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  1. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Clearwater FL
    Posts
    827
    #41
    Quote Originally Posted by Marshfly View Post
    FWIW the Sterling 220XS and the Shearwater X22 have exactly the same hull. Only the deck is different.
    Yep, x22 is 1-2 mph slower and that's it. Almost bought one after I sold my 2016 220xs. I was set to do a 400 verado!

    Ive been to the factory more times than I can count and its great watching them be put together
    2007 Sterling 22xs-Yamaha 250-Dual 10 foot blades-Ipilot-Bobs Jack plate-HDS 8 (SOLD)
    2016 Sterling 220XS: (SOLD)
    2008 SCB Topcat 250 XS (SOLD)
    Current:
    2014 SCB Stingray Sport Merc 300XS
    2018 ES Custom Revolution 25 Merc 400R

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Spanish Fort, AL
    Posts
    1,126
    #42
    I owned many bass boats for years. Sold the last one and bought a Key West 230 Bay Reef 4 years ago, kept it 2 years, sold it and bought a 23' center console for nearshore offshore fishing. I just sold it after owning it 2 years due to offshore regulations and the boredom of bottom fishing nearshore and I'm back to trying to decide between a bay boat and a bass boat again.

    It's a a tough choice. I fished a couple of bass tournaments out of my bay boat and it did fine but I missed the speed (my bay boat topped out mid 50s mph with a 250) and ability to maneuver in tight areas that the bass boat offered. However, the bay boat is so versatile for those living in coastal areas like me. It's great to fish the bays and nearshore offshore on good days. I also really like not having carpet in the boat, which some of the intracoastal bassboat versions offer.

    I'm trying to decide which way to go again myself!
    2024 Xpress X21 / Yamaha 250 SHO
    2022 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro Elite / 2022 Mercury 300R (Sold)

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Del Rio, TX
    Posts
    641

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    144
    #44
    Quote Originally Posted by Marshfly View Post
    Adding the foot control to the iPilot made all the difference in the world in fishability of that trolling motor in tight quarters. Is it as maneuverable as a cable steer? No. But it is light years ahead of using the remote. I have zero issues fishing tight cover on the bank with my iPilot with the foot control. And here in South Louisiana, all we have is bank cover. There's no such thing as offshore structure for bass. haha
    The pedal control makes it serviceable for sure and still gives you spot lock, but it is pretty noisy when turning, which bothered me alot when flipping shallow (not sure how much it bothered the fish). I sold a bass boat, bought a Hewes redfisher with the Terrova and foot pedal, then sold it and got another bass boat with a Terrova and pedal two years ago, and put an Ultrex on it this spring and it is bad@ss. Quiet, and much better spot lock than my Terrovas although it may be improved on new ones? I keep wavering towards a Big O, LakeNBay or Islamorada Boca, but think the best solution for me is two boats. Will be on lookout for a 1990 or newer 18 Dolphin Backcountry which will stay in the back yard and hang on to my 2015 Bass Cat in the garage. Unless maybe Bass Cat would make a damn intracoastal style boat. I'm pretty anal about a boat and salt water is rough on stuff, so figure a deeper V skiff like a Dolphin with some age on it so I don't drive myself crazy worrying about scratches or some fading is my path to sanity.

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    144
    #45
    I guess my take on the original question is a flats boat would fish much closer to a bass boat, but depending on model you might be disappointed by the ride and dryness of a flats boat. I'm sure some are much better than my Hewes was, but I ended up hating that wet SOB and it is a well-regarded boat. Luckily I made out like a bandit when I sold it after 3 years. I also missed the storage and especially the rod boxes of a bass boat. There are some that have boxes mentioned already and others as well, but they usually have a rack system in them and are uncarpeted, so if you are a rod junkie it probably gets crowded. The best thing about my flats boat by far was that you could hose it out after towing it down a dirt road (Stick Marsh). If you do much bass fishing and certainly any flipping or fishing tight spaces to speak of I doubt you'll be happy with a bay boat. Most of them sit much higher off of the water than flats or bass. I'm sure those suckers catch alot of wind also, so max out on a troller setup. And skip the poling platform. It's a pain at times and you won't pole a bay boat or bigger flats model more than once or twice. Garaging would be tough unless you have a big detached/barn with tall doors.

