Boat specs?

[Hillbilly75]

What is the smallest size boat and HP outboard a person could comfortably get by with on the Missouri River as it flows through most of NE? I am not looking for doing anything but getting up and down the river for fishing or maybe hunting in the future. Also looking to get by with the "comfortable" minimum (if such thing exists  ) as I currently don't have the budget, space or vehicle for anything too big (fish and ski etc.). Most of the time it would probably be just me and one other person with very little gear. If I would be safer fishing from the bank, that is OK too; not sure how strong the Mighty MO is through NE, I have only fished it here in MT.
Thanks in advance.

[FishHutt]

I think that your needs may also depend on if the river is getting towards flood stage like it has so often recently.  A person would be wise to spend enough to have a safe outfit or not try it.  Happy Trails.

[slamber]

I went to school at UNL and fished the platte and Missouri a bunch while I was there. We had two boats we used and neither was anything special. One was an old 16' semi-v aluminum john boat w/ a 20 horse outboard. The other was a 17' flat bottomed aluminum john boat w/ a 25 horse outboard. We didn't get anywhere very quick but they worked fine for getting there and back. We usually just ran to the holes and then fished from shore. I wouldn't have gone out in them when the Mo was up and feeling frisky though. Good times on those rivers!

[spark]

Above Gavin Point dam the river is not channelized so the current is not a great a below the dam.  I grew up above Gavins point by Niobrara and we fished out of small 14' boats with 20 HP, below the dam like down by Omaha the river runs a little quicker due to it is channelized there.  You can still get by with a small motor but like slamber said you are not going to get anywhere fast.  It's amazing how it's two different rivers above and below Gavins point. 

Good Luck