Center Console wave of the future?

[tc_victory]

Made a rare trip into OK City and stopped at Bass Pro to exchange a reel I got there last trip and had bad drags on the spools. Exchanged the UL spin reel and had to pop for a 5.2 ratio baitcaster. Now I need to start a clearing house on rods and reels and get down to managable levels.

Not really looking at boats much since I had just sold my Stratos and had a new motorcycle in back of truck as partial payment, but as I did walk around the lot I noticed a lot of the boats had center console setups. Is this going to be the coming thing for multi-species boats? I like the idea myself and have looked at cc's for sometime. I think it would fish better than the typical side console aluminum multi-species boats that we all used up north, and I will be using again since I dumped the bassboat.

[3dees]

I think they are more for salt water boats. don't seem to be popular for bass boats. Allison had them and Triton had a cc model some years ago. I believe the Nitro Z9 still has the cc option. personally I like them. seems like they would balance the boat better, but for whatever reason they don't seem to sell very well. in all my years of fishing, I can remember seeing one on the water.

[Darth VMAX]

I think he is talking about the Mako Center Console designs that is sold at BPS. No, this is not the wave of the future for bass fishing. These are primarily a "Salt-water" boat. HOWEVER, Oklahoma City is just north of one of the nations PREMIERE Striped Bass fisheries (Lake Texoma). Striper Fisherman perfer the lay-out of these boats over a Bass or Walleye boat. Plus, these boats are available in sizes greater than 21-22ft (which is the max length for most bass/walleye boats).

Texoma is an ENORMOUS body of water that can get very, VERY nasty when the mid-west wind kicks up. A 23-25ft CC boat is much safer in these conditions. Plus, Striper Guides will take 3-4 clients out on a trip and these boats have much more room for that.

[tc_victory]

Sounds good guys, but a lot of those were smaller boats, many aluminum, not just the bigger Texoma striper boats. I mentioned multi-species and realize the bassboat is too ingrained in our industry to change much now. However, there are a ton of "tin" boats out there owned by guys who fish bass, crappie, gills, cats, and anything that ( credit to Hank Parker ) "Pulls my string".

As long as the boat is wide enough to get around both sides of the console it would make the whole boat fishable and better for chasing fish around the boat then the side console "walleye" boats I grew up in. Well, actually, I grew up in wood boats and the kids either had to row or bail.:D

I did fish Texoma with a guide last year and yes, the cc is a guide's choice there. But, speaking of Texoma, no way I would go back and catch mini-stripers after I spent time in TN with fish going 15#s and up. ;)

[gamblerjewell]

Gambler has started producing thier new sterling in center console and it is slick and Scott Ashmore is fishing out of one in the Elite series this year.