PRICE WISE

Nitro NX 882 DC is just the ticket for bass fishermen stepping into their first tournament-ready bass boat.

Tested By Bruce W. Smith

Stepping up to that first tournament-ready bass boat brings with it a lot of big decisions on size, setup, layout and design. Then there’s the price factor. A majority of today’s tournament-ready bass boat packages cost more than $30,000.

That’s why the NX 882 has been one of the most popular bassboats in the Nitro line. It is a fully rigged tournament package that delivers great overall fishing performance starting at $16,595.

During my recent shakedown run and test on Missouri’s famed Table Rock Lake, I found the dual-console ($300 upgrade) NX 882, rigged with a Mercury XR6, to be a great bass fishing package for the price ($19, 605) and a load of fun.

Starting at the Helm

My first impression slipping into the driver’s seat is comfort and security. Legroom is abundant and the seating position natural. At 18’2” it’s easy to maneuver around the docks as well as back in the tight coves and creeks larger bass boats have a tough time negotiating.

Holeshot is average for a bass boat this size with a 150-hp V6, but ride quality over light chop and rougher water is much better than I expected. The nicely bolstered bucket-style seats provide excellent support while the fiberglass hull’s design cuts a clean line through the water.

The cable-controlled steering is light and quick, making it very easy to drive at any speed. No worries about “chinewalk,” either; the NX 882 feels light, but easily controllable right up to its top speed of 61mph.

Fishability is also top rate, whether you’re standing on the flippin’ deck, seated on the pedestal seat, or working from the back deck. The wide, 7’8” beam and low-profile cap design reduces the effects of wind, and the 24-volt, 67-pound-thrust MotorGuide trolling motor—one of the standard features—keeps you positioned over fish regardless of wind conditions or current.

Fishing Features

Speaking of features, I found the NX 882 very well rigged and laid out. It comes standard with stainless steel prop, seven-inch manual jackplate, full instrumentation, and a Lowrance X-47A mounted next to the helm.

There is an abundance of lockable storage space with bow and stern dry lockers and underseat compartments ready to swallow your gear. Twin rod lockers flank the front deck storage compartment, so you have a lot of choices in how to keep rods and bulky items organized.

The divided livewell is big and the corners rounded, which makes it easier on the fish. Of course, the livewell comes with the standard aeration/fill system, so keeping your catch healthy for weigh-in should never be a problem.

I found all of the aluminum lids opened easily—and all come with assist struts to keep them open. They also closes flush to the deck so there’s little chance of tripping over an uneven surface in the heat of fishing.

Deck Layout

In fact, getting around in the NX 882 is probably a bit easier than in other bass boats of similar size and design. Nitro incorporates a step under the flip-down center seat cushion to aid in getting up to the rear deck—and another step-up point between the passenger’s seat and the gunwale.

I also noticed the carpet is edge-trimmed and the seals around the lockers smooth and even; little items that show the manufacturer’s attention to detail.

That is also readily apparent when you open the battery compartment at the stern. It is very well organized and quite angler-friendly when it comes to accessing the trolling motor and cranking batteries, engine oil reservoir, bilge and livewell pumps and the like. All are located to make it the easiest for the boat owner to access.

Performance

Whether fishing or running, I found the NX 882 looks, sounds and feels solid. The design is well thought out and it’s built to hold up to the rigors of bass fishing over many years and in many different types of waters.

Best of all, the big decisions that typically go with buying that first full-on bass boat can be set aside, leaving you to focus on where to take your own NX 882 on the maiden bass fishing trip

• Top speed for the Nitro NX 882 DC is 61.4 mph (98.8 kph), burning 16.9 gallons per hour (gph) or 63.97 liters per hour (lph).


• Best cruise for the Nitro NX 882 DC is 37.3 mph (60 kph), and the boat gets 4.81 miles per gallon (mpg) or 2.05 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 173 miles (278.42 kilometers).


• Tested power is 1 x 150-hp Mercury EFI.


• Time to plane for the Nitro NX 882 DC is 5.3 sec. seconds.


• Time from 0 to 30 of the Nitro NX 882 DC is 8.5 sec. seconds.