Please help me decide on a river boat

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Blake

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My in laws just bought a vacation home in Driggs Idaho. It is in eastern Idaho, in the teton valley. The teton river is mainly what I will want to fish, just because it is so close and easy. There are other rivers in the area that are awesome, but they are drift boat rivers and I don't want to get in to that because I will be going solo a lot.

The cool thing about the teton is that it's a spring fed river with fairly constant slow flow, and enough depth to run small outboards. It would be really nice for me to be able to put in at a ramp and not have to be picked up downstream. Guides on that river run "teton boats", which are basically 20' canoes with outboards on the back. They put in, motor up stream, and drift back with oars while the customers fish.

I'm kinda thinking that I want a Riverhawk/Gheenoe style boat that's big enough for two people. It will need to be light, shallow draft, be able to handle a small outboard, be able to mount a bow mounted trolling motor, be stable where I can stand up and throw a fly rod, and it might put a power pole micro on it.

I'll also be using it to duck hunt that river and some of the small lakes around the area.

Any thoughts? All advice would be appreciated.
 
https://www.google.com/search?q=riverhawk/gheenoe+style+boats&hl=en&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=EkkXVJHWFIij8QGk4oHYBg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1093&bih=489

Looks like you have answered your question with the Riverhawk/Gheenoe style boat. What else is the problem?
 
Clinton 3.5 outboard on Golden Hawk at Yellowstone 6-10-14 001.jpgcanoe golden hawk at lake 7 13 002.jpg

Sounds like you are describing a Golden Hawk, 12'9, Y-stern, fiberglass, 750lb capacity, 65lb boat.

On a Y-stern, the hull is pointed at both ends, so you can paddle in both directions without pushing water with a square stern.

Also Google check "Y-stern" canoes, and "trapper" canoes, as well as Grumman "Square Stern" canoes.

Sounds like a great place on the water.

Best wishes.
 

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All welded 14-16' MV Jon boat , 20" transom, no less than 48" bottom. Jet outboard optional for shallow running.
I live between two shallow rivers and these are very common in the area. They are used for exactly what you are describing, and can be easily modified to suit almost any needs.
Lots and lots of info. on this site, when it comes to Jon boats.
Give them a thought, they aren't light, so if you need to carry it forget it!
 
Or look at what is popular on the White River in Northern Arkansas. Wide, but shallow gravel and rock bottom stream. Shawnee boats are popular up there. Reason being, they'll draft in inches of water while wide open. Jet would be ideal, but I've run them with prop outboards just fine. They are on plane almost INSTANTLY when you hit the throttle. Bottom is totally flat. You get hung on a gravel bar, it comes right off easily. Problem is mud. If you get hung on mud bottom shoal, the mud tends to suck itself to the totally flat bottom. While not as bad as a jon with ribs, it still can be "fun". Also, they are "banana" shaped if you are looking at the side of the boat, from front to rear they are curved. Gets right off of shoals by rocking the boat front to rear.

They SUCK in open waters that would normally have some wake.

Most of them are longer and narrower. They do not turn all that great. Especially with a jet foot. But for that part of the country (White river) they RULE. I have a jon and there are times when I hate it. Then there's times when I wouldn't have anything else. I've fished the White with my little jon and most of the time it's ok, but it drafts a little deeper than a dedicated river boat does and I have to be pretty careful in the shallower waters.

We rented a 20 x 36 Shawnee river boat out of Mountain View when were were on vacation. Day 1 was a prop drive Merc 25 EFI (and stinkin' manual start). Never run a river boat before, and man that thing was a blast running in about a foot of water. Day 2 that boat was rented (we got there late right after church) and all they had left was the same boat with a Yamaha 40/30 Jet. Sweet motor. We ran across some shoals that couldn't have been more than 6" deep. One of them wide open at about 20 mph roughly. Crunched the bottom just a little bit, didn't really feel it, just heard it. On the way back down river drifting over the same shoal, we hit hard and hung on the gravel. Like I said, you rock the boat forward or backward and it comes right off with little effort. Sweet setup.

Jet motors are useless in muddy bottoms where there may be some leaves, sticks, etc. You'll be cleaning the grate every 30 seconds. On rocky, sandy, or gravel bottom areas, they are worth their weight in gold. Almost.
 
The teton is a mud bottom river with grass in it. So jets are out.

I guess I'm pretty set on a gheenoe or river hawk. Now I just gotta figure out which one and how to get it up there.
 

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