Triton 179 TRX Review

Ask any angler – when it comes to comfort and pure fishability, few boats on the water can compete with a modern bass boat.

With their expansive casting decks, cavernous storage lockers, unmatched stability and luxurious appointments, bass boats represent the epitome of freshwater fishing boat design – exactly why they’re so highly coveted. But as bass boats have grown bigger and more luxurious, they’ve also grown to become downright expensive, with average retail prices ranging from $50,000 to $90,000 or more. That’s a lot of money in anyone’s books.

Although Triton is known as a premium brand in a high-end market, the Ashland City, Tennessee-based company firmly understands that not everyone is in the position to spend $60,000 on a fishing boat. Its answer was to step back and focus on the core values that originally made bass boats the angler’s choice, and build a new model that would deliver the goods without driving up the price. The result of this approach is the all-new Triton 179 TRX – a delightful and capable bass boat that retails for under $25,000.

For an 18-foot bass boat, the 179 TRX offers an astonishing amount of storage space for extra rods, tackle and boat gear.

With an overall length of 18 feet, 6 inches and a 91-inch beam, the 179 TRX is still a full-sized bass boat with plenty of room for two anglers and all their tournament gear. The enormous front casting deck has more than enough space for two or three people to fish at once on its vast, carpeted surface, and includes niceties like an integral well for the electric motor control pedal and a base to accommodate a removable pro pole and bicycle seat. Massive storage lockers along each side and in the center of the deck accommodate spare rods, PFDs and all kinds of tackle and boat gear, while a step leading down into the main cockpit conceals a convenient 51-quart ice chest, meaning a cold drink is never out of reach. The bow panel includes a main engine trim switch and the plug for the standard Motorguide X3 bow-mount electric motor. Stainless steel pull-up cleats retract when not in use, avoiding tangles with errant fishing lines.

The cockpit floor is also fully carpeted, with deluxe bucket seats for the driver and passenger. There’s also seating for a third angler on the rear deck access step in between the buckets.

By stepping back to focus on the core values that originally made bass boats the serious angler’s choice, Triton’s 179 TRX delivers the goods and remains affordably priced.

The helm is stylish, with a low profile padded dash and removable windshield. You’ll find a speedometer, tach, fuel gauge and trim gauge, plus a flush-mounted Lowrance Mark 5X right in the center of the dash panel. Stainless steel drink holders for both the driver and passenger, plus a deluxe three-spoke steering wheel, round out the helm. A cockpit courtesy light is a nice touch.

On the passenger side, Triton provides a convenient rod ramp, and a small storage tray for smaller items like sunscreen or bug spray.

The rear casting deck is also carpeted, and nearly as large as the one up front. Beneath its surface you’ll find a 36-gallon aerated recirculating live well with a timer and divider, and two huge storage compartments for yet more gear. A single-bank battery charger comes standard, along with Triton’s Res-Q retractable boarding ladder.

Because the 179 TRX is every inch a Triton, it comes with a lifetime limited hull warranty. The fit and finish in this boat are exemplary – nothing rattles, nothing squeaks, and the precision craftsmanship is obvious. It even comes with a single-axle trailer.

And being a Triton, the 179 TRX further comes with an extensive option list, making it easy to personalize the boat right from the factory floor. A wide range of electric motor upgrades and electronics upgrades (some of them grouped into convenient Tournament Packages) are popular, along with individual component upgrades like hydraulic steering, LED compartment lights and an available AM/FM/Bluetooth stereo.

The carpeted rear casting deck is almost as large as the one on the bow. There’s still more storage beneath it, along with a 36-gallon aerated recirculating live well with a timer and divider.

One reason Triton can offer the 179 TRX at such an attractive price point is that the boat comes with a fuel-efficient Mercury 115 Pro XS outboard rather than the massive 250-horse V6s found on larger Tritons. With the high performance of the TRX hull, this powerful four-stroke delivers excellent performance and astonishing torque. With the lighter weight of this boat’s hull, the result is smooth acceleration and plenty of power to get to those distant spots quickly.

Anglers who have long coveted a premium bass boat but been put off by an eye-popping price tag will find Triton’s 179 TRX very difficult to resist.

Triton 179 TRX

Length: 18’ 6”

Beam: 91”

Dry weight: 1,201 lbs.

Fuel capacity: 26 gal.

Passenger capacity: 2 persons, 600 pounds

Max power: 115 hp

Info: www.tritonboats.com