Top 5 boats for lake and river fishing

There are some pretty cool Aussie bream, bass and barra boats on the market right now, and we’ve tested a bunch of ’em. Here we’ve assembled our pick of some of the five best boats for lake, river, estuary and impoundment fishing.

Smooth and sheltered water fishing rigs can range from tiny, cheap tiller-steer car-topper punts to costly, high-end 6.0m-plus tournament bass boats with all the bells and whistles.

The right boat for you will depend on a heap of factors – including your budget, where you plan on fishing, and what you hope to catch – but the boats below deliver on many fronts…

Fibreglass boats are generally softer riding than similar-sized pressed alloy models, and that’s certainly the case with the Haines Signature 485SF side console.

This entry-sized Signature open fishing model is equipped with the patented Haines Signature VDH variable deadrise hull that provides a very smooth ride combined with excellent stability.

The Haines Signature 485SF is not just about ride comfort and performance, however. This is a very capable sheltered and nearshore fishing boat, complete with elevated front and rear moulded fibreglass casting decks with storage bins and live wells.

This cool-looking Haines Signature also has a deep centre cockpit area with a compact side console helm station on the starboard side.

The 485SF is a versatile model with the features, safety and fit-out to chase all manner of fish species – inshore and offshore.

The smallest of four Commanders in the Makocraft range, the Makocraft 445 Commander HD is a traditional vee monohull with high topsides and a deep cockpit to make it safe for fishing choppy bay waters.

The 445 Commander is a tiller-steer open boat with foam-filled bow and stern thwarts separated by a carpeted flat floor.

Forward of the front thwart there’s also a very useful casting deck and storage bin.

Other notable features include wide, extruded side coamings, a formed anchor well, bow and stern rails, and cockpit side pockets.

The 445 Commander HD is a sturdy, durable boat, made from 3.0mm pressed alloy all-round, with a carpeted marine ply internal floor.

The 445 Commander is a zippy little boat when powered by a Tohatsu tiller-steer 30hp outboard, achieving a top speed of 22.5 knots.

The 320 and 360 Wanderer twins are excellent little vee-nose punts for car/roof-topping to remote fishing destinations.

Both can be trailered as well, but for maximum versatility, I’d be carting them about on the roof rack of your car or SUV.

The 360 Wanderer is arguably the pick of the two as it weighs 52.0kg, just 4.0kg more than the shorter 320 Wanderer. That said, the smaller boat may be a better option for roof-topping on smaller, shorter-wheelbase cars.

Both models have a vee-nose punt configuration with a pair of foam-filled seat thwarts.

The two boats are 1.36 metres wide and have hulls and topsides made using 1.2mm pressed alloy.

The transom on the two boats is beefed up with 1.6mm alloy to take 6hp and 10hp outboard engines respectively.

For a completely different Quintrex, one that is suitable for sheltered water competition fishing, check out the much larger Quintrex 481 Hornet.

This sleek-looking, low-profile and high-performance vee-nose boat is superbly outfitted and equipped with the latest smooth-riding Quintrex variable deadrise Apex hull.

Key features include elevated, carpeted bow and stern fishing decks, a deep central cockpit area and a low-profile side console helm station.

The 481 Hornet is just the right size for sheltered water fishing, easy to tow, easy to stow, and great fun to drive with outboard engines in the 75hp to 115hp power range.

With a 115hp Mercury four-stroke bolted to the transom, the Quintrex 481 Hornet rockets to a top speed of 41.0 knots.

Other side console Hornet models include the smaller 450 Hornet and the larger 510 series model.

Stessl has been making excellent smooth- and sheltered-water fishing rigs for decades.

One of the best and brightest on offer right now is the 485 Apache Pro. This is a side console pressed alloy boat with a large cockpit along with a raised front fishing deck for lure casters and fly fishers.

The Apache Pro is large and safe enough to fish coastal offshore waters, but it works best in bays and harbours, lakes and rivers.

The Stessl has a traditional moderate vee-bottom hull to achieve an ideal compromise and balance between ride comfort and stability at rest.

This mid-sized Stessl suits two or three people but is rated to carry five.

Paired with a middle-range 75hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard engine, the 485 Apache Pro is a punchy performer, accelerating to a top speed of 35.0 knots.