There are more drift boats for sale right now than I can remember seeing at any given time in my fishing past. Any theories?

A lot of folks buy them and then find out they have to row . I have found its almost as much fun for me to put people over fish than catch them. Also lots of folks like to ride in them but do not want to learn to row them properly it is not as easy as it looks. Pete

The number of dumped boats and a death on the OP this fall might be a factor.

Mabey people are getting fed up with the way the state runs the fisheries. That coupled with the constant gillnetting could be a factor. I am almost at my wits end over some issues.

Sounds like you fish the Chehalis system.
And the wdfw wonders why license sales revenue is down.

I heard they pull the nets on the tenth, but when they go back in is whenever they want(I guess.)

BINGO!

i'm selling mine becouse 2 is one too meny.

Can you point me in the direction of some of these boats? My dad and I are most likely going to be selling our 15 foot fiberglass db and getting a 16x54 aluminum one.
thanks

Steelycatcher, check the Classifieds on this site. The Seattle Times also has a couple.

I have owned boats of one kind or another over the last twenty years. One thing you notice, especially when you have one in a Marina is that a lot of people rarely use them.

I think a lot of people buy DBs as well as other boats and find that they just don't have the time due to life's other demands.

Also, look at the economy in this area. Lots of layoffs, people having to pay more on their medical insurance - the boat is probably the first thing to go.

I don't know about most people but here is why i am selling mine first bluntly then an explanation.

Bluntly: steelhead fishing in the lower Columbia river area sucks..

explanation: I have lived here all my life, grew up on the Washougal river where i used to catch fresh steelhead 365 days a year. now there is real opportunity on that stream probably 50 days a year.
There are rivers down here that have fish at times such as the North Lewis but it is so overrun with sleds scaring all the fish that it makes a day of floating a burden rather than an enjoyment. There is the Cowlitz which is slightly better if you stay above blue creek but that is on the verge of being too far for a day trip. There is the Klikitat for a few weeks each fall but i can have a better day from the bank than floating... The East Lewis? well it's only marginally better than the Washougal but way overcrowded, then there is the Kalama which makes the Lewis look deserted..
i am just sick of the crowds and the extremely poor quality of the fishing and the poor quality of the experience.. I'll just bank fish a few of he smaller streams and catch just as many fish and never have to worry about a shuttle... now of WDFW hadn't royaly screwed up our fisheries i'd keep my boat cause i really enjoyed using it, i just have better days fishing from the bank

I sold my drift boat because I got tired of having the license fees keep going up and the fishing seasons keep going down. Not to mention the declining fishery over the years caused in a large part by poor management of the resource by the State.

I will probably also sell my saltwater boat since the seasons have been reduced so severely. It's cheaper to save the boat expense and maintenance money and use it to go fish in BC.

If you shop carefully I think you can get a real deal on a drift boat later in the season. Probably not the best time to buy now since the season is just starting.

I've seen the posts on the accidents. Pretty depressing. These accidents are getting more publicity lately, and my guess is insurance companies are going to take notice prettty soon. Make sure you have adequate liability coverage!

On rowing....it's excellent exercise and good physical conditioning.

mike in north bend hit it on the head. it is a rapidly downturning economy as well as a weak economic forecast for the next generation or so. The boat is the first thing that a wife makes a husband get rid of to shore up the finances.

TOOO MANY PEOPLE WITH BOATS AND NOT ENOUGH RIVER!

They like buying them then selling them like you Kyle-----just dont be bangin up that new willie that you will be selling me one of these days.

Kyle,

Seems folks have a variety of reasons.

Believe it or now, I am PUTTING UP FOR SALE the boat I just spent the last 8 months restoring.

I love my project boat, but my wife has made me an offer that I can not refuse (and don't want to!)

Somebody is going to get a sweet, classic Mackenzie style drifter for Christmas.(assuming someone wants it, that is!)

Mike

Going down the rivers around my area, its like trying to get in Walmart parking lot on a saturday. Too many people too many boats!

Coho, don't worry, your time is coming. Kyle was surrounded by Lavro's recently, he'll probably be UPGRADING soon!

Beezer

Coho, you can't have another boat. One, Alumaweld sled, One Koffler Driftboat, and one lake boat is enough for one man. Do I need to talk to your wife again?

Beezer just keeps lettin 'em fly! Sorry I didn't bite into the glass fantastic! I love my Willie!

I see avg. credit scores for all markets on the west coast on a weekly basis and I have for a number of years. The Puget sound felt the effects of the post 911 crash combined with Boeing, high tech and lately military deployments keeping our economy behind the rest of the country. We where real similar to Phoenix and Atalanta in terms of the rebound. We have been back at pre 911 spending power for about 9 months now. There are still soft spots north and south of Seattle and the Eastside but it has been a steady climb up for months even in those areas. So my guess is that it is a combo effect. More people buying houses and redeploying their resources and selling. Combined with some people seeing and increase in their spending power either trough refies home equity or more stable incomes and upgrading equipement. Some one posted the number of DB's being sold on Ifish a few weeks ago. All the DB manufactures have shown fewer and fewer DB's being built every year since 911 so I think there is more shuffleing than downsizing.