Why Are Bass Boats Sparkly? (Explained For Beginners) -

Bass boats are known to be much flashier and more fun when you see them out on the water.

A basic aluminum bass boat doesn’t really compare with the flash, pomp, and circumstance of a glittery bass boat.

Here Are Some Facts About Sparkly Bass Boats:

Bass boat manufacturers create sparkly bass boats for two reasons: the boats are much more beautiful and eye-catching on the showroom floor, and there is a widely-held idea among fishermen that sparkly bass boats attract more fish. Whether fish do like glitter is not proven.

Even if this is not a proven fact, fishermen prefer not to take chances, and most find that a glittery boat is more fun to have anyway.

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Do All Bass Boats have Sparkly Paint?

Not all bass boats have a sparkly finish.

In fact, many boats will have a matte finish or even a plain, solid color paint job alongside their sparkly counterparts.

This is a design preference for fishermen and their families, where one may prefer to have a shinier, more eye-catching boat, someone else will prefer a cool, basic matte finish.

Bass Boat Branding:

Most bass boats will have an option for shiny, sparkly, or even subtly dazzling paint jobs.

This isn’t a requirement for bass boating, nor is it required that you invest in something that is shiny if you don’t want to.

However, because bass boats are known to be “shiny” to attract more fish, which is still a debatable fact, most fishermen want the “true bass boat” look, and they will often opt for shiny over basic.

Furthermore, because bass boat models offer different customizable paint jobs, for a price when bought new, you can often find just what you are looking for right from the manufacturer.

If you are buying used, you will mostly get what you paid for.

Are There Any Benefits to Sparkly Paint on Bass Boats?

It is difficult to prove that a sparkly paint job on a bass boat can attract more fish.

Any fisherman will tell you that fishing is an art and can take years of practice and study to understand the kind of fish you are trying to catch.

This is usually because there is a lot of different and often contradicting statements about what actually is required to catch a fish.

Some say luck, others the time of day. Often, fishermen will tell you that it is all about bait.

Even more often, fishermen will tell you the secret is about the equipment that you use when you go fishing and a whole lot of patience.

Do Sparkly Boats Attract Fish?

Most fishermen will also tell you that getting the best and biggest catch is the perfect part of any fishing trip.

Therefore, fishermen are more likely to buy what they think will reel in the big ones: i.e., a sparkly bass boat.

Most believe that sparkly bass boats attract fish because the paint resembles the look of scales on a falling or damaged minnow. When fish catch that particular glance of shimmery, scale-like sparkles, fishermen assume that means they are more likely to approach.

Fishermen will even attach sparkly add-ons to their lures and lines to attract fish from further away in darker waters.

Fish are fickle creatures, and there are often have rules and preferences for each species in order to catch them.

But the truth is, we don’t know if it is an accurate portrayal of how fish operate, and there is no evidence to suggest that a sparkly paint job is going to attract fish to your boat.

If anything, the equipment and bait that you use, a little bit of luck, and patience, are the secret sauce to catching that bigger and better fish.

What Else is Sparkly Paint Used For?

More often than not, manufacturers choose to use sparkly paint on their boats for marketing and dazzling purposes.

Sparkle paint is a great way to hide scuffs and damages to the hull of a boat, especially if that boat is ridden hard in murky waters where bass can be found.

If you have a smooth, clear color on the bottom of your boat, as soon as you trailer it, you are more likely to see the damages done. With sparkly paint, this is harder to notice.

This makes your boat look nicer longer, and it gives it a little razzle-dazzle on the showroom floor when you’re trying to reel in customers.

What Other Boat Types have Sparkly Paint?

Glitter paint is an option for other boats purely for the aesthetic purpose of it, such as speed boats, wakeboard boats, or other boats where the hull or sides touch the water.

For example, the Malibu brand often gives their wakeboard boats a bit of flashy glitter paint to make them look more exciting.

However, boats like pontoons and sailboats are more likely to have basic hulls and structures from the materials that they are made from.

Often you won’t see a flashy-looking pontoon – at least not painted on the part that is always touching the water.

Any boat can have glittered accents that accentuate their look and make them more flashy on the water. However, the primary purpose of glitter paint on any model other than a bass or fishing boat is not usually to catch fish.

Furthermore, you can buy glitter paint and apply it yourself to your boat at any time, making any boat sparkly if you want it to be.

Is Sparkly Paint for Bass Boats more Expensive than Regular Boat Paint?

Depending on your needs, the cost of turning your bass boat more sparkly could be higher than if you painted your boat a more traditional color.

An average gallon of boat paint, in this case, “TotalBoat Wet Edge Topside Paint,” will run you around $75.00-$95.00.

This is for a full gallon, as a reminder, and is meant to be able to cover most of the average size of a bass boat (either interior or trim).

This is a popular brand of paint that boatowners use to refurbish their boats or to hide scratches or scuffs.

Since many bass boaters do the same with glitter paint, we’ve dug a little deeper into glitter paint and how to use it on your boat.

How to Use Glitter Paint for Bass Boats?

Sparkly bass boat paint is a mix between regular epoxy-style paint and glitter flakes, or metal flakes, that are combined to give you the shiny finish you see on a bass boat.

This usually means that you have to buy the flakes or other concentrated glitter paints separately and apply them after you’ve already applied a regular paint.

Other ways to do this is to use products like “Glitterflake” which are small, shiny flakes of metallic and polyester huge that are mixed with a clear gel coat and applied to the surface of your boat.

If you are looking to apply your own glitter to your boat, simply finding a paint with a glittery hue isn’t going to be enough.

So What’s the Cost?

Carbon Fiber or Fiberglass epoxy resins from brands such as Fibreglast or a gallon of TotalBoat Lust Marine Varnish will run you between $50 and $100, depending on the amount.

It is important to remember that a simple gel layer isn’t necessarily enough to paint your boat, and a lot of sanding, polishing, prepping, and maintaining your boat will go into this process before any glitter paint can stick to it.

According to Greatlakesskipper.com, about only 8oz of metal flake boat paint will run you around $20. So if you were to try and cover your whole boat with that by itself with, say, a gallon, you’d be looking at upwards of $300.

It is, therefore, recommended that you apply a coat of paint first, like the TotalBoat Wet Edge Topside Paint that we mentioned before.

Once you’ve done that, you can apply that clear gel coat that is mixed with Glitterflake or other metallic flakes to create that shiny finish.

By adding metal glitter flakes to your clear gel coat – provided that you are using the proper type of gel and proper measurements – you will ultimately save yourself quite a lot of money.

Can you Paint your Bass Boat with Non-Sparkly Paint?

You can absolutely paint your bass boat with any appropriate style and material paint that you want.

It is your boat, after all.

You could get a new Ranger bass boat for roughly $80,000 with a fancy new coat of glitter paint, or you could repaint your own old boat and make it look like new!

In fact, many boat owners love to buy a used boat, sand it down, fill in the cracks, and repaint it whatever they like, making it look even better than before.

Even better, you can paint it whatever color, style, and texture that you want.

Will Fish Swim Away without Glitter?

Because it is still debatable on whether or not fish are more likely to approach a sparkly boat than a plain one, the greatest question you need to ask yourself is if you like how it looks.

If you want something a little more basic and less shiny, you can absolutely find something else to coat your boat with rather than glitter paint.

It won’t really affect your fishing game overall, based on current evidence.

Furthermore, if you don’t like the flashy look and want something more subtle, finding a matte finish paint is probably going to work best for you.