Who Makes the Best Rough Water Bass Boat??

[ksubasser24]

I have owned the following three boats. A 95 champion 181, a 2015 Ranger z119c, and a 2021 Skeeter zxr20. I will say the champion was a better ride than the ranger but the ranger handled the rougher stuff better. The skeeter rides like the old little champ and handles better than anything else. Length when it gets rolling and driver ability matter. In 1.5' of chop you will know which boats ride better than others, but in 3 footers or better driver and length matter. Boats that turn well and have a nimble feeling matter in the rough stuff as well. That gives the driver ability to do things.

[n2ratfishin]

I had a 181, they were VERY nimble, the 187 I had did not roll over on its side as easy so it took a little more practice. Coming out of that into two different Cats most of the guys that fished with me out of the Champs said they could not tell which rode better. I still say the driver makes a big difference and when it gets really rough I like a nimble 19 footer. The PII really surprised me in the rough.

The guys that have never owned a boat so nimble normally just crush their way across the lake. The newbs normally try and "get on top of it". Those guys will hurt ya!

[blakesfav]

Does a 22 foot Gator Trax do well in rough water? Anybody hrrn in one in bad stuff?

[castforcash]

I must have had terrible luck on drivers because I rode in multiple different ones

Either that or your experiences were in a 206 or 210. Those models are wide bodies and don't ride nearly as good as the skinny Champs. As Mark alluded to earlier, they don't fish as well on the troller and lack storage space, but the narrower hulls slice through chop.

[TritonJT]

Either that or your experiences were in a 206 or 210. Those models are wide bodies and don't ride nearly as good as the skinny Champs. As Mark alluded to earlier, they don't fish as well on the troller and lack storage space, but the narrower hulls slice through chop.

Yes, the wider the front of the boat is, the rougher it rides.

[OkAce]

187 191 193 198 202 203 206

[castforcash]

187 191 193 198 202 203 206

202 and 203 were driver error I promise you!

[jerzia]

I now have a Charger 210 which is the old Champ hull, but previously owned a Champ 203. Without a doubt the 203 cut through rough water like no one's business compared to the 210. The 210 however is so much more stable when fishing the rough stuff or even a moderate chop. At my age that was the very reason I made the switch.

[Flipper920]

Champion, Stratos, Charger 210 Elite !

[rid 05 198]

I was at three different boat landings this weekend and heard the same thing at each one, "hey nice champ, best riding boat I was ever in"... Just saying.

[dean c]

My own opinion is most 20-21' foot modern bassboats handoe rough water just fine. I care more about trolling motor down performance. I don't want to fish from a giant canoe. I also want a boat that drafts super shallow. Luckily there are plenty of choices that handle rough water, fishes great and remains stable when on TM and drafts as shallow as I like.
Layout and functionality matter a lot to me as well.

Voice of reason…and the truth.

[BalsaBee]

Voice of reason…and the truth.

Aww…ain’t that sweet! This thread is about performance in rough water and we’ve suddenly changed it to performance on the troller. 12 ft row boats love a troller mounted on the transom then you don’t even have to leave your seat in the 1-3 ft chop.

[99R93S]

Aww…ain’t that sweet! This thread is about performance in rough water and we’ve suddenly changed it to performance on the troller. 12 ft row boats love a troller mounted on the transom then you don’t even have to leave your seat in the 1-3 ft chop.

Yeah cause in 9 pages of rough water discussion we have learned a lot

[BalsaBee]

Yeah cause in 9 pages of rough water discussion we have learned a lot

Yep …. It’s now canoes, rowboats and super shallow water where the waves can’t get over 8” tall.

[DeGraaf]

Maybe if you're comparing to a tin boat. 20-21' offerings from Skeeter, stratos, Phoenix, caymas, Triton, champion, basscat, falcon and I'm sure others all ride better than a ranger

You’re sure?

[eriedude]

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

Steve runs a Ranger 522d. Before that he ran 522's.

[digthemup]

Isn't a legend a splashed ranger 480 series?

I think you are thinking Viper Cobra 201 DC, which I have a 2002 and one of the last few made by Viper before going broke.

[I.P. Freely]

Winner - NITRO Z21 https://www.bestboatreport.com/best-...r-rough-water/

[Chris M]

I have a 21 TRX and it's a pretty good ride. Let's face it, rough is relative and rough is rough in any boat.

[99R93S]

Winner - NITRO Z21 https://www.bestboatreport.com/best-...r-rough-water/

Well that guy is clearly an idiot