There were very few boats on the lower American river.......

I fished the lower American river for about 60 years now and back then we never saw any boats to speak of.

They did use outboard boats from the mouth up to about Paradise Beach/River Park though for salmon and steelhead.

Some use boats for trolling for salmon from Howe Ave down the the bridge on H/J street.

Al Perryman use to put in a small pram above the Sunrise Bridge and anch up for King salmon in the Fall.

While wading fishing with my spinning tackle and night crawlers I once saw a huge jet boat go by at Watt Ave

It was one from the lower Rogue river and I think they were seeing if it was possible on the American.

Above Howe Avenue we saw very few power boats but there were some rafts and canoes that came down the river.


Mostly from the Nimbus dam down to Watt Ave it was a wading river 'back in the day.'


We never saw a jet boat or drift boat until the last 30 years or so.


Andy Guibord started fishing Stripers in the American in his 8 foot pram with oars and a small outboard over 20 years ago.