Purchased new boat

[tljack]

I am new to the forum.

I just purchased a new 2013 Hewescraft Sportsman 160. It has bow rails, fish box, canvas top, side curtains and back. For power I have a 60 h.p. Honda for main engine and a Honda 8 h.p. kicker, The boat is on a EZ loader trailer with a swing tongue. Additionally it has a Columbia River Anchor system.

In a way it would have been nice to have it a bit bigger but I am limited by homeowner asso. rules.

Last week to it to Crain Prairie and we boated 4 nice fish.

I am really liking it and think the wide floor and high sides will be great for crabbing.

I have not boat fished much for over 19 years so have a lot to catch up on. I am happy to have found this forum and think it will really help me get into the groove.

 

[eugene1]

Welcome to OFF and congrats on the new boat.

Too bad about the boat length rule, but the boat will get you into plenty of fun.

Best,

 

[waco]

Congrats on getting a new boat!! feel free to share some pics with us of your boat and of your new adventures with your new toy!!

 

[troutdude]

^^^ What he said; about pics.

Welcome to the best forum, on the planet! Check out the archives...TONS of valuable information, is at your fingertips.

 

[Irishrover]

Welcome to the forum. You should have a lot of fun with that boat. It's a great boat for Prineville, Lake Billy Chinook, Lake Simtustus and a host of others. What do you prefer to fish for and what type of electronics did you get?

 

[mikeee2362]

Sounds like a winner! Welcome aboard! Got any pics of the 4 you got the other day? We love "fish porn".

 

[tljack]

Welcome to the forum. You should have a lot of fun with that boat. It's a great boat for Prineville, Lake Billy Chinook, Lake Simtustus and a host of others. What do you prefer to fish for and what type of electronics did you get?

depth

The only electronics I have currently is Lorance Elite 4X DSI depth/fish finder.

I will be using it for everything. I have many years experience on the ocean and Columbia River. Mostly will fish fishing lakes for trout, kokanee and bass. Tidal waters and rivers for salmon, steelhead, crabs, clams etc. Also the Columbia and Willamette River

 

[tljack]

Sounds like a winner! Welcome aboard! Got any pics of the 4 you got the other day? We love "fish porn".

We did not take any pictures but we ate the evidence. I was hoping to catch one like this one I caught in June there. 31 1/2" 14lb 2 oz. German Brown. The ODF says there aren't any German Browns in Crane Prairie Res. Really?

Sorry the pic is sideways. My first pic post here

 

[Irishrover]

The 4x SSI sould do the trick. And yes it does sound like a fine boat to haul crabs on. Good luck.

 

[knucklehead 61]

any pics of your new boat?
it sounds very nice.
what is a columbia river anchor?

 

[tljack]

any pics of your new boat?
it sounds very nice.
what is a columbia river anchor?

The first picture is the boat. The second is of the Columbia River anchoring system. The orange buoy has a slide that attaches to the anchor rode. It self retrieves the anchor. If the anchor hangs up, a wire tie breaks loose and it is pulled out head first.

 

[rogerdodger]

excellent. did you give it a name yet?

 

[knucklehead 61]

great looking boat!
wish I had a kicker on mine.
I see you have bow rails. As a fishing boat newby I am not sure of their purpose. are they just a raised handhold or is there some other reason for them?
I see them on the rear sides & always wondered what they are used for.
How do you like the downrigger? I don't know anything about them, but frequently see them on boats in the area.

 

[tljack]

excellent. did you give it a name yet?

"Hey Jack" My last name is Jack and I am a Duck Dynasty fan.

 

[tljack]

I really like the kicker! It had bow rails when I bought it. I have them and find them really helpful when dealing with the anchor in bumpy water.

I really like my Scotty Downriggers. They have 150' of cable on them and retrieve at 1' per crank. Very helpful when trolling for Kokanee and Salmon. Once a fish takes your bait or lure, the line breaks free of the downrigger and you have just the fish on the end of your line. I looked at the power units and decided for my first ones, manual would be fine.


I just landed my first Chinook last Tuesday out of Winchester Bay. Had several others on. It was a hoot It was not big, about 15 lbs. but sure tasty. I will attach a picture. Not sure why it is side ways. The picture was take on my I-phone. that is likely the issue

 

[rogerdodger]

Excellent, no doubt that plenty more Chinooks will be bleeding on that boat soon enough...

 

[tljack]

Hopefully Tuesday there Chinooks in her again!

 

[rogerdodger]

Good tides this week, I am looking forward to Tuesdays high just a bit after sunrise... and Coho will be open!

 

[DrTheopolis]

Hewes makes a fine, durable boat, and seem to want less money for them than their competition.

Bow rails, if for no other reason, are sure handy when it comes time to tie the boat to the dock... there's that.

And a Columbia River Anchor System is a pretty clever bit of engineering. The way the zip-tie breaks when it hangs up is pretty slick. And you fancy folk with the self-retrieving buoy are quite the lot. When I go with my buddy, it's the old fashioned way -- elbow grease. And I'm kinda sitting up front, so take a guess whose elbows are getting greasy. But it's a small boat, and a 15lb mushroom with a big monster chain does the trick in any currents were brave enough to go out in (wouldn't work in early spring or winter, I'm sure).

Lovin' your Hewescraft.