How to Buy a Fishing Boat on a Budget

You want to fish and need a low cost boat that fits your budget. The best way to keep the cost and license/registration fees down when buying a boat is to eliminate any craft requiring a trailer. All licensing and registration fees are eliminated in most states for any water craft that is "person powered". Fishing boats can be affordable if you know what your needs are.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Recognize that kayaks are almost maintenance free, cheap and the shorter models are easy to transport. Their biggest disadvantage is that the user can either paddle or fish but cannot efficiently do both at the same time.

2. Remember that pedal boats utilize propellers (particularly the catamaran type) and are steered by moving the upper body side to side. This allows the boater to both fish and maneuver at the same time. They are more expensive than kayaks and somewhat heavier when assembled, but when broken down, they are easy to transport.

3. Know that inflatables are light and easily transported but are more fragile. Some can also be equipped with gas or electric motors.

4. Realize that a small Jon boat will go in the back of a pickup truck. Equipped with a 1-3.5 hp gas motor, the range is much greater than the other types listed above and trolling is a breeze. It will, of course, require a license and registration, which in most states is an annual or bi-annual fee.