# hunting with a 60hp outboard on northern WMAs



## SleepyG (Dec 23, 2008)

Okay i know im going to get a bit of heat for even bringing this up but i need some advice. Im in the process now of buying a G3 1756 side console welded modified v-hull style jon boat with an 60 hp EFI Yamaha outboard. Now my question is where, at least for the time being till i can afford to buy a new or find a good used mud motor for these really muddy WMAs that we have all around the great salt lake, can i take this boat and get in some decent duck hunting with out trashing my engine. Are the WMAs deep enough around Ogden that i can attempt this, can i hunt the reservoirs or maybe even some of the rivers, or am i SOL till i get a mud motor. 

The biggest reason i went with this style of boat and motor was i wanted a versatile boat in order use for fishing in the spring and summer months but then change the motor to a mud motor type for getting in on some good duck hunting during the fall. I guess i could have looked for a boat with a mud motor and then just use a trolling motor to fish with. I just like the idea of having a good size outboard for the fishing here in Utah and also taking it up to Idaho and working the Snake river and other places like Bear Lake. 

It took me almost 5 years just to convince the wife on letting me even get this boat, lol. I know ill get to use it a lot during the spring, but in the last 4 years i have really taking a liking to duck hunting. And the idea of not having to walk in decoys through mud and muck every weekend is a really nice thought, it is a good work out though! :mrgreen: 

Thanks in advance for any info you guys can give me!


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## king eider (Aug 20, 2009)

as far as WMA's i think your out of luck. i wouldnt put a 60 yamaha in the mud. about the only place i can think of that you could run this type of motor would be parts of cutler res. and out on utah lake in some areas... other than that, i think its a far stretch to take this kind of motor into the shallow waters of a WMA. i have seen a few outboards out there, but most are small 10hp or less. congrats on the boat, im sure your excited... just save a few $$ and get a MM on that bad thing and dont look back!


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Darin Noorda said:


> as far as WMA's i think your out of luck. i wouldnt put a 60 yamaha in the mud. about the only place i can think of that you could run this type of motor would be parts of cutler res. and out on utah lake in some areas... other than that, i think its a far stretch to take this kind of motor into the shallow waters of a WMA. i have seen a few outboards out there, but most are small 10hp or less. congrats on the boat, im sure your excited... just save a few $$ and get a MM on that bad thing and dont look back!


+1


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Check with the regs, but you probably could use it on some of the state parks and get 1/4 mile away from the building etc., like Willard Bay, Hyrum. You could use it on Mantua, maybe Pineview (Federal laws there) or other big water lakes.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Strawberry for a cast n blast...... I saw a guy with a jet boat on Turpin at FB once, he had nothing but problems. Most of the small outboards can run the dike fine but they can't get out to the marsh very easily.


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## Gee LeDouche (Sep 21, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> Strawberry for a cast n blast...... I saw a guy with a jet boat on Turpin at FB once, he had nothing but problems. Most of the small outboards can run the dike fine but they can't get out to the marsh very easily.


+1

I've left the boat launch at FB the same time as some of those guys that use outboards and they FLY along the dike / under the bridges but as soon as they get out of that channel they start having lots of problems. I have helped tow in a couple boats that have outboards from farmington. they can sometimes get out ok, but cant get back and either have to have somebody drag them out or paddle back. its just to skinny outside that channel for anything other than a mud motor.

Gee


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## SleepyG (Dec 23, 2008)

Thanks for the reply's, i think ill have to look into cutler reservoir. That seems like the more logical place for what i have i have and its closer than Strawberry, I never ran it with a boat I might have to go up there this weekend and see what it has to offer. Are there any regs specifically about hunting that place? Not sure where i should look first I cant seem to find anything reqarding reservoirs in last years waterfowl proc.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

With a 60 hp motor you are restricted to the area north of the Benson Marina bridge (not to be confused with the bridge and marina on the Valley View highway) on Cutler resevoir. Everything south of the bridge is 35 hp or under.


