BOATS, BOATS, AND MORE BOATS

[cohoho]

Kbers- Again goes back to what the main purpose of the boat is, not all are perfect in any way, all around boat, as I currently have, you sacrifice in other areas.  The orginal reply was thinking you wanted to run shallow, well the Wooldridge can be tough to beat period, but there is trade offs, it will be safe on the bigger water but you will feel like your getting slapped by a 1000lb man on every breaker.  I assumed, you wouldn't be utilizing it in the Big water? 

My dream scenio is four boats, one shallow running river jet, One recreational boat (Water Skiing) and one big ass ocean boat and of course an Airboat with a 500 hp motor to push up any river or land bridge in AK (a pic of a friends Airboat in Fairbanks).  Notice the crane system!!!!!!! to lift the Moose right into the boat....  He also uses it in the winter to groom some snow mobile trails and runs the iced over rivers during break up.   

Or a multipurpose boat, like Dman stated.

[actionshooter]

Thats Cool!

[kbyers]

wow, how does the air boat ride with a big old moose in it?  You assumed right, it will mostly be used in shallow rivers, with some runs across open water to get to the big bass, or a secret duck blind.  Thank you for all of your advise, I have been talking to Rob at Wooldridge in Seattle, I think that I am going to go with the 17 foot Alaskan, with the Etec 115hp.  Now my only choice in the center consol or the forward windshield.  Again thank you for the advise.

[cohoho]

Get the windshield, you'll appreciate it on those cold mornings.  Man a 115 E-Tec, that things will out right fly...  When I see the blur, I will know which boat just past me...  Man all this talk has really gotten me into the mood to run some rivers, anyone up?

[kbyers]

If you guys don't mind, I would love to make a trip over to the West side and go out on the rivers with you.  The only river that I have been out on over there is the Skagit and that was only below Mt Vernon.  I am always up for learning a new river.

[sisu]

I loved those airboats...12 months of the year if ya wanted too.

[cohoho]

Sisu, Where did you live up there, interior/Town, in Los Anchorage or the Valley of Traffic?  Just curious, no reason why.  The picture above were of his Fairbanks boat, he'd use it as a way into Minto Flats for Moose and shoot plenty to prove his boat was the best option going.  I had a pretty good gig starting to be lined up within two years before moving here.  Was in the process of becoming a Transporter for hunting and fishing, transporting via rivers utilizing a big custom airboat form Leonard up in Houston.  550HP out of a 502 motor.  Boat was 22 foot could hold the moon and still get on step nicley without causing Hurricane force winds off the back, though I wouldn't recommend standing behiond it to check.  Figured I could drop folks off cheaper than A/C and still get to hunt in isolated areas while paying the boat off.  Did a decent amount of travel via Air Boats, man they would go in the places I could only dream of in my shallow jet, and return without new holes, dings and dents on the bottom.  There are not the typical Florida boat for sure.  Did you ever run Twenty Mile or Portage river, my two favorite rivers there, nobody else around ever, great Silvers in the late Fall.  Don't even know if anything like this would be legal anywhere here? Or where you could utilize it?  The weight they could hold was up to the driver, I have seen three Moose and three guys with gear for a week and still pushing along up the Yukon like a freight train... Then pulling out of the water and loading up on to the trailer without backing the truck to the water.... Now thats cool....

[huntnphool]

"If you guys don't mind, I would love to make a trip over to the West side and go out on the rivers with you."

Well get your a$$ over here, I'm always ready to hit a river, whether its fishing or just scenic, lets get something going guys. Someone take the bull by the horns and put some dates out there. Lets remember though that the springer fishing below I-5 is only 2 weeks long this year so try not to use the 24th-4th. I will be in Vegas next weekend until Tuesday but am up for any other time. It would be fun to get a couple other boats out too.

[Antlershed]

If it was not during Springer season (below I-5), then I would try my hardest to make it with boat.

[Muleyslyr]

I'm leaving at 4:00am to spend a couple days down on the Cowlitz.  Pump.....ya, you could say that!    Next time I'll get down South will be the weekend of the 28th for a couple days around Cathlamet.  If fishins' good I'll come back for the last three days Wednesday thru Friday.  Always got another spot on the boat.....

[sisu]

Sisu, Where did you live up there, interior/Town, in Los Anchorage or the Valley of Traffic?  Just curious, no reason why. 

We were from the Mat-Su Valley. If you drove to Willow you drove right by my house which was on the left side of the Parks Highway about 1/2 mile from the "old" turn off from the Glenn and Parks intersection. We lived in that little subdivision of 8 houses in the small valley that has a view of Pioneer Peak, but lost the view of Hatchers Pass because of the new road construction.

If your buddy lived in Fairbanks a long time he probably knows or of the Sundberg family and the Talvi family. The former is a relative and the latter is a long time family friend.

We used to fish the Willow, Little Willow, Su, Lake Creek, Yetna, Little Su, etc. We had a 20 Monark with a 115 Merc jet. Great times until some low life stole the boat and motor.

I miss fishing season real bad, but I need to work and I refuse to work in the winter and fall so summer and spring employment are a necessary evil other wise I'd be up there with our new boat and fish for about 2 months.

BTW the Valley was not the Valley of Traffic when I was there but since 2003 it has become a nightmare that I am real glad to have left. If I moved back it would either be in Soldovia or Delta.

[Dman]

 My grandfather used to fish the Yenta every year, got to know a lodge owner well enough I thought about working up there for a Summer and playing in the Alaska baseball leagues, wish I had now