Shallow water

[optaylor823]

I got out this morning to do some fishing. The river I fish is getting real low and figured I would have a few spots that might be tricky getting over. Last year I even had to walk the boat across the shoals or make a few tries to get back up them. I was alone today and knew that walking the boat would be a hard task. I got to the first bad shoal and looked it over before trying it. I decided my path and got the boat on plane. I was able to just run right over it. When I got to the second bad spot I was already on plane and figured it would just be bump if anything and I cleared it no problem. I was able to clear both of them with no problem coming back. The last time out was Memorial Day and being able to do what I did today felt great. I guess I not only enjoy fishing, but enjoy what my boat is capable of doing when I drive it right. I was wondering how many of you get a rush when you go through a bad spot and never bump anything? I was planning on getting a video of the river today, but I left the camera at the house. I hope to get a video one day.

 

[Ranchero50]

I get a rush out of running regular water, too skinny water is a rush but it's more waiting for the 'Oh Sh.t' moment to hit, literally. Last year when I went where I should not have gone, it was cool but I was too hyped up dodging widowmakers to realise I needed to stop.

Last week then I stopped and walked the water I had been blasting through and seeing all the widowmakers covered in fresh aluminum I was really surprised I've done as well as I have. Granted I draft 3-4" floating, probably less at speed but I'm sure it digs in deeper than that in turns. Shallow running is twitching the steering a bit to avoid the worst of it, no heavy turns.

BTW, I couldn't budge even the smallest of rocks that were sticking up, almost like they were concreted in the riverbottom.
Jamie

 

[optaylor823]

You do have a point. If you are running were there are boulders that can tear a hole in a boat it is no fun. The problem spots I have are mainly gravel shoals with trees across them with sharp turns. That is one reason I want to get a video or some pics to see if someone has a better solution to running the shoals. I did tray something last year that seems to work. I have started trimming my motor up a little when I feel the water is getting real shallow. Like I said it seems to work weather it is right or wrong I do not know, but gives me the confidence to run the shoals. Also I have a boat that I feel like is as solid as a boat you can get. I do worry about big boulders, but small ones I figure I will bounce off and get another shot at it.

 

[Ranchero50]

Kevin Turner said surge the boat before the nasty, drop it back and surge it again so you ride the wave over the nasty. Kind of bringing your own water along.

Jamie

 

[optaylor823]

I have heard that but never seen it done to know if I am doing it right. I usually slow done till I get to the rough stuff then gun it because I feel like the boat runs shallower at WOT. Also I run a outboard and feel that I can trim up a little to get a little bit shallower. This may not be true since I am running a tunnel but I do not hit as much with the motor trimmed up.

 

[gajet31]

Running shallow water will definitely pucker me up... The shallow sand and gravel bars don't normally scare me, but running a big shoal or rock infested area does. Last year, I was running a new shoal in water that I knew I shouldn't be in. I got up it fine. Fished around a bit, and then decided to go back down using the same path. I carefully observed my route and took off. I misjudged a turn, and was moving at 30 mph. Next thing I know there are 2 exposed boulders just feet in front of me. I screamed to my parter to hold on, and gave it more power. The front of the boat went airborne, and we came to a stop balanced on top of the exposed rock. My heart had never beat so fast. All the gear in my boat was tossed around, and we lost some lures overboard. Rods were everywhere, and one of my batteries had shifted about 5 feet forward. I thought I had ripped a hole in the hull. We got out of the boat, spent 30 minutes moving it off the rock, and took off again. I had my partner ready to pull the plug on plane, and the bilge was on.... Unbelievably, there was not a drop of water in the boat. NO HOLE!!!! I was so thankful, and I pledged to this day not to return to that stretch of river. I vividly remember shaking so bad after the hit, my partner thought I had somehow got injured.

Sometimes I rethink this scenario in my mind, and I don't know what I would do differently. When running at such a high speed, stopping wouldn't have done anything. In those few seconds of thought, I believed we may just bounce over the rock. I don't think any sort of surge would have helped.... I have heard of people turing the boat 180 degrees in mere feet, but I am afraid to try. I think I would capsize. Oh well. I learned a lesson. After fishing those rocky rivers, I love fishing a shallow sandy river, where I know at the worst, damage will be minimal.

