jet boat for river

scrap · 11-09-05, 12:16 PM

here is an old question, anyone have any thoughts about a 20 hp jet boat to fish the rivers, pro or con, good investment or not, any feedback gratefully appreciated.

BassQualifier · 11-09-05, 01:42 PM

I would LOVE to have a jet boat. If you got one you would love it. I had an old buddy who had one with I believe 40 hp jet and it worked great in the shallow rocky shoals for smallies. Put it on an aluminum boat and you can get through anything and fish areas no one else can access. A lot depends on where you live and how applicable it would be with the waters you fish.

If you fish deep lakes, then obviously it wouldnt be much help, but if you fish shallow rivers that have either a lot of rocks or long shallow winding oxbows for instance, you could power through without worry of busting a prop.

If you really want to get fancy, i've seen these news electric powered jet outboards that allow you to not only fish shallow and rocky areas, but take the boat on electric-only reservoirs. That would be the best bonus of them all! Good luck.

Fish2win · 11-09-05, 05:53 PM

My nephew has a Tracker with a 40 HP inboard jet. We have trout fished several rivers like the Clinch and bass fished the French Broad which is very shallow with it. It runs in very skinny water and fisheds very well. It is 16 feet long. We fished a big res in it one time and it is a little slow for long distance running. He has had no real mechanical problems but on several occasions has sucked cans of bottle left by the trash crowd up into the intake to he point they caught in the turbine. No damage but on at least 1 occasion they had to be removed at the shop.I guess I would recommend them for river fishing. Fish2win

scrap · 11-09-05, 11:58 PM

thanks for the positive comments about a jet boat. i do primarily fish rivers, and right now i have to float down the river, a jet boat would give me the option of going further up the river, quite naturally. thanks for the input.

Rebbasser · 11-10-05, 01:52 AM

There was an article recently in Bassmaster on using a jet boat to get to smallie water. For rivers with a lot of shallows it looks to me to be a pretty good idea.

bassintom · 11-11-05, 10:25 PM

i believe it was roland martin a few years back won maybe a classic or just placed in the money on the connecticut river(i think).now i'm not even sure it was a classic..anyway i think he was the only one to use an aluminium ranger with a jet drive.he was able to get to the fish nobody else could..sonnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

zooker · 11-12-05, 11:03 AM

yeah laser favorite person not!!! i have seen a ranger cheerokee modified v hull with a 90 horse jet moter. in this area the guy claims it runs shallow but the jet is very touchy to drive.

zooker

Basspro wannabe · 11-12-05, 11:27 PM

You might want to check out getting a tunnel hull boat and running a prop instead of a jet. With the jet you loose a lot of power and jets will suck up leaves and things. With the tunnel hull boat and a regular outboard with prop I hear you can go just about anywhere a jet can.

zooker · 11-13-05, 01:41 PM

get a go devil and go acrossed the wet lawn..i done it -got and *** chewing from my dad about it too

zooker

scrap · 11-13-05, 11:00 PM

for better or worse, good or bad, i got a 16' alumnacraft with mercury 25/20 jet motor. it is used and less than 15 hours on the motor and the boat is outstanding as is the trailer. some of these posts helped me make my decision. i am not a tourney fisherman, i enjoy it and with a few friends is all that i am looking forward to doing. thanks for all the posts. i have learned alot here and the people are courteous, generous, and friendly, what more can one ask for.

zooker · 11-13-05, 11:11 PM

aww now you done went and made me blush....

zooker

bassthumb32 · 11-14-05, 04:49 PM

Jets Are Very Good For Fishing Rivers. Not The Best Choice For Big Lakes Though.

scrap · 11-14-05, 08:52 PM

thanks bassthumb for the post, i will be primarily fishing the river(s). i am hoping that the jet works out ok and meets my expectations next summer.

11-09-05, 12:16 PM	#1
scrap BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 217	jet boat for river here is an old question, anyone have any thoughts about a 20 hp jet boat to fish the rivers, pro or con, good investment or not, any feedback gratefully appreciated.

