For many passionate anglers, the next step in their fishing career is to upgrade being powered by their own two feet to being powered by an outboard motor. While South Dakota has numerous shore fishing opportunities, anglers looking to open additional opportunity for themselves can do so by purchasing their first boat. While this can be an intimidating process, we’ve put together a guide to help make it a little easier!
Step One: Set Your Budget
First and foremost, you need to decide how much money you are willing to spend on your boat. While there is a running joke that “boat” stands for “bust out another thousand”, this doesn’t have to be true! Many anglers can find a reliable boat and motor without breaking the bank.
Step Two: Identify Your Needs
Once you have your budget set, your next step is to take a hard look at what you’re ultimately going to be using your boat for. While large, fast and flashy boats decked out with electronics are always on the wish list, the budget you’ve just set may speak otherwise. For your first boat, it’s a good idea to have something a little less expensive to learn and gain experience on as well.
If you’re primarily going to be fishing small lakes and sloughs, you won’t need a very large boat. A boat between 14-17 feet with a 15-80 horsepower motor is perfect. If you’re planning to spend more time out on the Missouri River or other larger waterbodies, a larger boat in the 17-19 foot range with a 70-150+ horsepower motor will probably allow you to fish on more days depending on the weather conditions.
Step Three: Learn the Lingo
Once you’ve got your budget set and have identified the priorities for your boat, it’s time to learn the lingo of what you’re looking at. Here’s a few important pieces of lingo you’ll need to know when shopping for your boat.
“Length”-This is simple enough, how long the boat is from the bow to the stern.
Whoops let’s back up there for a second!
“Bow”-This is the front of your boat.
“Stern”-This is the back of your boat.
Alright there we go; length is something that many of us get wrapped up in and think that is what determines the ultimate size of the boat. This is true, but there is another important piece of measurement you’ll need to know.
“Beam”-This is how wide the boat is at its widest point. A few additional inches on the beam can make a big difference when it comes to room in the boat!
Now the next thing you’ll need to look at on the boat itself is what type of hull it will have. Oh, sorry about that.
“Hull”-This is the main body of the boat.
Common boats you’ll see feature “flat bottom” or “deep Vs”. A flat bottom boat is best for shallower water, while a deep V will cut through the water more efficiently and make for a smoother rider in rough water.
Finally, the other important part of the boat you’ll need to know is your outboard motor. Outboard motors are characterized by their horsepower, which is the same unit of measurement used in your vehicle motor. (You’ll also need a vehicle with plenty of this horsepower to pull your new boat, but that’s for another day!)
You’ll find two types of motors on the market, which are categorized by the steering that goes into them. “Tiller” motors will be found on a boat that does not have a windshield or console and are steered by a large handle on the motor itself. “Console” motors will have a steering wheel mounted on a console or windshield and operate exactly like your vehicle.
There are plenty of other things to look at on your boat, including the electronics such as the graphs (“fish finders”), electric (“trolling”) motors and larger boats may even have a “kicker” motor, which is a smaller motor used for trolling . The best advice on these supplemental items is to do your research and determine your own personal preference for brands and products.
Step Four: Test Drives and Tours
Once you’ve done your research and found boats that fit your needs and budgets, it’s time to get out and give them a test drive. You may need to put some miles in but get out and inspect as many boats as you need to until you are comfortable with your purchase.
When you’re testing these boats, you’ll want to ensure that:
- The hull is not leaking, and the boat is not taking on water when on the lake.
- The motor both starts and runs smoothly.
- All the switches-livewells, bilge pumps, navigation lights, etc work correctly.
- The hull is relatively free of major dents, dings and scrapes.
If the boat passes these checks, fits your needs and you’re budget it’s time to strike!
Step Five: Educate Yourself on Clean, Drain and Dry
Once you’ve found your boat, the next step is to educate yourself on clean, drain and dry. As a boat owner now, you’ll need to learn these practices so you can do your part to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in South Dakota.
The best time to start learning these steps is right after you’ve bought the boat. Your boat may be coming from an area that AIS are present and even though it might be hard to resist putting your boat in the water right way, it’s a good idea to practice clean, drain and dry before putting that boat in your home water!
To get yourself started on the right steps, after you have your boat make sure you:
- Drain all water out of the boat. This includes pulling all your plugs, running the bilge pump and also making sure those livewells are drained out. Don’t forget to lower that outboard down to drain all the water out of the lower unit as well.
- Clean all weeds, mud and other debris off of the boat and/or trailer. It’s a good idea to stop by your local car wash and spray the boat and/or trailer down while also running water through livewells and other internal compartments.
- Dry the boat thoroughly before putting it in the water. Take a rag and/or sponge and thoroughly dry the livewells, baitwells and inside compartments. Allowing your boat and trailer to properly dry in the sun is a good idea too.
You’ll also want to spend some time on sdleastwanted.sd.gov so you can educate yourself on all the ways you can do your part to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Step Six: Enjoy Your New Boat!
This one doesn’t require much explanation; we have some incredible outdoor resources here in South Dakota. Now, it’s time to get out and enjoy them in your new boat!
Learn More About Aquatic Invasive Species
You can learn everything you need to know about aquatic invasive species (AIS) in South Dakota on SDLeastWanted.sd.gov.
Learn More About Becoming a Professional Angler
If you’re looking to learn more about taking your fishing career to the next level, we have all the resources you need to get started on our “Become a Pro” page!
