Fishing from rafts

[trophyelk6x6]

Anyone have much experience using rafts like a Aire Super Duper Puma, I am looking at a PAC 1400 with NRS frame for steelheading.

[7mmfan]

Yes. What are your main questions or concerns?

[trophyelk6x6]

advantages and disadvantages.   Obviously low water ability for rafts but lose on control/boat tracking?  Another is safety, I assume a raft is easier and safer than drift boats?  Thinking of that rock pile above 101 on the HOH and sections of the Sol Duc.  Fished them guided on drift boats but not a raft. 

[klickman]

Rafts can go where drift boats can't. Drift boats row way better. Rafts are not as comfortable to fish out of. For small river fishing in low water a raft is hard to beat. It also depends how you fish. If you backtroll or sit on anchor rafts aren't as good as a DB. Rafts will fish one or two people comfortably.


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[7mmfan]

That's pretty much it. There are some rafts, like the Aire that you mentioned that actually row very well, but in general it is difficult to tread water in them, let alone row them back upstream. Anchoring is a challenge. They actually tend to track fairly well, but get pushed around in turbulence.

Yes, way better in low/rocky water. Sliding over rocks is so much nicer than banging into them. Safer is in the hands of the rower though. I've seen rafts swamped on structure that I'm pretty sure a hard boat would have spun off of. The low sides can be a liability as well. I often ride in my driftboat without a lifevest (dumb I know), but you wouldn't catch me in a raft without one. One mis-step and you're over the side.

Lastly, storage and overall floor space will be lower than in your hard boat, so you need to plan out how much stuff to bring and where to store it.

[Henrydog]

klickman nailed it.  I have a Willie drift boat.  This last Presidents day the Ronde dropped fast and the 3rd day of a trip.   I fished out of a buddies raft since a bunch of can openers appeared overnight.  Same float took about 30% less time, a raft is like grease throw a goose, but we where able to get throw some very skinny water.