Fish and Ski vs Bass Boat

[nipples]

I was at the Sac ISE a couple weeks back and I checked out a very sweet looking fish and ski with the walk through windshield and a half bimini top that covered the 2 front seats. It left plenty of room for the person fishing the fat end (unlike a full bimini,which cramps the back deck). This top snapped to the windshield and I gotta say, that on a rainy or cold tournament morning, this would defiantly have to be my new boat of choice. I went and look at some of the independent test results for fish and ski boats, and it doesn’t look like the fish and ski’s are quite as fast as the top bass boats, however they are definitely able to move. Granted they suck as far as rod and tackle storage in comparison, but still, there is storage and you can get them rigged with dual live wells. Well ever since the ISE, that boat has been in the back of my mind, every time I think about a cold rainy blast off, I think about how nice it would be to leave the fish hedz mask behind, install a little propane heater – lol, and blast off in a cozy dry boat. Not to mention getting out of the rain occasionally under the bimini, (but still not having it in the way of the back seater). So I figured I’d post this question to the forum and seek some different opinions and hope someone can get me off the fence. (never too early to start shopping) Seems like all the bass boat manufacturers also make a couple fish and ski models. So there are a lot of good quality choices out there, but before I get that far into it, Do I really want a fish and ski or do I want a Water Ferrari…

Do any of you have any experience fishing or skiing out of a fish and ski?

If so, how did it compare to the ride and performance of a top of the line bass boat?

I suspect these fish and ski boats are propped to do a hefty hole shot (to pull up a skier) and I suspect I could use a different prop for tourneys (better top speed and reasonable hole shot) and switch the prop back to stock if I ever take the kids out for a drag around the lake. Do any of you know if that suspicion is true or false?

Have any of you considered a fish and ski versus a bass boat?

If so, what were the circumstances that brought you down from the fence in either direction? (even if that is coolness factor with your buddies, it’s good to know).

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in any way knocking bass boats, they are awesome machines and deserve nothing but respect. I’m just weighing all the options so I don’t have any regrets in the future. I’ve suffered my share of cold ***, teeth clenching, foul weather on the water, and before I commit to 10 more years of it, I want to make sure I’ve got all info to make an informed decision.



Thanks and good fishing,

-Paul-

[Leroy_B]

Well, i didnt have a fancy fish and ski boat, i had a 98 bayliner, it did the trick for a few years.. The new ranger and triton fish and ski's are 1000 percent nicer than that. Now that i have a bass boat i wouldnt go back to fish and ski. But what you need to consider is how often are the kids and wife going with you to the lake?, How many tournaments are you going to fish?, and more important what does the wife want......LOL

Anyway, consider the amount of time for each use and go from there. As for cold rainy weather, we only have a couple months to endure.

Good luck!!

[350V RGR]

My brother has a fish n ski. He took his family first on his buy. It all comes down to what you want to do. I mean from your post you are talking more about tourny's then water skiing. This is just my .02. If my main goal was to fish tournaments, a Bass Boat would be the choice.
Like you mentioned, the room, there is a huge differance. for your rods and tackle. Heck we have all seen guys with heaters in there Bass Boats. So you can do that if you want.

Also, are you going to fish for other fish? Will you be trolling, Sitten in one spot with an anchor? If thats the case, then I Would go with the Fish n Ski. But if its just strait Tournament Bass fishing for me it would always be a Bass Boat.

Again just my .02 Good luck with what ever you buy!!

Will Mathers

[ryland7667]

Paul,

I bought a used 2003 Triton 190FS last year and I love it. Most importantly my life loves it too. It's 19 feet with a 200 Optimax. The previous owner gave me two props. One is a four bladed SS prop that has the most incredible hole shot and a top speed of 56mph (on the GPS). In October I changed the prop to the three bladed SS prop. (I don't remember the pitch of either prop) Less hole shot but a top speed of 64mph (GPS).

I took the boat on a bachelor party houseboat trip on Shasta in July. It was nice because we would go out and fish in the morning and evening. During the mid day heat we would return to the house boat, get out the bimini, skis, and go screw around. The boat also seats up to five people comfortably. The best part is it looks like a bassboat not a ski boat. The only down side is the storage but it is managable. I've been fishing the Folsom Bass League tournaments and it has worked just fine for me.

Good luck,

Mike Ryland

[Morgan]

I have a '96 Stratos SF180 and it has been a very good choice.

When I go to Havasu, I get up early and fish for bass, come back at 11, put up the bimini top, and the wife will come out for me while I fish for stripers. She really likes the room in the floor area and the windshields. She just reads and enjoys the view. Same goes when we go out together at local lakes.

I also use it for trout fishing with the kids and grandkids, and the higher inside keeps the younger ones in check. The wife hasn't gone out too much lately, and I have become addicted to bass fishing only, so I am thinking about getting a bass boat.

