Okanogan country and eat a lot of trout, bass and WALLEYE.

After reading the responses to the question I feel real bad for answering. The lakes where I live, and a lot of the streams. are so accessible that I only use my truck to carry my gear as I can park where I want to fish.

Since you are in the Spokane Valley area you would be a little far from the many good fishing lakes in the Okanogan. So many creeks and rivers to fish here also. A lot of camping areas around the fishing waters, fresh clean air, sunshine, few crowds. Oh well, but good luck to ya.

WDFW puts out a pamphlet that will tell you all you need to know. Get at any sporting goods store, Walmart etc,

What you would actually have is 2 250 horse motors, not a single 500

In my many decades of taking my sons fishing, my grandchildren fishing and now my great grandchildren I have learned one thing about them I will pass on. A child's attention span is about 1/2 as long as it took you to read this far. A boat is a bad idea as they will be confined with little or nothing to do and that will kill their interest in fishing. Be prepared to have rocks etc. tossed in the water, daddy I'm bored, hungry, gotta go to the bathroom, and so on. But it is a great feeling to have them with you and see their excitement when they finally catch their first fish. Just do not expect to get much fishing done. In a very few years things will change and you will wonder just where all that time went, seems like only last week. My oldest great grandchild is now 8 and I can still see my 7 year old grandson and his 5 year old sister walking hand in hand across the field to come visit grandpa, That was just about a month ago, I think.

One thing I learned a long time ago is there is no such thing as a stupid question from someone who does not know, only idiotic answers from those who think they do.

I've been fishing for about 70 years now and cannot remember the last time I watched my line for a strike indication. That is what the rod is for, it will tell you if something is messing with your bait. If you cannot feel what you are fishing for thru the rod or if fishing with a rod holder and the tip will not indicate a bite, you are using one that is way too heavy, lighten up. I have mainly used ultra light gear for trout, bass, walleye, snapper, even caught a salmon with it, course there was a lot of luck involved with the salmon. The main thing is I have had a lot of fun with that gear getting some bigger fish in. Lost some, won some but either way it was FUN!! and THAT is what fishing is all about.

You're welcome but remember, any advise someone gives you about their experience is just exactly that THEIR experience. It worked for them and it may or may not work for you so take it and adapt it to your way of doing things or circumstances.

That was about 50 years ago and my memory is not as it used to be but if I recall right when I felt the strike I would open the bail and let the fish go wherever it wanted. You do have to learn the difference between a let's kinda take this thing off somewhere to eat it and a bait gulping hit which means set the hook now instead of breaking out in a sweat trying to figure just what is going on at the hook end and when to set it.

I gather you are packing into the backcountry, either horse or foot. I have spent many weeks in the high country/mountains of the Okanogan in Washington State on horse back, why walk when ya got a perfectly good horse?. Caught many fish and know your dilemma. All I used to do was kill them by hitting on the head and put them on a stringer in the water. The water will help to keep them cool, at least at water temp. instead of being out in the heat on the bottom of your canoe where the bugs start to grown sooner. Have kept them for a couple of days that way but was not willing to push it much past that. Sometimes a doctor is not within an easy ride or walk.

Back in the 1960's this Mountain boy from Eastern Washington State was stationed at Homestead AFB in Florida. I had a terrible time trying to catch Bass in the canals there until a local friend told me to stop fishing the way I was and when I felt a fish take the bait, open the bail on my ultra light spinning reel and let the fish go wherever it wanted. when the line stopped moving close the bail take up a little slack, not tight, and when it started to move again set the hook. My catch numbers really went up. He said those Bass would take hold of the bait and swim off with it in their mouth and then stop to actually eat it. Made sense to me and it worked.

According to Minnkota a 50lb thrust motor with 1 12V battery should be able to move a 20' boat weighing around 2500lbs or less. Just bought a 55lb for my 10' as primary lake power w/ spare battery. Your Jon boat with only the weight you are talking about should move very well. Just remember, do not part with entrance money for the local hydro races and take a lunch and gallon jug with you.

Usually there are 2 "eyelets", one down towards the middle which you hook the release to and one higher up which you hang it from the hook on the down rigger near the base of the arm.

I have always found them between the banks of the lake. Ok. I will go to my room