Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Boat for walleyes

I’ve been doing some fishing for walleyes in my 14 foot row boat. The trouble with it is that the sides of the boat are quite short and I’ve almost taken on water when some boats pass me or when the waves pick up. I’m thinking about getting a bigger boat so that I can try some larger reservoirs and not have to worry about sinking.

If I wanted to go fishing for walleyes even on some of the larger lakes what size boat do I need?

I could also use a fish finder. What features do I need and roughly how much I need to spend in order to get a good one?

Depends on how big of a lake you want to fish and how well you watch the weather. My 20 ft. Glass boat can get mighty small in a big wind. As for finders, down and side imaging along with GPS mapping. Like everything else the sky is the limit price wise. Walleye central classified is a good place to see what boats are going for these days.

Sounds like your problem is related more to the shortcomings in the design of your boat than size, per se. However a bigger boat (within reason) almost always brings with it more comfort, range, safety, versatility and capability. 18' -20' seems like a good compromise for one man to handle, alone, when necessary. Keep in mind that required horsepower goes up significantly as the size goes up. But aluminum boats, because of their extreme light weight, can generally get by with much smaller motors.

Regarding fish finders, do your own due diligence as technology changes rapidly in that area. Personally I would look at the a high quality unit which combines fishfinder/GPS/plotter functions--bigger the better.

You need a deep V boat. Some width will help as well.

Have done a ton of walleye fishing myself, about 55 years' worth.

If I were to buy a boat today for walleye, it would most likely be an 19" Pro V Lund with 90 HP Mercury or Yamaha. Like this one

Our 14' Crestliner, with a 20 horse Merc is a nice boat.

They are all nice hey? We are blessed when it comes to fishing in Canada, that's for sure, hey wabigoon?

For the Pacific Ocean, fishing off the West Coast of Prince Rupert, I LOVE a Kingfisher.

I started out with belly boats years ago, then I bought a couple of canoes and then I bought one of these. A 10hp motor, nice little trailer, life was good for a while.

I never felt safe on bigger water so we bought a 16 ft. Smokercraft. Side console, 50 hp motor with a bow trolling motor and one deep finder.

We finely retired and bought one of these, it fills all our needs.

Beautiful Lund MickinColo, I'll bet you are having a TON OF FUN with that puppy!

It's been a great boat. With the 4 stroke motor, It's a different world, Quiet, no smoke, no stink,,,, as my eye doctor would say, happy, happy, happy.

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect lol ;o)

It really depends on the water. Regardless of big or small, I prefer a V-hull. They track much truer when trolling, especially if the motor is transom mounted.

If you are short on space or money, a tiller boat is hard to beat. They fish bigger without the consoles, so you can buy something smaller and not feel too cramped. Even a 14 footer can do ok. You also get a lot of control with a tiller. The downsides are the ride can be a bit wet in choppy water, long runs just aren’t as comfortable, visibility underway isn’t quite as good, and you tend to have a lower HP rating.

If you fish big water and run long distances, a bigger boat is a must. The longer the boat, the less likely you’ll bow-dive into chop. Big water gets choppy, no way around it. A console boat in the 18-20ft range really shows its benefits when you need to make a long run. I can get up and go from 42 to 45mph and cover a long way in a short amount of time. A 20 mile run isn’t a big deal at all.

As far as electronics, a gps chart/depth/down scan/side scan is really helpful. I have Lowrance units in my boats. I’ve found anything less than an HDS processor can be slow to load on the fly.

One thing for certain, no matter how big the water gets, if the chop can go from rolling to 4' high in a hurry, you want to feel and be safe!

Do you professionals agree?

Cheers ~

For sure.

I've been through a handful of boats, mostly used for walleye fishing and have come to the conclusion that the choice for me would be a wide, deep 16-18 footer with an open platform and a good sized tiller motor, possibly with a smaller kicker for trolling, but for the fishing I do, trolling with the bow mount electric is more enjoyable.

Speaking of electric motors, my newish 24V electric Minn Kota Powerdrive is one of the most useful items I've ever added to my fishing arsenal. The Spot-lock feature is amazingly useful and being able to record a track for trolling or a spot to return to is very handy.

Sidescan sonar is a really useful tool as well. I've found bluegill beds with it, and it's useful for following drop offs or weed edges too.

As said above bigger angry water is no fun no matter what size the boat is.

