7.5 foot Livingston

[strikezone]

Anyone have any ideas if a 7.5 foot Livingston boat would work well to fly fish out of on small lakes for 1 person? Are they stable enough to stand up in occasionally. Would 30 lb. thrust electric push it ok? Does it row easily. Is it balanced well for one person? Any suggestions? Thanks. Strike Zone

[18ftTrophy]

That is a very stable boat and easy for one person to load, row. I have fished is the sound in one.

[The Quadfather]

https://goo.gl/images/daAJjt

[DavidA]

I've no doubt that a 30 lb thrust will move it along nicely, with the given that it is an electric motor.

[strikezone]

Thanks for the support David. I went ahead and bought one yesterday. It came with a new 30 pound thrust electric motor, new deep cycle marine battery, 6-1/2 foot oars, rubbers/oar locks, 2 life jackets. I am pretty pumped with it. It needs a good scrubbing on the bottom side, but it is going to clean up real well with a little elbow grease. I think it is going to make a great little 1 man fly fishing boat for smaller waters. Denny

[DavidA]

Congrats on your purchase! As I was reading your post, I was imagining how stoked I would be and then got to you being "pumped"! Exactly! A whole new world just opened up! I don't suppose you're anywhere near Kitsap are you. I often fish lakes there and in Jefferson county.

[strikezone]

David: I'm actually down near Castle Rock, Wa. I occasionally get up to fish Cady and Nahwatzel. Cady is 2hrs and 20 minutes from me. Nahwatzel is 1 hr. and 20 minutes from me. I usually fish a local body of water which is right at an hour away. It has been really good the last three times I've fished it in the last couple months or so. Both Old Goat lures as well as flies have done extreemly well for me. Managed to c&r 85 rainbows at the boat. About 1/2 & 1/2 each way. But it's too cold now to get out and give it another go at it. Fish aren't real big, but they are fun to catch. 14-15 inch average size usually with an a occasional bigger one. Denny

[DavidA]

That's way down there, though occasionally I travel the 90 minute trip to Nahwatzel myself! Yeah, 14-15" fish are a decent size and fun to catch. I've just taken a batch of them out of the smoker. Another lake you may wish to try around there is Lost lake, a little west of Nahwatzel. Try trolling a black or purple Woolly Bugger with a few beads and a smile blade in front. That is often a big hit! A split shot or two, 3 feet in front will be needed to get you down to the right depth. Best of luck! Let me know when you finally get to take it out!

[strikezone]

David: I will definitely give Lost a try sometime. Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try. Even tho fly fishing is my 1st choice, I also like to use a variable colored leaded line with about 40 feet of mono in front to a small swivel , then about 42 inches of mono to a Old Goat1 lure in orange or perch color trolled about 1.7 mph to 2.2 mph. I usually let out 2-3 colors of leaded line, or more, (depends on what they want) plus the 40 feet of mono leader. Works very well at Nahwatzel or any other lakes I've tried them on. Those lures can be amazing either fished naked or with a chunk of worm added in lakes where it's legal. Shoepeg Corn soaked in shrimp oil also is good to put on the hook behind a OG1. Good luck. Denny

[TrackerPro16]

I have owned 3 Livingston's. If they were not so heavy I would still have one. I used to bow fish out of them and would stand on the center and gunnel in waves and do fine. They scoot pretty good without much power but I did put an 18HP on one of my 10' ones just to try it and it would skate across the tops of the waves. Excellent boats. Tough.