11-09-05, 01:42 PM	#2
BassQualifier BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 55	Jet Boats are great I would LOVE to have a jet boat. If you got one you would love it. I had an old buddy who had one with I believe 40 hp jet and it worked great in the shallow rocky shoals for smallies. Put it on an aluminum boat and you can get through anything and fish areas no one else can access. A lot depends on where you live and how applicable it would be with the waters you fish. If you fish deep lakes, then obviously it wouldnt be much help, but if you fish shallow rivers that have either a lot of rocks or long shallow winding oxbows for instance, you could power through without worry of busting a prop. If you really want to get fancy, i've seen these news electric powered jet outboards that allow you to not only fish shallow and rocky areas, but take the boat on electric-only reservoirs. That would be the best bonus of them all! Good luck.

11-09-05, 05:53 PM	#3
Fish2win BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norris Tennessee Posts: 469	My nephew has a Tracker with a 40 HP inboard jet. We have trout fished several rivers like the Clinch and bass fished the French Broad which is very shallow with it. It runs in very skinny water and fisheds very well. It is 16 feet long. We fished a big res in it one time and it is a little slow for long distance running. He has had no real mechanical problems but on several occasions has sucked cans of bottle left by the trash crowd up into the intake to he point they caught in the turbine. No damage but on at least 1 occasion they had to be removed at the shop.I guess I would recommend them for river fishing. Fish2win __________________ Norris Tennessee set the hook! They dont have hands.

11-10-05, 01:52 AM	#5
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	There was an article recently in Bassmaster on using a jet boat to get to smallie water. For rivers with a lot of shallows it looks to me to be a pretty good idea. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

11-12-05, 11:03 AM	#7
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	yeah laser favorite person not!!! i have seen a ranger cheerokee modified v hull with a 90 horse jet moter. in this area the guy claims it runs shallow but the jet is very touchy to drive. zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

11-09-05, 11:58 PM	#4
scrap BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 217	thanks for the positive comments about a jet boat. i do primarily fish rivers, and right now i have to float down the river, a jet boat would give me the option of going further up the river, quite naturally. thanks for the input.

11-11-05, 10:25 PM	#6
bassintom BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: washington(northwest) N.J. Posts: 3,958	i believe it was roland martin a few years back won maybe a classic or just placed in the money on the connecticut river(i think).now i'm not even sure it was a classic..anyway i think he was the only one to use an aluminium ranger with a jet drive.he was able to get to the fish nobody else could..sonnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

11-12-05, 11:27 PM	#8
Basspro wannabe BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Pocahontas, Arkansas Posts: 81	You might want to check out getting a tunnel hull boat and running a prop instead of a jet. With the jet you loose a lot of power and jets will suck up leaves and things. With the tunnel hull boat and a regular outboard with prop I hear you can go just about anywhere a jet can.

11-13-05, 01:41 PM	#9
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	get a go devil and go acrossed the wet lawn..i done it -got and *** chewing from my dad about it too zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

11-13-05, 11:00 PM	#10
scrap BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 217	for better or worse, good or bad, i got a 16' alumnacraft with mercury 25/20 jet motor. it is used and less than 15 hours on the motor and the boat is outstanding as is the trailer. some of these posts helped me make my decision. i am not a tourney fisherman, i enjoy it and with a few friends is all that i am looking forward to doing. thanks for all the posts. i have learned alot here and the people are courteous, generous, and friendly, what more can one ask for.

11-13-05, 11:11 PM	#11
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	aww now you done went and made me blush.... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

11-14-05, 04:49 PM	#12
bassthumb32 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Fort Loudon, PA Posts: 682	Jets Are Very Good For Fishing Rivers. Not The Best Choice For Big Lakes Though. __________________ MY LIFETIME GOAL IS TO KEEP AT LEAST A SMALL CASE OF BASSTHUMB FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

11-14-05, 08:52 PM	#13
scrap BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 217	thanks bassthumb for the post, i will be primarily fishing the river(s). i am hoping that the jet works out ok and meets my expectations next summer.

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