Drift boat navigable?

F
Fish_Hunter1
what level is the wilson and the trask navigable by drift boat? thanks for the help!!:peace:
 
O
OnTheDrop
You can get a drift boat just about anywhere by pushing it... I don't float the Wilson when it gets below 4...

Source; I've fished it once or twice :)
 
D
DrTheopolis
I've done little floating of the Wilson, and that's pretty much been in inflatables (bank fished it literally hundreds of times), but seems like even 4.0 is for the brave.

At its current level (which spiked from a steady 3.4 to a whopping 3.5), a you'd spend more time getting a DB through stuff than you would fishing, and you could probably wade/hike it faster than you could drift it). Once the rains come this fall, then game on.

If a person was really bound and determined, you could probably do below Mills. Less boulder fields, and dragging it would be pretty easy... and you will be dragging it.

Tough time of year to use a driftboat for its primary purpose. A little motor sure makes it a nice tidewater boat, though. And electric motors can be used upstream on many coastal streams, where gas is prohibited.
 
Z
zinfan94
Do not launch at Siskeyville or VanDerZanden below 4.5 feet... The mine field will dent your boat. I have some dents in mine from dammit rock and "friends".

Even at Mills, you need over 4 feet, since there are some shallow areas you will hit or ground along the river. With the river so low and clear, the boat will spook a lot of fish anyway, so fishing gets even more difficult.

The lower Trask holds up better, but even there expect some rock strikes at current low water levels... Spend the time elsewhere, and get ready for fall Chinook. Or launch at Memaloose and motor in the estuary fishing for SRC... I fish them catch and release, but they're fun to catch on light gear, and should be in the bay now, with more arriving in the next several weeks. Tillamook bay and the river mouths are easy to get around with a decent size electric trolling motor. I am unable to get up all the way to Solley Smith launch using only a trolling motor from the bay (I can get up past the 101 bridge and the RR bridge); alternatively launching at Solley Smith allows you to access the Wilson mouth.
 
F
Fish_Hunter1
alright thanks guys im am not very familiar with that area but have always wanted to get to know it better!
 
W
waco
Not worth it!!
 

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