re: Opinions on Blackjack boats

"The Best" has way too many variables, the big V-Hulls like YF, Morda, Scout, and others aren't worth a damn for the Mid to Lower coast of Texas since they aren't skinny enough. Down in this part of the coast for bay fishing you'll be hard pressed to find better rigged and performing boats than Simmons and Shallowsports, they both come with that premium price tag as well. One of these days my stable will be complete, my SCB for tournament and play days, my Majek tower boat for scouting and playing, a Sabine Skiff for a change of pace, and Panga for near shore fun and to escape the crowds of summer. I have the first two, the Panga is next on the list.

My mom's neighbor has one. I almost wreck every time he has it in the driveway. It's like staring at a good looking girl walking down the sidewalk

I fish mostly Aransas and Copano in my Shallowsport 21 Sport. I love that boat. I've had it about 2 years and am amazed at how shallow it can run. I'm sure someday I will regret finding out its limits, but so far so good! Probably not an ideal boat to run in anything beyond moderate chop, and to my taste, it would not really be maneuverable enough to run in the Louisiana bayous I grew up fishing. It slides a lot in turns. As has been said many times, no such thing as a bay boat that is good at everything.

The 22 is a fine rig that is super quick as well. running 45 doing 3500 RPM's is the tits. Super dry boat. Eats chop. The only thing I have noticed is it doesn't like swells, but that is more of a length issue than anything. Id imagine the 25 does better. Fit and finish is great. I was concerned with the low sides on the stern, but after being in some pretty nasty weather with it, this became a non-issue.

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I've never been on any of those other ones. Out of what I've fished blackjack has been the nicest. Yellowfin is the only one you've listed that I recall seeing in person. Theres not much of that stuff running around here. I think I've seen a few majeks but they look like strictly shallow water boats from what I remember

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THIS, and I've ridden Yellowfin and Majek. Majek is not even in the same class, at least the one I ran on. Of course it was a professional guide so it was function over form. The yellowfinn was a friend with wife and 2 kids so it needs the comforts. I'd take the YF all day, every day.

To get opinions you really need to state the type of fishing you do most and what you want the boat to do. As said, some of these are made more to offshore fish and still be able to fish the flats, some are made to drop panties in Miami, some are made to drop panties in Texas, some are made for speed, some are made for a chop, and some are made to inshore fish and jump offshore on nicer days.

Generally the boats are made to do what works in their respective primary markets.

I was strictly speaking of center console bay boats, not flats boats or tourney tower boats. I've seen those Haynies and Majecs and SCB over in the west. Those are dedicated fishing machines for shallow waters.

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Just my opinion, but if I was going to spend $75k+ on a bay boat it would absolutely have a tower on it. Get a fold down if anything.

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If I lived in FL I'd probably say the same thing.

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Let me know if you wanna ride some day.

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grassy, I would take you up on that. I'm looking at getting one in a few years. I have the frontier now and want to upgrade eventually.

I do love my frontier, it’s a bad arse boat for the size and money.

Yea i want to upgrade to a 256 in a few years, when I’m ready. After that I’ll never buy another one!