Floating the little j/lehigh/penns/delaware

jayL

jayL

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These are the four rivers I am planning on floating pretty extensively in the next few years.

I don't have a watercraft yet, but it's my next big purchase. I am leaning toward a pontoon, but keep finding contradictory info about whether it's the right choice.

I am hoping to get something usable for around $350 max. Used is an option.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a decent craft for these waterways in my price range? I'd imagine I'd mainly be stopping to wade, but something with decent fishability would be nice.

Another factor is that it would need to be transported in or on my jeep wrangler hard top.
 
This past winter I was seriously considering getting a kayak for the delaware and schuylkill rivers. Researched a lot of different manufacturers and kept an eye on ebay and craigslist. I ended up not getting one. At the end of the day I just couldn't picture myself enjoying fishing while on a yak. For one I had concerns about trying to keep the yak positioned while fishing, ie not having the thing spin in circles while I try to cast to specific location Then there was also the concern of tipping the thing and losing expensive gear on the bottom of the river. If you are thinking about a pontoon, these concerns may be alleviated. I think you may be a little low on the dollar amount you are looking to spend. I know for kayaks that $350 doesn't get you much.

Not sure how much help this will be for you, but thought I'd post my experience this past winter.

PS-If you decide to go balls to the walls and get a jet boat, I'll be your new best friend. :lol:
 
I’ve never used a pontoon boat so I can’t comment.

However, stay away from kayaks. Two friends of mine have “top end” fishing kayaks (I’ve used them twice) and they sit low to the water and you’re going to get wet fishing from one. Not bad if the summer but it isn’t cold water friendly. If you plan on fly fishing from a kayak you’ll be rocking the kayak while casting and again, getting wet. But the biggest disadvantage is you’re pretty much sitting in one position, you can’t stand, so if you want to change direction fly casting you’ve got to reposition the kayak. It’s also not the easiest to control and land a fish because you can’t move to play him and get a better fighting angle.

I had a 12’ Sears fiberglass Gamefisher that I took everywhere. The only problem was it weighed about 250 lbs so putting it up on roof racks alone wasn’t easy unless you didn’t care about damaging you car. This was the best though – you could stand in it, hook up a motor to it, row it – it did everything. The only disadvantage was in swift moving water it wasn’t the most agile boat. You probably can find a used aluminum John boat for a couple hundred bucks. The other benefit is two people could fish very comfortably from this boat and you could even fish 3 people.

I also had a 13’ fishing canoe (wider and a little bit flatter bottom and higher sides for stability). You actually could stand and fish in it if careful. The benefits were lightweight (about 75 lbs) and very maneuverable. Two people could fish comfortably with some coordination (i.e., two couldn’t be standing and casting simultaneously).

I ended up using the boat mostly on streams that had slower moving water with more pools than riffles. A stream that had faster water and more riffles/runs was definitely canoe water.

Oh yes, if you go by yourself and don’t have a shuttle vehicle back to your car a canoe is much easier to row back upstream than a boat.
 
Thanks guys.

Greenweenie- I have a john boat, but the damn thing weighs a ton. I use it for lake fishing, but rarely get out on it.

This would definitely be a craft for faster moving water. (the idea is that I get comfortable enough with it to take it out west next year).
 
I use a kayak for fishing-
get hit with big waves by passing boats-very stable but don't get el-cheapo selling for a a couple of hundred-they are toys.
you can get dories with light draft now days made of plastic.
you are talking two people[two cars anyway]unless you have an amiable lady friend who will sit and read at take out.
 
PS-If you decide to go balls to the walls and get a jet boat, I'll be your new best friend. quote
I have run into them-should be shoot first,me thinks.
 
pete41 wrote:
PS-If you decide to go balls to the walls and get a jet boat, I'll be your new best friend. quote
I have run into them-should be shoot first,me thinks.
Click to expand...

Pete,

Are you talking about jet boats or jet skis? I've had some bad experience with jet skiers on the delaware. I agree with the shoot first policy. :evil:
 
both-tranquil trout streams no place for jet boats-swamps
 
My kayak is very stable to fish out of, It doesn't rock when I cast because i cast with my arm not my whole body.
 
For those who want to kayak, canoe or boat without the need for a partner to run a shuttle. You can do a bicycle shuttle.

