Northwest Fishing Reports

I am looking to get something big enough that can take my wife and daughter fishing with me that I can transport sans trailer (i.e.: car topper). I'm thinking either a Mad River Adventure 14/16, Mad River Explorer 14/16, or a Sea Eagle SE 9. I am starting to lean towards the SE 9 in terms of portability and stability. The only problem is I am not entirely sure about owning an inflatable.

Anyone here have any experience w/ Sea Eagle or any other advice?

I would go with the canoe but that's just me. The reason for that is because inflatables can get a hole in them, or have some sort of air leak a lot easier than canoes.

i would search craigslist for a used aluminum

I have used both a canoe (16' Coleman) and a raft (SeaHawk Sport from Costco) for fishing. Between the two of these I preferred the raft. It was a pain to inflate and deflate the raft to transport it, but it was much more stable and easier to fish from than the canoe.

I would also consider looking at a small fiberglass Livingston style boat or a smaller aluminum Jon boat. These would give you the stability of the inflatable with the durability of the canoe and would probably be more comfortable for three people.

Just posted to the front page, Tacklebox Tales, an article on canoe fishing for bass, by Bob Johansen.

I second a small aluminum jon boat. A little more sturdy, more comfortable, and no worries about tipping in canoes or holes in the inflatable...

Whatever you end up with, I hope it gets you into some big fish...

I have a 16' canoe and the issue with my kids is comfort not stability. The bench seats are too hard to sit on for a long time. I am going to get some fold-down seats for it and I think that will do the trick! I had a jon-boat many years ago and they are much more stable. My daughter and her husband bought a raft this spring and took it back after the first trip. Too small and hard to manuver...comes down to personal choice.

I think it is a great idea to surf craigslist for a while before you make up your mind to see what is out there. Who knows...you might end up with a dory!

i third the aluminum boat. but if it came down to a canoe or a inflatable i would say buy a good inflatable that will accept a motor, i fish out of a 12 ft sevylor fish hunter raft that works great. very good stability and good oar locks if you dont get a motor. it can easly hold 3 people with 4 being the absolute maximum for comfort and casting room. but whatever you hear is going to be personal opinion, so if you can i would see if your friends have either an inflatable or a canoe that you can test out and see what you like.

I love my jon boat! The stock bench seats are not very comfortable, so I added a swivel set. A decent trolling motor pushes the boat around pretty good. (It's a good idea to also carry oars, just in case.)

yea i want a jon boat like that, how much did that set ya back?

Fisherman_max wrote:yea i want a jon boat like that, how much did that set ya back?

I paid $300 for it a couple of years ago. The price included a trolling motor and oars. At the time I thought it was a lot of money for such a basic old boat, but the 10 footers are hard to find. I don't need a trailer and it is super easy to load into the little toymotor truck by myself. It's also so small that it doesn't need to be registered -- which saves a few bucks.
On the down-side, I'm a big guy and the boat is rated for a maximum capacity of 275lbs. I overload it with me and all my gear (~350lbs), but since I sit close to the middle, it rides just fine and can easily handle waves from those annoying ski boats.

Max,
Those boats are really tough to find used. People hold on to them for a long time and when they are placed on the internet for sale, they go QUICK...You'll needa be checking CL a few times a day...

New 10 foot jon boat models will run in the mid $500's for Lowe's or Trackers...Plus you needa outfit it with a motor, battery, charger, oars, etc, which will run atleast another $250 if your looking at new stuff

I have used the Mad River Adventure 14 probably fifty plus times in this last year alone. It's an incredible fishing machine, but only for on to two people; more would just be crowded. I love taking the canoe, even out by myself into those secluded holes. They are very stable and track nice to boot. I have floated down the river with my friend and her little girl and that was ok, but then again, we weren't fishing. I think you're on the right track with an aluminum john or a semi-vee. I can fit my 12 foot semi-vee in the back of my shortbed ford ranger no problem; heck, I can even load/unload it in there by myself if needed, but it sure helps to have a hand. I'd personally skip the john boat and just get a semi-vee in the 12 foot range just for the extra space and comfort as they're usually a bit wider. Myself and my girlfriend and my son all fish in my 12 footer fine trolling, bottom fishing or casting (bow and stern anchors really help) and we're totally good. Plus, with that little of a boat, I can run one battery all day no worries. Well, I guess that's my two cents. Now get yerself a boat and get it wet!

