Drift boat owners

[Further North]

I thought I'd toss this out, to see if anyone else has been bitten by the bug.

I have been looking for an effective, comfortable way to fish the skinny water rivers around here for smallies and muskies for years.

 

I've tried canoes (I still have my Sports Pal, and always will), kayaks (sold 'em), one man pontoons (sold it fast), small tiller v-hull boats (didn't last long), and flat bottom jon boats (close, but not quite there), but have always thought that a drift boat was the way to get it done.

I've been unwilling to commit the $$$ to one though as I am...um...frugal, and good ones are not cheap.  Add in a scarcity in my area, and that I wanted an aluminum one...I never found what I as looking for.

So I tripped over one on Facebook about a month ago, for the right price. Aluminum.  Set up right...
Problem I: It was in Western Michigan, and I'm in Western Wisconsin. You can't get there from here.  It's a shorter dive to North Dakota. 
Problem II: I was just about finished re-working a 15' Alumacraft jon for my purposes.

As will happen when destiny wants you to have something, things worked out.  A friend in eastern WI was interested in the jon, and offered to be my co-pilot for the drive over to Michigan and back to his place near Crivitz.  Off I went, Alumacraft in tow.

She's a RiverMaster, about 15 1/2 feet long, and...get this...a quarter inch shy of 7 feet wide in the middle.  She'll float in 4" of water all day and is built like an aluminum tank.  Which is good.  I'm gonna hit rocks. 

Since I fish by myself a lot, I needed a way to motor up river and drift back, so I embarked on an experiment to figure out what would work best.  Electric power?  Not a chance in our rivers, and the weight penalty was close to absurd.  Tried a Yamaha 2.5 HP...got it up to about 5.5 MPH in still water...but there's times and places that ain't gonna cut it.  Tried a Merc 8 HP...too much.  Too much weight, too much thrust...nearly buried the transom...that's especially bad JuJu on a river.  Found a Suzuki 4 HP, 4 stroke, portable short shaft...and like Baby Bear's porridge, it's juuuuuust right.

The boat came with a set of 9' Carlisle oars...but they never felt right.  Too short for a boat with a 7 ft. beam.  Added an extension to get 'em to 10 ft.  Much more betterer!  Ordered a set of 10' Pro-Loks now that I know what I want.

I dumped the 10# mushroom anchor (next to useless in a river) for a 30# pyramid, pulled out the electric anchor winch, and the front anchor system...installed a pivoting pulley system back there to make it easier to pull up, and release the anchor.

The floor is carpet wrapped wood...typical boat floor...but I don't like carpet in boats...an I like wood even less...so I was looking around...and stumbled across a pallet of aluminum decking for boat docks.  Light weight, impervious to water, and about as non-skid as you're gonna get.  That's the next project.

Would love to hear about anyone else who has been down this path.

[TnRiver46]

I’ve always thought aluminum drift boat would be the dream but I sure can’t afford one. My buddy that guides daily out of a drift boat also uses 4 hp. The anchors we use around here look like a cylindrical floating mine, I’ll see if I can find a picture. I also thoroughly enjoy rowing an inflatable raft with a frame that is set up like a drift boat, they bounce off rocks and can go crazy shallow 

 

edit: found a pic. $140? I’d pour my own hahaha

 

 

 

[Further North]

I looked at that anchor, and the new "Tornado" anchors...went with the pyramid to start as they've been effective on every drift boat I've been in, and are sort of reasonable.

I got the boat for less than $3K...that made the whole thing doable.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

I looked at that anchor, and the new "Tornado" anchors...went with the pyramid to start as they've been effective on every drift boat I've been in, and are sort of reasonable.

I got the boat for less than $3K...that made the whole thing doable.

That is awesome! 

[Further North]

I thought this would have generated more interest.

Drift boats can go in almost any water a canoe or a kayak can, but offer the ability to get up and move around as  as well as more storage.

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, Further North said:

I thought this would have generated more interest.

Drift boats can go in almost any water a canoe or a kayak can, but offer the ability to get up and move around as  as well as more storage.

Well let’s see a picture of it! 

[Further North]

11 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Well let’s see a picture of it! 

