Have you ever made a big purchase like a car, motorcycle, or fly fishing boat and had buyers remorse?

You know, that dreaded realization you paid all that money and it doesn’t perform the way you’d hoped? Thoughts like, “I wish it could do this" or “I wish it had this feature" causing a perpetual buzz-kill?

It’s the worse!

Whether you’re looking to buy your first fly fishing boat or to upgrade your old one, we’ve put together a list of things to consider, so you can altogether avoid the dreaded buyers remorse and love your fishing boat for a long time to come.

The 5 Most Important Things To Look For In Your Next Fly Fishing Boat 

1. Functionality: Know what your needs and wants are, then make sure your boat can do it all.

When boat shopping, you'll want to ask yourself questions like: Is it stable enough to stand while fish? Does it have a shallow draft? Do I want/need a motor? Can I fish with a friend/family member? Is there room to fish inside the boat?

Many boats require certain types of water ways and set ups. Like a drift boat requires a boat ramp and the water has to be deep and wide enough for drifting. 

If you choose a boat that’s versatile, you can have the best of all worlds.

2. Does it fit your storage and transportation situation?

Can you store a hard boat at your home? Would you need to purchase a trailer for a new boat? Would you need to purchase a new vehicle to pull the trailer? Are you already trying to tow something else like a camper?

If you’re thinking about a drift boat, you may want to consider other options, given the price tag and hassle.

3. What would the cost of your whole rig be?

It all adds up. Boat, trailer, motor, truck, storage, etc. And once you buy these things there are more upkeep expenses involved. Unfortunately, less expensive boats, like single-person float tubes, kayaks, or pontoons tend to be very limiting. :(

4. Durability: What is the life expectancy of the boat? And does it have strong resale value?

Hard boats have great life expectancies, although repairs can be costly when needed. Inflatables fly fishing boats on the other hand are more forgiving when making contact with rocks and the bottom of the river. However, personal inflatables tend to not have great resale value, but high end rafts and hard boats do.

5. Is the fly fishing boat versatile?

Unless you’re positive you’re not interested in exploring new rivers, streams, or lakes ... versatility is key when choosing a fly fishing boat.

The versatile Flycraft Stealth doesn’t require a trailer to transport and you don't have to take up valuable driveway or garage floor space to store it. Because of it’s light weight, you have many more launching and fishing options and possible storage and transportation options.

It also has a strong resale value.

A Flycraft is best of all worlds. It excels on most all water ways, including all the smaller rivers, streams and ponds that other people can't boat on. And no trailer is needed to transport it. Plus you get all the same features, like being able to stand, that a drift boat has.

Hope this helps!

And as always, feel free to give us a call or email us at sales@flycraftusa.com if you have boating questions.