Recommendations for AR

[BillPu]

After a striper float trip with Andy, I have a yearning for a small craft to fish this area. I'm not looking for anything large, just something to let me access some of the honey holes.

What are your thoughts on prams with trolling motors versus outboards? How about a small drift boat with a motor (either trolling or OB). Would a trolling motor have enough power to allow me to put in at Howe and power to Sunrise then drift back?

Thanks!

Bill

[Darian]

I've been fishing out of an OLD TPL Dinghy (currently mfgr'd by Keaton). It's 8' in length and wide. Has a shallow draft. Is easliy rowed and is stable enough for two fly casters to stand and cast out of it. I fished the American and many other valley and coastal rivers out of it and never a problem. A trolling motor would work well on this and a slightly larger pram. On a larger pram a small outboard may be a better choice....

All of theis depends on your needs/wants. Write them down and use as a guide in making your purchase.

[Charlie Gonzales]

Bill,
I dont think there is a "perfect" boat out there. Prams are great if your only going to fish alone. Drift boats are great cuz you dont have to be as concerned with flows as a jon boat. Jets are great if you dont pay attention to the speed limit but are tricking controlling on lakes, or big flat water(back end slides when you make turns). My next boat will probably be a tunnel hull. For long floats like Sunrise to Howe its easier to get someone like Joe to shuttle your vehicle/trailer to the pull out rather than motoring up and drifting back down.

My two cents.

[BillPu]

Hey Charlie,

What is a tunnel hull? Have you decided on a particular boat already?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You might head up to Sutter Marine in Yuba City.

They sell the most aluminum Jon boats in Nor Cal.

You can find lots of V-bow aluminum boats used on classifieds for $1000 to $5000.

__________________________________________________ ___

This is a Lowe 14' Roughneck that is around $2500 new.

A Honda 20hp is about $3500 new.

A good trailer is about $1000 new.

$7000 for a great 1 or 2 man outfit.



This is the same size boat as Andy's.



You can order it with a flat aluminum floor over the ribs in the middle.

[Tony Buzolich]

If any of you head up to Sutter Marine in Yuba City stop in at Johnson's Bait and Tackle and say hi. We're only a half block north.
TONY

[Charlie Gonzales]

Mr. kiene can prabobly explain this better, but its a jon boat that has a concave ridge that starts maybe mid way of the bottom of the boat, and extends to the stern. It alows the prop to sit just about at the bottom of the boat rather than a foot below so you can go through much skinnier water. Hopefully Billy can elaborate on this. The G2's are pretty sexy. I have a 16' Fisher w/a 20 on it and with the addition of oars I'll be set for while. My boat came with a 25 merc, that got stollen, and I decided to go with a Honda 20 cuz its 75#'s lighter. I dont notice much difference in performance, but in my mind I should go through the thin stuff easier w/out hittin bottom. The bass outing will be the fist time in open water with this motor so we'll see how it is. good luck with your decission.

[BillPu]

Thanks for the tips guys. Does anyone own or have experience with Koffler boats? I saw this one at the ISE show and thought it looked pretty nice. I was looking at the 12 foot model.
http://www.kofflerboats.com/index2.php

[Dustin Revel]

is it the rocky mountain trout boat that you are looking at. I (technically my dad) owns two koffler one drift boat one 13' rocky mountain trout boat with all the bells and whistles including the plastic bottom. koffler builds good boats no complaints we've had the RMT on the sac, trinity and fall rivers. No complaints.
Dusty Revel

[BillPu]

Dusty,

The one I saw was the 12 foot white water pram. I didn't see the RMT but it looks nice from the website. Do you have any type of motor on your boats?