Not many parameters given.. if your looking to ease into it the older Lund deep v 16’ maybe 18’ were very basic but tough and good thick skin. A lot of them out there. Talking about 77 or so
forward.
Alumacraft built some beefy boats then as well but they tended to be narrower.
The power plant is the important part. Size it right and if buying used have it gone thru before you buy.

A 16’ deep v handled right will master about as rough a water as most people want to be in. Bigger isn’t always better.
Good luck!

Osky

SOunds like you have a very shallow boat. I have a simple Alumacraft V16. It is too small for my walleye fishing now days. I go on a 138,000 ac. , Lake Winebago and I started fishing the north end of Green Bay in Upper Michigan called Bay De Noc. Therefore , I am looking into an 18' with a 70 horse tiller. I am looking for a Starcraft Freedom 18' tiller. It is open with no deck. It will run me about $31,000. Sadly, that is very reasonable now days. A deep 16' would do you well in 90% of your fishing and you will be amazed how much safer they are.

That is a great price. Things on water have gotten crazy expensive.
I was priced last week from Alumacraft a 205 tiller, no frills, no electronics, no trailer, no motor…
Tiller boat only 26,000.00 before taxes and prep.

Osky

I think it is absolutely crazy to buy a brand new boat, at those prices, when you can buy one that's hardly been used for a fraction of that.

I looked at used boats for quite a while before I bought a Lund 1775 Impact a couple years ago. I keep it maintained and stored in the barn. Should last my entire retirement. Wife and I use it a lot during the summer and the 4 stroke 90 hp has been quite good.

Used boat prices were sort of like used truck prices when we were looking. Crazy high.

Used boat prices are crazy high

I have a 20 ft tuffy osprey pro series tiller with a Suzuki df 115 on it I'd let go for 15,000.00. Great big water boat. It's on the Illinois Wisconsin border though.

There was a well known member here ( it seemed ) with a very nice boat motor and trailer and a decent price. I think it was 17’ deep v package. He was from down near Des Moines. I contacted him on it last year and I thought it a sharp deal but too small for what I do.
Maybe you could find him? He initially posted it here in the classifieds.

Osky

I don't and have never fished for walleye but if it's mostly trolling I would look at a Pacific Northwest style aluminum boat .... you can get them as small as 16' up to bigger than you can tow. Can get a full canvas top, 1/2 top/ 3/4, etc. but I would go for the hard top with a heater.... can fish in some pretty nasty weather and stay dry and comfy.

That doesn't leave much room for fishing.

You mean, like this?

Here is a stock photo of something similar in tiller configuration:

That's more like it.

Nice boat!

Similar to the Kingfisher, I agree with you on the hard top with the heater, especially if you are a Hard-Core Fisherman and you target multiple species and fish three seasons on larger bodies of water like Lake Ontario.

This type of boat is better suited for a fishing guide than the average fisherman.

Cheers ~

Hard tops are popular here in the NW on 22”+ boats used in saltwater. They are great for trolling when it’s nasty out. They also do well for bottom fishing. However, they are a bit much in my opinion for most freshwater applications other than maybe the Great Lakes.

I use them for the Pacific, where a real boat is a MUST~

Love the Kingfisher

You folks sure like some pricy$ boats, power to you.

How big is the gas tank? Bet the long run to the tuna wouldn’t be so bad in that!

Not Sure, the boat belongs to one of my Guides where I go fishing out of Prince Rupert BC. The boat is FANTASTIC!

Would be a Killer Tuna Boat no doubt!

Those shiny fish don’t look like walleye !



Walleye boats - depend where you fish… as to what you need.

Common no-brainer…

A bow trolling motor is required to pull worm harnesses (slow troll)
A kicker motor is required to pull lead and lures (1.3-3.X mph trolling)

the second one CAN bite you in the tail…. Because used boats often have the largest motor on them, so you can’t get a kicker on it, and then you end up back trolling which sucks…. you can use trolling bags and run your big engine at idle but you won’t have the speed control you need to do a good job… which is why the pro boats for walleye have not only a kicker but troll control electronics…

The stupid fish bite based on speed, then color and shape…

So the rest you can screw with pretty easy - those 2 you can not.
one last thing - lithium batteries last twice as long as lead acid and weight half as much so it’s a good idea to get those if you can afford it.


the only other big ticket items is boat electronics -

Side & down view Humingbird rules the roost.

