River Pro?

[B.R.O.]

Hey guys, I am interested in one of the High-pro's to fish the Miss. from Monti. to St.cloud coming from the Clearwater or Snuffys landings. and sometimes a small lake or two. Man I see the u-tube videos and can hardly stand not having one they look so cool.

Can anyone give me first hand experience how well they work along this stretch of river in say mid August when the water is as low as it gets? Does anyone mount a winch or anything to get off of say a sandbar you didn't see? They look too heavy for a guy to get out and push it off of.

I imagine they are also able to handle smaller lakes just fine too? any special way of doing things different needed there? Any help is appreciated, unfortunately the budget isn't there yet this year but hopefully soon. I want enough for a brand new one compared to a used one after what I've seen some of you guys do to them Looks like about the most fun though a guy can have with his clothes on

[ec30_06]

The biggest problem on lakes is that weeds clog the intake.

[mrklean]

i dont have one but have heard they are great boats, i thought they were kinda spendy and the repairs are spendy to but dont quote me on that

[deadeye]

I would ask this same question in the Minnesota river forum. I know a few guys that frequent there have them.

From what I know they are pretty decent. Just like anything high performance and specialized, repairs tend to be more frequent and possibly more spendy. However if you are on a river a lot its probably actually cheaper to run one of those vs replacing props and lower units all the time.

[Brad B]

A little cheaper option would be to get a 16 or 18 foot Jon Boat with a jet drive outboard. River pros are nice from what I have heard but are expense when it comes to up keep.

[B.R.O.]

thanks for the reply's guys. Yea I have been doing some research and I can get a really nice jon/jet combo for a lot less. I know it wont be as much boat in the performance area but should suit my needs fine. Any recommendations? It would have to fit four adults comfortably.

[riverwader]

B.R.O., I have a Riverpro, but mine is the low pro design. As for this area of the river when it is really low it is the only way to go. I run from Anoka to St Cloud a few times a year with some friends for a ride and we have only gotten hung up once and I probably could have made it through if I would have been going a little faster. We had to do a little work but we got it by had with 2 guys and the girls out of the boat. They travel in less water on plane than they float in so it isnt usually an issue. As far as maintance I have had less cost with my riverpro than I did with my OB jet jon boat. With the OB jet I would hit the jet foot and damage it. I also would be floating down river while fishing and not see a rock just below the serface and damage the boat itself. The Riverpro is built solid and let me tell you I have put it through the tests. I fish a lot of lakes and the only problems are large wabes because they are a flat bottom boat. Weeds can be a problem if you start out in them but for the most part you just use the trolling motor to get out of them and you are fine. The design of the jet allows you to go over weeds and the basically go in through the jet and right back out most of the time.

[TunaCan]

I have a river boat with a jet OB that was built in Alaska. It is a great platform for catfishing and any sort of anchored fishing. It is NOT anywhere near a RiverPro from getting here to there in a few inches of water. I hit bottom in a lot of places where I have seen RiverPro's go through without a problem. Also, my boat floats deep which means it is hard to use for smallmouth fishing in shallower areas. There is no way I could get from Anoka to St. Cloud in summer low water conditions. My boat cost about 1/3 that of a RiverPro to give you an idea of cost and it does serve my needs relatively well - especially since I have some good shore fishing spots and often do not need the boat.

[jeffreyd]

have never seeing one, not many rivers in az, i looked them up online. they look like they are built like a flipping tank. who ever came up with the design clearly had safety in mind. cool boat

[river rat316]

River Pros are not expensive, tell me any other boat that is built as well, has as good customer service, can withstand repeated abuse, and has a 200 optimax standard? For 26g and change that is a pretty cheap package, try getting that out of any other aluminum boat for under 30.

On the flip side yes, they are purpose built, don't perform in lakes as well as something with a deeper v (there is a 12 degree bottom option though) and you will drive more than you fish (the first couple times out anyway)

Every one that I have been in or driven was an absolute dream to drive, they are up on plane in an instant, handle like a jet ski on steroids, and have very fishable platforms.

