Guys thinking about getting a new boat. I crappie fish a lot, but also duck hunt. What are your guys thoughts on a surface drive mud motors? I want a best of both worlds, can't afford to buy a crappie and duck boat seperate. Any options will be greatly appreciated!

Sorry Opinions!

Cooter, (Keith) of CreamLevelCreekKennels is a member here and a good friend. He will see this in a day or so and I'm sure he'll have some ideas. He was a duck hunting guide and dog trainer/breeder for many years and I know he used an air boat mainly but, is now an avid fisherman...can't catch anything but, he's game to try!!!

I'd suggest a short shaft outboard with the...can't think of the name but a bolt on skid. Prop saver??? They have some for weeds and other style for skipping over logs.
Only way I'd think a mud motor would be good,is if you get an extra,extra wide Jon. You drive it standing so needs some side/side stability. And you'll be in deeper water and trees so if you spill over in a narrow jon,we might read about you in the obituary. Or worse, loose all your gear in the bottom of the lake!
You asked for opinions,that's mine. Get an outboard and do both,hunting and fishing!

buy a crappie boat, and then a canoe or a pirouge. drive the crappie boat to the lake then get in the canoe and go into the backwater . tow the canoe along with you.

What kind of terrain do fish and hunt in? I was where you are at two years ago

Surface drive wouldnt be a bad option. You do not have to drive all mud motors standing like said above. I would not go with a longtail for fishing, I have a longtail on my little duck boat and as far as fishing it gets me to where I need to go to throw out some juglines but I wouldn't use it for crappie fishin.

http://duckreapermotors.com/ ive ran one of their motors and i really liked it. but yea might not be the best for crappie fishing, unless you got a trolling motor or something

I've owned ALL of these boats, and each one has there own special abilities. But the one that will do a decent job of all is the Surface Drive. I have a Crappie Rig, and a Long-tail Mud Buddy. And have owner 2 Airboats, and a Surface Drive.

The Surface Drive can be set up just like a crappie boat, with console steering, trolling motor and all the crappie bells and whistles. The newer surfaces drives can haul 2 grown men at about 30-35 MPH. As long as you are not need to scream across the lake with your hair on fire, it will do a good job on both fishing and hunting. The problem is that the hunting boats are all LOW gunnel walls, which means during fishing time, you haft to watch the wind and waves when fishing.

With that being said, you just need to avoid making long runs across or up/down big lakes. I have good luck at being able to drop these types of boat in the water ( rivers, creeks, coves ) just about anywhere that has access, that is not Private Property. But haft to have the equipment (4-wheel drive trucks, winches, etc) to achieve these types of place. I have put a 20' X 8' airboat with a 572 engine down the bank of a bridge on the side of a road. You just haft to have the need and be willing to get to places that other are unwilling to get.

I would look at Mud Buddy, Pro-Drive for the surface drive, and I believe gator-tail and pro-drive make some quality boat, that are heavy walled for duck hunting, but still can be built with fishing deck on them. PM me if you would like to talk more. I know the guys that make and build these boats and motors.


Keith