I don't have any pictures of it as it is now.  All I have is the "before" part.  The "after" will be a while.

[bigbassin']

29 minutes ago, Further North said:

I thought this would have generated more interest.

Drift boats can go in almost any water a canoe or a kayak can, but offer the ability to get up and move around as  as well as more storage.

I think the lack of interest is due to regional taste and lack of popularity (from what I’ve seen).

 

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a drift boat before in person while fishing in the South. In my head at least, I’ve always figured they were a lot like a flats boat where to be most effective one person gets to fish while the other must row (or pole on a flats boat).

 

 Drift boats immediately make me think of the Midwest. They may be used other places, but that seems to be where they’re most prevalent from pictures and videos.

[Further North]

30 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

I think the lack of interest is due to regional taste and lack of popularity (from what I’ve seen).

 

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a drift boat before in person while fishing in the South. In my head at least, I’ve always figured they were a lot like a flats boat where to be most effective one person gets to fish while the other must row (or pole on a flats boat).

 

 Drift boats immediately make me think of the Midwest. They may be used other places, but that seems to be where they’re most prevalent from pictures and videos.

That's a really interesting perspective.

There are actually relatively few drift boats in the Midwest; they originated in the Northwest for the big rivers out there, and spread to the western trout rivers from there.

Some made it into the Midwest for the larger trout rivers, but that's a limited opportunity.

 

Fishing for smallmouth bass and muskies from them is a more recent application, though Im sure it had it's start further back than I am aware of. 

[bigbassin']

11 minutes ago, Further North said:

That's a really interesting perspective.

There are actually relatively few drift boats in the Midwest; they originated in the Northwest for the big rivers out there, and spread to the western trout rivers from there.

Some made it into the Midwest for the larger trout rivers, but that's a limited opportunity.

 

Fishing for smallmouth bass and muskies from them is a more recent application, though Im sure it had it's start further back than I am aware of. 

Interesting, I always assumed they took off in Montana and Wyoming for trout.

[Vilas15]

52 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

I think the lack of interest is due to regional taste and lack of popularity (from what I’ve seen).

 

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a drift boat before in person while fishing in the South. In my head at least, I’ve always figured they were a lot like a flats boat where to be most effective one person gets to fish while the other must row (or pole on a flats boat).

 

 Drift boats immediately make me think of the Midwest. They may be used other places, but that seems to be where they’re most prevalent from pictures and videos.

If I get a running start I could jump across some streams I trout fish. Rivers big enough to warrant a boat in the midwest (at least in WI) are too warm to support trout, they prefer the smaller spring creeks. No mountain snowmelt here like out west.

 

Regarding the boat, the motor sounds like a perfect fit. I was wondering how you'd shuttle but avoiding it entirely is probably the way to go.

[Scott F]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

That's a really interesting perspective.

There are actually relatively few drift boats in the Midwest; they originated in the Northwest for the big rivers out there, and spread to the western trout rivers from there.

Some made it into the Midwest for the larger trout rivers, but that's a limited opportunity.

 

Fishing for smallmouth bass and muskies from them is a more recent application, though Im sure it had it's start further back than I am aware of. 

Drift boats are relatively common with the smallmouth fishermen I know. I have 3 friends who own them. All three have jet motors on theirs. Mostly 60/40 4 strokes. There is an outfit near DePere Wisconsin, that runs 8 float trips a day just on the Menominee River all out of drift boats. Stealthcraft drift boats are made in Western Michigan and are very popular will drift boaters in the Midwest. As has been said, one person rows, and 2 can fish. Having not a good anchor, but a great one like you have is critical. Once anchored, everyone can fish.  Even though they float in just a little bit of water, you can still get the boats hung up. 
I’m headed to fish the Menominee for the next week. I’ve got a 16x48 jon boat with a 50/35 Tohatsu 2 stroke jet.  My anchor system is a winch with a davit and a 55ib chain anchor that will hold me in the river with the current running at 4800cfm right now. I have a couple of Sawyer oars, and a 24volt Terrova trolling motor. 
I’m glad to see another river guy. There is so little fishing pressure and the smallies are always shallow in rivers. 

