The only advantage of a pump is you can run the shallow tribs, which I don't think many of these guys are doing these days. The few I know who have boats on the Columbia now have drift boats for the winter months.

 

Way better economy with a prop. Not too terrible a job to swap out the pump.

 

Better economy. Better power with a prop. Some guides are set up to change lower units from prop to pump with a bay kit so they can run pump in smaller rivers and prop in bigger rivers with same boat and motor.

 

Way better control especially in wind around docks, trailers etc.

 

It's a 360 world and they don't work in less than 3 feet of water 🤣. Most of today's guides have never seen a trib.