I had an ob jet for a couple years, and if you want something cheaper to get by, then it might be the answer, however there are drawbacks, you will not run as shallow, or maybe be not as brave to run shallow with the thinner aluminum hulls most ob jets have, depending on the size of the jet you won't get as good of fuel mileage, I had a Johnson 115/80 carb that could easily drink 2 mpg at wot, most River Pros with the opti are capable of around 6 with some restraint, and even backing off the throttle and loping it your cruising speed will be faster than a comparable ob jet. I ended up getting rid of mine the summer gas went sky high, my average fishing trip was costing me $40 in fuel and thats not including trailering. If you want an idea of how good River Pros are look for a used one, they don't pop up, and when they do they hold their value!

[B.R.O.]

Thanks for all the helpful insight guys! Man gives me a lot to think about and ponder while I save up. If money weren't an issue it would be easy. I never thought about the outboard jet hitting bottom as I thought they were built even with the bottom of the boat and the hull had a small type of tunnel for water to ride up in the intake? Or about the hull thickness difference, aren't all the good ones .100 thou? and I thought a jon/jet weighing less would draft less and run just as shallow?? Guess I have a lot to learn about these boats yet. That's why real world experience like you guy's have is really appreciated.

[TunaCan]

My boat is a Roughneck and is made for abuse, but all of that weight in the back (115 hp OB + gas tanks and battery) makes it draft lower than most boats. You can buy special pontoons that get welded to the back - they reduce the draft and get you out of the hole a bit quicker. I looked into them, but have not got around to buying. The extra couple inches are not that critical for most of my usage. The RiverPros can also go MUCH faster than my boat and are far more maneuverable.

[river rat316]

Thanks for all the helpful insight guys! Man gives me a lot to think about and ponder while I save up. If money weren't an issue it would be easy. I never thought about the outboard jet hitting bottom as I thought they were built even with the bottom of the boat and the hull had a small type of tunnel for water to ride up in the intake? Or about the hull thickness difference, aren't all the good ones .100 thou? and I thought a jon/jet weighing less would draft less and run just as shallow?? Guess I have a lot to learn about these boats yet. That's why real world experience like you guy's have is really appreciated.

Not all outboard jets are tunnels, mine wasn't and even on a tunnel the first thing that your going to hit is the intake (which I would rather hit than the thin boat)

.100 thousandths is not thick enough, my boat was also a Lowe and it was not near tough enough to survive a hit on plane speed, I had to have it welded once, and do a at home straightening with bondo and a hammer once, and I was pretty cautious with it. RP's are 190 base on the bottom with the heavy duty adding another .190 with a steel plate reinforcing the intake area, unless you are going 50mph and just plane run over a boulder sticking out it will at least survive the occasional impact. They however are not indestructible, there biggest advantage is they can plane at super slow speeds (usually around 12-15mph) and turn on a dime, so if you have any kind of common sense you will not destroy the boat. My old ob jet wouldn't stay on plane below 24mph and wasn't very maneuverable, you pretty much had to pick a line and stick with it, and at those kind of speeds a hard impact is pretty devastating.

On the draft thing, River Pros are wide, giving them more hull displacement, this makes the weight issue moot, static drift is around 8-10" depending on gear and people. I once had the pleasure of borrowing a Proto type hull for a weekend, it was a 17'er with a 60" bottom and a 12 degree hull, it handled moderate chop beautifully but drifted around 12" (still a little less than my Lowe) I took a very hard hit on a drift through a set of rapids in Otsego (Tm was running low on batts from a hard day of fishing) that nearly knocked me out of the boat, it would have easily knocked a hole in my Lowe but barely left a scratch in the River Pro (Sorry KiethMN ) The normal stock River Pro's have 70" bottoms versus the average Jon/Jet combo at 52-60" and are not more than a couple hundred pounds heavier. The extra weight comes from the HD hull, the 200 opti is as light as your standard 115/80 with a jet foot. The boat is also better balanced, the engine is a few feet forward, the gas tank is towards the middle, and the TM batteries are up front where they should be, giving the boat a level drift.

