How big of a boat do you need for the Detroit River?

[hangoo]

How big of a boat do you need for good handling while fishing the Detroit River?

I have a 16.5' Bass Tracker Bass boat with a front mount 43 lb thrust motor....im guessing its just fine, but i would like to see what some of the Detroit river regulars think,,,,

[WALLEYE MIKE]

You will be fine.

[Canajun]

I have a 14 1/2 footer that I bought for jigging at Deckers, drifting in the middle channel, etc. How nuts would I have to be to take that out in the Detroit or St Clair? I just bought a 40lb bow mount Minn Kota for it, and I have a 9.8 Merc and 17lb transom mount electric.

I have a 21' Nova as well, but I have had no luck fishing rivers with it at all. Even with the trolling motor, I have no control in the current. The fridge keeps a case of beer though!

[TeamSnapper]

I have a 14' aluminum boat that i take out on the river every year. works just great. i have the minn kota transom mount though. i'm jealous of your bow mount :(.

[Slick fishing]

some 16 years ago I had a 12' fiberglass for handlining but got a little chicken sh$t with that out on the river and sold it, the size you got is fine..

[salmonslammer]

:yeahthat:


There are days I wished I had a 14' out there....I have a 16' runabout with a full windshield...stupid thing acts like a sail, drives me nuts with the boat control!!!

[Gone Fishing]

My 14' aluminum was the best river boat I have used down there. Like Salmon Slammer mentioned, it's all about boat control and the 14 works quite well especially early and late in the season when the big cruisers are few and far between.:)

[KI Jim]

A 14' is great for the river. No problems at all-provided of course you use prudent care as always.

Jim

[BOEDY]

tirtyfoot or so! Kidding, all depends on how brave you are! (And how well you can swim!)

[Can't Touch This]

For many years, we only had a 12 foot with a 5.5 hp motor and did fine. Our 19 foot deep V fiberglass was obviously much smoother, but, not a great fishing boat. Now we had a 14' aluminum with a 15 hp, with a stern mount eletric, i think like 50 pound trust.....a fishing MACHINE.

Obviously, check the weather forcast for the wind, north winds are river friendly, south winds with chop it up, espessially the lower river. Even a stiff 5 mph south wind will make it choppy in the lower river.

[Canajun]

Thanks! I'll have to give it a try once I get through all of these damned tax returns! I have to admit that I caught more fish in my father's 14 footer when I was a kid then I do in my big boat nowadays. That was why I shelled out the $600 for the aluminum.

I am going to buy a Mustang survival suit, just in case. I figure a few hours of survival in 50 degree water an 10 knot current is worth a couple hundred bucks, just in case.

[perchguy]

[Would putting the windshield down help? I have a 16. Lund on order with a walk through windshield so I am quite interested on this subject.


quote=salmonslammer]:yeahthat:


There are days I wished I had a 14' out there....I have a 16' runabout with a full windshield...stupid thing acts like a sail, drives me nuts with the boat control!!![/quote]

[nosleeptillbrooklyn]

I use my 16' modified v Sea Ark duck boat. 25 h.p. 4stroke merc and stern mount trolling motor. I have tried to use my 26' Wellcraft, but boat control is imposible. smaller vessels work great.

[salmonslammer]

Would putting the windshield down help

I'm sure it would....I have a runabout and it has a full wrap around windshield on it...I'd take it off, but it's too much of a pain to pull it off.