[Further North]

49 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

Interesting, I always assumed they took off in Montana and Wyoming for trout.

That's what I thought too, until I started digging into them.

42 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

If I get a running start I could jump across some streams I trout fish. Rivers big enough to warrant a boat in the midwest (at least in WI) are too warm to support trout, they prefer the smaller spring creeks. No mountain snowmelt here like out west.

 

Regarding the boat, the motor sounds like a perfect fit. I was wondering how you'd shuttle but avoiding it entirely is probably the way to go.

I'll shuttle if I have someone fishing with me, but I can fish 7 days a week and most of the folks I know can only do two, most weeks.

[Further North]

23 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Drift boats are relatively common with the smallmouth fishermen I know. I have 3 friends who own them. All three have jet motors on theirs. Mostly 60/40 4 strokes. There is an outfit near DePere Wisconsin, that runs 8 float trips a day just on the Menominee River all out of drift boats. Stealthcraft drift boats are made in Western Michigan and are very popular will drift boaters in the Midwest. As has been said, one person rows, and 2 can fish. Having not a good anchor, but a great one like you have is critical. Once anchored, everyone can fish.  Even though they float in just a little bit of water, you can still get the boats hung up. 
I’m headed to fish the Menominee for the next week. I’ve got a 16x48 jon boat with a 50/35 Tohatsu 2 stroke. My anchor system is a winch with a davit and a 55ib chain anchor that will hold me in the river with the current running at 4800cfm right now. I have a couple of Sawyer oars, and a 24volt Terrova trolling motor. 
I’m glad to see another river guy. There is so little fishing pressure and the smallies are always shallow in rivers. 

Scott, unless I'm mistaken, you're speaking of the folks at Tight Lines...great, great shop, great guides, and Tim Landwehr is the co-author of the best smallie fly fishing book available...it's so good most gear guys should read it.

I've fished that river several times, and it's an amazing resource.

Your 16 x 48 jon sounds perfect, and that 24 volt Terrova is ideal for that kind of fishing!

If you see a sort of mustard brown john boat out on the river, that's my old boat, with a good friend fishing from it.  It also has a 24 volt Terrova, but he's running a 42 year old Evinrude two stroke that came with the boat new.

Enjoy your trip!  I'd be jealous if I wasn't hip deep in great water on this side of the state.

[Scott F]

You are right, I’m talking about Tight Lines. It’s unlikely I’d see your friend or anyone else on the stretch of river I’ll be fishing who has a prop boat. Kayaks, A couple of drift boats and a a jet or two. Is all I’ll see in a days fishing 

[Further North]

16 hours ago, Scott F said:

You are right, I’m talking about Tight Lines. It’s unlikely I’d see your friend or anyone else on the stretch of river I’ll be fishing who has a prop boat. Kayaks, A couple of drift boats and a a jet or two. Is all I’ll see in a days fishing 

Enjoy yourself - I hope you tie into some Menominee Monsters.

[Further North]

My friend has been having a great week up there - three between 18" and 20".

[BrewCityNorth]

Further North: its super cool to read your story. I would like to find a drift boat myself. I am in S.E. Wisconsin and use my canoe to flyfish for smallmouth and pike multiple times a a week. I have a wood row troller that I’ll take on slower deeper sections and love to row friends around but being a wood boat i need a boat launch. The canoe is great as I can launch anywhere and have no problem pulling or poling up river. However I would like something that still allows me to launch almost anywhere, yet be more comfortable and stable for fishing in cold weather and have the ability to take my children 2 and 3 years old. 
 

I’ve been considering a raft which would make a lot of sense considering most of our rivers are  small and shallow, but the price for rafts are not that much different than a hard sided DB. And the convenience  combined with the comfort of a drift boat would be nice. Jon’s are affordable and easy to find used but I love rowing for other people so much that I would be nice to have something meant for that. With that being said I work second shift so I often fish solo weekday mornings. How do you like handling your DB solo compared with the Jon or canoe?
 

I’ve been looking at the Stealthcraft Sniper or Minifly which look like they could provide the connivence of a DB with most of the portability of a raft. But I would like to stay around 5k or below. 
 

