When we were young, it was the easiest thing to grab a pole and a small tackle box, get on your trusty bike and peddle down to the nearest stream for a day of fishing. And part of that, fishing always seemed to involve some wading as we tried to get to the perfect spot that was just out of reach of our farthest cast. Even as adults, bank fishing has its merits, but every fisher reaches a point when the limitations of feet and mud send us looking for a watercraft.

Every craft is a compromise between stability, hydrodynamics, carrying capacity and ease of use. River craft are even more so. Before you go searching for your perfect riverboat, first make a good assessment of how, where, and with whom you are going to use your new floating platform of fishing pleasure. While a Nitro Z17 is great for large, deep bodies of water, it will not get you into shallow places, and it eliminates all small ponds and shallow rivers. With my budget, I’m looking for a good, general-purpose watercraft.

The inflatable, single-person (they do make a two-person) pontoon boat has come a long way from the wimpy, vinyl blow-ups of yesteryear. We are now talking rigid frames with good seats, oars, adequate storage and nearly puncture-proof pontoon material. These craft are stable, highly maneuverable, and will get you into the tightest of backwaters. They fit in your trunk, and set up in minutes. Higher-end models, like Sea Eagle and Aquos, are designed to also accept an electric trolling motor. If you have limited storage at home and/or do a lot of backcountry river floats, these are good craft.

Their downside is the very thing that makes them so nimble: small size, lightness and maneuverability. Get in any type of current, and it’s tough to row upstream. Hook a good-sized fish that wants to run, and you will be a whirling dervish. Even a good-sized smallmouth will take you for a ride. Snag the bottom and all you do is pull the boat around. Pontoons are something you definitely want to fish from for a day before buying one.

Kayaks are popular for fishing. Recreational kayaks (not to be confused with Eskimo-roll, whitewater kayaks) are light, stable, hold lots of gear, are easy to paddle upstream, and are extremely portable. Getting around shallow spots is just a matter of getting out and carrying or pulling the kayak. Since you are more or less locked into position, getting gear takes some thought. You might have to beach to get to some of the compartments, but with planning, most of what you need can be within arm’s reach.

Because you are so close to the water, it becomes much easier to skip lures under branches. For me, the seating is little bit cramped Fishing and maneuvering at the same time are not an option; and don’t try landing a muskie!

Canoes are the ultimate compromise. They give you a little of everything. There’s more room, but it’s hard to reach things, although not as hard as a kayak. With a square stern, you can use a motor, but lose some of the ease of paddling. Canoes can fit in tight places, but are uncomfortable for a full day of fishing. Some are light enough to carry on your shoulder.

There are more styles of canoes made from more types of materials than you can count. A basic rule for a fishing canoe is to get one with the widest beam and flattest bottom that you can find. You lose some ease of paddling, but you gain stability. Also avoid any with a keel; this will only get you hung up on rocks and logs. My choice would be one made of ABS or Royalex. These are a bit more expensive than aluminum, but are lighter and slide over rocks with ease.

Finally, if you want something that you can fish in all day and carry all your equipment, you want a boat. In my mind, you have two choices. On the small end is a “pond” boat made of molded ABS plastic. These 10-foot craft give you higher seating and more stability than canoes. They are still light enough for one person to handle, and they fit into the back of a pic-up bed. The pontoon-style bottom reduces water resistance and a good trolling motor will push you upstream all day. They are a bit cramped with two people, but for one they are hard to beat.

On the large end—12 to 20 feet—is the jon boat. These flat-bottomed craft will float you in 4 inches of water and at the same time have higher carrying capacity than V-bottom boats. With no V-bow and a flat bottom, they are not the fastest of boats. However, these same features let you slide over logs with ease; and size-for-size, they are more stable than other styles of boat.

There are, of course, some drawbacks. They are heavy, even compared to other aluminum craft. If you find a rock, the aluminum will stick to it like glue.

The ultimate river boat is…well, it just doesn’t exist! You can spend $20,000 and still be dissatisfied. However, if you do your homework, and think well and hard about the rivers and types of fishing you will mostly do, you can get a boat that you will be satisfied with… until you get your next one!

For more insight and tips on how to make the most of the time you spend on the water, check out the articles in every issue of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.