Mud Motor vs Outboard?

[glen1978]

Wanting to buy a new boat when we get back to Texas. Have looked at SeaArk, GatorTrax and Prodigy. Plan to run rivers running lines, bowfishish, duck hunting, and to crappie/catfish out of in the local lakes. Originally was looking at around a 17' or 18' center console tunnel with a jack plated 90-115...maybe 140 horse Suzuki on it. Then started looking at the mud motors or surface drives. These really peak my interest due to the East Texas lakes and rivers having so much submerged crap in them. I know the MMs are loud and slow but Im not in a race to get to the honey hole. I want reliability mainly and not worry about shear pins and props. Ive watched the videos of the MMs in mud flats and that looks like just asking for trouble or just doing it because you can. Talk to me.

[Lungbustr]

Get an outboard. Mud motor isnt the best fit for what you described.

[Wall_Hanger]

Wanting to buy a new boat when we get back to Texas. Have looked at SeaArk, GatorTrax and Prodigy. Plan to run rivers running lines, bowfishish, duck hunting, and to crappie/catfish out of in the local lakes. Originally was looking at around a 17' or 18' center console tunnel with a jack plated 90-115...maybe 140 horse Suzuki on it. Then started looking at the mud motors or surface drives. These really peak my interest due to the East Texas lakes and rivers having so much submerged crap in them. I know the MMs are loud and slow but Im not in a race to get to the honey hole. I want reliability mainly and not worry about shear pins and props. Ive watched the videos of the MMs in mud flats and that looks like just asking for trouble or just doing it because you can. Talk to me.

Outboard with tunnel hull. MMs are crap for everything that isn't mud. They are also very sensitive to prop wear and boat loads. But for the mud marsh, they are only bettered by an airboat.

[glen1978]

So with that said im not sure on boat size. Used to we wanted the widest possible. But being in the rivers sometimes that isnt the best. Maybe a 17 x 62 or so. Or 18 x 62. But GatorTrax run long with the hunt deck. I kinda dig the Prodigys though. Just easy to jump on GatorTrax and build the boat online. Im sure they are pretty close to the same price.

[TA_Fab]

Outboard with tunnel hull. MMs are crap for everything that isn't mud. They are also very sensitive to prop wear and boat loads. But for the mud marsh, they are only bettered by an airboat.

^^^ summed it up perfectly, go with a tunnel outboard.


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[BDann]

I just got a gator trax 18x54 hd, with a 70 tiller. So far I am loving it. Removable poling platform and bowfishing light rails. I didn’t see a need for a tunnel, runs plenty shallow as is.

[Eagle19]

So with that said im not sure on boat size. Used to we wanted the widest possible. But being in the rivers sometimes that isnt the best. Maybe a 17 x 62 or so. Or 18 x 62. But GatorTrax run long with the hunt deck. I kinda dig the Prodigys though. Just easy to jump on GatorTrax and build the boat online. Im sure they are pretty close to the same price.

Prodigy’s are expensive compared to everything else. I think they have quality workmanship and most of their boats are custom. If you’re mainly staying in ETX I think a mud boat is the way to go. If you want to do deep open water better go with the tunnel and outboard.


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[steven]

Look into outboard jets if you’re not planning on running in a lot of heavy vegetation.

[Quackerbox]

I just got a gator trax 18x54 hd, with a 70 tiller. So far I am loving it. Removable poling platform and bowfishing light rails. I didn’t see a need for a tunnel, runs plenty shallow as is.

thats legit!!!!

I want one bad but cant drop that on a second boat

And I pass on a MM

[IvoryRoot]

Outboard all day long.

[JTate]

Look into outboard jets if you’re not planning on running in a lot of heavy vegetation.

This. Second option would be a mud motor. You’re going to be limited by an outboard unless you plan to just run the rivers when they’re high or in flood stage.

Get a big outboard jet and run her wide open!

[Hobbs]

I have a center console 18' Prodrive and like it a lot. Duck hunt and fish (bass and catfish) out of it all the time. It is slow but I fish where no outboard will get above idle speed. It'll go about 25 mph. I also have a skeeter bass boat that will go 65 mph. If I had to keep just one it would be the Prodrive. I think it really depends on the lakes you will be fishing.

[glen1978]

I have a center console 18' Prodrive and like it a lot. Duck hunt and fish (bass and catfish) out of it all the time. It is slow but I fish where no outboard will get above idle speed. It'll go about 25 mph. I also have a skeeter bass boat that will go 65 mph. If I had to keep just one it would be the Prodrive. I think it really depends on the lakes you will be fishing.

Lake Fork, Lake Quitman, Hawkins, Palestine, Caddo, Lake of the Pines, etc.

Running Sabine and Trinity rivers.

[eastxhunter]

Went from an outboard to a surface drive to an outboard and I miss the surface drive so much. You can do everything with a surface drive and don’t have to baby it like an outboard

[glen1978]

Went from an outboard to a surface drive to an outboard and I miss the surface drive so much. You can do everything with a surface drive and don’t have to baby it like an outboard

Good to hear. Somebody that has had both. Why did you swap back to the outboard? What do you use your boat for?