Who Makes the Best Rough Water Bass Boat??

[Highcentered]

I’ve owned rangers, skeeters, nitros, hydra-sports and I can tell you when it got rough at Rayburn everyone got behind a champion. At least the smart ones did.

The boat my friend is running now is a Champion 196. His uncle ran this exact boat when it was new in 01 as a pro and had a little adventure in it on Rayburn. Swells were so big boats were disappearing between them. He pulled a couple guys out of the water that had split the hull of their boat pretty bad in that stuff. Scott is with BassCat now and I think his boat this year is the Cougar with the 203 hull but could be wrong. The Champ hulls aren't my first choice as a boat to fish out of but in rough water there's nothing I'd rather be in.

[geodebasser]

Isn't a legend a splashed ranger 480 series?

The Legend initially was made from the old Story built Hawk hull . I had a Hawk DC 21 for many years and it definitely could handle rough water like the Champion and Cobra which were all John Story designs. I did get wet in it a few times but it rode well once you got on top of the waves.
Still like my Stratos better.

[Blue Steel]

As said before, driver can make a heck of difference

[unknown angler]

I have been in alot of different boats in rough water, Champion was the best and the 340 Ranger was the absolute worst.

[BalsaBee]

Obviously you have no idea what you are talking about.

You’re the one who brought up the row boat… Mr. 1-3 foot closely spaced chop.

[rboren]

I have owned Rangers,Skeeters,Bumble Bee,and two Allison boats. Currently own a Champion. For a mid size boat my Champ does better than the Rangers and Skeeters. But the Allison boats I believe did a little better. At least until it was really stupid to even be out on the water. But not at slow speeds. Then the Champion does ride smoother. I have not owned a newer model Ranger or Skeeter so I may not really know. It’s all relative.

[Gsmith223]

Dont sleep on the Falcon F205 and F215. The wide beam makes them a dry ride. I ran mine from Dayton to the Dam and back for a tourney on Chic in some nasty stuff and was very impressed.

[MMyles]

Agree!

I agree as well. I love my 522D. It will be the last bass boat I will ever own.

M

[dean c]

You’re the one who brought up the row boat… Mr. 1-3 foot closely spaced chop.

It’s all good…I wouldn’t expect a guy from your neck of the woods to understand anything about wave height…wave period… fetch..etc. You can google all that stuff when you want to quit looking silly.

[kickerfish1]

Noah’s Ark. Built to withstand floods and rough water. Plenty of storage space. All wood design. Pet and animal friendly

[188Musky]

It’s all good…I wouldn’t expect a guy from your neck of the woods to understand anything about wave height…wave period… fetch..etc. You can google all that stuff when you want to quit looking silly.

Got a little edge to some of your posts this morning, Dean.

I like it.

[Thamelau]

Noah’s Ark. Built to withstand floods and rough water. Plenty of storage space. All wood design. Pet and animal friendly

Flipping and skipping docks is a son of a bitch with that freeboard though...

[Bandwagon]

Walleye boat, Ranger 620 or 621, designed for rough water. I believe Steve Clapper used to run one on Erie for that reason.

Agreed, roughly 1/2 the guys in my club are running walleye rigs for Ontario, St. Clair and Erie. A 522D would be a good choice as well.

[99R93S]

Noah’s Ark. Built to withstand floods and rough water. Plenty of storage space. All wood design. Pet and animal friendly

Allegedly

[Ranger Rod]

My 19' Ranger Fisherman is pretty good in rough water but it's a walleye boat.

[dean c]

Got a little edge to some of your posts this morning, Dean.

I like it.

I try to be nice…

[BalsaBee]

It’s all good…I wouldn’t expect a guy from your neck of the woods to understand anything about wave height…wave period… fetch..etc. You can google all that stuff when you want to quit looking silly.

Maybe after you google 31ft DUKW and 17 people drown you can then understand something just a little more than 1 to 3ft chop. You’re clueless. Go ahead and think of a smart ass comeback for a few laughs from your sisters.

[188Musky]

Maybe after you google 31ft DUKW and 31 people drown you can then understand something just a little more than 1 to 3ft chop. You’re clueless. Go ahead and think of a smart ass comeback for a few laughs from your sisters.

If only those 31 people were in that 16’8” Champion you mentioned before, they’d all be alive today.

Otherwise, WTH are you talking about?

[OkAce]

If only those 31 people were in that 16’8” Champion you mentioned before, they’d all be alive today.

Otherwise, WTH are you talking about?

I don't think any champion would've survived what he's talking about

[Boat4Life]

Bass boats don't do well in rough water. But if I could choose one to be riding in with really bad conditions, it would be a Champion bass boat. After riding in most bass boats over the past 45 years on Sam Rayburn in Feb and March with huge waves, the Champion and Charger boats seemed to handle the rough water better than any other boats I had ever been in on Rayburn. But with that said, I've never felt comfortable in any bass boat in rough water. Give me a high side center console for that...