I would appreciate any help with this. I'm on lake Champlain and am buying my first boat this year. I'm mostly interested in getting shallow for bass and up river mouths for other sport fish. I've been thinking a Bay boat style...like a Mako (until I read the reports here) or a Trophy. Boston Whalers seem too expensive.
A) is a bay boat a bad idea on Champlain?
B) What boat in the 19 foot range do you like?
I like the style of a Bay type boat, center consol with casting decks. I really appreciate any thoughts.

If you're only going to use it on the lake you could look at bass boats. What you're describing is pretty much what they're made for. As far as middle of the road bay boats go, triton makes a nice one. The used Sea Pro's were nice too. The new Trophy's are nice boats, they got a bad reputation from the old ones but the new ones are solid. I have never fished Lake Champlain so I can't what the best boat for up there would be.

btw the new Trophy bay boats are the old Sea Pro molds.

McKee Craft makes a real sweet boat
I have fished on Got Stripers 196 and can attest that if I could afford a boat, that would be what I would get. I would not even look at others.

There,s a guy named Roger Carrol down Cape in Chatham that makes a beautifull 19fter. his mould. Roger is a craftsman that works on boats fulltime. Check him out. I think he has one going now

Ya it;s ---Roger Carroll boats.com--- hope this helps

Thank you very much for the input. I'll check these out.

Sea Hunt makes a great boat at a reasonable price. The factory really stands behind their product too.

Check out the 1910LT Jones Brothers. Best boat for what your looking for IMO. A little expensive but you may be able to find a used one.

just my 2 cents i had a 17 ft starcraft cc floated in 4",with the deep V handled 4fters no problem,your lake is big if the wind kicks up i would want to be in something that has sides

I've had extremely good luck with my Lema Skiff. 18'6" with center console and casting deck on the front. Handles rough water (which I'm sure you encounter on Champlain) and rides uncommonly smooth for a boat of its size. I bought it for fishing Gansett Bay and Block Island Sound, but also for freshwater. I've used it on the flats and it can get in very skinny water for a boat of its type, and it lays nicely in the deeper water without much rocking. The gunnels are low enough in the back for casting/flipping/etc, but sweep up enough in the front to shed water away from the operator while driving. Built like a tank and generally very low maintenance. Rick Lema sold the rights to NorthCoast a few years back and I believe they are still making it. I'm in my 10th year with it and have absolutely no regrets about it.

Center Console fishing Skiff 18ft by NorthCoast Boats - Bristol, RI semi-custom boat manufacturer (http://www.northcoastboats.com/boat-18ft-skiff.html)

Thanks for all the suggestions...I'm checking them out.

Check out the 1910LT Jones Brothers. Best boat for what your looking for IMO. A little expensive but you may be able to find a used one.

Jones Bros are phenomonal fly fishing boats. If that's the direction you want to go I would check out parker's little CC's too.

If you are looking to put a trolling motor on your boat, which I assume you might be on the great lakes, I choose the McKee Craft for ease of installation an bow height off the water line. I love the hull, it's quite and handles anything I've thrown at it.

While the moderator needs to review my post before you can see it, I just posted an 18' Maritime Skiff... Email me at RobertWeir@verizon.net if you'd like a copy of the sale flyer...

Bob Peros uses the 1890 all over southeastern ma to charter, I've been next to him a Quicks one day, Falmouth the next, Wareham another, Westport another.

good boat. I have the 2090.