What style of boat works best when fishing swift water below a powerhouse?
A. I prefer a light boat with a flat bottom. There is a reason for using this type of boat. When drifting the fast water, I run all the way up to the discharge. Some areas are restricted, with a cable stretching across the river, but the boat speed will be the same. As soon as you shut off the engine and begin your drift, the boat needs to travel as slowly as possible. Using a boat with a deep V bottom causes the boat speed to pick up rapidly as the rush of water pushes directly against the section of the boat that is protruding down under the water. With a light, flat-bottom type boat, the boat sits flatter on the water with less drag on the bottom. The fast water will actually run under the boat, and the boat will not reach the same speed as the water for several hundred yards. This is important because many stripers are caught just below the discharge area. A long, wide boat is also safer in the treacherous water below a discharge area. A 16 foot or 18 foot jon boat with an 84 inch
