass boat usually comes down to a budget. Which options can you get, and which ones do you have to pass on? If you’re comparing two boats, one has this and the other has that, so which one works better for you?
Tom Redington has owned more than 20 bass boats and flat bottoms over his fishing career, and he’s fished out of dozens of his friends’ boats too. In the video below, he sorts the options into the ones that don’t matter much and the ones that really do.
Tom’s List at a Glance
| Option | Tom’s Take |
|---|---|
| Top speed | Save your money |
| Bigger graphs | Save, unless you use live sonar a lot |
| Specialty trailer wheels | Save, and stick with stock |
| Boat length | Nice to have |
| Power-Poles | Worth it, and go with 10-foot |
| Trolling motor | Worth it: enough power and the right shaft length |
| Batteries | Number one; don’t skimp |
Where You Can Save
Top speed. Everybody obsesses over it at first. It’s fun to see how fast a new boat goes, and people spend a lot on performance props and tweaks chasing a couple more miles per hour. But going from 36 to 38 mph, or 72 to 74, doesn’t change much on a fishing day. “It matters the first week you have the boat,” Tom says. Unless you love speed, don’t obsess over it.
Bigger graphs. If you use LiveScope a lot, screen size does matter. Moving from a 10-inch to a 12-inch, or a 12-inch to a 16-inch, shows you more detail, and that can help you catch more fish. For maps and regular sonar, though, a 10- or 12-inch screen will suit you fine. Tom downsized his screens on his last boat, and dropping one size can save around $1,000. “I think you’ll be surprised how much you’ll get used to the smaller ones,” he says.
Specialty trailer wheels. Custom wheels may look good, but they take custom tires. In Tom’s experience, his buddies with specialty wheels get more flats. When that happens near some lake far from home, the local tire shop can fix a flat, but it won’t have your size in stock. Stock wheels and tires are universal. “In the long run, you’re going to appreciate it,” Tom says.
Nice to Have: Boat Length
A longer boat rides better in big waves and on long runs. It also gives you more storage and more room on the front deck, which helps with three people aboard. If you fish 7½- or 8-foot rods, you’ll like that the tips aren’t hanging over the end of the deck.
But if you fish alone or with one partner, and you don’t make many long runs, length matters less than you’d think. “An 18-foot boat, a 17-foot boat, a 16-foot boat, it’s going to fish exactly the same as a 21- or 22-foot boat once you get there,” Tom says.
Worth Paying For
Power-Poles. If you fish shallow at all, shallow-water anchors make a big difference, whether you’re docking, sight fishing, or stopping to retie. Tom’s tip is to go with 10-foot poles instead of 8-foot. His boat usually sits in five to eight feet of water. An 8-foot pole can reach that deep, but it won’t hold well at six or seven feet. The 10-foot poles hold every time. Skipping Power-Poles to get bigger screens or an extra foot of boat? “Man, that’s not negotiable,” Tom says.
Trolling motor. On a windy day, in weeds, or fishing into current, a trolling motor without enough power will drive you crazy. Shaft length matters just as much. A taller boat or rough main-lake water calls for a longer shaft that stays in the water and holds you in place. But if you fish shallow and cast under trees or docks, a shaft that’s too long puts the motor head in the way of every cast. “It’s like Shaq standing there trying to block your shot,” Tom says. Get enough power and the right shaft length.
Batteries. Your electronics, trolling motor, Power-Poles, and outboard all depend on them, and for Tom, they matter more than anything. People skimp here all the time with old or undersized batteries. “Nothing kills a trip more than a dead starting battery,” he says. You’re stranded in the middle of the lake because you ran your livewell pumps or graphs all day. Or your trolling motor dies and you’re stuck drifting or sitting in one spot.
“There’s no excuse these days with lithium,” Tom says. Every MillerTech Sport Series battery is backed by a 10-year warranty. It isn’t prorated: if a battery fails, we repair it or replace it at full value, and we pay shipping both ways. The warranty even transfers to the next owner if you sell your boat.
“Get them right to begin with,” Tom says. “You’ll have plenty of battery power, and you can fish as long as you want.” Or, as he puts it, until your elbows and shoulders tell you it’s time to go.
Start With the Power
Save on top speed, screen size, and fancy wheels if you need to. Don’t cut corners on the things that keep you fishing: Power-Poles that hold, a trolling motor that fits your boat, and batteries you can count on from daylight to dark.
Not sure which MillerTech batteries fit your boat? Call 855-MAX-LITH (855-629-5484) and a real person will help you match them to your setup. You can also email [email protected] or visit millertechenergy.com.