Noob to MMT, looking at buying a used Boat/Motor combo (for budget's sake).
I live in Central TX, and want to hunt/fish with the boat. I used to have a 748 War Eagle with a little Yamaha 25 and it was light, easy to trailer and launch. I want to be able to explore up/down some of the rivers and Duck hunt or fish and from my reading it sounds like a Mud Motor may do the trick.
Hoping $5-7K motor/boat combo. I like the idea of a lightly used one that is all set up and I don't have to buy all the extra's. Someone will have figured that out and those end up being throw in's for the most part. (batteries, push poles, seats, cushions, etc.)

Application:
Rivers are gravel and rocky bottom. some as shallow as 5-10 inches in the riffles, with deep runs in-between.
Some lake fishing, but no major rough open water.
Possible coastal fishing/shallow back bays. Maybe flounder at night.

Questions:
1) Used Long Tail vs. Short/Surface Drive? Either run more shallow than the other?
2) For either, when buying used what to look for problem areas?
3) Some newer motors have neutral and reverse which seems like a really good thing to have, but this is a more recent development. Worth it? Pros/Cons?
4) Boats: Reading the forum, seems like for my application (no mud and rocky) that a wider boat will be better. I often hunt alone or with one other. Dog, Dekes, gear, and other shizzle do add up for weight. 17' with 48" minimum bottom width?
5) Smooth bottom vs. slight V? (again no mud application, just shallow). If I do fish open water will the smooth bottom of say a Go Devil style boat pound me in any chop?
6) For a 17/50" boat, minimum recommended HP for Engine? (more power always better, with some weight trade-off?)

Appreciate the input.

You can get speed built up and bounce over shallow areas but rocks and mudmotors don't really jive.
Anything less than 10" will be hard to take off in.