NewBie Mississippi River boat

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ShowMeGuy

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
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Location
Foley, MO
Ok guys, I live about 10mins from the lock and dam at winfield, mo. I've been at my house for going on 6 years and I hate being so close to essentially public land... ie it's water in this case I want to use it. I moved back to MO from MT and MT spoiled me bad with all their nat. forest etc. Moving back to MO i haven't gotton back inot hunting as it's just to dang much of a hassle.

So here I am, right off the mississippi and I wanna start getting on it. What should I be lookin for? I'm not sure I want a jon boat but if I did go that route I'm not sure I'd feel safe with anything less than 16' and as wide as possible...

I've been thinking of trying to find an old alumninum starcraft. But I'm just fishing for ideas here. I have no idea as to how to fish the mississippi. Was up in clarksvile and seen some boats behind L&D #25 and conservation dept said they were likely walleye fishing...

Anyways. i'm not much of a catfisherman kinda guy.. I like fishing just not much for the taste of them. Pretty much all others are game to bread and fry up.

Well sorry for the longwinded intro. But if there are some other Eastern MO guys or STL guys around I'd like to especially hear what you all think.

MY budget is gonna be like 4Kish or so

ShowMeGuy
 
Welcome!


ShowMeGuy said:
Ok guys, I live about 10mins from the lock and dam at winfield, mo. I've been at my house for going on 6 years and I hate being so close to essentially public land... ie it's water in this case I want to use it. I moved back to MO from MT and MT spoiled me bad with all their nat. forest etc. Moving back to MO i haven't gotton back inot hunting as it's just to dang much of a hassle.

So here I am, right off the mississippi and I wanna start getting on it. What should I be lookin for? I'm not sure I want a jon boat but if I did go that route I'm not sure I'd feel safe with anything less than 16' and as wide as possible...

I've been thinking of trying to find an old alumninum starcraft. But I'm just fishing for ideas here. I have no idea as to how to fish the mississippi. Was up in clarksvile and seen some boats behind L&D #25 and conservation dept said they were likely walleye fishing...

Anyways. i'm not much of a catfisherman kinda guy.. I like fishing just not much for the taste of them. Pretty much all others are game to bread and fry up.

Well sorry for the longwinded intro. But if there are some other Eastern MO guys or STL guys around I'd like to especially hear what you all think.

MY budget is gonna be like 4Kish or so

ShowMeGuy
 
I've fished the Mississippi many times in a 16' jon boat. There are two things we avoid like the plague though. Any of those areas where the river is a rolling boiling mess and getting close to the barges as they travel. Those barges have a huge wake as they move up the river. I think either of those would be capable of sinking a small jon boat. We always fish around the jetties for catfish so I can't help you in the fish dept.
 
JMichael said:
I've fished the Mississippi many times in a 16' jon boat. There are two things we avoid like the plague though. Any of those areas where the river is a rolling boiling mess and getting close to the barges as they travel. Those barges have a huge wake as they move up the river. I think either of those would be capable of sinking a small jon boat. We always fish around the jetties for catfish so I can't help you in the fish dept.

Ive always heard to stay away from the barges, I don't think I'll have much worry there I was thinking it'd be smart staying off the main channel if I went the Jon boat way.

What kinda other safety gear do you all recommend besides L/Js etc. What would be the smallest motor you'd go out on it with?
 
Way back in '81 (that's 1981!), my dad bought a 14' Lowe Big Jon to fish the Ohio River with. It had a 25hp electric start Mercury and a foot operated trolling motor. It's mine now and although it has a 48" bottom I don't think I'd put it on the MS river at all. The Ohio and the creeks off it might have been fine but the MS is a different animal altogether. One thing about that Lowe is that it is super stable with the wide bottom. BUT, the flat bottom bow on that thing makes for some rough riding in any kind of a chop or swells. I wish my Dad would have at least gone 16' on this one but I understand that his plan was to fish alone and wrestling a larger boat on the trailer while by yourself would be tough, it's just too small to put more than 2 people in with all their gear. With kids now I just don't use it much.

I think I'd be looking for 16'+ V hull with as big of a motor as you can afford.
 

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