11-12-24 REELLIFE digital - Flipbook - Page 25
the features, including the
break-in schedule of the
35 HP Mercury jet. After
grabbing some boating
extras from the showroom,
we were back on the road
to Great Falls, new boat in
tow.
“These jon boats are great
for what you are looking
for and will handle the river
just fine. And I know what
you mean about the aches
of older age.” Ed laughed.
“Another plus is they are
at a good price point. Let
me build out a boat for you
and see what we can do.”
The following week we put
the boat in for some lighthearted fishing and scenery
viewing. A short ten-minute
drive to the Missouri River
boat launch in Great Falls
and JoAnn, myself, and our
two dogs were enjoying a
beautiful fall day with no
other boats around us.
I had a solid idea of what I
was looking so the “buildout” process was quick and
easy. Ed took the list and
went back to his desk to
add everything up. A short
time later he returned.
“Here you go,” he said. “This
boat will be great for what
you are looking for.” I was
pleased to see the final
cost landed well under my
budget.
Finding a nice stretch of
6-10 foot deep water in
slow current I lowered the
Minn Kota and put us in
anchor lock while baiting
up the rods. Anchor lock is
an awesome feature that
keeps the boat in position,
and it works in a river
just fine! Game Changer
Number One for fishing
solo.
A handshake and deposit
later, my boat began
having all the components
installed there in The
Elephant Boys shop. A
week later JoAnn and
I returned and took
possession of our new boat.
Tyler, one of the service
techs, gave us a walkaround and went over all
Dropping the bottom
bouncers back about 30
feet I felt contact with
the bottom. Into the rod
holders they went, and we
waited in anticipation for
our first fish – which took
just minutes as the port rod
doubled back with a vicious
hit. Reeling in a small pike,
the boat was officially
christened.
With the long straight
stretch we were on, I hit
the directional lock button,
and the trolling motor
kept us on a straight and
steady course. No more
fishtailing back and forth
or oversteering, and again,
hands-free boat operation
made for a relaxing ride.
Game Changer Number
Two – direction lock.
The layout of the Lowe
gives us plenty of room
to stretch out. Even with
two dogs moving around,
barking at deer on the
riverbank, the boat was
solid and stable for both
trolling and casting.
Returning to the launch on
a smooth plane, I looked
over the side at 6 to 12-inch
deep water; 27 mph was
plenty fast for this guy!
Whether it’s your first
boat or your last, it’s so
important to know what
you want to use it for and
find the boat that does
that job well. For us, this
jon boat is going to offer
many relaxing days in the
years ahead fishing in our
backyard. It was well worth
the drive from Great Falls
to Spokane to check out
The Elephant Boys' boat
selection. Thanks to Ed and
the gang for a great buying
experience on what will be
the last ride I buy.
