Northwest Fishing Reports

Looking for a newer drift boat, must be aluminum, 16x54+ ready to fish with trailer ect.. Keep an eye out for me!!!

Really?? Lol 45 views and not a single person with something to offer...

Sure lots of boats on CL, take a hard look at Portland.

X2 Hit craigs list. I bought one off CL a couple months ago. I searched eastern WA, Portland, Idaho, Montana, postings. I was willing to drive a couple hundred miles for a good deal and ended up finding one in Seattle.

Its so easy for someone to email a couple dozen pics showing every angle of there boat, ask them to include pics of the Bad/Ugly spots because your going to see them when you get there.

What did you get edge??

edge540 wrote:X2 Hit craigs list. I bought one off CL a couple months ago. I searched eastern WA, Portland, Idaho, Montana, postings. I was willing to drive a couple hundred miles for a good deal and ended up finding one in Seattle.

Its so easy for someone to email a couple dozen pics showing every angle of there boat, ask them to include pics of the Bad/Ugly spots because your going to see them when you get there.

I did the same thing as edge bought mine off skagit cl..some good deals out there

OK... silly question, but I have gone on a few guided driftboat trips. Obviously this means that the guide was rowing the boat.
My buddy and a fished.
What are your intentions? Does a person look for a drift boat because they want to take friends down the river..... I don't see how you can fish by yourself? Our guide had his hands full keeping the boat on course. Just curious.

Quad, its all about getting away from the crowds. While you can fish out of it, you can also access bank spots no one else can. And my buddies will have to figure their own gear out lol im not guiding no one!

Have fun Brian, your "Ship" will come in,, in due time.

And when it does I'll be looking forward to meeting new people and drifting new rivers, ill keep you posted when I find her!!! Lol

Brian253 wrote:What did you get edge??

Brian, Mine is an Alumaweld Pro guide 16X54. It all depends on your budget, you can float down the river on a pontoon boat. I did my research and got one with fish boxes, a large dry box, side shelves, good anchor system, composite oars, galvanized trailer with good lights. Other things to consider that will make one boat a better deal then another: Spare oar, Spare oar lock, pole holders, ropes/rigging ( if you don't know why get reading) Trailer( bearing buddies, condition of bearings, tires, winch, strap/cable, lights, rollers, structure of frame, coupler....) Don't buy one without rowing it on a lake, If it wont row straight on a lake you don't want it on a river.

The Quadfather wrote: Does a person look for a drift boat because they want to take friends down the river..... I don't see how you can fish by yourself? Just curious.

I bought mine to ditch the crowds and fish places that you cant go on foot. I have friends that are experienced oarsmen so I can make them row when I want to fish. One of the coolest things about a drift boat is pulling up on a gravel bar on a "Hot river" like the hump and fishing with you buddies and nobody else. I added some heaters to my boat that double as cook surfaces so when its freezing out were still warm while we cook a hot lunch. Nothing beats a hot lunch on a cold day

~Steve

Thank you for the insight edge! All great advice

Yeah man, I got the same itch to get away from crowds, going to eastern washington this weekend to test, maybe buy a drift boat. You can also bobberdog, back troll, and most other things that jet boats do, just more peacefull and obviously more affordable. Really, I noticed boats all over the place, so it just depends on how much you want to spend. The boat I found is $1000 with trailer- the boats looks like it is in good shape and I may just need to do a little work to the trailer- paint it, repack the bearings, put in bearing buddies, etc.. We'll see when I get there. I live in the Tacoma area too, we could hook up and trade off rowing some time! Good luck!

I've waited till now to point out a few things about drift boats many folks fail to consider.
1. Going by yourself will be an exercise in frustration.
2. You have to get back to your starting place to get the rig and trailer.
3. You have to leave your drift boat to get the rig and trailer.
4. No second trys on a drift.
5. No roof if the weather really gets bad.
6. Need to move fast for any reason, sorry.
7. There are no special consideration for a drift boat, you have the same rights and responsibilities as all other vessels.
8. You have to row it.

That said, a drift can be used legally in places that other boats can't for those places they're great. For general fishing I prefer a jetboat. They can go places drift boats only dream about and you can drive upstream, You can drive it to the trailer when you're done fishing. Fuel, yeah but it's a toss up, a drift boat takes two rigs to run. I still would like to have one for those special places but I have no desire to use one where my jetboat goes.

Bodo: Re: Go places drift boats only dream of- gotta disagree with that one- how about low water? How about smaller streams, i.e. Kalama. Actually can't think of a spot a jet can get into that a drift boat can't, please, do tell... (?) Plus most O.P. rivers and streams have an unspoken rule against jets whether its in the regs or not- could end up with a vandalized rig when you get back to load that jet; courtesy of the locals. And some of us have spots on the O.P. that we'd much prefer to the Cow at B.C.

nat wrote:Bodo: Re: Go places drift boats only dream of- gotta disagree with that one- how about low water? How about smaller streams, i.e. Kalama. Actually can't think of a spot a jet can get into that a drift boat can't, please, do tell... (?) Plus most O.P. rivers and streams have an unspoken rule against jets whether its in the regs or not- could end up with a vandalized rig when you get back to load that jet; courtesy of the locals. And some of us have spots on the O.P. that we'd much prefer to the Cow at B.C.

im with ya nat i own both a jet and a drift, its alot easier to beach my drift to land a big nate for c and r and most o.p. rivers have shuttle service... one rig. i use my drift boat 4 to 1 and come feb 1 when sound rivers close ya o.p. here we come

I hear ya Bodo but there is alot to a drifter that you cant do with your Jet.

Yea the caw is a jet river but I can still run back up in my kicker. Its not nearly as good on some rivers but it works.

My Buddie has a nice sled and he has had his truck and trailer trashed on the coastal op rivers, they don't appreciate sleds out there.

No I don't have a roof but I do have good waders, coats and rain gear so I can fish in comfort in rain and snow while sitting in front of the heaters.

Id love to see a sled run the solduck....

No im not going anywhere in a hurry im just fishing and you cant do that at 35 mph.

Pretty sure I can manuver my drifter into a bunch of spots that a sled wont go.

I use shuttle services that cost less then your daily fuel bill.

Very little mechanically to go wrong on a drifter.

Its relaxing to drift down the river without any noise, just riding the current.

Im fat, I need the exercise

nat wrote:Bodo: Re: Go places drift boats only dream of- gotta disagree with that one- how about low water? How about smaller streams, i.e. Kalama. Actually can't think of a spot a jet can get into that a drift boat can't, please, do tell... (?) Plus most O.P. rivers and streams have an unspoken rule against jets whether its in the regs or not- could end up with a vandalized rig when you get back to load that jet; courtesy of the locals. And some of us have spots on the O.P. that we'd much prefer to the Cow at B.C.

Sorry but a small jet boat goes much shallower than a drift boat. I laugh when I see them stuck in the middle of the skinny with one or two guys out pushing it over the rocks. If I see water, the boat will go there, I can tell you have limited experience with a jetboat or never been with anyone that has a set Sorry but I have to disagree about most of it but the vandalizm, well that just shows a low brow and I hope you're not involved. Karma will come around and take care of those guys. As for the Cow, it's all yours, rarely go there and I'm not even sure what brought that up.

Definitely not involved with the vandalism, my fishing partners rig had cut tires and all lights broken out of trailer when he returned from fishing in a "drifter area"

edge540 wrote:Definitely not involved with the vandalism, my fishing partners rig had cut tires and all lights broken out of trailer when he returned from fishing in a "drifter area"

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be doing anything like that. You work too hard and just don't strike me as the type.