7 Most Affordable Bass Boats
Let’s face it — most of us are able to rent a bass boat, but buying one is a different story. Bass boats have a well-deserved reputation for costing an arm and a leg, and it can be hard to justify the cost. There are, however, some dedicated bass boats out there which can be had for under the $50,000 mark and thus could be described as affordable for the average middle-class American.
Check out these 7 most affordable bass boats for 2023:
- G3 Sportsman 1610
- Lowe Stinger 195
- Lund Pro-V 1875 XS
- Ranger Z185
- Skeeter ZX150
- Tracker Pro Team 175 TF
- Triton 179 TX
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1. G3 Sportsman 1610
If a small rig will fit the bill for your needs and you don’t need competition-level performance, the Sportsman 1610 is an aluminum rig that will be of interest. It can be had fairly well equipped with a 50-hp Yamaha outboard for around $30,000.
The standard package includes the basics you’ll need, like a Trail Guard trailer, a Minn Kota 55 Edge trolling motor, and a Humminbird PiranhaMAX4 fishfinder. What makes this rig stand out is the interior design, which incorporates many features you’d expect to find only on larger bass boats.
There are dedicated onboard stowage with three tackle boxes in the rear deck along, a divided livewell, a locking rod box integrated into an extension of the foredeck, and a recess for the trolling motor foot-pedal controls.
You won’t have blistering performance or acres of casting deck space with the diminutive Sportsman 1610, but you will enjoy easy trailering, storage, and maintenance, on top of affordability.
- Estimated MSRP range: $30,000
2. Lowe Stinger 195
The aluminum Stinger 195 starts slightly over the $30,000 mark, making it the most affordable option in the roundup to deliver over 18 feet of length overall (at 18’10”, despite the model designation).
Rigged with midrange power, you can expect speeds in the 40s, and with max power, the 50-mph mark is within reach. It has some nice perks not always seen on aluminum bass boats of this size, like large 23-gallon dual livewells with removable bait buckets, two 8’ long rod lockers, and three-across seating in the cockpit.
Please note: Lowe doesn’t include the trailer as a standard feature, which will boost the rig’s cost by around 10%. Still, any way you cut it, this is one of the least expensive ways to get into a mid-size bass boat.
- Estimated MSRP range: $30,000
Visit Lowe Boats to learn more.
3. Lund Pro-V 1875 XS
With a starting cost slightly under our price ceiling, a Lund Pro-V 1875 XS certainly isn’t cheap, but the payments won’t be much different than they are for a nice car, and the boat delivers some serious bang for the buck.
It has a wide 8’ beam for the 18’9” length, so it’s roomy aboard, and it has a slew of fishing features ranging from a locking bow rod stowage box to a bow trim switch, to a lighted livewell.
Just as important, unlike some affordable bass boats, this one delivers zippy performance that’s not seen on many aluminum rigs and can top the 50-mph mark. Also important to note, it has a double-plated bow with 0.18” thick aluminum.
- Estimated MSRP range: $30,000
4. Ranger Z185
The Z185 is Ranger’s lowest-cost fiberglass model, and with a starting price in the mid-$40,000 range, it’s one of the most affordable fiberglass bass boats around despite its pedigree. That price point gets you a well-equipped, garage-ready rig, with a 150-hp Mercury Pro XS FourStroke outboard and a custom-matched trailer with a swing-away tongue and hydraulic surge brakes.
Ranger doesn’t cut corners with this model, and on it, you’ll find many of the added touches they put on their more expensive boats, like gas-assist struts and stainless-steel compression latches on the hatches, a venturi aeration system on the 23-gallon livewell, and a lithium-compliant onboard Dual Pro battery charger. The package may be relatively compact, but its quality is expansive.
- Estimated MSRP range: mid-$40,000s
Visit Ranger Boats to learn more.
5. Skeeter ZX150
Starting about $50,000 under the affordability cap we’ve set, the ZX150 is Skeeter’s least expensive dedicated fiberglass bass boat, and it goes for about half of what their larger, professional-level FXR line starts at.
