Best Fishing Boats of the Year

In spite of lingering supply chain issues and shortages of components ranging from plywood to aluminum to foam rubber for seat cushions, boat builders continue to raise the bar with all-new designs that amaze with incredible new features and eye-popping capabilities.

That’s never been more apparent than right now, with all the newest designs just coming to market. Here are a half-dozen top models that get our nod as among the best fishing boats of the year. See if you agree!

G3 Angler V1750 SF

G3 Angler V1750 SF

G3’s Angler V1750 SF is a tournament-caliber multi-species fishing platform that can pull double-duty as the family runabout, thanks to twin jump seats hidden in the spacious stern casting deck, and a tall, family-friendly windshield that offers plenty of protection on cold early or late season mornings. A heavy .080-gauge riveted hull with a double bottom handles bumps against stumps with ease, while useful features like in-deck rod storage, mountains of space for gear, flush-retracting cleats, a 15-gallon bow live well and an EZ Loader trailer give the big G3 great value.

• Length: 17’ 6”
• Beam: 97”
• Dry weight: 1,720 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 34 gal.
• Passenger capacity: 7
• Maximum power: 150 hp

Kingfisher 2125 Accord Sport

Kingfisher 2125 Accord Sport

The Kingfisher 2125 Accord Sport just might be the biggest, baddest and toughest multi-species fishing boat out there, with its battleship-like hull welded from 0.125 aluminum plate on the sides and chunky 0.190 plate on the bottom. The welded walk-through windshield with tempered glass windows provides great protection from cold mornings and afternoon spray, while six folding deck cleats, two welded transducer brackets, an 1,100 gph electric bilge pump, in-deck rod storage, side rod storage, mountains of space for gear and a big 24-gallon aerated live well give this bad boy serious tournament credentials.

• Length: 21’
• Beam: 8’ 6”
• Dry weight: 1,995 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 55 gal.
• Passenger capacity: n/a
• Maximum power: 350 hp

Lowe Stinger 198

Lowe Stinger 198

The Stinger 198 is Lowe’s largest welded aluminum bass boat, stretching just shy of 20 feet in length and able to handle outboards of up to 150 horsepower. It comes with an ergonomically-designed console with a ton of space for a big flush-mount display of the buyer’s choice. Premium bucket seats, a large in-deck rod locker with space for eight rods, a big 30-gallon rear live well, 16-ounce marine grey carpeting, and a MotorGuide X3 45FW trolling motor all come standard, along with a galvanized bunk trailer with vinyl bunks.

• Length: 19’ 8”
• Beam: 94”
• Dry weight: 1,336 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 29 gal.
• Passenger capacity: 4
• Maximum power: 150 hp

Lund 2075 Pro-V

Lund 2075 Pro V

Lund Pro-V models enjoy a near-legendary reputation among serious anglers, with innovative features like a huge raised bow casting deck with in-deck storage for rods and gear, mountains of dedicated onboard tackle storage using Plano 3700-style trays, a large divided stern live well with lighting, a water level gauge and an integrated bait bucket, twin Captain’s chairs and twin fishing chairs, a large walk-through windshield for three-season comfort, hydraulic tilt steering, and a three-step boarding ladder.

• Length: 20’ 10”
• Beam: 102”
• Dry weight: 2,150 lbs.
• Fuel capacity: 62 gal.
• Passenger capacity: 7
• Maximum power: 300 hp

Ranger VS 1682 WT

Ranger VS1682 WT

The Ranger VS 1682 WT walk-through punches above its weight with a boatload of high-tech features in a compact hull that’s easy to tow and easy to launch on remote back lakes with poor ramps – or no ramp at all. An all-welded aluminum hull features a huge, elevated bow casting deck with in-deck storage for rods and gear, twin fiberglass consoles behind a tall walk-through windshield for all-weather protection. Three premium, moveable fold-down seats and non-skid flooring provide all-day comfort, while a massive stern live well with integrated bait well houses the catch of the day. It even comes with a matching trailer.

• Length: 16’ 11”
• Beam: 96”
• Dry weight: 1,550 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 24 gal.
• Passenger capacity: 5
• Maximum power: 115 hp

Starcraft STX 2050

Starcraft STX 2050

Starcraft’s top-of-the-line tournament multi-species fishing boat, the STX 2050 comes with all the important features that serious tournament anglers demand – a massive 48-gallon fuel tank for all-day range, enormous in-deck storage compartments for gear, a huge 36-gallon stern aerated live well with an oxygenator feature to keep fish fresh, a wave-eating big-water hull, hydraulic tilt steering, in-deck rod storage, a bow deck bait bucket, a full wrap-around windshield, a high pressure washdown system for quick end-of-day cleanups, fan-driven ventilated storage spaces, and plenty of space for mounting rod holders, downriggers and other equipment. There’s nothing missing on this boat.

• Length: 20’ 10”
• Beam: 101”
• Dry weight: 2,160 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 48 gal.
• Passenger capacity: 10
• Maximum power: 250 hp