Has anyone owned one of those eight to twelve foot plastic "bass boats?" Two of the most popular are the Bass Raider and the Bass Hunter. What are your thoughts on them? Did they hold up, and was fishing out of them ok, especially with two people? Thank you.
Boats & Motors
Small plastic bass boats
I had a Basstender 11.3 with a 7.5hp 2-stroke when I was in my 20's. I bought it new, and bought a slightly used jetski trailer for it. Later on, I tried a new 9.9hp Mercury 4-stroke but I thought it was too heavy and went back to the 7.5hp 2-stroke.
I miss it quite a bit sometimes. Are you going to win races or look cool? Negative. But it was so easy to tow and launch, easy to beach without worry, very stable, and was rigged very nicely with electrical. Good sized live well and dry storage too.
I didn't use the bow seat, so the casting deck was plenty big. I reversed the handle on a stern mount trolling motor and used it on the bow. I just steered with my leg. I think the biggest water I ever had it on was Lake Butte des Morts, which can get choppy, and it was fine.
There's a lot to be said for a boat that can just be flipped over in the backyard for winter, an outboard you can easily lift and carry to the garage, and a light trailer you can move around by yourself. Taking it to a do-it-yourself car wash and not worrying about carpeting or anything was really nice too.
It was a surprisingly great little boat and I don't have anything bad to say about it.
https://freedomelectricmarine.com/twin-troller-models-packages/
I have been looking at this little unit. Seems it would fit the bill for small lakes in Waushara county, for gills and bass. Anyone have any experience with one of these?
I was given a bass hunter boat. When I got it, it had a hole in it and it was full of huge ants. I am worried that they could have eaten some of the foam out. I am going to test to see how it floats, but I am wondering if I could use some of the self expanding foam in it? There is the kind in the can and also the new one that you bust one side of packet into the other side and mix it and pour. Like at Home Depot for fence posts. I am wondering if these type foams will absorb any water that gets into the hull or not. Has anyone put foam into your boat and what results did you have? What brands did you use? Thanks for the help!
There fine for small ponds and such, surprisingly stable to fish out of. Would not recommend for river and streams the hulls are not that durable. We popped a hole in my buddy's rubbing the bottom drifting through a riffle that a plastic canoe wouldn't have batted an eye at.
We've used one for years at my wife's fathers home, he has a 10 acre lake to fish that's loaded with bass and pike. I'm 225 he's 190 and an old 28 lb trolling motor moves us around fine. Would I take it out on the Mississippi river, no but for a small pond or lake they're stable. I think the one we use is a tracker. Comfortable too.