What you want in a 26' center console

[rocksandblues]

lots of deadrise to knife through the chop.

[blackwell50]

Single inboard diesel,carolina flare,big fishbox forward of the console in deck,tons of rod holders,tackle storage in the leaning post,livewell with rounded corners in the transom.Hard top with outriggers,and bad azz stereo for weekends at the sandbar.

[canyonjunkie]

i agree with the inboard diesel. at least for an option on the boat, it needs to be used more, so some wouldnt like it as much as outboards, but i like the fishability of not having the engines back there to work around. curtains, no step, and no forward seating. too rough up there anyway to ever want to sit there and kill the room. i dont like casting platforms in the from, i think its harder to cast from them cause they arent as easy to balance on... good luck

[Abell Marine]

I have had many of the same thoughts. One thing I'd want is to have a decent bait cooler with removable tray. Maybe aft of the leaning post above tackle storage. I think having an outboard bracket so the transom could hold a large baitwell in the middle with a smaller storage/baitbox on each side.

What do y'all think of having the live wells insulated so they can double as beverage coolers, bait, fish whatever? For instance, if the livewell in the transom was wide and deep enough it could work as both a live well and fishbox or hold several cases of cold beer. I think then having a large in deck box makes sense forward of the console.

I also trying to think versatility here. Features that will let you get it done offshore and inshore.

Keep the ideas coming.

[JDLM]

Another 10 feet. But ,if you can't have that,I would say since I live bait, a big below deck well as far aft as possible with plenty of water flow.Above deck wells tend to beat the bait to death on fast bumpy riding center consoles.

[flatbottom]

The whole front of the boat ...one great big fish box with removable dividers. Bolster drop down seats for two. Aft seat like the contender, tight to the bolster with a live well built under. Extra large tabs. Batteries mid ship. Rod holders every 18" all the way around. And one more thing...... outlets for kite reels and deep drop reels ..4 will do. And one more thing..... Soft top....the hard top is to much weight shaking around up there..

[Cardinal Joe]

T-Top –with both 45 & 90 degree rod holder’s to clear the deck quickly!