I can’t wait to hear more about your experiences with the new DB. 
 

Cheers,

Pete
 

[Further North]

On 9/8/2020 at 8:37 AM, BrewCityNorth said:

Further North: its super cool to read your story. I would like to find a drift boat myself. I am in S.E. Wisconsin and use my canoe to flyfish for smallmouth and pike multiple times a a week. I have a wood row troller that I’ll take on slower deeper sections and love to row friends around but being a wood boat i need a boat launch. The canoe is great as I can launch anywhere and have no problem pulling or poling up river. However I would like something that still allows me to launch almost anywhere, yet be more comfortable and stable for fishing in cold weather and have the ability to take my children 2 and 3 years old. 
 

I’ve been considering a raft which would make a lot of sense considering most of our rivers are  small and shallow, but the price for rafts are not that much different than a hard sided DB. And the convenience  combined with the comfort of a drift boat would be nice. Jon’s are affordable and easy to find used but I love rowing for other people so much that I would be nice to have something meant for that. With that being said I work second shift so I often fish solo weekday mornings. How do you like handling your DB solo compared with the Jon or canoe?
 

I’ve been looking at the Stealthcraft Sniper or Minifly which look like they could provide the connivence of a DB with most of the portability of a raft. But I would like to stay around 5k or below. 
 

I can’t wait to hear more about your experiences with the new DB. 
 

Cheers,

Pete
 

Pete,

 

Here's what we did a week ago, on a NE WI river:

 

 

New water, so while fishing was great, catching was off a little...that'll happen.

We're looking at a spot near home where we'll have to chuck it over the side of a river bank...

Rafts:  Reach out to Bill Sherer at We-Tie-It.

 

https://bill-sherers-we-tie-it-fly-shop.myshopify.com/collections/watercraft

Bill's been fishing skinny water rivers forever and is a genius about this stuff.  I think his rafts are affordable (less than $3K, easily, even for the bigger rafts) and he will custom build them.

With some looking around, you can find what you're after.

I paid $2,700 for the boat (used), $1,200 for the motor (new), and have a set of oars on the way for $750, but you probably don't need the oars...I may have gone overboard there...and you might not need the motor.

I looked at the Sniper and Minifly, and was headed that direction when I found the RiverMaster.

Jon boats are great options too.

Fishing solo has been my challenge also - I'm retired, but most of my fishing buddies are not.  That's why the drift boat has a motor (motor up, drift back, it'd work with a raft also), and I'm committed to getting out and dragging it up-river if I need to.

 

Are you on Facebook?  PM me, and I can point you at some drift boat groups that'll help.  You have to be willing to drive for the boats...we drove 10 1/2 hours one way to get my boat.  It was worth it.

 

[BrewCityNorth]

On 9/10/2020 at 8:37 PM, Further North said:

Pete,

 

Here's what we did a week ago, on a NE WI river:

 

 

New water, so while fishing was great, catching was off a little...that'll happen.

We're looking at a spot near home where we'll have to chuck it over the side of a river bank...

Rafts:  Reach out to Bill Sherer at We-Tie-It.

 

https://bill-sherers-we-tie-it-fly-shop.myshopify.com/collections/watercraft

Bill's been fishing skinny water rivers forever and is a genius about this stuff.  I think his rafts are affordable (less than $3K, easily, even for the bigger rafts) and he will custom build them.

With some looking around, you can find what you're after.

I paid $2,700 for the boat (used), $1,200 for the motor (new), and have a set of oars on the way for $750, but you probably don't need the oars...I may have gone overboard there...and you might not need the motor.

I looked at the Sniper and Minifly, and was headed that direction when I found the RiverMaster.

Jon boats are great options too.

Fishing solo has been my challenge also - I'm retired, but most of my fishing buddies are not.  That's why the drift boat has a motor (motor up, drift back, it'd work with a raft also), and I'm committed to getting out and dragging it up-river if I need to.

 

Are you on Facebook?  PM me, and I can point you at some drift boat groups that'll help.  You have to be willing to drive for the boats...we drove 10 1/2 hours one way to get my boat.  It was worth it.

 

PM Sent.....That looks like a sweet set up!