Photo courtesy of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger ALUMINUM BOATS, like the one being used here by K.C. Winford and Robert Harris, are commonplace among the lakes, creeks and rivers of South Mississippi.

Big bass boats are all the rage when it comes to navigating area waterways and catching a prized fish

But boats of any size can serve the purpose of many fishermen.

It just depends on the needs of each individual.

Nathan Lumpkin, 23, owns a 12-foot aluminum boat, which does the job for him when he's fishing near his Picayune home.

"We have a little creek (Boley Creek) by the house were live," Lumpkin said. "It's small. We can load it up in the back of a truck.

"There are no boat launches in that area. There's decent fishing on the creek, so we use that boat to fish on the creek."

Lumpkin recently decided he would upgrade the size of his boat and bought a used 16-foot Bass Tracker

"I like it," he said. "It's just a regular boat. I'm going to take out on the salt water and in the river.

"That's just what I was looking for, a good multi-purpose boat. I got a pretty good deal, I think it was pretty reasonable."

Southern Miss student Lloyd Braun is a charter boat captain, but he has a smaller jon boat that comes in handy at times.

"I use it mostly for bayou fishing out in the marsh," Braun said. "We don't go out too far. I just use it get into the shallow water.

"When I use mine in salt water fishing, I just launch it in the bayou at the marina. I go out to the shallow waters and pull around for redfish and speckled trout.

One benefit of owning a smaller aluminum boat is, of course, the cost.

"Compared to a normal bay boat, it's about a quarter of the cost," said Braun.

The jon boat can take the abuse that he doesn't want to put on his more expensive charter boat.

"It's real durable," Braun said. "I can hit the rocks and not ruin the boat. I can put my trolling motor on it and bang it up all I want. We might just catch bait in it.

"I use it about 20 percent of the time compared to my big boat. I just use it for messing around. I'll go crabbing sometimes in it. It's hard to beat those boats."

Dustin Bounds bought a Clearwater charter boat six months ago in Shreveport, La.

"I'm pretty satisfied with it," Bounds said. "I had a boat in mind. That particular one was at the right price. Everything was set how I wanted."

Bounds has been dealing with the typical wear and tear than any charter boat captain deals with.

"It's cost me a couple of trips," he said. "I've had to hold off for three or four days to figure out what was wrong with it."

For Lumpkin, buying his used boat was a chance to take trips without depending on someone else.

"It's a headache getting someone to take you all the time," Lumpkin said. "I'll be in good shape."

He hopes to get his boat in the water as soon as he gets the pre-owned boat in good order.

"I'm trying to get it out there and get it on the water," Lumpkin said. "I haven't got it out there this week. I've been changing up some plywood on it. It had a few bad pieces of plywood."

Two types of boats sell well in the Pine Belt.

"Everybody wants bass boats or bay boats," said Terry Simmons of Hub City Marine. "I'd say those two are 90 percent of the sales."

Luter's Four Wheel Drive & Marine Inc. in Laurel has been in business for 39 years and sells everything needed for a fisherman in search of the perfect boat.

"We have some salt water boats," said Kebele Luter, owner of she shop. "But our main cup of tea is bass boats."

Summer is prime season for boat dealers.

"It starts usually around the middle of January," Luter said. "We have all these promo deals and rebates. We sold five last week and seven the week before.

"The main thing is you have to treat folks right, give them good service and provide a fair price."

Originally published Friday, June 1, 2007