Bass Boat History Archives

Tag: Bass Boat History

The Need for Speed

Posted by Terry Battisti | Sep 2, 2026 | Old Bass Boats |

For those of you who have a need for speed, here’s a blast from the past that might have you...

Old Bass Boat Ads – 1974

Posted by Terry Battisti | Jun 22, 2026 | Old Bass Boats |

when one looks at the ads, we see some companies didn’t seem to pay attention that prices were on the rise, while it’s obvious that other companies were going to wait it out before they made a move to embrace new technology. Then there were the companies who were sitting in a perfect position for an energy crisis.

A Raised Flipping Deck?

Posted by Terry Battisti | May 29, 2026 | Old Bass Boats |

Bass boats from the early days through about the mid-80s had a nominal front deck – many of which stopped at the rear of the front seat pedestal- and these decks were anywhere from 6 inches to a foot below the boat’s gunwale.

Tiny Boat Revolution

Posted by Terry Battisti | Apr 28, 2026 | Japan |

Numerous things impress me about Japan’s bass fishing industry. Of course they design and manufacture some of the best tackle ever produced. What many people outside of Japan don’t know is their production of small, fully-outfitted bass boats.

Don’t Kill Your Catch – Kill Your Motor

Posted by Terry Battisti | Nov 12, 2025 | Old Bass Boats, Short Strikes |

In Don’t Kill Your Catch – Kill Your Motor we look at one of the first kill switches developed by a bass fisherman for safety reasons.

Build Your Own Bass Boat 70s Style

Posted by Terry Battisti | Nov 4, 2025 | Old Bass Boats |

Build Your Own Bass Boat 70s Style is a look at the DIY bass boat of the 1970s and compares the to the Tiny Boats of today.

1970s Power Pole

Posted by Terry Battisti | Aug 27, 2025 | Electronics |

Power Pole this, Minn Kota Talon that – the current industry has us all thinking they invented the boat anchoring system. Maybe they invented the “stick in the mud” but for years, probably dating back to the times of Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal, anglers used a rope tied to a heavy weight to keep their boats from drifting off a prime spot.