drift boats on lakes

[thestallion]

What are going to be the disadvantages of putting a motor on my drift boat instead of getting a small aluminum boat made for lakes. Am I going to be rolling more in windy conditions? Is it harder to control my drift boat with a motor? Any input would help.

thestallion

[chadk]

Wind can be an issue. A small alum boat is nice if you want to use it as a car topper or put it in the back of a pick-up (I prefer to avoid trailers if possible). But if I already had a drift boat, I wouldn't go out and buy a small alum boat just for lakes - i'd get by just fine with the D-Boad (when the rivers were closed or blown out and I wasn't fishing salmon\steelhead...)

[captkirk]

I actually use my clacka in the lakes more than the river. That will change for stealhead or when gas drops in price. I have both a Minn Koda or a Merc 5 hp to power it. I rigged my Scotty Elect downriggers and a fish finder on it.

[riverfisher101]

I have an old aluminum canoe and an old 16 ft aluminum drift boat, no motor for either.

Wind is more of an issue in the canoe, the long paddles on the drift boat seem to have more power than the canoe in wind.

The drift boat is much easier to load/unload because I don't have to lift it to the top of the mini van.

I only lake fish when the rivers are blown out because I love rivers better.

I would think a drift boat with a motor would help in the wind.

[nomlasder]

I use mine in lakes all the time. Plenty of room for coolers full of your favorite beverage. Rowing to slow troll puts a little action in the fly rather than a steady pull. Wind over 20 is tough, anything below is just what you do whether rowing or motoring.

I have to confess I am looking at remote control electric with the tranducer in the lower unit. But at 1200 clams, I have to decide if it's really going to make me more productive.

[bigfun4me]

I like the safety of a drift boat for large lakes and overall comfort, but at the end of the day I have worked a lot harder pulling the anchor and rowing it around than with a smaller boat.

A strong wind can push a drift boat off it's anchor easier and it will be more subject to unwanted movement in a low wind.

An aluminum drift boat can also be noisy to fish out of with water chop and noise generated by hitting metal.

My preference is a fiberglass Spring Creek Pram. It has fewer places to catch line when casting and moves quickly over water with less effort. The side height of the boat also allows me to put the tip of my rod in the water on subsurface retrieves without having to stand up all day.

Hope this helped.

[William Wallace]

Wind can be an issue. A small alum boat is nice if you want to use it as a car topper or put it in the back of a pick-up (I prefer to avoid trailers if possible). But if I already had a drift boat, I wouldn't go out and buy a small alum boat just for lakes - i'd get by just fine with the D-Boad (when the rivers were closed or blown out and I wasn't fishing salmon\steelhead...)
I am lucky to have both a 16' aluminum drift boat and a 14' alumacraft boat. I have used my 15hp Honda on both with my electric trolling motor and it works great. The wind can kinda push me around a little but hey put a little more action into what I am doing. If your DB has side pulleys it makes it much easier to lift your anchor than a straight pull. When my family comes the DB goes by myself the 14' goes. Noise between the two aluminum boats has not hampered my fishing at all. Throw a piece of indoor/outdoor carpeting on the bottom and walah quite, as for water hitting the sides it brings back memories of fish with my dad and brother hunkered down trying to stay warm.
I guess the main question I have is do you already have the engine? If so use it. Having more room is nice even if you are by yourself. Second are you looking to get into small lakes with no launch? well then get yourself a small pram as mentioned previous post. Hope that may have helped. I always say I am going to sell the DB but I always find myself using it.

[Chironomid Guy]

I use mine all the time on small lakes. However, its not your typical drifter. ITs a maravia Spyder.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g315/Cascade_Customz/fishinwithmike.jpg

Cheers