Boat inquiry for White and Norfork

[Tom C]

Question about boats for the White River and Norfork.  

I have never fished the White River, but have fished Taneycomo numerous times renting a G3 Gator boat from Lilley’s.  I’m looking into buying a G3 Gator or Tracker Grizzly.  But I want a boat that will also be able to fish the White River and Norfork.   So, my questions are: what are the water conditions/depth on the White River and Norfork with no generation? Will these types of boats be able to navigate on the White River/Norfork with no generation? Or would I be better off getting a Shawnee (L61)? 

Also, I’m considering a jet motor but have read about difficulty controlling the boat at a low or neutral power making docking, especially in fast high water, difficult.  What are your experiences?

Thank you,

Tom Ciolino

[gotmuddy]

1 minute ago, Tom C said:

Question about boats for the White River and Norfork.  

I have never fished the White River, but have fished Taneycomo numerous times renting a G3 Gator boat from Lilley’s.  I’m looking into buying a G3 Gator or Tracker Grizzly.  But I want a boat that will also be able to fish the White River and Norfork.   So, my questions are: what are the water conditions/depth on the White River and Norfork with no generation? Will these types of boats be able to navigate on the White River/Norfork with no generation? Or would I be better off getting a Shawnee (L61)? 

Also, I’m considering a jet motor but have read about difficulty controlling the boat at a low or neutral power making docking, especially in fast high water, difficult.  What are your experiences?

Thank you,

Tom Ciolino

Be sure whatever you get is a flatbottom with a jet.  Norfork is a no-go with no generation in anything but a kayak regardless.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

I’ve run my flat bottom jet on the White on one unit.   Norfork is whole different animal.  I don’t like running it on low water.   As far as trailering and docking.   Practice makes perfect and helps if you have some instruction.  I trailer mine in big time current all the time.  
I have a console and the best advice I got was getting a steering wheel spinner like on a saltwater boat.   It’s almost 4 turns of the wheel to each extreme and you have to have one hand on the throttle to steer a jet.   I hope that part makes sense.   I’ve never regretted getting a jet.  

[Terrierman]

I'm the lone contrarian that will ever post something like this.  I've got a Shawnee Commissary Boat with a 9.9 Yamaha that's been rejetted to 15.  There is no place going down the White that boat won't handle.  I can always get up Rim Shoals with any water and same at Wildcat.  Buffalo Shoal stops me about halfway up unless there's a lot of water.  Cody is right when he says, North Fork requires at least some generation for me to fish it.  As you mention, jets don't handle as well slow as a prop does.  And if you get shallow and suck up a few rocks in it that can be a pain.  I'm just careful and get along fine.  A lot of people on this forum have fished with me from that boat. 

That said if I wanted a boat to be able to fish up and down any river around, it would be an 18'x60" aluminum flat bottom with at least a 40 Hp jet.

Here is Gandalf on the trailer.  Pay no attention to the lack of a trolling motor.  There's a chain in the boat that works fine.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I’ve run my flat bottom jet on the White on one unit.   Norfork is whole different animal.  I don’t like running it on low water.   As far as trailering and docking.   Practice makes perfect and helps if you have some instruction.  I trailer mine in big time current all the time.  
I have a console and the best advice I got was getting a steering wheel spinner like on a saltwater boat.   It’s almost 4 turns of the wheel to each extreme and you have to have one hand on the throttle to steer a jet.   I hope that part makes sense.   I’ve never regretted getting a jet.  

    I do need one of those steering wheel spinner knobs. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

19 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

    I do need one of those steering wheel spinner knobs. 

I opted for a John Deere instead of a fancy chrome one.  Makes trailering a jet on 25,000 cfs on the White a lot easier.  

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I opted for a John Deere instead of a fancy chrome one.  Makes trailering a jet on 25,000 cfs on the White a lot easier.  

                 I get into dicey situations on my Hybrid River when it is going at full tilt. Could see how it would work. Thanks for suggesting it. 

[BilletHead]

           Oh, my goodness you should see the options for the steering knob on amazon. HA I just ordered one  .

[jdmidwest]

How could I fit one of them spinner knobs on my stick steer?

Stick steer in the front works for me.  Just need some ballast in the back if I fish solo.  Up front and at the trolling motor all of the time.

[fishinwrench]

6 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Stick steer in the front works for me.  Just need some ballast in the back if I fish solo.

Are you telling me that a heavyass 4-stroke, 2 battery's, and 3-6 gallons of fuel can't keep the stern of that Tracker down?   

Have you gained some weight since I last saw ya ?  🤔