Small Personal Craft for Rivers

Cliff

Cliff

Steelhead
Hello, I'm kind of kicking around the idea of buying a smaller, 1 to 2 person inflatable for fishing smaller rivers and streams. Specifically, I'm thinking about rivers like the St. Joe, Coeur d'Alene, Yakima, etc. Size is an issue since I drive a Subaru wagon, and I'd like something light enough for one old man to muscle to and from the water. Oh, and prices is also an issue. Less expensive is good. Thank you.
 
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Guy Gregory

Guy Gregory

Semi-retired
Forum Supporter
I got a 2-salt catchercraft, I gotta trailer it, but its a good boat for all the water I’m likely to row.
 
D

Draketake

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
Cliff,

I always had my heart set on a Scadden Skykomish Sunrise. Very capable boat with a sliding stand up casting platform.
Can load it up for an overnight. It can be rowed or finned. Stillwater or moving...... does both.

Choose to buy a Longboard instead of the Sunrise. Now cant justify the Sunrise as I currently have a Driftboat.

Have fun shopping.

Bob
 
Dr. Magill

Dr. Magill

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
I’ve had a Scadden pontoon with the casting platform for about 19 years. Good boat as I have used it all over the state.
Couple of things
The platform hangs up in shallow riffles that one could normally row. Now it is a walk. Used it one time- the first time- and not since.
Second is a single boat in a river like the Yakima becomes more of a transport than a fishing platform. You would probably need to anchor and wade which can be a limiting factor depending on flows
Good fun in lakes but I got a hard bottom row boat for that application. Way more comfortable for an older guy
 
DFG

DFG

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
Keep in mind the difficulty/danger involved in anchoring one of these small craft in moving water. I have a 1-man 'toon and quickly realized that anchoring in moving water is strictly for those with a death wish.
 
Dr. Magill

Dr. Magill

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
DFG said:
Keep in mind the difficulty/danger involved in anchoring one of these small craft in moving water. I have a 1-man 'toon and quickly realized that anchoring in moving water is strictly for those with a death wish.
Click to expand...
Yes
Can be dangerous
The only way I would anchor would be to get out and wade the area
 
cdnred

cdnred

Life of the Party
With your Subaru, were you looking at trailering, placing it on top or inside. With the trailering you could go with a 1 to 2 person boat or inflatable but if on top or inside I'm thinking a one person inflatable would be your limit. How important is it to have a 2 person boat instead of a single person boat..? Inflatables are great if you don't mind inflating at the site to save space inside the Subaru for traveling. Keep in mind that it may have a frame to consider if placing it inside or on top. Plus I think inflatables would be somewhat lighter to handle loading and unloading by yourself. I've got a Colorado XT that came with a swingable wheel attached to the frame that lowers to make rolling the boat back and forth to the water easier by myself. You should be able to pickup a decent inflatable on the cheap to keep the costs down..

Were you considering adding a motor to the mix, would come in handy if you need to reach a distant point..? Some inflatables offer a basket to hold a battery and a motor mount plus the option of adding a fish finder if that's something down the road you'd be interested in..

Keep in mind what others have posted here about the dangers of anchoring an inflatable in moving water..
 
Divad

Divad

Whitefish
I would recommend an Outcast OSG Clearwater but it is $1500 or Fishcat 9IR at $1200. The benefit of this design of the Clearwater is at 35lbs, any bad water you see, you can simply pick it up and walk around it. No hazards needed if you encounter them. But this raft is more than capable of doing it if you do. A little harder to simply lift up framed pontoon boats, you end up dragging.

I would ask yourself though, do you care to fish from the boat while moving? If so this will change decisions of your boat. Its nice to have fins on deeper slower rivers to fish from boat. You can also drop your feet and fish sections easier standing inside the tube. But these type of inflatables do not track as easily as catamaran styles. Like a Fishcat 9IR which track nicely, and get you off the water, less wet.
 
Cliff

Cliff

Steelhead
Guys, thank you very much for your advice and suggestions. Right now I'm thinking of a one-person inflatable that would go on my roof, but I obviously need to research this more. At some point a trailerable rig might be a better idea, but this Fishcat 91R looks pretty nice. I need to research the suggestions that have been made. I really do appreciate it.

Cliff
 
Divad

Divad

Whitefish
Cliff said:
Guys, thank you very much for your advice and suggestions. Right now I'm thinking of a one-person inflatable that would go on my roof, but I obviously need to research this more. At some point a trailerable rig might be a better idea, but this Fishcat 91R looks pretty nice. I need to research the suggestions that have been made. I really do appreciate it.

Cliff
Click to expand...
Just thought I’d add, seems prices vary a little from retailer to retailer on the Outcast stuff. Hunt around and local suppliers may match, negotiate with you or have even lower prices.

9IR for $950 + Ed’s has a 10% off deal too so $850 👍. Not saying to only go that boat option but likely other Outcast stuff is sold cheaper than MSRP.
 
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Cliff

Cliff

Steelhead
Divad said:
Just thought I’d add, seems prices vary a little from retailer to retailer on the Outcast stuff. Hunt around and local suppliers may match, negotiate with you or have even lower prices.

9IR for $950 + Ed’s has a 10% off deal too so $850 👍. Not saying to only go that boat option but likely other Outcast stuff is sold cheaper than MSRP.
Click to expand...
Great, thanks Divad.
 
G

GLassguy2

Smolt
I think until midnight tonight Ed's has a 20% off sale, but I don't know the base price of the 9IR there. The IR9 has 4 9" pontoons versus some of the other pontoons which are generally 2 - 16"pontoons. On a lake, the larger pontoons can be blown around more than a lower profile 9" pontoon. That may be obvious but thought I would point it out.
 
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