It comes as a ready-to-fish package with a Yamaha V MAX SHO VF150 outboard, a custom-matched trailer, basic electronics (a Humminbird Helix 5), and a Minn Kota Edge 70 trolling motor on the bow. The list of standard features on the boat is very comprehensive, so the price tag won’t blow up as you add options as it does on many boats — most of what you’ll want is already included.
Redesigned and introduced as a new model in 2020, the ZX150 doesn’t offer the extreme performance of some of Skeeter’s larger, more powerful models but still delivers speeds in the mid-50s. It also enjoys the same aggressive 20-degree deadrise padded hull design, and fiberglass/PVC foam sandwich one-piece liner found on the builder’s upper-echelon boats.
- Estimated MSRP range: high-$40,000s
Visit Skeeter Boats to learn more.
6. Tracker Pro Team 175 TF
If the under-$30,000 range is where you draw the line at “affordable,” you’ll be interested in the Tracker Pro Team 175 TF. It lists at substantially less and is the boat with the lowest published pricing in this roundup, so you have a few thousand you could use for options and upgrades before hitting even this lower price ceiling.
Boosting the stock 60-hp outboard to a 75 would be our first move since that takes the top end from the mid-30s up to over 40 mph.
Surprisingly, along with all the standard features you expect, the Pro Team 175 TF also has a number you probably don’t: two livewells instead of one, a standard Minn Kota Edge trolling motor on the bow, a Lowrance Hook2 Reveal fishfinder at the helm, and Galvashield corrosion protection on the trailer are just a few examples.
And you can have serious peace of mind in your investment since the Pro Team 175 TF comes with Tracker’s “5+Life” warranty, which covers the boat from stem to stern for five years, and the structure and deck for life.
- Estimated MSRP range: $30,000
Visit Tracker Boats to learn more.
7. Triton 179 TRX
Triton’s base model fiberglass bass boat is the 179 TRX, but don’t let the name fool you: this boat is 18’6” long. Surprisingly for a top-tier builder, the boat’s list cost is under $40,000 and is one of the least expensive fiberglass rigs around.
True, it has less power than many of its competitors with a 115-hp outboard and you can’t expect real-world speeds in excess of 50 mph, but for most non-professional bass anglers, that’s still plenty of juice. It’s also another model that offers a complete package with a long list of features and few options available to bloat the price tag.
Big-ticket items often listed as cost-adding options on other boats include a Minn Kota Edge 70 trolling motor, a Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 combo, a Dual Pro onboard battery charger, a stainless-steel prop, and a single axel trailer with Vault hubs, a spare tire on an aluminum wheel, and Road Armor protective finish. Add it all up, and the 179 TRX clearly delivers an uncommon bang for the buck.
- Estimated MSRP range: $40,000
Visit Triton Boats to learn more.
Bonus Picks: Cheap Bass Boats
What if you need a bass boat that’s downright cheap? We’re talking, cheap bass boats under 10K? You’ll be limited to older models on the used boat market if you want a bass boat anything like one of the top 7 above, but there are some downright cheap boats on the market which you can certainly go bass fishing from:
- Hobie Mirage Pro Angler
- The Bass Raider 10E
- The Sun Dolphin Pro 102
- The Tracker Topper 1542
Which bass boat is right for you?
Which of these will be the best bass boat for you is a personal decision, and there’s every chance in the world that a boat that didn’t appear on our list would be the ideal choice for you.
One of the toughest calls for many people is deciding between aluminum and fiberglass (check out Aluminum vs. Fiberglass Boats, if you haven’t already). Another tough call is deciding just how large a powerplant you need. And if you’re not obsessed with bass in specific, there may be other types of freshwater fishing boats that better fit the bill.
Before making a final call, you may want to try some different fishing boat rentals to get a feel for what you like best. Whatever you may decide, we know one thing for sure: come home towing any of these 7 most affordable bass boats, and your fishing season just became a whole lot better.
Editor’s Note: Pricing is accurate as last date of publish, September 30, 2022. Please contact each boat manufacturer or your local boat dealer directly for the most updated pricing.
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With over three decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to dozens of boating and fishing publications and websites ranging from BoatU.S. Magazine to BDOutdoors.com. Rudow is currently the Angler in Chief at Rudow’s FishTalk, he is a past president of Boating Writers International (BWI), a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.
