Don't Buy the Boat...

This blog post is is personal for me, and I think this will resonate with a lot of people out there as well. I truly hope at least one young (or even an older) angler reads this and takes this advice to heart, because I think it may be one of the best pieces of advice that I can give. 

A nice bass boat is like the holy grail to an aspiring bass angler on the come up. Every fisherman dreams of turning the key to a brand new 250 Merc and hearing that aggressive growl as it comes to life tournament morning. However, that dream quickly becomes a nightmare once you realize you need to shell out nearly $100,000 for a loaded rig in 2026. Signing that dotted line means monthly payment obligations for 10, 15, even 20 years, oftentimes far past the useful life of the beautiful rig you picked up when the payments first began. 

I have always worked. Even before I could legally work in the state of Illinois at 15 with a permit, I would cut lawns and do odd jobs to earn money that pretty much all went to feeding my fishing addiction. Of course obtaining a nice bass boat the second I turned 16 was at the top of my list. By the time I had turned 17, I managed to save up around $3,000, a worthy down payment on a decent used starter boat (especially back in 2013). I was ready to sign my soul away. I had looked at hundreds, if not thousands of used boats over the last few years. I am talking $7,000-$15,000 tops. Nothing fancy. Still, everything "decent" in my mind was a few thousand more than I had in cash. I came VERY close to trying to have my parents cosign a loan for me so I could cover the difference and get the boat of my dreams.... but I didn't. I decided to go a different route at the last second. 

I took the cash I had saved up and I bought a 1960-something no-name fiberglass boat with a 65 horsepower mercury (also from the 60s) for around $2,000. This boat SUCKED!!!!! Yet, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. For one, I was young. I had no business being in a rig that was out of my price range ESPECIALLY while I was learning how to operate a boat on my own. My cheap junker was perfect because it was virtually almost impossible to ruin since it was already so dilapidated. I poured some additional money into it to build some extra decking, get new trailer tires, a new gas line, the essentials really. I also put a lot of time into this rig. It was not pretty, but it was mine. Not my parents, not the banks, mine. 

Overall the boat turned out to be quite the lemon. I used it for a season and then I sold it for a loss. I took the money I sold it for, added it together with some additional money I saved up and purchased a 1990 tracker. This boat was MUCH better, and I also owned it outright. I did blow the motor on it almost instantly, but I was able to find almost the same one for around 400 bucks on Facebook marketplace. I used this rig for a solid 4 years or so. I competed in and won many tournaments out of it. I then applied the same formula to this boat as I did with my first rig. I sold it, and then I upgraded with cash again. This time I got a small 1996 fiberglass Skeeter. 

That boat was a little machine and it was perfect for the smaller lakes in Southwest Michigan. I loved it, and I fished out of it for quite a few years as well. You can already guess what I did next when I was ready to upgrade. Sold it, and purchased a slightly bigger, newer boat in cash. 

I am proud to say I have never had a boat payment. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having one. You truly only live once, so you might as well enjoy life to the fullest. If you have a stable income that allows you to afford a brand new boat, go for it! 

This article is for 16 year old me. The kid that has their heart set on buying a bass boat. A kid that works hard, but has not had to pay real bills yet and does not realize what adding a sizable boat payment to the mix could do to their future finances. If you are that kid keep working hard. Save your hard earned money and buy a used boat within your budget in cash. Wait a few years and then continue to upgrade until you are in the perfect spot to get the boat of your dreams. 

My current boat is not the biggest, it is not the fastest, and it is certainly not the newest. But it catches fish and it is mine. Hopefully this inspires someone to consider a similar path.