Best Mississippi River Boat

If you had the opportunity to buy a new boat just to fish the Mississippi River, what would you buy and why?
I think I am going to sell my 1850 Crestliner Pro-tiller….

Alumacraft Tiller Boat. Why sell the 1850? That should be a fine boat on the Mississippi.

riverruns wrote:

Alumacraft Tiller Boat. Why sell the 1850? That should be a fine boat on the Mississippi.

X2

shockers wrote:

Alumacraft Tiller Boat. Why sell the 1850? That should be a fine boat on the Mississippi

X3
I have lived and fished the Miss all my life, I also own the 1850 Pro Tiller. I can’t think of a boat better suited for river fishing than this one, it’s light for it’s size, smooth ride, cuts the waves nicely, good on gas, stable and a nice front deck to fish from.
The only other boat I can suggest is a 16 foot jon boat with a 25 hp. But it has it’s limitations on the lake with large waves. (that’s what I grew up with during the commercial fishing days).

What doesn’t the 1850 give you that you’re looking for?
Don

Only thing better would be a jet drive. But the 1850 tiller is about as good as it gets for river fishing for a prop motor

I’d say the tiller *and* a 16’ John boat with a 40hp motor. Sure would be nice to be able to get in the backwaters when the water is low. A small John boat can get is some pretty skinny water.

It really depends on where you mostly fish. Cities south a bigger prop boat. North of the cities I wouldn’t think of anything but a jet. I fish pool 2&4 with my jet and on windy days I get limited on running and where I can fish comfortably.

Riverpro, SJX, or similar.
Why? Backwaters baby!

slab-hunter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>shockers wrote:</div>
Alumacraft Tiller Boat. Why sell the 1850? That should be a fine boat on the Mississippi

X3

What doesn’t the 1850 give you that you’re looking for?
Don

X4
I was just looking at old post and seen this. I have a 17.5 lund angler with a 75 tiller. Have not found a reason to change boats with the sippi in mind.

Keep my Crestliner 182 and buy a mud boat for the back waters.

Not sure there’s one perfect boat for the river, like others have said. But if I had my choice it’d be a Hewescraft River Runner 180. I love the setup of that boat, but there would be days I wish I had a tiller too.

If your a die hard river rat give up some of the comfort and go light. 16ft v hull or flat bottom. don’t need more than a 25 horse. Use it all year. Able to slide it off the ice and pull it onto ice. handy when landings are froze. Some great ice fishing out there only able to get to by boat. Big is comfortable but not necessary. Small catches just as much fish.

Well for mondays it would be a 16′ flat bottom air boat Tuesday would be a prodigy mod v with surface drive Wednesday would be a 18.5 lund tiller Thursday would be a 21′ king fisher with a 350 on an offshore transom Friday would be a 22′ pontoon and a tuna boat on the weekends. That almost covers it i think.

Here you go.

Attachments:

1. 

   paddleboat.jpg
   

River Pro!