As river opportunities continue to dwindle around here and family/career/life stuff has kept me from taking interesting moving water trips, I've gotten more and more into bass fishing. Lake trout fishing has just never done it for me, but the active nature of bass (and bluegill!) fishing fits my mindset. Doesn't hurt that I've had a couple years of @Billy sending me all his badass bass photos. I've had a 12ft Duroboat for a while and a Nucanoe Flint kayak. Both have brought me many fish, but neither allowed me to access some of the better water on two of our bigger bass lakes. And while the Duroboat fishes an adult and a kid fine (or two adults who know what they are doing), I have long wanted a more steady platform to take old/young friends and relatives out fishing. I thought long and hard about getting a deep v that I could take out in the sound in case I got the itch to do salmon. But I had to admit to myself that salt just isn't where I am as far as fishing right now. Lakelife is the ticket these days.
So after a few years of steadily looking for a bass boat that I could both afford and had an engine that met my local lakes' 4-stroke requirements, missing deals, getting ghosted or screwed over by sellers, day-late/dollar-short, etc... everything finally came together recently.
2018 16.5ft Bass Tracker Classic Heritage. 40hp Merc on the back and a 24v Minn Kota Ultrex on the front. Side/down imaging on the console and down/traditional on the trolling motor. Both are just 5" Lowrance Helix screens. but I'm not much of an expert on using electronics for anything other than the basics, so I suspect they will do just fine.
Engine hours are claimed to be low. Haven't gotten around to getting the stuff I'd need to check that, but runs like a top. Previous owner seemed like a straight shooter and was real easy to work with. He'd done the kind of mods and upgrades that an owner who cared would do. Boat buckles, deck extension, folding swim ladder, etc. Overall condition is above average. Few carpet stains, few extra holes where something was mounted/removed, etc. But overall, very pleased. Tows much easier than my little 12ft and the wider beam/trailer makes it easier to see behind the full size truck when backing.
The 40hp pushes it to about 31mph solo. Based on forum chatter from owners, I suspect there are a couple more mph in there messing with the trim a little more. Later versions had a 50hp stock and it would be nice to have had one of those. But to be honest, I doubt that it would make all that much difference to me, especially when I'm alone in the boat. The Ultrex is the previous generation (without the newer advanced GPS). But it works well for my needs and I love the cable drive and having the 24v power. One of my lakes can get a bit windy and even when it does, spot lock doesn't seem to be working hard at all.
Like most of us when we get a boat, I've got a list of small mods/changes that I'm going to tackle. But it fishes just fine as is. Been out a handful of times since I picked it up and I'm really pleased.
EDIT: Also, if anyone knows someone who is looking for a little 12ft Duroboat with a 9.9 four stroke, drop me a line!
So after a few years of steadily looking for a bass boat that I could both afford and had an engine that met my local lakes' 4-stroke requirements, missing deals, getting ghosted or screwed over by sellers, day-late/dollar-short, etc... everything finally came together recently.
2018 16.5ft Bass Tracker Classic Heritage. 40hp Merc on the back and a 24v Minn Kota Ultrex on the front. Side/down imaging on the console and down/traditional on the trolling motor. Both are just 5" Lowrance Helix screens. but I'm not much of an expert on using electronics for anything other than the basics, so I suspect they will do just fine.
Engine hours are claimed to be low. Haven't gotten around to getting the stuff I'd need to check that, but runs like a top. Previous owner seemed like a straight shooter and was real easy to work with. He'd done the kind of mods and upgrades that an owner who cared would do. Boat buckles, deck extension, folding swim ladder, etc. Overall condition is above average. Few carpet stains, few extra holes where something was mounted/removed, etc. But overall, very pleased. Tows much easier than my little 12ft and the wider beam/trailer makes it easier to see behind the full size truck when backing.
The 40hp pushes it to about 31mph solo. Based on forum chatter from owners, I suspect there are a couple more mph in there messing with the trim a little more. Later versions had a 50hp stock and it would be nice to have had one of those. But to be honest, I doubt that it would make all that much difference to me, especially when I'm alone in the boat. The Ultrex is the previous generation (without the newer advanced GPS). But it works well for my needs and I love the cable drive and having the 24v power. One of my lakes can get a bit windy and even when it does, spot lock doesn't seem to be working hard at all.
Like most of us when we get a boat, I've got a list of small mods/changes that I'm going to tackle. But it fishes just fine as is. Been out a handful of times since I picked it up and I'm really pleased.
EDIT: Also, if anyone knows someone who is looking for a little 12ft Duroboat with a 9.9 four stroke, drop me a line!
