Almost 20% of the United States population goes fishing every year. As disposable income becomes more commonplace thanks to record-low unemployment rates, we’re seeing that number continue to rise.
If you’re considering starting out with the hobby of fishing or if taking your current fishing game to the next level, you might be mulling over heading down to your local boat store, picking out the best fishing boat and taking it out on the water.
Owning a fishing boat can easily be one of the greatest joys in life. If you don’t know what you’re doing when you’re buying though, your purchase process can devolve into a nightmare.
To help you down the path of finding your perfect boat, our team outlines some quick tips that you should keep in the back of your mind as you shop.
1. Do Some Research on the Ground
There are thousands of different kinds of fishing boats that you can choose from. How are you going to pick the perfect boat for you?
In our opinion, the best way to narrow your choices is to head out into the boating world to start exposing yourself to options.
Boat shows are a great place to conduct some ground research. You can check out shows that take place both in the Winter and in the Summer (the two most popular months for larger shows) in your local community or nearest big city.
At boat shows, talk to product reps to better understand what makes a fishing boat good and what makes a boat the best fishing boat money can buy.
2. Ensure That Your Boat Is Built for Fishing
Boats for fishing and boats for boating have a number of different features. Make sure that the boat you buy is for fishing so you can make your life on deck as enjoyable as possible.
Fishing boats have live wells, storage areas for poles, tackle and other key features that you’ll be sorry without.
3. Consider Where You Want to Fish
A lot of boat buyers are shocked to learn that some boats are not rated for salt-water fishing.
That, of course, isn’t a problem if your intention is only to fish in freshwater. If you’re looking to make your boating experience versatile though, be sure to talk to your sales rep about a boat’s viability on the open ocean.
4. Be Honest About Your Price Range
If you have $20,000 to spend on a boat, you probably don’t really have $20,000 to spend on a boat.
That’s because, when you buy a boat, you’re also going to have to buy a boat trailer, you’re going to have to lease dock space and pay for a number of other miscellaneous expenses.
Calculate all of the extra costs of boat ownership and subtract that from your budget. When you do that, you’ll know exactly how much money you have to pay for a boat that ticks as many boxes for you as possible.
Summarizing How to Shop for the Best Fishing Boat
Buying the best fishing boat comes down to understanding what features make a good fishing vessel, knowing where you’d like to fish and how much boat you can afford.
With all of that figured out, you can confidently walk into a boat store and pick out the perfect watercraft for your unique lifestyle.
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