fish. and ski question

aNNieNsaLTIE · Post by **aNNieNsaLTIE** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:40 pm

how much lower does a fish and ski sit in the water versus a actual bass boat. would it be that bad fishing out of one compared to a bass boat built and designed to fish for bass?

what are the ups and downs?

thanks, saLTIE-

ACRon · Post by **ACRon** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:16 pm

I don't have any problems with my Triton SF21. It takes a little bit more water but not much. I have gotten into very shallow water. I don't have a jack plate on mine so I have to remember to trim up the motor if I get to shallow.

The wind profile is a little higher also. That makes it a little more subject to the wind.

The front deck is a little smaller than a full flippin deck but it is very functional. Mine has a deck extension over the step well. The rods when laying on the deck hang over a little so I remember to put down the strap when I fire up the big motor.

Iafrate94505 · Post by **Iafrate94505** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:52 pm

PM Bahlzar, he has a fish n ski

Daren Prociw · Post by **Daren Prociw** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:39 pm

I have the 07' Triton SF211. Mine sits about 6" taller up front- I need a 60" shaft trolling motor vs. a 45" or 50". The back is a little higher maybe 3" and therefore it need a long shaft outboard. As for how deep the hull is in the water I have been in 2 foot of water and not scraped the bottom. I think the Ranger and Nitro models sit a little lower. Not sure about the Stratos or Champion. The front deck is smaller that the conventional bass boat and the rod storage is shorter too, 6'6" rod is cramped. The back deck is a little smaller. On the plus side, it handles the rough water well, no issues on windy days on the Delta or Clear Lake and it has a larger livewell. If you don't have skis and stuff in the boat you have way more storage available to you. And you can go ski or have the whole family out with you.

aNNieNsaLTIE · Post by **aNNieNsaLTIE** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:07 pm

thank-you acron and daren for the info. I know the champion fish n ski has a good size rear and front deck.

saLTIE-

Norv · Post by **Norv** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:28 am

I have a Triton 190FS and it has the same characteristics of Triton's 19 foot bass boat.

Lookin4Bass · Post by **Lookin4Bass** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:48 am

I have a 2004 Stratos 190 FS. The boat is stable, roomy and with a Yamaha VMax 150 it gets surprisingly (at least to me) good mileage. I've also taken it into very shallow water lately bed fishing with no issues.

The only shortcoming with the boat is the size of the front deck. I have to run my rods up along the sides of the windshield and as previously noted I have to remember to strap them down before moving.

It's also a bit tough to access the front storage bins with the rods layed out but that may be the case with full on bass boats as well.

The passage between the windshields is on the narrow side. I'm only about 185 lbs and I need to turn sideways to get through.

On the plus side the rear deck, at 3 1/2' x 6' seems comparable in size to the other boats in my club.

I can fit 8 7' rods in the rod/ski locker and as long as they have covers on them I can get them out too.

All in all the versatility of the fish and ski was the right choice for me and my wife, who vetoed my getting a bass boat. Technically it was the only choice.

Riplip · Post by **Riplip** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:53 am

I have a 1998 Viper Coral 205 with a 225 efi and 6" jackplate. I have never been in a fishing situation where draft was an issue. The biggest drawback of most fish-n-ski's is the wind signature caused by the wrap around windshield. It acts like a sail on breezy days, causing some boat control issues...esp when most fish-n-ski boats don't have provisions(space) for a dedicated 36v TM(4 batteries). I would strongly advise 82lb TM minimum if you are going this route and fish the delta or Clear lake...having said that, I still love my boat and wouldn't have the family time memories of the last ten years with kids and their friends and the wife if I had kept my bassboat.

Hope this helps, Wes

SHAFT · Post by **SHAFT** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:36 am

I have a 20' Nitro with a 225 and love it , It's a compromise for both a bass boat and a ski boat but a real good choice all around . Deck size , rod locker size , ect. vary by manufacture and year the only thing I would recommend is go for the biggest boat with the biggest motor you can find , if your looking for new Marine Unlimited in Santa Rosa has a Straos 20' he has marked down pretty cheap to get off the floor .

http://www.marineunlimited.net/frames_b ... _sale.html

coachgilley · Post by **coachgilley** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:44 am

salTIE,
I fished out of a Stratos F/S for about 8 yrs. As far as the deck space, distance from water, (other bass fishing stuff) they are the same, as long as it is a boat made by a bass boat manufacturer (Ranger, Triton, Champion, etc). Some F/S are ski boats (Glastron, Bayliner, etc.) referred to as "Ski and Fish" with a trolling motor mounted on them, and these brands, in my opinion, are difficult to fish out of. Make sure the outbaord is large enough to power the boat, as they do not handle or perform the same as a reg. bass boat. If you are looking at an 18-20 ft F/S make sure the outboard is in the 200-250 HP range. In my opinion the 18 F/S with a 115-150 HP is underpowered. The extra room is awesome for younger kids/families. Also, if you ever intend on bait fishing or enjoy taking more than one person fishing it is even better. Take a look at Champion's F/S. It comes standard with a Jack Plate and a cool wrap around rear seat that also stores the Bimini top.
Good Luck