Pram, canoe, etc...

[slage]

Looking for a little info regarding smaller vessels and bigger rivers..
Would, for example a pram, given non-flood conditions, be appropriate for the A?
I have seen canoes and such out, mainly to get to an island, etc. then fish from outside the boat. That makes perfect sense, however, I am really unexperienced with prams and their capabilities.
Would you feel safe floating the A in a 10 footer?
Or, stick to the lakes and ponds...
Thanks

[Darian]

I've owned and fished out of an 8' fiberglass pram since about 1976. It's one of the original TPL dinghys (now Keaton). It's beam is wide for it's length and has flotation built in. I've fished out of it in most of the valley rivers, the Smith, Eel, Klamath and Mad Rivers on the coast. It's steady enough for me to stand in and cast out of when anchored.

Altho I havne't done a lot of drifting in it, I wouldn't hestitate to do so with some caution. I cewrtainly wouldn't attempt to stand and cast in a rapids. for example.

A pram can be outfitted to make it quiet and quite comfortable for fishing. Better than any amount of wading or tubing IMHO.... Now, if they could onl;y make it launch/row itself....

[Ed Wahl]

I'm with Darian, I've been using my 8 ft aluminum pram on the A since the shad run. Early on I only took it in the slow water, that river was high. At the flows now the whole river is open. Big advantage over a canoe, one of them, is the ability to stand up and cast. Makes things a lot easier. Darian, you work on getting them to load and unload themselves, I'll start looking for a truck that will drive itself to the take out.

[Darian]

WOW!!!!!.... No mor shuttles....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You can car top an 8 or 10 foot pram or put it in the bed of a pickup.

Bigger than that you probably need a trailer.

Prams need to be wide and fairly flat bottom so they are stable.

You can use oars but they need to be the right length. Most boats I see have oars that are too short.

A 55# thrust 12 volt electric will power a small pram.

A 4-6 hp outboard is nice.

The advantage of a good pram is that you can stand and cast from it plus you can bring a little ice chest, gear and extra rods.

A 14-16' simple aluminum Jon boat on a trailer is a really cool platform for flat water.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Darian,

Does your pram have the built in bench seat with floatation tanks front and rear.
If so, does it give you enough room for all the equipment and batterey for the trolling motor

Jay

[Adam Grace]

I fished out of my 8' TP&L style pram out on the American with a 4-horse, 2-stroke motor by myself and just like everyone else is saying, prams are nice and stable. I could easily stand up and fishing in my little pram. A 10' would be much better for 2 people, better on calm water than moving water but do-able.

One trick that Andy at Kiene's taught me was to use a drag chain. Now before I get complaints about dragging chain on the river bottom, I covered the chain with an old bike innertube to minimize damage to the river bottom. I used about 4-5' of chain and attached it via a carabiner to another carabiner attached to my anocher rope. I would also carry a standard mushroom style 10lb anchor as well if I had to hold in one place in strong current. The drag chain would allow me to drift through a run and fish while pointing straight up-stream without any bothersome rowing interupting my fishing. I could adjust how quikly I drifted down a run by how much rope I let out. I could even let out enough rope to completely stop my boat as long as I was in slow to moderate current. The drag chain made fishing by myself much easier.

Prams are low sided so they are not good for running you boat out in open water in the Delta or a major reservior where there are large to medium-sized waves that could go over the gunwales and fill your pram. I always fished out of my pram while wearing one of those SOSpender PFD's, you have be causious out on the water. Bill carries some in his shop.