The Ultimate Crappie Boat

I have this discussion with just about everyone I meet who fishes for crappie. What is the ultimate boat for crappie fishing? I will admit that manufacturers are beginning to recognize that the watercrafts much change as crappie tactics change. I guess that’s why a lot of the tournament guys are moving from small aluminum johnboats to fiberglass bass boats.

With the popularity of tight-lining, many of these boats feature dual side-by-side pedestal seats in the front where two anglers can work a number of rods set in T-bars around the bow. I think that a lot of anglers are discovering that open-water crappie are a less-pressured fish for more than 10 months out of the year, and they’re looking for bigger boats with more stability in open water.

Why not go all the way with a wide, low, center-console boat to fish for crappie? I don’t want to upset anybody who has their boat laid out just the way they want it. Just like crappie baits, confidence is a big factor in catching fish, and that concept applies to boats.

When I traded in my old boat this past summer, I opted for a 21½-foot War Eagle Coastal Tomahawk. This is essentially a tough-as-nails aluminum bay boat that I asked John Ward to “tweak.” He added the dual sockets for tight-lining and a 4-stroke 150 Yamaha outboard for pulling crankbaits. Eight (yes, eight) trolling bars and 30 Driftmaster rod holders later, and this baby is ready to rock. You’ll be hearing a bunch more about this boat in future blogs.

Phillip Gentry
pgentry6@bellsouth.net