First order of business for 2013? Pick up my new 2013 Coosa in blaze orange! As river ready as my trusty blue-white 2012, but it features some nice upgrades: forward opening hatch, GoPro mount, Ram-ball and rod holder, Nalgene bottle to name a few. To christen my new river beauty I promptly drug it down a concrete ramp and tossed it into a post-flood stage, rock strew river. Don’t be alarmed, these boats are built like a tank! This trip served as a bachelor getaway for my soon to be married pal.

At 38 degrees, 15 mile an hour winds, and a strong chance for snow the weather was prime for River Stalkin’. The fish were wired and looking to kill anything that drifted by thanks to the massive front looming on the horizon. Those river spots were beating my spinnerbaits like it owed them money. With post-flood stage waters and class II rapids, I could not have fished this creek effectively without my Coosa. The Coosa is the only boat on the market designed exclusively for fishing rivers. My new personal best river spot lay burried in a log jam on an outside eddy pocket. This eddy would have been impossible to reach with a normal boat as it sat alongside a super swift, deep channel cut as all of my companions passed it by. Gunning it through the rapids I hit the bottom and with one paddle stroke turned the Coosa back into the side eddy and drifted into position. I’m not that good, but the Coosa sure makes it look easy. First cast a massive Alabama Spot waylaid my spinnerbait like it was the blue plate at the local greasy spoon. The fight was fierce but short lived and I quickly netted my new personal best river spot.

A true giant for a tributary this size, she had a cavernous mouth and a build like left tackle. What a way to kick off the 2013 fishing season and christen my new 2013 Coosa. I can’t tell you how much I love this boat. When I hear someone criticize the Coosa for tracking to loosely or spinning in the wind, I just shake my head. Those are EXACTLY how a river boat should behave! Your river boat must be instantly responsive, turning on a dime to reach those hidden pockets that others pass by(see above river beast!) and cut across sections of swift current.