Anyone here fish rocky rivers in a boat?

[Burton]

I'm talking a large river with a few shallow rocks / small shoals. Should be easily navigable by jet boat standards.

I'm probably never going to commit to it. But lets say I want to run 7 miles downstream....then 7 miles back to the launch. On the way, I pass 3 or 4 smallish rapids.

I think I've looked at everything:
Polymer boats with jet
Mini jets (aluminum)
Jon boat with mud motor
Jet kayaks
Aluminum/jon with jet

I can't really pinpoint the best option. I guess the best option is also the most expensive option.

Thoughts?

 

[Batjack]

I'm talking a large river with a few shallow rocks / small shoals. Should be easily navigable by jet boat standards.

I'm probably never going to commit to it. But lets say I want to run 7 miles downstream....then 7 miles back to the launch. On the way, I pass 3 or 4 smallish rapids.

I think I've looked at everything:
Polymer boats with jet
Mini jets (aluminum)
Jon boat with mud motor
Jet kayaks
Aluminum/jon with jet

I can't really pinpoint the best option. I guess the best option is also the most expensive option.

Thoughts?

Only thing I can tell you is don't go down stream.. go up, that way when / if you rip the prop off you can float back down to the ramp.

 

[Crakajak]

Only thing I can tell you is don't go down stream.. go up, that way when / if you rip the prop off you can float back down to the ramp.

Never heard anyone say down stream without a paddle....guess they never made it back up stream.
Up stream without a paddle is what I have heard.....guess they floated back to the ramp.

 

[tr21]

airboat ?

 

[mizzippi jb]

airboat ?

Airboat with poly bottom would be the safest bet in my mind. No idea got to fish out of an airboat though

 

[Ruger#3]

I’ve floated rivers for fishing by kayak and considered some sort of drive to go up stream and float back. When you float down stream you end up spinning around in front of shoals to fish. A stable kayak and jet would get you where no else can go. The down side would be the range of the drive.

 

[hopper]

Did not know these things existed. May be making my wife angry.

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Saw another that goes 30 mph but about $10,000
Pretty cool

 

[Burton]

Did not know these things existed. May be making my wife angry.

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Order your Mokai from our website and enable yourself to be in control of your own experience out on the water. We sell and ship directly from our factory in Newburgh, New York. Call us today!

www.mokai.com

Saw another that goes 30 mph but about $10,000
Pretty cool

Yeah, seems pretty legit. That may actually be the cheapest option.

I could theoretically do it now with my yak and the NK-180. I would have to allow 1 hr travel to start fishing and maybe 2 hrs to get back to the launch. I would also be fishing with a friend. Maybe he could carry a 12V trolling motor in case my motor failed.

We might could get by with a 9.9 outboard and rock guard in a jon. I wouldn't know though without trying.

 

[Burton]

Only thing I can tell you is don't go down stream.. go up, that way when / if you rip the prop off you can float back down to the ramp.

Can't go upstream. Just need a backup in case a motor fails (like a trolling motor and extra time).

 

[Ruger#3]

If you buy used you could be in a jet kayak for < 3K. I’ve paddled upstream, the shoals are a bit of work for an old guy but doable up thru Class 2. This is what I been considering.

J-2 Outboard Kit

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[Nicodemus]

I used to fish the Flint River from the Warwick Dam at Lake Blackshear down to "Hades" Gate in a 14 foot fiberglass Collins Craft johnboat. Over the years the rocks finally tore it all to pieces. Since 2007 I`ve used a 16 foot Lowe Roughneck aluminum boat and it is still going strong.

 

[Big7]

Only thing I can tell you is don't go down stream.. go up, that way when / if you rip the prop off you can float back down to the ramp.

ALWAYS !!

 

[Timberman]

We run the Etowah below Allatoona in a 14//48 Jon with a Yamaha jet with not much trouble

 

[Burton]

We run the Etowah below Allatoona in a 14//48 Jon with a Yamaha jet with not much trouble

You put a 40 hp jet on a 1448? 20+ mph?

 

[Timberman]

You put a 40 hp jet on a 1448? 20+ mph?

It's a 40/30 but it may be a bigger/wider boat. Has pedestal seats, console steering etc. It's not fast at all.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

Talk to Jake with Unicoi!

 

[little rascal]

It's a 40/30 but it may be a bigger/wider boat. Has pedestal seats, console steering etc. It's not fast at all.

jet hp x .7= hp at foot. yea, they slow and eat gas and pickup trash and gravel. have to grease them every trip. Shim the the impeller and replace the grate a lot. Jet's love maintenance.

 

[Throwback]

Not fished but patrolled. Any condition imaginable. Chattahoochee from just below 6 flags to Franklin (not all at one time) and the upper flint. Prop Jon boats get ready to and know how to replace a prop. Jet Jon boats are ok as long as it’s set up correctly and you know what you’re doing.

I always wanted a jet boat like they use in alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

 

[Burton]

Yeah, I think in this area, I could get by with a prop jon boat. So why wouldn't you have a prop guard? Wouldn't that make all the difference?

 

[Throwback]

It helps but we ripped those off regular.