How to use a small boat in a narrow river

There are plenty of options when it comes to small boats, ranging from dinghies to inflatable boats, fibreglass punts and, of course, the ever-popular aluminium tinnie.

In my opinion, the most suitable boat for fishing small rivers would have to be the smaller aluminium tinnies. 

A big reason for this is weight. If you stick to around 3.0 metres in size you will find most of them will weigh in around 50kg or less.

This makes them light enough for one person to easily manage launching and handling the boat.

It doesn't need to be expensive, either, if you buy the hull by itself, giving you room to choose how you want to power it.

The circa $1700 Quintrex 300 Wanderer, which uses a wider punt-style bow to make it more stable at rest, is 3070mm long and at just 46kg is relatively lightweight.

Paired with an electric motor or small outboard engine to make a seamless little lightweight runabout, it can serve as the perfect little river vessel.

If you prefer a V-hull for sturdiness, you can jump up to the Quintrex 310 Dart, which weighs 61kg, for around $2400.

If pristine quality isn't high on the agenda and you'd be happy with something a bit rough around the edges, there are plenty of used boats in this category.

Starting from around $500 for a non-registered vessel, they can be great value for money if all you need is a boat to chuck something in and get to the other side of the river.

Often, a small used boat and outboard engine package, and sometimes with an electronic motor, can be picked up for around the cost of a brand-new hull.

To help with the buying process, boatsales allows users to opt in for a range of notifications and email alerts when a boat is listed that matches your description.

This way, you can be assured the boat you've been waiting for doesn’t get snapped up by someone else before you’ve had a chance to see the listing.

But what is better for small river systems, an outboard engine or an electric motor?

Electric motors operate very quietly and allow you to sneak up on fish in small rivers, where any noise could be make-or-break in terms of catching them.

They can be bought from most major boat and tackle stores, ranging from 18-24lb models mostly suited to kayak use.

However, if you're running a small aluminium tinnie, aim for something with a bit more grunt in it such as the 32-44lb range.

Most of the electric motors in this range will operate with five forward and three reverse speeds controlled via a tiller handle. You can buy these for around $250. A 12-volt battery is also sufficient to run these motors.

I don’t find an outboard necessary when fishing small local rivers. However, if you prefer an outboard, an outboard engine of about 5.0hp would suit the tinnies we've mentioned.

These start new from around $1300 and increase significantly depending on which brand you prefer.

Having a small tinnie in your possession is a great way to have some fun.

They take up minimal room, and if you don’t have a shed, they can be left facing bottom up outside.

Most of these small boats comfortably fit on roof racks as well as a trailer, so can be a great addition to a family camping trip.