Looking to rig a boat up for Reelfoot...reccomendations please

[brimeater]

Pondering a boat configuration to fish reelfoot and other smaller bodies of water. I currently have a 16 foot deep V but am really hesitant to run this on reelfoot given the typical summer water depth and mine fields of stumps. Thinking along the lines of a bare bones 16 foot Lowe roughneck tiller, matched up with a 25 horse 4 stroke. Thought about a jet drive but just don't know that much about them, same for the outdrives or longtail mud motors. If i went with a 25 horse and keept it minimal I can't decide itf i need powere trim/tilt or elect start. My first idea is to get manual start and manual trim, that way i can disegage the trim to slide the motor over stumps while under power. They do make breakaway jack plates but with manual trim/tilt i don't believe it is needed. Are the 25's easy to pull start?????? How about tilting the motor up manually, is this a hemroid buster? I'm sure there are plenty of folks here on the forum to give me some ideas, or....if you happen to have something for sale that would fit my purpose let me know. Not tied into a brand of boat, wold consider all as long as it is at least 48" wide at bootom and all welded. Engine wise I am partial to Yamaha but receptive to any and all ideas. Thanks in advance to all that respond.

[brimeater]

I guess everbody is getting ready for turkey day, too busy to chime in. Hey folks, a little info would help, it's not like i'm asking for gps coordinates of the honey hole. Help a brother out here with some advice.
Thanks

[Splitshot82]

That's a whole lotta questions man. The boat sounds good. Open bottom 1648 with a 25 tiller should be a Reelfoot machine. You may get more responses on the main TN board.

[brimeater]

Thanks Splitshot82, that' the boat direction i am leaning towards. Have looked at some Lowe Roughnecks, Xpress, Sea Ark, etc. Man, those 16 footers are spendy. Very hard to find one used. Interested in a tiller version with a open layout and floor. Trying to keep it minimal. Would probably also rig up a transom mount TM so I don't have to move around in the boat much. Should be able to launch these 16 flat bottoms just about anywhere. There is minimal cost difference between a 25 or a 40 but I am leaning towards the 25, I guess I am not in that big a hurry to cover water, the 25 should push it plenty fast and plane up quick. At first I was not hip on electric TT and start but after lurking on some websites I get the impression that this is the way to go, just did not want to load the boat down with extra batteries etc. CMC company makes a break away jack plate for these small engines that is designed to allow the motor to lift up and over logs, stumps, etc. at speeds of 5 mph or less. If you know o any used boats out there there I may be interested in please let me know. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

[Pickle]

The boat you're looking at is plenty for the Foot. A 25 horse is plenty as well. electric start and power tilt/trim are nice too but not necessary. I would look into a bow mount trolling motor though. It's alot easier to fish out of the front. Especially with the water being as low as it is. Jigging stumps is the way to go right now and if you're in the back it's gonna be tough.

[Pickle]

Oh yeah, take it SLOW crossing the lake right now.

[Splitshot82]

It's a rare day when you get Pickle to post, but he knows his stuff.

Transom mount TM are not cool IMO. Unless you're casting, you'll always want to be at the bow. Better control and quieter when heading into the wind. An open bottom boat shouldn't be too tough to get from back to front. As a lazy, no good fisherman, I'm a fan of electric start, but hydraulic trim shouldn't be necessary with a 25.

[CrappieHound]

I have seen every configuration known to man on Reelfoot from pontoon to buddy boat. I have a 1544 with a merc. 25 that's does a great job on the lake. You don't want a deep v boat. Not cool when you hit a stump. I guy died on the lake several weeks ago because he hit a stump in a Reelfoot boat and they flipped. The Biggest concern is power to weight ratio. You have to have a motor that can muscle you off a stump when needed and it will be needed. I hear guys on stumps every time I'm at the lake that are hung up and can't get off because their boat is underpowered. Heck, you can have a great power to weight ratio and get in a bind. I just bought a triton 1860 with a 50 merc. Im going to the foot today. I'm already looking at upgrading to a 90. You cant have too much power at this lake.The lake is great for fishing but its not for the faint of heart or unprepared. You need to be able to fish upfront.

The Hound

[skeetbum]

Let me start out by saying I know nothing about the foot. I lived in FL and ran shallow water with small boats for a long time. I'm 56 and my agility isn't what it used to be. That said, I'll tell you what goes through my mind with your question after reading the other posts from the foot. If it was a 16 you were after I would have a 25 with electric start and manual tilt. The manual tilt on my past motors I've had in the past could be run with the tilt unlocked and therefore able to tilt when an obstruction was hit, and that happened several times, not only at slow speeds. I had Johnson/Evinrude's. The electric start is a must when the boat is pitching in rough water. Turning and trying to start one is bad cuz you're not watching the approaching waves or stumps or trees. You'll always be headed for them straight on cuz the motor acts as a tiller and the wind really catches the light boats and sends them. The open floor is a good idea, not stepping over things helps keep your balance. Light boats move fast when you're trying to catch yourself, one of the reasons I now ride in glass. The front trolling motor is a good idea also. The front TM uses the outboard to maneuver against and helps keep you pointed in the right direction. Borrow a transom mount TM and try it and you'll see the difference real quick. The wind gives you a hard time. I have put a plate across the front and built a small transom, then hanging a transom mount TM on it with the head turned around. An impulse button (about $20) can make it lots easier to use. A boat like this is what we called a throw around boat when I lived further south and they will take a beating.
My dream aluminum rig is an 1860 or 2072 tunnel center console with a 115 4 stroke and a hydraulic jack plate. That would probably double or triple the budget you're talking about. Good luck finding one. They are so versatile that few folks have to put in advertisement to sell them, a friend will pick them up and park em in the yard til they need it. Some of the newer welded ones are tougher than what was available to me, and thicker floors are also an option I would consider if I bought one new. F&F has a reputation of building a super boat, but being custom they are a bit more than others. Getting the exact layout though would be great. Keep us posted, we all pay attention to the outcome of the threads like this.......Skeet.

[SeaRay]

These are the boats which we use at Santee which is very stumpy in the upper lake where we fish. The stick steer boats are really good here because of the ability to watch for stumps as you are running. One of our guys built his boat out of cypress strips with a 40 Yammy on the back. The trim and tilt are very handy as we sometime have to tilt the motor to ease across sunken logs. My boat is a Tracker 16.5 console steer. I use mine on open lakes as well so I like the console steer better, but the stick steer is great in the swamp. The fiberglass boats are tough. We have bounced over dozens of stumps and have not busted out the bottom of one yet. That is my granddaughter in the back of my tracker sitting on a brushpile.
One of the most popular combos from the past was the 16 ft duracraft and a 20 Merc. The one shown here my buddy bought new in 1964 and it has never missed a beat. One of the advanages of the fiberglass stick steer boat is it is very stable and almost impossible to turn over. It was designed for duck hunters with the slanted inward sides so the dogs could climb back in the boat after retrieving ducks. One of the better brands of this type is the Fastcraft.
Hope this helps. These boat have been in service in the Santee swamps since the 60s.
I included a picture of our lake when the water was low so you would know we have stumps too.