 

[Scottinva]

OP, I think your boat can take just about anything - big boulders included. I do have two small dents in the back of mine from hitting large boulders that send the boat airborn. It is amazing what those boats can take. I love running shallow water, but I always wonder what I am going to do when I get stuck. I haven't had that happen yet, but know it will happen.

Scott

 

[Seth]

I get a kick out of taking newbies out for a jet boat who have never done it before. When we go over the first 4" riffle, you can see them grab the hand rails and start hanging on. Sometimes they will say something and other times they just stay quiet and hang on. :mrgreen:

 

[BOB350RX]

LAUNCHED THE BOAT SATURDAY GOT ABOUT 60 FT FROM SHORE REALIZED I LEFT MY JUST IN CASE PADDLE AT HOME, FIGURED I DIDNT NEED IT, GOT 300 FT FROM SHORE AND HIT A BIG OL MUDDY/SANDY BAR THAT WAS NEVER THERE BEFORE, BOY AM I GLAD MY NET IS PRETTY SOLID OR I WOULD OF HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH IT OFF THE BAR, APPARENTLY MY BOAT WONT FLOAT IN 12-16 INCHES OF WATER, BUT IT IS A V HULL. NEEDLESS TO SAY GOT THE BOAT IN THE WATER, THEN THE OL LADY KICKED MY BUT 3 TO 1.... #-o

 

[optaylor823]

Scottinva, I do have to agree about my boat taking just about anything. I had a Triton I put a hole in and now that I have this boat I have told the wife when I put a hole in it she better be calling life flight, because it is not going to be just a bump that put the hole in it. Also I do have to agree that my biggest problem is pushing my boat off a shoal when I do miss read the shoal. It is tough for 2 people to push my boat and it is almost impossible for one.

Seth, I do love the look on peoples faces when you go over the first few shoals. Then when you get stopped and you can hear each other talk they start, saying how shallow it looked and how they would not believe me if they had not seen it for their own eyes.

One of my biggest problems with my river is a shoal or 2 where you have to take the shoal aimed right at the bank and as soon as you clear you have to turn hard and take on the next shoal. I can get up it easy but coming down river I have missed a few times and put the boat on the shoal. The other times I slow down to much and suck up rocks then I can not steer the boat and just have to hang on and let it hit the bank, which is not to bad considering it is dirt and I am going slow. I have tried it a couple times this year with the motor trimmed up a little and it seems to do better, but we will see how she does rest of the year with me driving.

 

[bulldog]

I love running the shallow water. There really is nothing like it, especially when your passengers aren't used to it and they get all tense and start white knuckilng the rails of the boat. Makes me laugh every time. I make it a point to tell them to look down when I run shallow. It may look like you are in really shallow water but a lot of the time you are running in 10"-12". I have never heard of "surging" the boat. Sounds like it could work though.

 

[gotasquirt]

when you guys surge the boat you are causeing awake and if done right you jump up ride the wave its what we call surfing out here

 

[andrewt]

I get a kick out of taking newbies out for a jet boat who have never done it before. When we go over the first 4" riffle, you can see them grab the hand rails and start hanging on. Sometimes they will say something and other times they just stay quiet and hang on. :mrgreen:

I couldn't have said it any better. I took a guy for his first jet boat ride this year on the little sac river that runs into stockton lake. We were going white bass fishing and he thought we could get about 2 or 3 holes above the lake boundary and it would have been it. when I goosed it on the first 4 inch shoal you should have saw the look on his face! He's a 6'4 O-lineman and to see him pucker up and white knuckle was hilarious. He would point and hang on for dear life like we were hitting and then just smile. After I had taken him 12 miles up the river he looked at me and said " if you would have told me I would ever see this part of the river in a boat I would have laughed at you", Made it all worth it. Skinny water is the best.

 

[optaylor823]

gotasquirt do u know of any videos of some one doing this. I would love to see it done in case I even need to do it.

 

[gotasquirt]

no i dont but i am going to be out on the river this weekend and i will try to get some vidio for all to see

 

[silver99gt]

when you guys surge the boat you are causeing awake and if done right you jump up ride the wave its what we call surfing out here

I could do this with my big outboard, but i have tried it with my inboard and it just doesnt work the same lol. My outboard, i usually wouldnt touch until i start to see the water rippling over the top of the gravel. i could juice it real hard til i get there and let off and ride the wake right over it then hammer it again. i also had a whale tale that kept me on plane forever. My inboard....i try to to be so careless lol...