Many anglers like the idea of owning a personal boat for fishing but are confused as to what to look for when it comes to the various small fishing boats that are available to them. In this article I will draw upon my twenty plus years of experience fishing from various small fishing boats to outline 3 things to look for when you are making your decision as to the best boat for you and your favorite style of fishing.
When it comes to small fishing boats the fact that I just mentioned is probably the most important factor, your favorite fishing style. Do you like to wade when you are fishing? Do you like to stay completely dry when fishing from a boat? Are you a fly fisherman who likes a lot of room around yourself for casting? Or do you like to do a combination of all of the above? Well, no matter what your answer to any of the above questions, the type of personal boat that you choose to fish from needs to meet the following criteria.
Cost – Small fishing boats cost anywhere from $150-$200 float tubes on the low end of the spectrum to over $2000 for catamaran style inflatable pontoon boats on the high end of the spectrum. No matter what your budget, there is a small fishing boat that will fit your needs and serve you well for many years of fishing, but your budget is important when it comes to choosing the best boat for your needs.
Maneuverability – Being able to maneuver your boat easily and efficiently in the water is of the utmost importance which is where maneuverability comes into play. Personal boats such as float tubes are maneuvered with your legs by wearing specialized fins on your feet, whereas most inflatable pontoon style fishing boats are maneuvered with a pair of oars. Again, the way to determine how maneuverable your personal fishing boat needs to be is to think about they style of fishing that you enjoy most and the type of water that the boat will be used in. As a general rule float tubes are better for lakes and pontoon fishing boats are better for rivers.
Keep these three things in mind in your search for a small boat for fishing and you will make a much more informed and educated decision. There are small fishing boats that are perfect for every type of fishing so make sure that you match the type of water you intend to fish along with your favorite style of fishing and you will be good to go.