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## SleepyG (Dec 23, 2008)

Okay good to know! I would have accidentally went to the wrong place, any idea of what kind of fishing can be had there?


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## SleepyG (Dec 23, 2008)

Well my next question would be what size mud motor should I go. I know everyone says buy the biggest you can afford but I really don't want to break the bank here. I'm not in any major hurry to get out to my spot, I just need a motor that can push my boat to and back with no problems. I want to keep it light, basically the best bang for the buck. Just a reminder I have a G3 1756 side console welded modified v-hull style Jon boat. Oh and one more question i know they sell boats with remote steering, since I do have the side console. But I really don't need that I'm perfectly fine with steering it by hand. Any thoughts?


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

How long is the boat? I would think a 15 to 20 hp for anything under 15' would work well around here. My hunting partner has a 17' boat with a 32 hp(i think) and it goes faster than we need to. It kinda sucks in really shallow water though. When he hits the gas it blows out big holes in the mud and we go nowhere. I have tried to get around with an outboard in a few of the local wma's and it doesn't work.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

SleepyG said:


> Well my next question would be what size mud motor should I go. I know everyone says buy the biggest you can afford but I really don't want to break the bank here. I'm not in any major hurry to get out to my spot, I just need a motor that can push my boat to and back with no problems. I want to keep it light, basically the best bang for the buck. Just a reminder I have a G3 1756 side console welded modified v-hull style Jon boat. Oh and one more question i know they sell boats with remote steering, since I do have the side console. But I really don't need that I'm perfectly fine with steering it by hand. Any thoughts?


Minimum of 27 HP Mudmotor for that size of boat.......Nothing smaller or you won't be happy.


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## Jeff Bringhurst (May 20, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> SleepyG said:
> 
> 
> > Well my next question would be what size mud motor should I go. I know everyone says buy the biggest you can afford but I really don't want to break the bank here. I'm not in any major hurry to get out to my spot, I just need a motor that can push my boat to and back with no problems. I want to keep it light, basically the best bang for the buck. Just a reminder I have a G3 1756 side console welded modified v-hull style Jon boat. Oh and one more question i know they sell boats with remote steering, since I do have the side console. But I really don't need that I'm perfectly fine with steering it by hand. Any thoughts?
> ...


I agree 100%


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## SleepyG (Dec 23, 2008)

Thanks for the info now i just need to find a good priced used one or a not so overly priced new one lol!


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## JD_ (Oct 2, 2008)

SleepyG, You've received good advice from everyone on your question. I can't think of a single WMA where you could run a motor that big. I'm late to the discussion, but will add my personal experience with outboards. I personally still hunt using an outboard, but it is definitely very limiting. I have a 14ft boat with a 15hp OB. As has been said I can run the dike at turpin very fast in and out and if I'm alone in the boat I can usually stay on plane and get a good distance across the flats to my hunting spot on the way out. If I have kids or a friend with me then I almost immediately am reduced to a trolling speed (or slower) across the flats. I've set up my motor so I can tilt it up enough to "troll" across the flats, but you have to stop every so often, lift the motor and clear the weeds from the prop. A friend of mine has a boat with a mud motor. We leave the ramp at the same time and I get way a head of him, he catches up to me and usually passes me about half way across the flats. Anyway, it has worked, but is not ideal and there are many marshes where I can't go at all in my boat. If you are serious about hunting the northern WMAs and will get out enough during the season to justify it, a mud motor will be a great investment for you. I've debated for years about getting a mud motor, but it seems more and more of my duck hunting is away from the WMAs, so I haven't committed to spend the money yet. Also, the marshes are definitely getting more crowded with boats these days. You have to decide if that's the experience you want. I don't have any isssue with all the boats (I know some people do), but the hunting experiences in the northern marshes are very different from the days when I was a young kid hunting with my dad when mud motors did not exist.


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