The Evinrude Blog

June 09

E-TEAM UPDATE: SHALLOW WATER FISHING WITH AN EVINRUDE ENGINE

EvinrudeTeam

Hello everybody,

I just got off the water from a great fishing trip this morning. Ott Defoe invited me to go to the Holston River and do some smallmouth bass fishing. It was a great time; we caught around 75 fish, most of which were in the 10 -12 inch class and we even managed to land a couple of fish over 17 inches. Ott caught the biggest fish of the day right before we quit at lunch time - it was 20 inches and weighed over 3 ½ lbs.



We headed out around 6 a.m. this morning and fished until noon. It was fun to go fishing without the pressure of a tournament and to keep throwing top waters and drifting with the current. Ott has a customized 16 foot john boat meant for fishing in very shallow waters, so it was a fun and new experience for me to take up riffles and over shoals to reach the best areas. He has a 25 horsepower Evinrude engine with a jet drive lower unit, as well as a PVC handle extension with home style jack plate that raises the motor up even higher. The boat also has the addition of a raised carpeted casting platform that’s made from aluminum. 

A jet drive lower unit can be added on any outboard, which will allow you to travel through extremely shallow water (since the prop and skeg are no longer used to steer and drive the boat).
Instead, a housing that sits under the surface sucks water into the impeller and the water is then forced out the back in a powerful stream moving the boat forward. This is also the way Sea-Doos are propelled.

In a couple of very shallow areas, we got out of the boat and waded over rocks until the water got deep enough to run the boat again. Over the years I have always enjoyed fishing in new locations and working with new techniques. This trip was certainly one of those times. Afterwards, I said, "I have to get me one of those." So, I will be searching to purchase a similar aluminum hull soon. As soon as I do, the boat will inevitably become my “project boat” – one that I will continually keep customizing. I would love suggestions, so if any of you readers have a custom boat or motor, please post pictures on the Evinrude Facebook page so I can see them.

One last thing - I’d like to give Chad Brauer a big “congratulations” for the BASS Open win down at the Red River in Shreveport, La., last week. In a tough tournament, he won by 16 pounds - way to step on some necks, Chad!

Thanks everybody for checking in on the E-TEAM!



Good luck and good fishing,

David Walker

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