Musky has a reputation as the fish of 10,000 casts. Landon Hintz has spent the last several years proving that the right mindset and the right inflatable drift boat can shorten those odds.
Check it out:
Landon owns and operates Whiskey Rivers Fly Fishing in west-central Wisconsin. We spent two days with him fly fishing for summertime musky on the small inland rivers he grew up on, from a Flycraft Stealth X inflatable drift boat.
From Factory Floor to Wisconsin Fly Fishing Guide
Landon was hired to guide at a fly-in lodge in Alaska in 2020. Then COVID hit, Alaska shut down, and he stayed at his manufacturing job to wait things out.
A couple of years later his work schedule changed and freed up a few extra days a week. "I still definitely had that itch to do some guiding," he says. He used that time to start Whiskey Rivers, and it's been working out ever since.
He started the whole thing with his dad, and it started with a Flycraft. On this trip his dad was in the boat netting fish. "If I could count the hours that we've spent together fishing, it's got to be way up there."
The Musky Fly Fishing Mindset: Expect Nothing, Believe Everything
Landon's approach to fly fishing for musky rests on a contradiction. Going in expecting a fish every day is unrealistic, but you also need the confidence that you will get one every day.
"It only takes one," he says. "Your whole day can turn around with one cast. One eat, one fish."
That means staying locked in for 8 to 12 hours, watching your fly swim on every strip. If you feel the slightest tick, even something that feels like bottom or a stick, you strip into it like it's the fish of a lifetime.
Why Summer Is Prime Time for River Musky
Fall and winter musky get lethargic. You feel a tick and then dead weight until the fish realizes it's hooked.
Summer is different. Landon says these fish are "fired up" because their metabolism is at its peak. They sit in fast water and trout water, tucked behind boulders in the middle of rapids. Splash a fly down and they come up and hit it off the surface.
And almost every eat is visual. As Landon puts it, a 40-plus-inch river fish can't hide.
On smaller inland Wisconsin musky rivers, a 40-incher is a trophy. These are old, slow-growing fish, though a 50-inch freak isn't out of the question. On this trip, the crew got into what Landon called a "real awesome, clean river specimen."
Why an Inflatable Drift Boat Beats a Hard Boat on Small Rivers
Landon's home water has no shortage of options. When conditions shift, you drive a little further or switch species, but there's always somewhere to fish. The catch is that many of the best musky stretches are remote sections where a traditional hard-sided drift boat can't get in.
"That's kind of where the Flycraft comes in," he says. When water levels drop, he knows he can still float it. Some days he gets out and drags it through a spot, and that's manageable.
His summary is simple: if there's any will to get to the water, there's a way to get on it.
That's what separates a portable inflatable drift boat from a hard boat and trailer. You get the drift boat experience of standing, casting, and anchoring without needing a boat ramp to launch.
Stealth X: A 2 or 3 Person Inflatable Fishing Boat Built for This
The Stealth X is built for exactly this kind of fishing:
- Shallow draft of 3–4 inches. Float the low-water stretches that full-size drift boats can't touch.
- Built to be dragged. An extra armor layer protects the tubes, and skid plates cover the four highest-wear corners.
- Self-bailing floor. Like a whitewater raft, it drains water on its own in fast current.
- Rated for Class III. Handles the boulder-strewn rapids where summer musky hold, with full-size oars and two passengers.
- Two or three anglers. At 12' long and 56" wide, it's a comfortable 2-person fishing raft with room in back for a third. Landon runs two or three guys depending on flows.
- Stand and fight. Leg lock standing braces and a high-pressure drop-stitch floor give you a solid casting platform.
- Fits in a truck bed or on a roof. The frame breaks down, so you can reach put-ins a trailered drift boat never could.
- Motor-ready. Handles up to a 3.5 hp motor, so it works as an inflatable fishing boat on lakes and still water too.
It's the width and self-bailing floor of our 14' Guide 3-person inflatable fishing boat packed into the transportable length of our 2-man Stealth. Pro fly fisherman Lance Egan calls it the perfect blend of the two.
See Stealth X inflatable drift boat packages →
More Than the Fish
Asked what's changed since he started guiding, Landon talked less about the fish and more about the people. A good handful of his best friends are people he's met through fly fishing over the last decade. Some live an hour or two away, and he might only see them when they meet up at a river.
That's the part we love most too. A boat that gets you to more water gets you more days on the river with the people who matter.
Inflatable Drift Boat FAQs
What is the best inflatable drift boat for small rivers?
You want a shallow draft, a self-bailing floor, and a tough bottom you can drag over gravel. The Flycraft Stealth X drafts 3–4 inches, has reinforced skid plates, and at 12 feet is short enough for tight, technical water.
Can you fly fish for musky from an inflatable boat?
Yes. Standing braces and a rigid drop-stitch floor let two anglers stand and cast big flies all day. Many musky guides prefer inflatables on smaller rivers because they reach water hard boats can't.
How many people fit in the Stealth X?
Two comfortably, with room in the back for a third angler. It has a 1,000 lb capacity.
How much does the Stealth X weigh?
It weighs 132 lbs, and the frame breaks down for transport in a truck bed, on a roof rack, or in an RV compartment. See the full boat specs.
Is the Stealth X self-bailing?
Yes. The Stealth X, Stealth 2.0, and Guide all have self-bailing floors.
How long does an inflatable fishing boat last?
With normal care, expect 10–20 years. Every Stealth X comes with a 3-year factory warranty and a field repair kit.
Get Your Own Stealth X Inflatable Drift Boat
Every Stealth X package includes a 5-chamber raft, an ultralight aluminum frame, two 360° swivel seats, an internal anchor system, a high-capacity pump, a field repair kit, upgraded steel oarlocks, and a 3-year factory warranty. It ships within 72 hours.
Get $300 off + free shipping (save $800) on any Stealth X package with code SAVE300. Expires Tuesday 10/6.
Still deciding? Compare every Flycraft inflatable fishing boat, use the Boat Finder, read customer reviews, or look at financing options. Questions? Call or text (801) 810-4022.
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