What is the best duck hunting boat?

[BigFoot02]

I want to buy an awesome duck hunting boat but not sure what type to get... I want to be able to fish out of it too.. Any thoughts?

[D-Rock425]

What k

inda fishing or duck hunting out in the salt or lakes and rivers?

[D-Rock425]

Sorry me not type so good

[BigFoot02]

I would like to get an all around boat.. Something I can hunt the sound with and something I can hunt ponds with.. if there is such a thing.

[D-Rock425]

I've been looking for the same thing.  I want a boat I can fish rivers with and still hunt the sound.

[jordano]

wareagle boats... or lowe boats or tracker boats... if you want to be able to fish and hunt... those are the way to go...

[carpsniperg2]

The trackers are nice and might be what your are looking for. I have a 18' bass America that's my bowfishing boat. But it is a lot like the trackers and will go into about 12" of water. Another good one that already has the camo paint job "on some" is the yamaha G3.

[Black Plague]

My dad has an 18.5 ft Lowe roughneck.  I really like it a lot, we hauled 5 guys 3 dogs and 4-5 dozen decoys in it with room to spare they are super wide and feel really stable....we fished Neah bay for a week in it last year so the sound shouldn't be a problem for it..... I have never been in a Wareagle boat but they seem nice too... the only issue with fishing in a nice light boat is that the wind will push you around a little easier than in a heavy fiberglass boat for fishing...our solution was just to put a trolling motor that has auto-pilot on and that solves any windy day issues, just point'er where you want to face push the button and ahh hands/feet free fishin

[h2ofowlr]

What is your price range? Duckwater and bankes are great boats. Light salt i would go for more free board. North river, alumaweld, etc. Lake and calmer waters go jon style wareagle, lowe, sea ark, tracker style.

[h20hunter]

Has nobody mentioned the obvious? The best boat is the one your buddy owns, stores it, maintains it, hauls it, and lets you pitch in for gas and beer.

[h2ofowlr]

Very true as BOAT means bust out another thousand.

[dscubame]

One that floats, unlike mine.

[seth30]

BIGFOOT, if your going to hunt the base you want a very flat or shallow bottom.  The water can be 2 inches deep at times, and then 5 feet a few hours later.  I went on hilllbillys jon boat and it worked great for that type of water.

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

My dad has an 18.5 ft Lowe roughneck.  I really like it a lot, we hauled 5 guys 3 dogs and 4-5 dozen decoys in it with room to spare they are super wide and feel really stable....we fished Neah bay for a week in it last year so the sound shouldn't be a problem for it..... I have never been in a Wareagle boat but they seem nice too... the only issue with fishing in a nice light boat is that the wind will push you around a little easier than in a heavy fiberglass boat for fishing...our solution was just to put a trolling motor that has auto-pilot on and that solves any windy day issues, just point'er where you want to face push the button and ahh hands/feet free fishin

I'll second that on the Lowe Roughneck.  We hunt/fish from a 17.5' boat, basically the same as above with a little less space.  

[BLR 243]

Lowe Roughneck 1655 tunnel. I'v run over trees with it and can run in inches of water on step.

[jordano]

since you want to be able to take your boat out into the salt water I would suggest getting a boat with a little bit more of a "V" bow so it rides better in chop and some waves.. here are a few of my suggestions.

http://www.loweboats.com/showroom/welded-jon/roughneck-jon/rv190sc.php

http://www.wareagleboats.com/boats/detail.asp?id=8&catID=1

these boats are both 18 1/2 foot boats with high sides and good semi-V hulls... they are made to both fish and hunt.. let's just say that I have my eye on them for when i can get a boat of my own! 

[h2ofowlr]

I would go bigger on sides if you have the money.  Guys use the Lowe and Wareagles in the bay, but I have scene 3 get swamped in the last 2 seasons and heard of several more.  The lowe has about 19.5" sides and the Wareagle is at 26" sides.  We about lost my 18' Sea Ark last year.  The weather went from calm to 4-5' swells in 45 minutes.  We had lots of water in the boat by the time we made it back to the rig.  Great if you stay in the river or lakes.  If you want a good safe salt boat you almost need two boats or go with a Older North River / Willie / Alumaweld.  You will have a minimum of 30" sides and higher transom.  Heavier to handle the rough water and a thicker hull for when you hit things.  I tore a hole through the bottom of my roughneck about 5 years ago hitting a stump.

