Pros and cons of Jet drive boats

  • haywood04
    Winona, Minnesota
    Posts: 1073
    July 11, 2005 at 7:09 pm #1246993

    I have thought about jet drives boats for awhile. I fish most of the time on the river.
    What are the pros and cons?
    Do they have greater problems than props?
    Why have they not caught on up here?
    Can anyone who owns one chime in on there experience?
    I have heard that River Pros are nice boat,
    How bout Trackers?

    Whiskerkev
    Madison
    Posts: 3835
    July 11, 2005 at 7:15 pm #372400

    Jetcat will be on this in a moment. Jet drives are loud and you loose a bit of horsepower. They don’t have props so no problem there. They can go absolutely anywere you have 6 inches of water over snags and bars. My advice would be to test drive one. Riverpro boats are the best and priced that way.

    cattinaddict
    Catfish country
    Posts: 419
    July 11, 2005 at 7:38 pm #372411

    i have a RP and will say they are a bit loud, that is the only con I can say about it, and i do beleive they do lose some hp. I have a 175hp in mine and can cruise about 45mph if needed, genearlly about 30 is good enough for me. If you would like to take a ride one of these days let me know, I fish P2 & P3 about 1 or 2 times a week.

    CA

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 60016
    July 11, 2005 at 8:36 pm #372440

    I would like a ride in one!

    River Pros are great fishing platforms (CA’s is huge inside) and they move. I wouldn’t recommend one for fishing Winnie/Leech ext…but for fishing thin water or water with a lot of bumps (wood/rocks) they are the cat’s meow (pardon the pun ) They are built like a tank…I’ve witnesses this the Catten Addict. We (in the darkness of night) boated over a root wad…and it was just like a tank…nose all the way up in the air until it was midpoint…then nose all the way down…exactly like a tank…after gathering my wits..checked the boat…and couldn’t find a scratch. It was amazing

    Fish Head had a post in the Cat Forum a while ago that was good about jet boats and River Pro’s… He’s also a River Pro owner..

    WalleyeGFA
    Posts: 82
    July 12, 2005 at 3:05 am #372543

    Have ridden in River Pros, GREAT boats… FOR RIVERS !!!

    Loud yes, and the other point of mention is that you would not want to take one out on the lake in more than prolly 2′ waves or a lake with alot of pleasure boaters wakes…

    eronningen
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 1885
    July 12, 2005 at 3:22 am #372545

    So what your saying is it wouldn’t be good for the Mississippi unless you fish at night? Or at least on the main channel anyways?

    Tom P.
    Whitehall Wi.
    Posts: 3546
    July 12, 2005 at 4:22 am #372558

    Weeds are a real snafoo with jet drives. Don`t expect to go through very thick weeds sucks them up like a vacuum cleaner then to clear them can be tough.

    cattinaddict
    Catfish country
    Posts: 419
    July 12, 2005 at 10:36 am #372573

    They are fine for the main channel, mississippi or croix in the day time just slow down for the big wakes because these boats are flat bottoms and when you come off a decent wave or wake it is a pretty solid landing, I have been known to hit them too fast and bounce mealy worm, I mean braink around pretty good

    CA

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