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Houma LA
    Posts
    981
    #46
    Quote Originally Posted by bigkahuna71 View Post
    I guess my take on the original question is a flats boat would fish much closer to a bass boat, but depending on model you might be disappointed by the ride and dryness of a flats boat. I'm sure some are much better than my Hewes was, but I ended up hating that wet SOB and it is a well-regarded boat. Luckily I made out like a bandit when I sold it after 3 years. I also missed the storage and especially the rod boxes of a bass boat. There are some that have boxes mentioned already and others as well, but they usually have a rack system in them and are uncarpeted, so if you are a rod junkie it probably gets crowded. The best thing about my flats boat by far was that you could hose it out after towing it down a dirt road (Stick Marsh). If you do much bass fishing and certainly any flipping or fishing tight spaces to speak of I doubt you'll be happy with a bay boat. Most of them sit much higher off of the water than flats or bass. I'm sure those suckers catch alot of wind also, so max out on a troller setup. And skip the poling platform. It's a pain at times and you won't pole a bay boat or bigger flats model more than once or twice. Garaging would be tough unless you have a big detached/barn with tall doors.
    These are all very accurate points. I have added racks to my Yellowfin and can hold 5 forward facing rods on each side up front. I can squeeze another 3 on each side in the gunnel tubes but those are a PITA to use. All of that would be locked under deck. If you are a guy that needs to take 20 rods for a day of fishing, you already know you need a bass boat though.

    The new Terrovas share the same motor as your quiet Ultra and the Motorguide Xi5 is supposedly quiet as well. Regardless, that turning motor doesn't seem to spook shallow fish as chasing redfish that I can see is a lot of what I do.

    I don't think the Dolphin is going to ride much better than your Hewes. Most if not all flats boats with V have about 12 degrees at the transom. Length is really what matters there although I thought my Maverick HPX-V 18 rode amazing for what it was.

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Madison, al
    Posts
    611
    #47
    as others have stated, center console bay boats are alot more versatile than bass boats.
    I ended up with my h20b since i was in the same boat as you. i fish Pickwick or Wheeler every weekend, and i've taken a trip to savannah, GA., Destin, FL., and the Chesapeake Bay. No regrets so far but i did get beat up pretty good on the open water of the Chesapeake bay.
    Pathfinder/Skeeter/Ranger Bay/shearwater are all solid boats, Also check out "Tidewater" boats. I'm torn between their baymax and a skeeter sx240 for my next boat.
    What species do you plan on fishing? if you're going to stay in the marshes for red's and trout then you might want to look in to the flats type or the 18-20ft of the smaller bay boats. but if you want to head out into openwater a few miles for flounder and some reefs, i'd really look in the the 22-24ft bay boats.
    2017 Xpress H20B
    115 Yamaha SHO

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    144
    #48
    Quote Originally Posted by Marshfly View Post
    These are all very accurate points. I have added racks to my Yellowfin and can hold 5 forward facing rods on each side up front. I can squeeze another 3 on each side in the gunnel tubes but those are a PITA to use. All of that would be locked under deck. If you are a guy that needs to take 20 rods for a day of fishing, you already know you need a bass boat though.

    The new Terrovas share the same motor as your quiet Ultra and the Motorguide Xi5 is supposedly quiet as well. Regardless, that turning motor doesn't seem to spook shallow fish as chasing redfish that I can see is a lot of what I do.

    I don't think the Dolphin is going to ride much better than your Hewes. Most if not all flats boats with V have about 12 degrees at the transom. Length is really what matters there although I thought my Maverick HPX-V 18 rode amazing for what it was.
    Those Yellowfins look amazing.
    Backcountry 18 Dolphin has a 20 degree deadrise and doesn't flatten out so much to the transom (see below vs a redfisher), which is why that particular one is my target. Have fished out of a couple and it seemed like a big difference. Ran out of the inlet looking for bait in less than flat conditions and was very impressed. It's maybe more of a bay boat bottom with a flats deck on it. Shipoke 18 is basically the same hull also. I would not rule out an old Master Angler either or even one of the smaller early pathfinders I don't intend on getting too shallow or poling. They surely draft deeper than most but not a problem for what I intend to do with it. Good to hear that the new Terrovas are quiet now as I will be hanging one off the nose of whatever I end up with.



  9. Member Capt Gerry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    new orleans
    Posts
    891
    #49
    I have one of each. I also have a project boat that i'm doing when I have time.

  10. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Lake Charles, Louisiana
    Posts
    3,413
    #50
    To each their own. I have a 1999 Triton TX21...same,as Tr21 but no carpet galvanized trailer...most around HERE have bay boats and fish saltwater. Personally don't like them. The decks are small and feels like fishing out of a bathtub. Got to always look back so not to grab a rod sticking up out the center console. When I take my friends with center consoles in mine at first they are scared of the speed over the waves until we stop to fish and realize how much more comfortable it is to sit than stand up while traveling. No rod storage. Not practical for my liking

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