[greenhead_killer]

these same responses go for the columbia out of vantage? ive been looking for a little over a year now and i think id like a war eagle but not sure how they would handle as it can get very nasty out there

[jordano]

these same responses go for the columbia out of vantage? ive been looking for a little over a year now and i think id like a war eagle but not sure how they would handle as it can get very nasty out there

o yeah that'll be plenty good for down there!

[Glockster]

What is the best duck hunting boat?

The kind owned by your buddy   

Go with Gatortrax with a mud motor for shallow and backwater penetration, you can't beat it.  Only an airboat can go where they do.

For big water, I'd go with a Boston Whaler or Bankes, or Leeshore out of Pt Townsend.  Kinda silly in my opinion to go with a super specialized duck boat like a bankes that's not good for fishing, skiing or any of the other offseason activities we have around here.

I can't figure out the War Eagle mystique.  G-3, Lowe, etc, all make the same low sided flat bottom vessel that's great for shallow calm waters, but pretty dicey for big stuff.

[AWS]

I hunt Wilapa, Greys harbour and the Potholes with this rig but hunt alone.  With everything decked over she handles big waves pretty good, extra floatation in the back and 60 decoys under the deck she rides well even swamped.  Not the pedastal base in front of the cargo hatch and there is a small transom that bolts to the bow for a electric trolling motor to change it over to a fishing boat.  You can walk it through ankle deep water.





For me this gets pretty close to the perfect duck hunting boat.

I also have a Marshrat set up with oarlocks and a transom plus a 15' square stern canoe with a camo cover and a 3hp motor for for the places that I can't get the big rig into.  The canoe will carry alot of decoys and the rat will hide in a puddle.

AWS

[carpsniperg2]

Good looking boat

[carpsniperg2]

Here is one for sale in our classifieds. Looks like a sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet boat.

http://hunting-washington.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2912&title=gator-trax-duck-boat&cat=13

[sakoshooter]

The one you can afford.

[sakoshooter]

Actually it depends on hunting style, area hunted, salt or fresh water, rivers, lakes, big or small water, rough or calm. Trailerable of do you need to be able to carry it?
I really don't think there is a 'perfect' duck boat. Too many variables. That being said, I do most of my hunting with an aluminum 15' canoe as my main mode of transportation. Camo'd of course. Pros: I can lift, carry, drag or paddle it into areas not accessible to other modes of water transportation. It's also quiet and really enjoyable for jump shooting. I use a home made version of a double ended kayak paddle. My paddle is slightly bigger and the shaft is a little longer as the canoe sits higher than a kayak and is also wider. Cons: It's not the best for long trips. Over an hour one way is hard on my knees and hands. It sucks in big rollers on the Puget Sound. I've got first hand experience too many times. Not enough room. Me, dog, gear - full up. Partner? Then I gotta leave some gear home.
I hunt big and small water. I want to be able to lift my boat into the water and back onto the trailer if no good launch is available but have a good galvanized trailer for when there is a decent boat launch. I also want my boat to be big enough to hunt from in open water and wide enough to stand when shooting without rocking so bad that you can't hit anything if the dog moves or your partner stands up right when you're going to shoot. I'd put a stowable type of blind on it also. It also needs to be light enough to man handle around the mud flats of Nisqually and Willapa etc, yet heavy enough to be stable.
I also want a modified V hull rather than a flat bottom for cutting those big waves without getting beat up or damaging the hull but also don't really want a V bottom as they tend to sit deeper in the water which will not allow me to get to some spots I now hunt. Hull size in conjunction with weight create displacement. That's what's gonna make your boat stable in the water. Hell of it is, a happy medium needs to be found.
I've been looking hard at a Lowe 1652MT w/gal trailer from Cabelas myself. I don't really like that middle seat but to get away from it I'd need to go with an all welded hull at about twice the cost.
There are a lot of really nice boats out there that will cover most any aspect of waterfowl hunting. Is there a perfect one: Yep, the one you pick out.