If you are actively fishing points or especially Crappie - Garmin's live scope is killing everything out there.

I have 80# 24v on both of my boats. They are more powerful and last longer than a single battery.

This is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE WALLEYE LURE!

The Lucky Strike June Bug with a leach hammers them, they simply cannot resist!

This has sure been the case

I think things are starting to get back inline a bit

Hank

I personally do not buy anything new; you drive off the lot taking a big $$$ loss. I prefer someone else to take the hit, does that make me a smart or bad man? lol

I also like to buy used. People talk about their boats , but the hours on the meter show they dont use them much and many are toys that they play with, get bored and sick of paying payment and take up room. Then they sell them.

That’s my boat with me driving it. (They used it/me for a Mercury photo shoot)

New in 2021. Used it for 2 charter seasons. 2 moose hunts. 20 deer hunts. Wolf trapping. Family camping. Bear hunting. Commercial salmon trolling. Shrimping.

Has 800+ hours and could sell it tomorrow for more than what I have into it. Boats always aren’t a hole in the water you throw money into. In this market prices went up faster than boats deprecated. Not sure they will come down.

I agree with Calvin. I bought a Willie river boat 10 years ago and could flip it right now for more than I paid for it.
Aluminum boats don't depreciate like glass boats do.

Beauty Calvin. I don’t see many of those in Minnesota but when I have groups down on the flaming gorge I see them there. Good looking floaters.

Osky

Very nice Calvin, exactly what you need for the Pacific. Where do you fish?

Craig. W side of Prince of Wales

"More water outside, than inside the boat."

I just ordered a Lund SSV 16. Sometimes I like the basics. Brand new with galvanized trailer set me back $8600.

Those are a standard here. We do things that shouldn't be done in them.

Gooch did that include a motor?

No, it was just boat, galvanized trailer, battery, and the fuel tank. I have a 2016 Mercury 40hp 4-stroke for it.

I agree with the previous that many boats had held their value
Mainly the ones that people want to buy today

There are some other boats that have not because the trend is away from what they have
But solid fish boat with 4 strokes are a winner when it comes to resale

Calvin that is a beauty we are starting to see some of those around here I fished off one this summer really awesome boat

Hank

I hope Bikinis are involved :o)

KB

There are a lot of components that make one brand more desirable than others. Some brands have transom problems, some have bad welds, some have poorly sealed rivets, etc. I would also research how a dealer rigs a boat. A hot boat can cause all sorts of problems too.

Crestliner is a great Walleye Boat as well.





KB

By hot boat, do you mean one that's not properly grounded and suffers from electrolysis?

What are these, walleye, you all speak of ?

This is a very large one with my better half. No boat required. lol

I have heard of these phantom fish also. However, I have yet to see one. Many have talked about the elusive walleye , and rave about their taste , but to catch one in Wisconsin has yet to be seen.

Hmmm, be this be them?

I am a fisherman. A boat to me is about fishing first, pleasure second.
The problem is I love all fishing, trout, salmon, bass, walleye, rockfish, lingcod, crappie, perch etc....
Rivers , lakes , streams, reservoirs, ocean etc.... well in theory this would require 4 or 5 different boats. And that is the path I was heading down.
Finally I came to my senses and decided to stop the insanity.
Sold all my boats, and at I profit I may add. And bought this boat to do it all.
It's a heavy gauge welded aluminum , with a jet pump outboard with tiller steering. It has a Minnkota Terranova bow mount electric wit auto pilot, spotlock and cruise control.
No gas kicker this time. I use two Lifepro lithium batteries to power it and can troll for several days at 1.5 to 2mph.
The jet allows me to power up rivers in 4" water. The 10 degree V with good freeboard allows me to use it on large reservoirs such as Ft Peck. The light weight allows me to launch on small lakes with unimproved ramps.
It's not perfect for everything but it is damn good!!

Very Nice Brither irfubar!

For the type of fishing I do two boats are a must, one for lakes and rivers and one for the Pacific ocean. Where I fish in the Pacific, if you go in the drink you are dead in about 15 minutes from exposure!

KB

Brother Bee... I understand. Unfortunately my ocean fishing is limited due to my susceptibility to sea sickness ....

In the interest of full disclosure.... I have another boat I can't seem to part with as I built it myself and it serves a very useful nitch where I live....

