Sea Eagle 285 Frameless Pontoon Boat Pro Package
MSRP: Starting at $699
Stillwater Columnist George Krumm writes, “This is a great stillwater boat, which can be used in Class I rivers across the state. It’s stable, rows easily and you can put up to a 3hp gas or electric motor on it. It’s well-made of heavy denier fabric and has heavy-duty valves. It’s not a cheap raft, but a real fishing and possibly duck hunting boat. It has a floor board and a comfortable swivel seat, in addition to two Scotty rod holders. You can stand in this boat, which can be really helpful in stillwater fishing, as you can see fish much farther away and you can cast much farther. When seated, you have lots of leg room. It has a weight capacity of 450 pounds, making it a viable candidate for multi-day floats.”
Orval’s EZ Pull
MSRP: $51.95
This is a heavy-duty anchor puller, with durability second to none. The puller and buoy can be removed from the anchor rope without having to untie any knots. You can then attach it to your crab pot or shrimp pot lines to pull them. Made from aluminum and stainless steel, it weighs under two pounds.
LeeLock Quick Change Columbia River Anchor Nest
MSRP: $239.99
Fish Alaska magazine’s George Krumm tested this system and had the following to say. “Great anchor nest for rocker-style anchors. Big roller and side gates makes it easy to pull your anchor under power, and then to pull your anchor buoy and chain over the roller. Rocking chair anchor is secured in the nest for travel by a stainless pin. The Quick Change feature allows you to remove the Columbia River-style nest and replace it with a can-style anchor like most jet sled users use in smaller, freestone rivers. The ability to change anchor systems is quite handy.”
Raymarine Dragonfly
MSRP: $649.99 to $719.99
Contributing Editor George Krumm writes, “Compared to the sonar units I’ve use previously, this was a huge step up in capability. The chartplotter works well on my open boat with no external antenna. There is only one cable to plug into the back of the unit, and it locks in place. The resolution is very good for a screen that’s just 5.7 inches. Even at the default settings this thing showed a very clear picture of the bottom and everything between it and my boat. Fish symbols are clear, the display is relatively unaffected by sun or polarized glasses; the colors are vivid; the down-imaging views showed me bottom structure in almost photo-like quality. The controls are intuitive and there are only three buttons on the whole unit. It’s a very simple, yet very capable system.”
Danielson Folding Glow Crab Trap
MSRP: $179
Our tester used this chart system in a Raymarine Dragonfly sonar / chartplotter and reported that it provided great detail. The system includes nautical charts, sonar charts and community edits. Charts can be updated on the micro SD card and daily updates can be downloaded.
Flex Fold Prawn Trap
MSRP: $159
This collapsible, easy-to-use and store prawn trap was a significant hit when boating offshore in 2013 for Fish Alaska magazine staff. If a succulent waterside dinner might be in the cards for you next season, make sure to have one along. Rugged and well-built, you can be sure the trap will be in use for years to come as well.
Navionics + US and Canada
MSRP: $179
Our tester used this chart system in a Raymarine Dragonfly sonar / chartplotter and reported that it provided great detail. The system includes nautical charts, sonar charts and community edits. Charts can be updated on the micro SD card and daily updates can be downloaded.