I catfish in the rivers alot but there is alot of rocks and shallow water and I'm use to running throw lines so I use fwd and rev alot on my outboard. From what info I gather if I get a mud motor in the $4000 range I can't get reverse. So questions I have is whats the best motor at the best price and will I get use to running them without reverse. My boat is a 1448 Lowe roughneck I'm fixen to weld pods or pontoons on the back any info is very helpful thanks.

dont do it!!!! your outboard prolly works better for what you are doing.....also pods will f@ck up the performance of a mud motor. it disturbs the water going to the prop since with a mudmotor, half the prop is out of the water. If you do get a mm, find the lightest thing possible for that little boat or your just gonna run around with the nose in the air and not get on plane.....

eljefe is right, but if you're just set on getting a mud motor, the only ones you could possibly run on that with reverse are the GTR23 or the PD27, but I think even those maybe too heavy. You could actually find one of them used in your price range, but like I said, probably too heavy. Honestly, I'd look into a copperhead 18hp. But, as I said from the beginning, that's only if you're dead set on a mud motor.

Thanks.. I'm not dead set but I have a bigger boat and a smaller boat than my 1448 so I thought I could rig this one out with a mud motor but I figured pods would help with the motor and weight in the back end I have pods on my big boat with a outboard and I love it..

Also what about a dixie mud motor 23 hp

Search Dixie on here, that should tell you everything you want to know!

I had a 1448 Lowe with a 23 mudbuddy HD. I sold the boat before I put 20 hours on the motor it was F'n terrible. even with gas up front there was no way to get it on plane with one person. keep an outboard on it or buy a longer boat. If its a flat front it might be okay with the 18 copperhead. If its a mod v your waistin your money. Been there done it got rid of that boat like it was the plague. I knew I was gonna need a different boat before making it 200 yards from the launch the first time out.

Yea it's a true flat bottom flat nose and I appreciate all of y'all's help. Thanks

I would call gil at copperhead and get an idea of weight difference of the 18 and 23 another option would be a mud buddy mini 23.imho the hypers are just too heavy for a small boat. Mine squatted a lot I also had a mod v which took away a lot of performance. If you don't run mud keep the outboard I could run in less than a foot with my 25 evinrude

There are a couple 27 pd motors for sale in the classifieds in the 3500 range and you can add reverse to them for $400.

A pro drive is to heavy for that boat

Get a jet drive

a long tail would work with pods on that boat. And it will get you anywhere you want to go.

The word I see here is WANT not NEED, if you have been doing fine so far with a outboard then stay with that. I have a lake I trap that I need to run a skinny ditch to get to, running traps without reverse sucks ass. If I could get the outboard up there I would use that instead.

I was thinking about string this boat up with a mud motor for when the river is down cause I've done bought 4 lower units for my outboard and everyone I talk to with a jet drive says don't get one cause it sucks up to much trash through the bottom in shallow water plus the hp decreases alot.

I use a mud motor for cat fishing quite a bit and I don't have reverse. It takes a bit getting used to but it's definitely doable. I would suggest an 18 hp copperhead. At only 130 lbs it will have plenty of power to push you along nicely unless your hauling huge loads. I've also found that using a trolling motor work quite well once you get to the area you want to set a line. I use my mud motor to get to the area then drop the trolling motor to set the line.

This is what I do when I run lines. Running lines with a mm is a bitch. Where I go really doesn't have much current so this works well

I would suggest staying with an outboard with that boat. However if you get the 23hp GDSD you can have bigger trim plates welded on it and it will run great. Go devil will do it for free. Please do not weld pods on it. What a waste of money.

This has potential

I know that I love this motor and that is all I really give a damn about. I know I just went all over the lake this morning through grass, mud, deep and shallow water and it performed well. Yes there is bigger and better rigs to buy but I got what I wanted from a damn good price. It runs well and gives me an opportunity to crab, fish, frog and hunt all year long. I barely burns any gas and it has never left me stranded. I know exactly what I have and I am glad I have it.

If you get a 23 gtr you won't have no problems on that boat I run a 35gtr on a 15/48 no problems here