When it comes to fishing there are two sorts that are regularly undertaken, recreational fishing and commercial fishing. As such there is a wide range of types of fishing boats that are used in the fishing process.

When it comes to commercial fishing boats most people will think of trawlers scouring the oceans for fish. Trawlers basically pull a trawl net though the water catching fish in the way. As with most forms of commercial fishing the nets are often considered bad for fishing as they are indiscriminate in the fish caught. Trawlers will either drag their nets along the bottom of the ocean or at a depth dependent on the type of fish being hunted. Normally solo craft some trawlers do work in teams.

The other best known forms of fishing boats are the drifters, these are commercial vessels that send out and take in drift nets. These vessels are the most controversial of fishing boats, as the nest are blamed for the deaths of turtles and dolphins in huge numbers. Drift fishing is now banned in international waters and most national waters only allow limited usage of the nets. There are often limits on the size of the nets, although 2.5km for a net still seems like a huge length for a net.

There are also other forms of boats including Seine fishing boats also known as seiners. These boats operate nets that hang vertically in the water and fish are basically circled into the net. There are also factory ships that operate as fishing boats, these vessels are basically trawlers, seiners, drifters etc that also operate as a factory, processing and freezing their catches of fish.

Most recreational fishing is normally undertaken by the river or lake side, although it is not unknown for fishing boats to also be utilized. Most people would normally associate charter boats with recreational fishing. There is though no common type of charter boat, and depends on the type of fishing being undertaken. In the Caribbean the boats are more like private yachts, whilst in England the vessels are more likely to be traditional fishing vessels.

There are though other smaller forms of recreational fishing boats, including Kayak fishing vessels and pontoon boats. Both of these types of boats are normally for one or two anglers that can fish in areas of lakes and rivers that larger boats cannot get to.