This fall and winter I'm going to be trying very hard to get myself a drift boat finally after about a year of dreaming about owning one every day. I think I may have come up with a plan for getting the money and it doesn't involve selling drugs.

I have a wacky work schedule and assuming I do own one within the next couple months I'll mostly be going solo because a.) few of my friends fish for steelhead and b.) even if they could go, my days off rarely coincide with their days off.

I know some people out there solo drift, so what is the method for getting back to your rig upstream? Do you go up to other fisherman and ask for a ride?

You can do that or use one of the shuttle services available on many rivers. Just ask cuz they all have been listed in previous posts and threads here.

Sg

The list of options varies by the river and drift.

Taxi, another DB on the same float, bicycle, scooter, thumb, walk, shuttle, motorcycle, call the wife or buddy.

I would recommend against the AP/KD method of hitchhiking. Great for getting back to your car. Bad for long term oral and hygenic health.

Best of luck in acquiring your new flotation device.

Its nice using a shuttle service when you are cold and wet and your truck is there ready to go.

I use a shuttle service on most of my solo drifts, but when there is none available I use either a bike (cheap Murray that I don't care about) or my Yamaha QT50.

Solo drifting is nice some times.

If you are by yourself, shuttles help, but leaving your gear in the boat, is asking for trouble.

Some will drive your car and some wont. Since your budget is an issue, I would consider a pontoon boat, under a thousand that will fit on the truck bed or car roof. Assembly is time consuming during daylight and awkward in the dark. Depending on the river, Ive hitched a ride with guys with sleds. The drift boats also work out, since two guys, will leave one guy with the boat and the second will retrieve the car. Often, they will give you a ride back to your car, while watching your gear. Only once, did I have a guy commit and then get in his car and forget to give me a lift. I got the ride when he came back and we threw the tooner up on his drift boat.

There are many guys with pontoon boats in the same situation. Ive bumped into them on the river. Sometimes they alrready have a ride wating. Set up something with them, leave one vehicle at the bottom and put his tooner in the other rig and head up river. Dont leave valuables in your car.

I would hall my mountain bike in the front of drift boat and ride it back hitch hiking as I ride sometimes.
Never have had a problem hitch hiking as long as you have rod/reel in your hand.

the internet is your friend
just post what river and when on 3 or four of the fishing sites and someone will hit you back with a turn around deal that helps you both out as there are always boats going down all the rivers all the time except when they are puking
i have to admit though that a certain shuttle service (frank) on a certain river is well worth the money as i don't worry about where my rig is and that makes the day a whole lot more enjoyable

fwiw

Or just post an open seat, many people are willing to chip in for bait/gas and bring a turn-around vehicle.

Thanks for all the responses. I'm not sure how many people on this BB fish the Clearwater (ID) regularly. I suppose if I did a DB I could make some posts and see what happens.

LB, I do like cat boats. I've spent a lot of time in them on the Salmon, Clearwater and Lochsa, but they're not for fishing, at least to me. I already have one and some rafts. Now it's time for the DB.

fishinfool, as soon as someone mentioned riding a bike, putting one in the front of the boat is the first thing that came to mind.

The take-out of the float I'll probably be doing most often is a problem. It's the Flying-J in Lewiston. It's Idaho's haven for transients, tweakers and crazies. Luckily the put-in is a good spot where many other people park, and there are usually always other fisherman there on the banks. I've never heard of anyone having their car broken into though. There are generally a LOT of fisherman at the Flying-J at all hours of the day and night.

I'll will definitely need a DB with some locking boxes and I'll probably have to fab one that's long enough for rods.

Thanks

Sue n I bought a Honda Ruckus and made a carrier for the Db trailer.

RognSue..... when you first posted that set-up, it caught my attention. How has it held up?? I ask because it appears to be unstable and susceptible to twist. It's not? I was thinking that perhaps running a bent bar (channel aluminum) underneath the u-bolted center to both ends and bolting it through both ends would be less apt to cause problems. But if it is doing good, why do that?

Very strong (aircraft grade?) aluminum, no problems. When we built that we tested it w/ 2 adults bouncing on either end and couldn't damage it, the bikes under 200 lb . 2 ratchet strap on the front and 2 on the back makes it feel like it's welded in place.

Good to know.....thanks!