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[Bosco]

I'm looking to get people's thoughts on purchasing my first raft/boat.

Hoping to get a 2 person raft/boat that I can take stillwater fly fishing on smallish interior lakes (would want to be able to put a small electric motor on the back of it) while also being able to use it to drift down relatively tame rivers on steelhead/trout trips (i.e. Squamish, Bow etc.) Would be looking for something inflatable and relatively portable (fits in a duffel bag or backpack), and would like to avoid spending thousands of dollars if possible.

Currently debating whether or not to get more of a zodiac style boat (e.g. a 10 or 11 foot Stryker or Aquamarine) or a raft (Watermaster Bruin, Outcast Striker etc.). Curious to hear if anyone has found an option that works well on lakes (handles ok if the wind picks up) while still being safe and easy to maneuver down a river.

Would appreciate any advice, thanks in advance! 
 

[hammer]

I would think you want a raft. One of the advantages of having a two  person operation is that one person is on the "sticks" maneuvering the boat speed, drift, etc. and the other person is casting. This works well, in various forms, for a a number of fisheries (certainly the Bow comes to mind and if you have have done any steelheading in Washington- you would see a variation of this). If you are on stillwaters, nearshore ocean,or slow river and you have a zodiac style with some power on the back - you would have certainly options there. I guess, like always, what do you see yourself doing with it?

[RalphH]

I have had experience with the Scadden Renegade. It's very similar to the Outcast Stealth. They are light, easy to row and handle well in the wind.

I also have an older 10ft Achilles. I never had a problem with wind etc with this boat. One downside of inflatable tenders and rafts is weight. My Achilles is over 100lbs while the renegade is under 30.

With any inflatable there is a lack of space compared to a hard hulled boat.

[Chrome Mykiss]

A zodiac style boat is great on the lakes, but not really practical when trying to maneuver on the rivers. It can be done on relatively low gradient and slow water.Probably would be fine on the Bow, but I wouldn't take a zodiac style boat down the upper Squamish. You will want a boat with decent oars and oar lock setup for any kind of river navigation. Another thing to consider is the size of the tubes and profile of the boat on a lake, because of the wind. Rafts with large tubes tend to catch a lot of wind.

I have an Outcast Power Drifter, which they do not make any more. We have used it to transport two people down the river lots. However it would be too cramped for two people to fish out of and only has one seat. The pros on this raft is that it only weighs in at 85lbs, has a set bailing floor and has a rowing frame. It maneuvers very well with the kayak style hull.

The Watermaster Bruin looks to be a very good raft that would serve your needs. The full frame version weighs in at 108lbs. It can handle class IV water. I haven't seen a motor mount available for it yet.

Another raft to look at would be the Flycraft Stealth. This raft is low profile and weighs in at 98lb. Plus they have a motor mount available for it. I saw one on a lake recently with the 2hp Honda outboard and it looked to be very capable on the lake. This would be my choice if I was in the market for a two person raft.

[Bosco]

Thanks for the input, appreciate your point about a zodiac not being great to drift down the upper squamish. Lots to think about!