by Olivia Kay

Created on: September 25, 2011   Last Updated: September 26, 2011

Drift boats are ideal for fishing in a river.  With these boats, fishermen are able to get an ideal distance away from the bank, depending on where the fish happen to be without creating a disturbance.  They don't ride low in the water either so rapids and  stronger than normal currents are not as big of a deal as they are with other types of boats. Additionally,

knee braces on the boats allow anglers to stand up and lean out and over while casting out lines and reeling in fish.  This increased range of movement makes it a great deal to maneuver.   Because of these reasons and others, drift boats are a much better choice for fishing on a river than large motorboats or canoes. 

When fishing with a drift boat, it's important for a fisherman to realize that the largest fish are sometimes close to shore and not always only in deep holes further from shore.  If there are structures of any sort near the shore, it's very likely that the fish anglers are especially looking for are somewhere around that structure, waiting to pounce on prey.  If a fisherman in a drift boat positions him or herself near a structure, it's likely that reeling in a great catch will happen eventually, with patience.  Sometimes, in especially calm or slow moving rivers, drifting out further towards the middle of the river and casting in towards the shore is a better method for drift boat fisherman.  After a fisherman has fished in a particular area a few times, he or she usually is able to predict fairly well where the fish they want the most are likely to congregate. 

Fooling fish into believing your bait is actually their natural prey makes a fisherman's day a great deal better.  Drift boats can help in this.  One technique in particular is one called side drifting.  In this method, yarn, bait, and rubber worms are set up alongside the boat in an area where an angler believes is plentiful with fish.  As the boat drifts, the gear moves as well, which helps create an environment that fish will perceive to be normal and natural.  They will likely be attracted to the bait and all a fisherman has to do is wait until his or her line pulls with the force of a bite. 

Another drift boat fishing technique is known as pulling plugs.  With this method, the fisherman sets the bait out in front of the boat and then rows down the river at a speed that is about half the speed of how fast the river is flowing.  It's usually best to set the rods in pole holders to keep the hook from getting set to quickly.

Using a drift boat can make fishing on a river a great deal more interesting for anglers.  There are many techniques to use in this type of fishing and generally through trial and error, fisherman can find out what methods work best for them when fishing from drift boats.  It all depends on what type of fish they are trying to catch and many other assorted factors.  The most important thing to remember is that fish are not always located in large, deep holes far out from shore.  Oftentimes there are some near the shore as well, especially if there is any type of structure near the shore or in the water.

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