I guess I should have provided a little more info... I already have a 7.5' Livingston that I love using, by myself. I have tried taking my wife or daughter out on it, but it just does not have enough room and it doesn't take the uneven weight distribution well. The second problem is that my truck is pretty much out of commission (brakes shot, headlights don't work, the tranny is slipping again, and it was/is killing me with its paltry 6mpg.) I am trying to find something that I can take to the eastern lakes camping or local lakes on days w/ family either in or on top of my Jeep Liberty. I've got the towing package, but I do not want to deal with a trailer.
Bottom line- I am looking for a decent family boat for under $600 that can be easily transported on top of or inside of my Jeep that isn't a complete piece of crap. I've heard enough horror stories about the Sevylor inflatable fishing boats to stay away from them. A real boat will eventually become a reality, but for the next couple of years I want something to fill the void. It is important to me to include my family as much as I can and this would be an excellent vehicle for that; no pun intended.

Thanks for all your input guys, I appreciate it. I'll let y'all know what I end up getting here in the next month or so.

I would reccomend a small rowing flattie. They are stable, can be built to suit (you pick where the seats go, how big, where the rowing stations are, etc), and are easily cartoppable. On top of that, you can always add an electric for those upwind days. Prams (transoms front and back) will hold the family well in a short length boat. Flatiron skiffs are a little more friendly to row, but are a little longer. Garveys and punts are what you guys would call jonboats, and give great bang for the buck, though don't move as well as the previously mentioned hulls.

I can build to suit in certain boats for that price.

E

I'd recommend a 10' Zodiac. It won't sink even when you fill it completely with water, with a Jon boat it will sink. It depends what your using it for. I run all around LW in 3-4 ft. waves in my 10'6" with my Yamaha 8hp 2007. Great setup, for around 2,500. If you're just fishing local lakes where wind waves don't get larger than 1 foot...then a Jon boat. If not, a larger (10 foot) inflatible would be the way to go! I used to have a Zodiac RIB 14"9" YL420 with a Yami 50hp 2-stroke...the thing went 45! Those were the good old days! Good luck!

Just a side note, any boat can be made unsinkable, and the majority come that way from the factory. Its just a matter of foaming the voids.

E

Gisteppo wrote:Just a side note, any boat can be made unsinkable, and the majority come that way from the factory. Its just a matter of foaming the voids.

E

True. But if the boat is an older 70's or 80's model, foaming the voids becomes more difficult. Inflatibles are nice to have due to the assurance that you won't sink. Downside of course is the patches that you will make over and over again.

I checked out a few of the Zodiacs at West Marine the other day and I think that may be the direction I'm headed. They are a little more than what I was planning on, but you get what you pay for. The stability, portability, and versatility is the real selling point for me. Plus it will make a great towable when I get my bigger boat down the road.
Now if I can just find a cheap gas motor for Lk Sammamish and the eastern lakes...

EastsideRedneck wrote:I checked out a few of the Zodiacs at West Marine the other day and I think that may be the direction I'm headed. They are a little more than what I was planning on, but you get what you pay for. The stability, portability, and versatility is the real selling point for me. Plus it will make a great towable when I get my bigger boat down the road.
Now if I can just find a cheap gas motor for Lk Sammamish and the eastern lakes...

Exactly. I run an 8HP off mine, but anywhere from 6-10HP is ideal for a 8-10ft Zodiac. They are quality. I have one with an inflatible keel...it gets up and scoots. Good choice!