On top of all this I believe they run on plane alot shallower than your average OB Jet, its obviously hard to prove, but they could run areas I couldn't think about, 1-2" gravel shoals are not a big deal for short distances due to the fact the boat is bringing its own pad of water with (due to bottom design) the pad eventually runs out but for short 10-15 yard distances they can do it. I have also witnessed KT cross a Dry sand bar without leaving a mark on it, he pushes a pad of water in front of the boat using a series of turns and throttle maneuvers then gets the boat up on the pad and crosses very short distances of dry land without touching it. Of course some will call [PoorWordUsage] on this but all I have to say is you have to watch it to believe it.

There is downsides though, bravado may leave to a bad beaching incident, where you better either have lots of friends, or a shovel and a come along. Where as a lighter smaller ob jet might just be able to be pushed off.

Im sorry if all this sounds like a River Pro commercial, but I have seen both types of jets run, and if at all possible my next jet boat will be a River Pro.

[Skeeter21i]

River Pros are great boats, they do what they are designed for in a big way. A buddy of mine has one and I've fished out of it a bit and can say they run and fish well. I have a 17' G3 with a 50 hp Yamaha two stroke prop for my river boat. It has a 56" bottom on it, center console and I also have the rear sponsons on it for added floatation. With the raised transom and a four inch jack plate I can get the motor up pretty high. If I idle too long it will start to overheat but underway the tunnel throws more than enough water at the intakes. I wired it for a 36 volt trolling motor and am glad I did but had to get creative on storage for four batteries. Two are under the console with the other two in back. The extra weight is worth it to have 101 lbs. of thrust up front. Is my boat a River Pro? No. But it does everything I need it to do and I'm happy with it. It fishes great, doesn't draft much and has taken a beating. B.R.O., you mentioned fitting four adults comfortably. I've had myself and two others in mine and wouldn't want any more than that. I thought about going the River Pro route when I bought a few years ago but being it wasn't going to be my primary boat I didn't want to spend that kind of money so went the route I did. Alot of options out there and so much of it comes down to what a persons budget is.

[TunaCan]

skeeter21i - You are right about needing the 101 lbs thrust. I was new to the river when I got my boat and it came with a single battery, 55 lb thrust trolling motor. It won't even hold in most parts of the river much less move me upstream - especially this time of year. I have not upgraded yet because I don't know where to put the extra batteries.

[river rat316]

101 or more is great, I had a 109 MG on my old jet with a aluminum prop, I could hold or go up river in anything I cared to fish, I actually can't think of a time I couldn't at least hold, even on drained batteries!

[Skeeter21i]

Yeah, the troller is key. The 101 is well worth the extra weight of the added batteries. Most of the time 60% power is enough to keep me moving forward. Pretty rare the batteries won't make it a full day. Looking forward to saturday when the rest of the state opens for bass. Nice to fish close to home rather than running up to NE Minnesota or Wisconsin to fish bass.

[eyeguy 54]

RP Low Pro is the Raquel Welch of river boats. Need I say more?? If you are looking for a great investment it's the perfect boat for the mighty Sippi and they hold value. The owner is a guy who beleives in customer service big time! Should work just fine on a lake (unless yer gonna backtroll for eyes ) but perfect for the river.

[EBass]

I wish I had a RP. One day....one day.

Good posts Rat

[3Ball]

I have been a happy RP owner for 6 years. They are built by someone who has had real experience in the shallow, rocky stretches of the Mississippi. Tough, tough, tough, and shallow running.

[BillyJack]

Maybe it's just me but a River Pro seems like a case of "overkill" on this section of the Mississippi.

It reminds me of the "hunters" who tear up the land in their 4x4s. If you can't walk two or three miles on fairly level ground to hunt then maybe you should lose a few pounds and get in shape rather than rely on a 4x4 to drag your fat a** to a hunting spot.

I was shore fishing at Ostego a week ago. I caught a couple of cats and was enjoying the Eagles circling over head and then here comes this obnoxious jet boat tearing upriver.

It just seemed wrong. Like going to nice quiet wilderness area and the seeing someone roaring around in a dirt bike. If you want to impress people with your "powerful" rig, there are plenty of lakes where you can show off. Can't we just have this quiet and pure section of river left alone from the boys and their “big, bad, and over-compensating” toys?

