Fishing Q&A

What's a great small fishing boat for small rivers?

Semi rough water. Something for only 2 people.

Public Comments

1. it all depends on what you like. i like inflatables. i have a sevylor fish hunter 360 and its great for rivers (especialy if you get the optional boat boot, helps prevent abrasion) and i put a 36 lbs thrust motor on it. in total it came out no more than $300. i bought it on sale at herb baurs for $120. check out the link and you can see what it looks like but its perty pricey at this site. also you can mount floor boards in this boat : )
2. Lund. Not a better, stronger fishing boat made. They make a great 14 ft deep and wide, I think the model is called WC. Check out the website. I have a 16 ft WC with a Merc 50hp 4 stroke, lotsa power for running rapids. I am on the French River, ON.
3. 14 foot v hull with 10 hp mercury
4. I like the roughneck series from Lowe boats. The model I have now is a 1752VT with an all welded hull. You can get it with tiller steering or side console steering. I put a center console in my 15' Grumman and it handled like a dream, was very stable and fisherman friendly. There is a good pic of this boat on www.flounderbytes.com . Make sure to look for an all welded hull so you don't knock the rivets loose if you hit any rocks. This can and will cause leaks. Get a good trolling motor for those quiet areas where fish like to hide. Tight lines!
5. a small 16 to 20 foot john boat would be great, get a four stroke, and a cheep-ish fish finder. i wish i could help, still trying to get that boat my self. ```good catchin```
6. Any 10-14ft aluminum welded boat is a good choice. Klammath, Gregor, Lund, WestCoaster.....etc. Most aluminums are pretty comparable. As for options, there are lots. But if this is just simple fishing, then I wouldn't worry about the "center/side console" and I'd just get a decent 4stroke 9.9hp outboard. (There are many lakes and rivers around the US that have a horsepower limit of under 10. That's why I say 9.9hp) Any 9.9hp outboard will be able to take a small aluminum and two people anywhere you need to go. Now, if you're dealing with turbulent water, and you want to be able to cut through it going upstream, and you want the "tool" that's going to do it....nothing compares to a drift boat. You can put a 6hp motor on a 14ft drift boat, and it's going to do everything your 10hp would on a small 12ft aluminum. Those boats are made for river fishing, and can cut through water beautifully. They take a little practice to handle, but once you get the hang of it, it's well worth it.