When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 and the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009 are modified vee designs with aluminum construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 at 18,0 ft versus Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009 at 16,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009 tips the scales at 845 lbs — 747 lbs less than the Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 at 98 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 80 hp for the Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 and 60 hp for the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 18 gal and 16 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 14 lbs per hp for the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
Bottom line: Choose the Smoker Craft Bass & Bay 1866 TL 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Smoker Craft Pro Angler 161 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.