[river rat316]

Billy Jack, there are tons of areas where you can go to " get away from it all" the BWCA, smaller streams and rivers all over the area, and even lakes in this area (within 30 miles from Elk River) that you will have great fishing and see next to no one! The attitude that this river is only for non motorized craft is getting old, you are on a river in a heavily populated area, you are not out in the middle of bfe. A jet boater could just as easily argue that all the people on rafts, kayaks, wading, and in float tubes ruin the river because they hang out in the neck down channel areas and sometimes make it impossible to pass.

We all have to learn how to use the resource and tolerate other peoples way of using it, I have waded, kayaked, float tubed, and jet boated this river for awhile now. There is no reason you can't enjoy the day along with everyone else that is using the river, it is there for everyones enjoyment!

Ohh and BTW the eagles don't mind the jet boats, since they are growing in popularity, and there are now 2 eagles nests in the Elk River area, seems they are getting along just fine!

And as far as the "big bad over compensating toys" comment, I wouldn't go there it makes you sound petty and jealous

[payed4]

Geez! Now the kayak/canoe/shore fisherman are fighting with the River Pro people. Next thing you know the fly fishers and spin casters will start fueding.

[Cads]

I really like the boat, but they should put a muzzle on it. It really is too loud!

[B.R.O.]

Maybe it's just me but a River Pro seems like a case of "overkill" on this section of the Mississippi.

It reminds me of the "hunters" who tear up the land in their 4x4s. If you can't walk two or three miles on fairly level ground to hunt then maybe you should lose a few pounds and get in shape rather than rely on a 4x4 to drag your fat a** to a hunting spot.

I was shore fishing at Ostego a week ago. I caught a couple of cats and was enjoying the Eagles circling over head and then here comes this obnoxious jet boat tearing upriver.

It just seemed wrong. Like going to nice quiet wilderness area and the seeing someone roaring around in a dirt bike. If you want to impress people with your "powerful" rig, there are plenty of lakes where you can show off. Can't we just have this quiet and pure section of river left alone from the boys and their “big, bad, and over-compensating” toys?

Man someone having a bad day? I guess if you want to go nature hiking in your Birkenstock's munching on granola and hugging tree's there's places for that. This is a public waterway and last I checked the r.p is a legal watercraft. Sorry the guy ruined your tranquility smokin rope and talking to birds or whatever but give me a break.

I live on the Miss on this stretch and see the kayaks and canoe's go by all the time and that's great but not my cup of tea. I'm no fan of small unstable boats where your back aches from not being able to move around or stand up and stretch.

I love the fishing out here and the pro look's awesome for covering a lot of water much faster than any other boat AND in the most comfortable way possible. Also when they go by they aren't any louder than the rest if casting and drifting when they go by up on plane they are gone in two seconds so its no biggie. they aren't like the guy on the lake that keeps spinning around you for hours. I figure if a guy wants a big show off toy he would go where people are to show it, not many bikini babes out here.. I see these guys as hard core river rats that know what works, appreciate what good equipment can do for them and have the mean's to get it.

[BillyJack]

I believe in minimal impact on the environment. I’m a sportsman first and a environmental advocate second although I believe there is very little difference between the two.

Would I take a 18 foot boat with 200HP motor on a 1000 acre lake? No, but there are many people that will do just that. And using a jet boat on that section of the Mississippi isn’t any different. It’s way too much boat for the water.

I’m old school, when you had to put in a little (or a lot) of effort to hunt and fish. That’s the way it should be. I can still remember the last day I ever gun hunted for deer. There was a guy dragging a spike buck with at least two gunshot wounds behind a 4x4 while drinking a beer. How disrespectful is that?

I know “the old days” is the mantra for a lot of sportsmen. But I like putting in the “work” for my fish and game, not spending thousands on machines to make it easier. We are not “feeding our families”, we are the guardians of our resources.

I have said my peace, if you want to spend $20,000 for a River Pro to catch a few more smallies, good for you.