Looking for a surface drive after the season

Duck hunting in Delacroix and the local WMAs. Chasing specks and reds in the shallow marshes around Biloxi and up the Pascagoula River. I have a another boat for rig fishing and hitting the islands off MS. But I need a multi purpose. I'm thinking a surface drive would be the best bet, but I like the Xpress and War Eagles that have outboards. Just don't think those are will get me to those shallow ponds. Could buy a pirogue I guess, but need multi purpose

We hunt Reggio and get nearly everywhere we need to get in a 16ft pro drive boat with a 40 Yamaha 4stroke, it does have a jack plate as well. We fish damn near any pond for reds and hunt out of it as well....

That's good to hear. I know what I want, but want to make sure it fits the needs

If you get a surface drive be sure to put it on a mud boat hull or it won't perform well. I think the best mud boat going right now is a prodigy. Check their face book out or their website. The owner is from south LA but resides and builds his boats in north GA. He has a center console mud boat with 70hp yammy on his FB page that is bad to the bone.

IMO you are better off buying an outboard and if you really need it buying a long tail to put on it. The only real advantage I've seen a surface drive has over a long tail is speed in open water but with a full hunt load most stock motors are looking at 25-30 TOPS. If you hunt in timber a long tail is far superior because it gives you leverage to get over logs at low speeds.

I usually hunt out of a 16' semi-v bateau with a 50, if we run up on a sandbar when it's dark or foggy it's usually got enough water to be able to walk it back out to the channel.

Most people are unhappy with the speed of a surface drive and it costs you close to a grand for every MPH increase. It's just a lawnmower engine and they do break, so you can either be slow and reliable or spend a pile of money to get it around outboard speed but could very well get stranded when (not if) you break something.

As far as boats go I don't know who a custom builder is best, but based on my research you get the most bang for your buck versus buying an xpress, excell, or war eagle, plus you can go with 3/16" versus 10 gauge and still come out cheaper.

Im probably going to sell my rig. Its a gheenoe flats boat with an 18hp copperhead on it.

Its good to get places and ok for fishing flats. Not set up like a boat blind though

If you're talking an absolutely stripped down version of surface drive rig (35hp) vs a stripped down xpress w/70 hp outboard then I think it'd be cheaper by as much as $4k to get the surface drive rig.

I get to ponds that I only see kayakers able to get to (they hate it but I can get way farther than them and give them peace and quiet quickly) in an 18x54 gatortrax CC with 35hp Mudbuddy....places I wouldn't try to get to with or without a jack plate outboard.....it's a heavy boat with trolling motor, batteries, poling platform, etc.


Top end is close to 30 and with a full hunt load I will get 25 or so

It's tough to get a "do everything" boat.....now I want a smaller stripped out tiller handle surface drive for running yo-yos by myself and such and just be more nimble in general

Good luck, I love boat shopping and setting up new rigs......about a year after I get them set up I'm ready to sell them and get a new project

Yeah that thing is badass!

Hadn't seen those boats as it's been a few years since I shopped em.....I will be watching for them now though

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Thanks Monicas

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You're welcome?