Drift Boat

[sturgeonhound]

Guys and Gals,
I have recently taken a 2 year work assigment in calgary. My home base is north of edmonton, so my usual haunts are the NSR, pigeon, wabamun, etc. With being in calgary for the next two years, I am seriously considering buying a drift boat. I would like to fish the upper and lower bow with it. I have fished in a 14' and a 16' Clackcraft before, so I know I want a 16'. My questions are.......clackcraft or hyde......and aluminum or fiberglass.....what is your experience with both and which do you prefer and why.

Thanks,
SH

P.S. I have fished the lower bow a few times before, but it has been a while. Once I get my drift boat, I'll be looking for some partners to hit the river.....

[pdfish]

Isn't it against the jetboater's code to even mention the word fiberglass? If I'm ever gonna paddle for ya, aluminum all the way.

On a serious note, most of the guides I chatted with on the Kitimat were running aluminum.

[sturgeonhound]

Yes it sorta is against the jet boaters code.....but since my jet boat is too big for the bow I'll have to go with oars.....

SH

[densa44]

Can you paddle a canoe? Do you have a partner that that can paddle? The bow is IMO the best trout stream in Canada!

If you can handle a canoe, that is the craft for you.

On one memorable day with a few boy scouts in the canoe I caught and released 33 rainbow trout between hwy 22 and policeman's flats.

The drift boat will not eddy out at the best spots!

[nick0danger]

drift boat is far more effective than canoe. drift boats can go slower than current and you can stand and fish, and is much more stable. that said a drift boat is for sale on flyfishcalgary.com, unless your buying new get what's available around calgary, they have a gear swap with a number of boats for sale every year in the spring put on by trout unlimited I believe.