Rob Endsley and Tom "T.J." Nelson of Steelhead University are proud to receive the first 22 foot North River Scout's designed with a 6 degree hull.  North Rivers Scout line has long dominated the big water of the Columbia with it's stout construction and 12 degree hull.  With side drifting gaining popularity amongst Northwest steelheaders, however, the designers at North River wanted to build a boat that would both run and drift in extremely shallow water and the new 6 degree hull does just that.

Power and Fuel Economy
Powered with a four stroke 225 hp Yamaha the 6 degree Scout has plenty of pump on the stern to plane quickly out of shallow tail-outs and the four stroke 8 hp Yamaha kicker makes for a quiet, smoke-free drift.  The Yamaha motor package gives the Scout the fuel efficiency of a four stroke while delivering the horsepower needed to run northwest rivers with a boat laden with passengers and gear. 

With a 54 gallon fuel capacity running out of juice is hardly a concern.  In early tests fishing the North Puget Sound rivers we've burned a fuel-sipping 6.5 gallons per hour thru the Yamaha 225.  Over the course of a full season of guiding that adds up to some serious savings in fuel.

No more throwing the back out lifting a two stroke kicker motor between 50 and 100 times per day side drifting, as the Yamaha T8 four stroke has power tilt built right into the handle.  The tiller handle on the big unit is also designed with the controls near the end of the handle, where both the shifter and power tilt are built right into the handle for heads-up operation on the river.

Fishability
The 6 degree Scout lends itself extremely well to side drifting for steelhead, which is exactly what it was built to do.  The boat tracks excellent while drifting downstream and the 6 degree vee allows the boat to sit more shallow in the water than a deeper vee, making more water fishable for the anglers on board.  An added benefit to the 6 degree vee is how quickly it gets up on step.  A full 87" bottom width helps the Scout plane quickly and makes it an incredibly stable fishing platform.

Running rivers like the Cowlitz, Skykomish, Clackamas, Skagit, Snake, or Clearwater means that eventually your going to have to blast thru some pretty darned skinny water to find fish.  The same 87" bottom that makes the Scout plane quickly also gives it an incredibly shallow ride.  The combination of horsepower and displacement makes the Scout a dream to fish on rivers like the ones mentioned above.

The Working Sled
While North River has many options available for the Scout, these particular boats were set up as working guide boats and have features built into them that make a guides job easier on the water.  A fish box resides under the aft deck near the motor station, allowing a guide to drop fish in the box without leaving the motors.  A warm water hand wash is built into the transom directly in front of the port side kicker, where it's easily accessible by a guide working the motors.

The in-floor fish box is perfect for silvers, steelhead, and other small gamefish, but for larger fish like chinook or sturgeon the port side bow storage compartment comes with a thru hull that allows cold water to wash into the box to keep fish cool.  By inserting a plug the box is kept dry, however, and can be used for additional storage on days when it isn't needed.

Another option we added to the 6 degree Scout was a 24 volt battery package with charging system to power an electric trolling motor.  This option is especially useful for presenting baits to steelhead and salmon in low, clear water where a silent approach is necessary.

In addition to standard options the 22' North River Scout will be rigged with the following:

-Lowrance Electronics
-Lee Lock Custom Anchor System
-Gunwale Mounted Bait Boxes from Tite Line Fishing Products
-Fish On Rod Holders on sliding brackets
-Scotty Rod Holders with extensions (stern)
-Custom leader trees

Built to Last
Fishing northwest rivers in a jet boat is a great way to cover water and put you and your crew on biting fish.  It has it's inherent risks, however, and the last thing you want is for your sled to fall apart should you have the misfortune of striking something in the river.  The way North River boats are built is exactly what's put them at the top of the food chain in the heavy gauge aluminum boat world. 

The bottom of the Scout is one sheet of aluminum, meaning there's no seam down the center of the hull where damage is most likely to occur.  The sides and bottom are attached with a continuous interior weld that runs the full length of the boat and the transom and sides are "rolled" together, making for a stronger connection in the stern.  In short, it would take one heckuva a screw-up on the river to tear this boat apart.

Whether you're fishing recreationally or guiding on the northwest rivers the North River Scout has all the amenities necessary to put it in the top of its class.  The Scout fishes extremely well, is built with rugged durability, and contains all the features and tools necessary to ensure that your fishing trip is a successful one.

Rob Endsley
Full Time Guide
Steelhead University Chief Instructor                                      

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