I brought a friend with me once who was an accomplished Tournament Walleye Fisherman, asked him if he suffered from sea sickness, he said "NO" and told me he was fishing in Mexico and everyone got sick and he laughed his guts out, at them" "Good enough" I responded.

First Morning out he puked his guts out and spent the entire morning in the galley in bed! It was a super great day of fishing, must have caught about 30 salmon, while he was in bed unable to fish, Was not even a rough day! LMF-GUTS-O! hehehehe

BKB :o)

It's a fickle mistress, I have fished the gulf of Alaska, off the Oregon and Calif. coast for tuna, SW Alaska, B.C. etc.... and if the swells are large I am toast

Beautiful boat.

NICE BOAT Brother ifubar!!!

Thanks guys.... I'm a boat whore .... I admit it..

A prettier whore, there never was!

Yes. I had a poorly grounded aluminum boat that would have had problems if it weren’t for me noticing the zincs were corroding fast (according to the dealer when I asked WTF).

People say it actually repels fish as well.

Me too.

3 fishing boats I've owned and rebuilt (last one still a work in progress). But small boats are the most fun.

Just what every fisherman needs, a boat that repels fish, right? lol

You must have been quite upset!

KB

Ha, ha Mate, my current 3 would fit into your first 1 !

12' Naden, 9.9hp merc 2 stroke - pot hole lake with bad access
14' Lund deep & wide, 25hp Honda 4 stroke - anywhere with trailer access
17' Lund Pike, 50hp Merc 2 stroke + bow mount Minn Kota 55lb - anywhere with trailer access (more room & comfort).

P.S. - My comment about "what are these walleye", may have been, ever so slightly, tongue in cheek !

Yeah, these are for a different type of fishing. When I replaced the fuel tanks (970-gallons) on the second one pictured, I found a marlin bill sticking through the hull!

It’s part of the reason I use braided downrigger cable and rubber bungee connectors to the downrigger balls.

Stealth is always the best approach when it comes to hunting and fishing IMO :o)

Koffler Baybee for ocean and lakes



Inflatable jet boat for rivers and lakes



Inflatable Kayak for trout fishing inflate it when we get there, or thow it on top of the rack on the Koffler

Drift boat for lakes and rivers they are made for fishing

Certainly two schools of thoughts on what a walleye boat should look like. We have outstanding walleye fishing out in the estuarys out of Lake Michigan, but it is so much like trolling for salmon with the big boats, down riggers and big water. I've gone the other way and caught thousands of walleyes in Canada mostly using a 14 or 16' Lund aluminum boat with a 10-15 hp outboard. A buddy of mine fished the walleye tournaments up north and he knew the river system so well that he was always in the money using his 15' Grumman Sport Canoe. He tells about nearly being swamped by the big boats going by on their way out to fish the way bigger water. My buddy's son did buy a big Hewes boat that he found in Ohio, but my buddy is right now in the process of refurbishing an S16 Lund with a Honda four stroke for his walleye boat. That tells me what his preferred method of fishing walleyes would be. Mine too.

Lots of truth there. For a long many years the norm for the groups I’ve handled across Canada was a 14’ with maybe up to a 20hp motor. Easier to fly those in to camps and easier on fuel which had to be flown in as well.
The bigger lodges on the bigger lakes went more to 16’, primarily as a guide and two customers per boat was a lot.
I see now more 16’ in the far north and big lake lodges like up on Cree, Slave, Ath, Reindeer etc are now going 18’ with 40-50 hp motors. That’s big.
My son was running a 17’ tiller down on Flaming Gorge, which was fine but he sold it because the waters closer to SLC where he fishes the most don’t need that size. He has a 14’ now with a 25hp.
To the OP, it really is all about the size water you will spend the most time on, and what keeps you relatively safe there.
Good luck with it.
Osky

That’s a big reason I recently bought a basic 16 footer. The big boat is great for big water and getting somewhere fast and dry, but it can be a pain otherwise.

No matter the boat, always wear a PFD, have three ways to make a fire, and be ready to survive overnight.

Amen and if you are fishing in the Pacific, make sure the life raft works!

I’m still in love with my 19 foot Alumacraft Trophy. Owned it 6-7 seasons now and still meets all my freshwater needs. Rides great, can run upper 40’s if I push the 200 Yamaha.
https://www.alumacraft.com/us/en/models/fish-and-sport/trophy.html#195

14' Crestliner.