Hello everyone, I propose to tell a story and then ask for your advice.
I retired in 2014. Not rich, but comfortable. In 2017 my darling wife of 37 years was diagnosed with bladder cancer. As wives will do, she asked me what would I do if she doesn't survive. Would I stay in Payson, AZ. Would I re;marry? My response was that I would spend the spring and fall fishing Lake Powell and the winter fishing Lakes Havasu and Mojave.
After three years of surgeries and chemotherapy and learning to deal with urostomy pouches and love and pain and agony I lost my darling Betty on April 25, 2020. Now I am not a total newbie as I first fell in love with Lake Powell in 1975 when stationed at Dugway Proving Ground Utah. For years I owned a 21 foot fiber glass whose seats laid down into a bed and made for great camping. I have probably been on Lake Powell 35-40 times fishing and houseboating. But now I am faced with a dilemma. My current fishing boat is a Ranger RT178. Although I have used it on Powell all of you know that when Powell gets nasty the Ranger is not adequate. So I am looking at replacing the Ranger with something more suitable for Lake Powell. I first went to the Ranger because I fish mostly for bass and like to lay out several rods with different baits at one time. My former boat wouldn't accommodate several rods at one time. I will launch in Page and fish as far north as Escalante and San Juan.
So far I have looked at the Lund Pro V Bass, the Crestliner Bass Hawk, and I am also intrigued by the new Vexus AVX models. I originally intended to add a 9.9 kicker motor for a back up when I am forty miles up lake and have a breakdown. However as you all know I really can't hang a kicker motor on a bass boat platform. I have consulted two local pros who live in Page. Both advised that if I don't intend to routinely troll for stripers or walleye then it is a waste of resources to add a kicker for just in case. I would be better advised to maintain adequate radio and satellite phone backup in case of a break down.
So I guess my question is what would you advise? I highly respect all your joint experience on Lake Powell. If you were retired and purchasing your last dream boat for Powell where would you put your resources? Should I rethink the bass boat platform and consider something like the Crestliner Fish Hawk that would allow a kicker and still cover me for emergency camping if the lake turns nasty? Or should I follow the advice of the local pros {both of whom are sponsored by different boat companies} and buy the bass boat platform that I am used to?
I thank you in advance for your help on this issue. I know that we all have one thing in common. We all love this lake and every opportunity to be on it.
Jim Sargent
