The ClackaCraft Eddy is one of the most versatile drift boats on the market.
It would be hard to do a float trip on any river in Montana without seeing an Eddy being rowed by a guides and hard core anglers . It has the traditional McKenzie river drift boat shape but has much lower sides and less surface area at the water line. This allows it to be easily rowed in windy conditions we often encounter fly fishing Montana rivers. The ClackaCraft Eddy comes in several configurations but the standard setup with a mega box in front is a guide favorite.
Mega Box Storage on the ClackaCraft Eddy
A huge amount of storage space for guided float trips is great on the ClackaCraft Eddy. It has the rowers seat mounted on a box that runs across the boat. Inside this box you can keep tackle, first aid kit and throw bag. The side open area is a perfect spot bilge pump and spare oar. The mega box is a double wide box that the front seat is mounted on. You can put 2 seats side by side but I really like the mega box for the large amount of storage it offers. I keep a soft cooler and life jackets in there. Under the rear anglers seat there is another box with storage for client gear.
Leg Braces
Sturdy braces for front and rear anglers that are very comfortable and can hold the angler in safely while standing or when we encounter fast water or flat water. Instead of a standards flat bottom the Eddy has what ClackaCraft calls the Gulfstream bottom. This is a tunnel hull with dimple along the entire length of the bottom below the waterline. The Eddy comes with 3 rod tubes on each side. Three facing the bow and three facing the stern. This is where I store my Orvis Helios 3F and Orvis Recon rods that I use with clients on a daily basis. This allows both anglers to easily access rods and the rower can also easily grab them from either side.
With these 6 rods in the tubes and both anglers having rods I can carry a total of 8 if needed. I rarely do but it is nice to have the option. I prefer to carry 3 or 4 rods total plus the rods in the anglers hands. This way I have plenty for anything we are doing and I can store all the rods in tubes to keep them out of the way when we stop for lunch. I also use a drift boat anchor system and accessories to make fishing trips more successful.
Anchoring
The 30 pound anchor from Green Anchors is a great choice. The digger model provides excellent stopping power regardless of the load in the Eddy. What makes the green special is the lead is encased in 3/16” raw steel to avoid polluting our rivers. These anchors have no sharp edges to puncture the boat. We all have made this mistake with sharp cornered pyramid anchors. A slip with cold hands can put a nasty gash quickly in the hull. Most guides run 30ft of anchor rope attached directly to the anchor by a carabiner. Many Montana fishing guides use a pulley to reduce the weight when pulling the anchor. The main downside of the pulley to me is that it takes twice as much rope and twice as long to pull it all in.
Sawyer Oars
9 ft Sawyer Square Tops with shoal cut blades pair well with the Eddy. These are hands down my favorite oars I have ever rowed with and you will see them on a majority of boats used by Montana fly fishing guides. The shoal cut blade is more efficient in the shallow water that we often fish on the Missouri River. Being able to row without banging rocks while crossing shallow bars does not alert the fish you are about to cast towards.
Fishing Gear For Montana