Not sure if it is OK to post here so if not moderators please move. Thanks! I have a Ranger 188VS with a Yamaha F150 Four Stroke and an 8" Hydraulic Jackplate with a Cavitation Plate. I am currently running the stock prop that came with the motor and for some reason it is a Yamaha saltwater series 21 pitch 3 blade prop. I am desperately attempting to improve my shallow water (<18" deep) hole shot to enable me to get on step in the very shallow water. I fished a shallow lake last weekend and caught 20 pounds (very good for south Louisiana) out of a 21 foot Bullet with a 250 Pro XS and after many attempts we were able to get up on plane but it was very very difficult. I am hoping I can get my 18 foot ranger up on plane in the same location for a tournament next weekend. Please provide any prop or set-up recommendations that you might have to enable me to get up in the shallowest of water. I will sacrifice some top end speed to achieve better very shallow water performance. Thanks in advance.

You wanna get on plane in a bass boat in 18" of water?
I would not even try that in a bay boat.

THIS ^^^^

Yeah I don't own a boat but this seems like a tall order. Is it normal for boats to go plane in that shallow of water? Serious question.

No. Most need 3+ feet.

It can be done with the right prop so the back doesnt stay down long and the front drops quick, we do it in the river on Lake Worth but its a little more then 18". With your boat that maybe hard to accomplish though.

We did it in a 21' Bullet with a 250 Pro XS last weekend and won the tournament. The bottom was very soft so I think we dug a ditch. My Ranger 18' Ranger set up is 300 pounds heavier than the 21' Bullet. I know my Ranger without the hydraulic jackplate would get up in a around 2 feet of water if I went in circles. I think the right prop might get me where I need to be. If not, there is always an airboat somewhere around in south Louisiana

18" is a cake walk for my boat. My holeshot is with half a blade out of the water.

Are you running a 3 or 4 blade prop? 4 will help you get up faster, just sacrifice a little top end.

Also something I have seen guys do on the coast is to start idling a circle and when you get a good a wake going use it to get your boat higher off the bottom and hammer down. Hard to explain with words.

I had a 195vs ranger with a hydraulic plate. I would raise the backplate all the way up and trim all the way down. It should pop right up on pad. You better start trimming up and letting the plate down as so as its up. Hope this helps and good luck.

The prop you have has no business on a lightweight lifting pad hull boat. It's horrid for your application. No telling what your slip is. Those props are for pushing heavy deep hulls for the most part. You need a cupped lifting prop; not the very generic carp you've got.

Yes to the right 4 blade prop for getting up faster. You plan to spend $500 just for this? ..and be ready to rock in a week? Getting propped correctly in a hurry usually doesn't work well. It can take time to test different props. For special use, and if willing to lose some additional top end, you can underprop with a 3 blade to get up quicker (just don't over-rev). You're already giving up the speed with a heavy hull prop, so maybe a better choice 3 blade used prop would actually be an improvement!

Rarely is all shallow water equally shallow over vast areas. When I fished the Everglades regularly, I learned where the drains were located. There's almost always a network of channels just a tad deeper that are formed as water moves due to drought or tide action. Have a plan for WHERE you will try to get on plane; don't just nail it where you are sitting when you decide you need to go fast. Keep an eye on your depthfinder to locate drains. Some trails will be a tad deeper, and that's where you head to get up.

Knowing you hope to get up in shallow water, unload the boat as much as possible. Leave a lot of tackle at home that won't be part of the game-plan for the tournament. Don't haul full fuel that day if you should only need 1/2 a tank. Gasoline is 6 pounds per gallon, so 10 gallons excess is 60 pounds. If you are fishing a 5 fish team tournament, don't put water in livewell #2 - keep it dry with drain closed so it does not backfill. Even a 15 gallon livewell dry vs. wet saves 120 pounds since water is 8 pounds/gallon.

A tactic not mentioned yet: The lightest person drives when ready to get on plane. Partner lays down on front deck to shift the center of gravity forward as much as possible and hold the bow down. Once on plane, the partner carefully moves to his seat. My 250# partner was always good ballast in skinny water in the Everglades....

He has the right prop to get the job done now.

Whatcha get him Josh?

Worked a 22 tempest for quick holeshot and put small hole plugs in it. It should holeshot with the motor high and still have alot of lift when he drops it down.

That guy called back this morning and said he picked up quite a few mph and launched in 20inches of water with no problems. A worked tempest is hard to beat on the pad boat hulls.