Choosing the Right Fishing Boat

If you’re the type of person who’s focused on the catch, choosing the right fishing boat is an important process. The right boat will help you get to the best waters for fishing and it will have the tools you need to haul in your catch every time. Modern fishing boats span a broad range of different features, sizes, and build qualities. If you want to find the perfect model for your needs at the best price, you’ll want to do some research beforehand.

Here at Riva Motorsports & Marine, we’ve designed this short guide to help inform our customers about a good way to think about fishing boats before you buy them. If you walk onto the dealership parking lot knowing exactly what you want to use your boat for and knowing what kind of features you can’t live without, you’ll have a better chance of walking away having made the right purchase. Stop by our dealership in Key Largo, Florida when you’re ready to look at specific models. We proudly serve the areas of Miami, Key West, Key Largo, and Islamorada, Florida.

Bodies of Water

The first question you should ask yourself when buying a new fishing boat is “where am I going to be using this boat?” The body of water you will be fishing in will be more important for deciding what type of boat will work for you than thinking about what specific fish you’ll be fishing or what manufacturer makes the boat. The hull of the boat can look substantially different depending on the body of water it’s designed to fish in. For example, boats that are designed for fishing in the open ocean will have much deeper hulls that help the boat to stay steady in big surf. These types of boats also work for fishing in big lakes and rivers, too. Boats for fishing in bays, smaller rivers, or lakes often have a shallower hull. If you want to fish in the bayou or anywhere with shallow water and lots of potential obstacles in the water (like submerged rocks, logs, and plant matter) you need an extremely flat hull that’s meant to skip right over these obstacles. They also often have specially designed super-powerful engines with extra-durable propellers that won’t snap off or get bound up in the weeds. Fishing here in Florida often means fishing in brackish or saltwater, so you’ll want to make sure you buy a boat that won’t corrode and can handle these conditions.

Size of Group Fishing

Another important question to ask yourself is, “how many people will be joining me on my fishing trips?” The number of passengers is one of the main determining factors for the size of a boat. If you’re mostly a lone wolf type fisherman who likes to keep his favorite fishing grounds secret, you might only need a small boat—something less than 20 feet. If you have a large, extended family and lots of friends who you wouldn’t dream of leaving on the shore, you’ll probably want something much bigger and better equipped. If you’re bringing small children along, you’ll want a boat that’s big enough to have an enclosed cabin, and maybe even a galley and head. Children benefit from having a place where they can rest away from the sun and heat, and if they can also have some snacks and a place to use the bathroom, all the better.

Storage Concerns

At the end of the day when you bring your boat to shore, you’ll need a place to store it. The size of the boat you pick may determine, in part, where you can store it. You probably won’t be able to store a yacht on your property if you live in a condo, so you’ll need to find marina space, a dry dock, or some other place to store your boat. Keep in mind that this can be a major ongoing fee, and it’s something that’s worth including in your final budget. If you find a boat that seems like it will be a good pick for your needs, call ahead to the places you’re considering storing it to confirm that they have space and to get an idea of what kind of fees you can expect.

When you want to start talking specific makes and models of fishing boats, come to Riva Motorsports & Marine. We have locations in Miami and Key Largo, Florida and we proudly serve the Florida Keys, Islamorada, and Key Largo, Florida. Stop by today and talk to our boating experts!