Morgan

[stonefly]

I have a Ranger fish and ski and it comes down to giving up some front deck space for the back seat. The versatality was the major attraction for me. I can take the wife and three kids out with plenty of room or I can fish (this was a major selling point with the finance chairwoman). The boat pulls the kids on a wadeboard quite well, but also tourney ready with livewells and electronics, etc.. It is certainly a better fishing boat than a ski boat, but that is my priorities as well.

[nipples]

Wow, awesome replies... thank you all...


One question and I will post this publicly so everyone can benefit from it.


There seems to be a difference in the height of the top deck in relation to the water that could make it more difficult to flip from the front deck. Have any of you ran into any problems fishing because of this or problems landing fish?


I'm willing to sacrafice a little storage and speed, but I'm going to be really hesitant about sacraficing fishing or landing fish.


And in case anyone is wondering... It's that damn windshield and half bimini top. I am fishing a lot more foul / cold weather tournaments now days. That fish and ski looked like a really nice, dry, and comfortable ride (without the need for a mask and extreme raingear). And I am not about to stop fishing in bad weather because that makes for some really good fishing. And while I love fishing in the rain, I am near sighted and wear glasses, and I hate running in the rain.

Thanks and good fishing,

-Paul-

[NoCAL]

I had a Nitro fish and ski that I just sold. As for your question about height above the water, it never made any difference to me. I could flip off the front just fine. Throwing big swimbaits could be a problem because of the limited deck space and the front windshield would get in the way. But as for just plain problems with fishing techniques, I never really had them. Storage is an issue. If you are doing tournaments you may not be able to take as many rods as a true bass boater. That could be a good thing sometimes! As long as the boat is maxed out on HP (mine wasn't) I don't think you'll be sacraficing that much.

NoCAL

[SHAFT]

Here is a link to the boat I just bought , I have not owned a bass boat so I can't tell you how it compares and I've only had it out once but I think it will be a great boat all around boat for fishing , tubing , and skiing . I'm new to outboards so I need to play around with it and get used to the trim positions . I took it out to Clear Lake about a month ago high temp was 40 deg. and that windshield was sweet , cracked it open and the speed on the fish finder was mid. 60's I think my vision was a little blurry !


http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=161378

[mcsanders]

I've got the Ranger F/S and I love it. I've had several bass boats and this is my second F/S so I have my own list of pros and cons for each.

I think everyone has covered the details.

If you have any questions on the Ranger F/S, I'll be happy to answer.

Mark

[Clark]

Nipples, I had a regular bass boat for 15 years and a Triton Fish and Ski now for almost 2 years. I bought the Fish and Ski so I could take family and friends out for a day of fun on the water. I also fish club tournaments.

Whatever you decide, make sure you know the layout and all storage capabilities thoroughly before you buy. I also think its even more important to max out the horsepower on a Fish and Ski, than a regular bass boat. The driver and passenger sit more forward on a fish and ski, so the max hp really helps to put the boat on plane quickly and achieve good performance. If the Fish and Ski will be used for both fishing and skiing/tubing/family recreation, you'll want a separate ss prop for each activity. A jackplate (especially hydraulic), is also real nice to have because it allows you to easily match the engine height to the activity (i.e. lower for skiing or pulling a tube, and higher for fishing a "T").

If I was only going to use the boat for fishing tournaments, I would have stuck with a regular bass boat. The windshield protection from cold, wind etc. by itself isn't enough in my mind to justify the fish and ski. Cold temps and inclement weather are fairly easy to deal with by wearing the right clothing and rain gear.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Mike

[twister]

Nipples,

Two of the guys in my club fish out of Tritons F/S. I believe on is a 190 and the other is a 210--could be wrong about the 210. I like the 190 because the it has a full windshield to cut the rain/wind and it still handles like a bass boat. They have fully padded seats and one rod locker that can almost fit a 8' pole. I guess its a little taboo to say, but I'm going to mention it anyways. It also can be used to baitfish. The driver seat and passenger seat is on a pedastal that can be turned around. The boats have a buit in keel guard--just another nice touch from Triton. Hey you have room for some tunes also. Check out a Triton F/S--get a test ride--you won't be dissapointed.

[Chad Buckley]

Nipples-
I have a 06 Ranger 210VS for sale. Send me a private message and I'll fill you in on the details. Great boat / great deal if you're looking for a fish & ski.

[clayton meyer]

has anyone ever noticed that everyone in a "fun" boat has a smile on their face running down the lake and all of the bass fisherman are grumpy looking


the ranger models such as the 1860 Angler have sizable rod lockers, while the Reata has a more family oriented interior

check them out at www.rangerboats.com