Spring is in the air, or at least it seems like it is. Maybe it just seems that way because it’s boat-show season. Going to the boat-show is a great way to begin the fishing and boating seasons. At this time of year, many outdoors-people are entering the boat market for the first time, others are looking to upgrade from their present boat. There are a few factors to consider when you begin the search for a new or different boat.

 Probably the Number 1 thing to think about is the boat dealer. It's imperative that you have confidence in that dealer. Look beyond just the price of the rig. Will there be good serv-ice should there be a problem. The better boats and motors require next to no service, but if something should come up, will the dealer stand behind the product?

 Another important question. Does that dealer know how to rig a boat the way it should be for fishing? Some dealers simply bolt the motor on, put the boat on a trailer, and send you down the road. Select a dealer who knows how to rig a boat for fish-ing. Ask other anglers if they were satisfied with the dealer they bought from.

 Now to the actual rig. We need to decide if tiller or console steering is best for our use. It used to be that most people who considered themselves to be serious anglers preferred tiller steering. That trend has changed. There are still a good number of tiller boats on the water, but there is a larger number of console steering boats in use today than just a few years ago. Many of the most successful anglers enjoy the comfort and ease of operation that console boats offer. Additionally, console steering makes a boat more suitable for non-fishing activities such as skiing and just cruising.

 If you will be on big water and running long distances much of the time, you should really consider console-steering. It is just so much more comfortable to run long distances with a steering wheel in your hands, especially if the seas are rough. The Tournament Pro and Trophy models from Alumacraft are great in the big water.

 Tiller-steering boats offer the ultimate in boat-control. They also provide lots of space for extra gear and ease of movement about the boat. If precision backtrolling is important to you, and the boat will be used mostly for fishing, a tiller-controlled boat is what you should consider. Alumacraft’s Tournament Pro and Magnum tiller models are great rigs for the above applications.

 It's critical that you don't under-power the boat. Talk to other anglers and boaters, as well as the dealer, about boat performance with the various horsepowers. You probably don’t need to go with the maximum recommended horsepower, but you also probably don’t want to go to the minimum recommended either. The Mercury motors that I and many anglers prefer are trouble-free, more fuel efficient, quieter, and more fishable than ever before.

 Another place not to cut corners is on the trailer. Break-downs are no fun and they cut into fishing time. Choose a trail-er that is easy to load and unload. There are a number of trailers available that will go many miles down the road if you will just provide them with some maintenance every now and then.

 There are lots of other factors that need to be considered. Sonar units, electric motors, even kicker motors are three very popular options on boats used primarily for fishing. Those requirements need to be discussed with the dealer you decide to buy from. Only you can decide what you need and don't need, and those decisions need to be made now because open water isn't very far away.

 
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