Small Fishing Boats: What Are Your Options

Whether you’re looking at freshwater fishing boats or saltwater fishing boats, the bulk of the choices on the market are going of 20 feet long or smaller. Smaller boats cost less to purchase, operate, store, and maintain. Since they’re less complex they break down less often. Maintenance chores are minimized. And it’s easier to trailer, launch, and dock a small fishing boat as opposed to larger craft. So, it's only natural that small fishing boats outnumber large fishing boats. Fortunately, no matter what type of fishing you enjoy there are plenty of small fishing boats to choose from including:

• Aluminum Fishing Boats





• Bass boats





• Bay boats





• Center consoles





• Dinghies





• Flats boats





• Jon boats





• Kayaks





• Skiffs





• PWCs (Personal Watercrafts)

Aluminum Fishing Boats

Aluminum fishing boats hold a number of advantages over fiberglass boats, particularly when it comes to diminutive models. They are lighter than fiberglass, so trailering with a much smaller tow vehicle becomes possible and launching and loading at the boat ramp is easier as well. They require virtually no maintenance beyond a rinse at the end of the day. And they’re also good for beginner boaters since the metal hull dents rather than shattering if you hit something hard. but naturally, there are some downsides to aluminum fishing boats, too. They get blown around easily in a breeze, and often don’t ride as smoothly as fiberglass models with more heft and more complex hull designs. But for many people an aluminum rig will make for the ideal small fishing boat.

See aluminum fishing boats for sale on boats.com.

Bass Boats

Bass boats are an unusual genre in that they’re designed for a single-minded purpose: largemouth bass fishing. Still, despite their narrow focus bass boats remain incredibly popular. And due to the fact that they’re intended for use on inland lakes and rivers, the majority of them qualify as small. Unlike other small fishing boats, however, you can’t expect bass boats to be inexpensive. Many are rather complex in nature and carry extremely large powerplants for their size, so they don't come cheap. On a positive note, this type of performance also makes them thrilling to ride in.

See bass boats for sale on boats.com.

Bay Boats

Bay boats do come in larger sizes, but for many anglers, a small bay boat is all it takes to do some big-time fishing.Photo via Sea Pro.

Bay boats range in size and not all count as “small,” but those that fit into this size range do present an ideal fishing boat for inland saltwater fisheries. Designed to pursue species like speckled trout, redfish, and striped bass, they have features including integrated livewells, fishboxes, and rodholders. Most also have hull designs intended to provide a relatively soft ride in choppy waters, while also minimizing draft so anglers can fish the shallows. Pricing for bay boats can vary radically, since some are rather simple and come equipped with minimal powerplants, while others can be quite developed and sport rather huge outboard engines.

See bay boats for sale on boats.com.

Center Consoles

Center consoles are a huge category of boats, one that encompasses many of the other categories here. Bay boats, skiffs, or flats boats, for example, may (or may not) be center consoles, too. Essentially, any small fishing boat that has a centered helm station mounted on a console can be considered a center console. The design is perfect for fishing since it allows 360-degree casting all around the boat, and the center console is one of the most popular styles of fishing boats on the water today in both salt and freshwater venues.

See center console boats for sale on boats.com.

Dinghies

Dinghies aren’t specifically designed for fishing, but they certainly are small. And in many cases they can serve well as an angling platform for one or possibly two anglers. As you might expect, the defining characteristic of these boats is simply that they’re not very large and often they’re no more complex than a hull with a bench seat or two. But for someone hoping to catch panfish in a pond, river, or small bay, that may be all that’s really needed. Plus, since they're so small and light they can be powered by a very small motor, including electric trolling motors. In lakes where gasoline outboards are prohibited that makes a dinghy quite an attractive option.

See dinghy boats for sale on boats.com.

Flats Boats

Flats boats are another genre that’s very specifically suited to a single purpose: fishing in and around shallow saltwater flats. By necessity most qualify as small, because larger boats with more draft can’t scoot around in the shallows. Many have the livewells and rodholders found on other small fishing boats, but flats boats also have a unique “poling platform” mounted on the back deck. From this elevated position, a fishing guide can push the boat along with a pole while looking for bonefish, tarpon, and other predators that put up a good fight.

See flats boats for sale on boats.com.

Jon Boats

Jon boats are a standard among small boat fishermen, with countless models to choose from. They’re simple – often consisting of little more than a flat-bottom hull and bench seats – and very inexpensive. Some are small and light enough to shove into the back of a pick-up truck, negating the need for a trailer. And generally speaking, they require small powerplants and in some cases no more than an electric motor. Most commonly jon boats are made from aluminum, although occasionally you’ll find fiberglass or even rotomolded plastic versions. Plus, these utilitarian vessels can be used for all sorts of activities on the water in addition to fishing. As a result, Jon boats are one of the most common types of boats found on the water just about anywhere small fishing boats are found.

See jon boats for sale on boats.com.

Kayaks

For an angler who likes to remain stealthy and sneak up on their prey, nothing can compare to fishing from a kayak. Kayaks also allow anglers to access the shallowest of waterways where most other boats would run aground. These (very) small fishing boats are not only great to fish from, they’re also good exercise since they’re usually self-propelled. Pedal and paddle versions can be used for fishing, although most serious anglers prefer a pedal drive that allows you to hold your rod while maneuvering. Electric motors can be added to many kayaks, as well. There are plenty of relatively inexpensive models on the market (though there are some fishing kayaks that will give you sticker shock, too), and they can be transported with just about any vehicle. As a result kayaks are incredibly popular for use as small fishing boats.

See kayaks for sale on boats.com.

Skiffs

Skiffs are, like the center consoles we talked about earlier, a rather broad category of boat that encompasses many different types. In fact, many of the boats included in this article could be considered skiffs because by definition any relatively small, open, simple boat can be termed a skiff. That means skiffs are, as a rule, relatively inexpensive and easier to deal with than many other types of boats. Maintenance levels are very low, they tend to be light and easy to tow, and most are inexpensive to run because they have a small powerplant.

See skiff boats for sale on boats.com.

PWCs

Most people probably wouldn’t think of PWCs (personal watercraft) as fishing boats. And fishing certainly isn’t what they were originally designed for. But there are a number of enthusiasts all across the country who have customized PWCs to act as small but effective fishing boats. In fact, enough people do it that there’s a cottage industry for PWC fishing accessories like bolt-on rodholders, cooler racks, and even livewells. Check out our listings, and you’ll be able to find more than a few examples of PWCs which make excellent small fishing boats. And if you're searching for the ultimate PWC fishing machine already rigged for angling, you can find it in Sea-Doo's Fish Pro model.

See PWCs for sale on boats.com.

Have you run across the type of small fishing boat that best suits your needs? We certainly hope so. But if not, for some additional ideas and options also be sure to check out:

• Top 10 New Fishing Boats Under $20,000





• Best Bass Boats





• Five Affordable Aluminum Fishing Boats For Sale





• Five New Boats for Under $1,000

Editor's note: This article was last updated in August of 2025.

Written by: Lenny Rudow

With over two decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to publications including YachtWorld, boats.com, Boating Magazine, Marlin Magazine, Boating World, Saltwater Sportsman, Texas Fish & Game, and many others. Lenny is a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and he has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.