1. Drop bike off at take out and lock it.
2. Drive to your put in.
3. Leave your car at the put in.
4. Kayak to take out.
5. Lock Kayak and ride bike to put in.
6. Load bike in car, drive to take out, load up kayak.

This could be done in your order of preference of course. It sounds like a lot of effort but realistically it isn't too bad. Especially if you are fishing you will not be covering huge milages of water. Bikes are fast and generally there is a road paralleling the water. Just a thought. This is really appealing to be because it combines my two favorite things, fly fishing and cycling. Now if only I could afford a kayak......
 
jayL wrote:
Thanks guys.

I have a john boat, but the damn thing weighs a ton. I use it for lake fishing, but rarely get out on it.
Click to expand...


Jay, what do your neighbors say when you drag your boat in and out of your Center City apartment?!?
:lol:
 
Don't see the need for floating Penns, or some of the others you mentioned. You'll end up putting every fish down for miles. Best to approach our waters on foot.

Move to Montana?
 
Being a nice guy he will only float during max flood waters to train and toughen up for next summer.
 
sundrunk wrote:
Don't see the need for floating Penns, or some of the others you mentioned. You'll end up putting every fish down for miles. Best to approach our waters on foot.

Move to Montana?
Click to expand...

It's to get from point a to b mostly, rather than a fishing platform. A certain Mr. Beaver owns a good stretch of bank on the little j in a stretch I'd like to fish, for example.

The idea would be to stop a few hundred feet above likely looking water to get out and wade.

As for penns, it was just another idea. Pretty much anywhere that has readily available canoe or kayak info out there is a potential float.

Big pine is another... Hell, the guys from backwater angler floated the gunpowder in a drift boat when that was doing a whitewater release.

Of course, there's always the bigger waters.
 
Yes, you could float the lower Gun...That river see's so many canoe's, kayak's and tuber's it would make your head spin. In fact it's refered to as the great, summer, canoe hatch, and most anglers dred it.

Big pine would be perfect for a canoe trip. Every time I visit Big Pine I imagen Seneca braves floating the riffle water in their birtch bark canoes; what a sight that must of been..

You may also consider the North branch of the Potomac as well, perfect for a float...

I prefer Penns on foot; thats just me though. I think you either float it or fish it.

I've got an older Dagger canoe ultra-lite, It works for me...
 
Dear Jay,

I hate to say this because I know you like your Jeep, but they don't offer much in the way of carrying capacity for a hard sided watercraft unless you sink some serious dough into a quality roof rack. An el-cheapo rack system for a Jeep Wrangler will easily double your sub- $ 400.00 boat budget.

That being said, consider a pontoon or some other inflatable craft. I have a Cabela's FishCat Panther. I've only had it on lakes but it easily holds my fat behind so you'd ride tall in one. I bought it on sale for $ 599.99 and it was the most rugged and heavily built model I could find at anywhere close to that price.

Cabela's no longer offers that model but it's actually made by AIRE and they offer it still.

There are about a zillion inflatable canoes and kayaks available that run the gamut from inflatable pool toys for kiddies to boats capable of handling a remote trip in the Himalaya's. Something like one of those might be a better choice for you if you want the boat primarily to move from spot to spot. Price's run from the 10's of dollars to the 1000's of dollars and you almost always get precisely what you paid for.

You can often find good used boats available for sale, but that happens most often in the late Winter and early Spring when folks are looking to upgrade.

Hit me with a PM and I can provide you links to boat makers and dealers that you might want to consider.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
I have a 12' Old Town Dirigo kayak and I have been on the Delaware River many times and the Lehigh River and Pine Creek earlier this year. I also take it out in my local lakes.

It can be difficult to fly fish from the kayak in rapids since you need to paddle to maintain control, but it is not impossible. I usually float to a good spot and get out and fish for a while.

I disagree with GreenWeenie that a kayak is not the way to go. I have no problem casting as long as it is not very long distances and you won't get that wet unless you go through Class II or III rapids. I bought a spray skirt for mine after I went on the Lehigh River. The boat can get swamped with water and make you lose control of your kayak. It is good to have a rod holder so you don't lose a good rod on the bottom of the river as well.

If you decide on a kayak, let me know and I can give you some other advice on those.
 
CLSports wrote:

It can be difficult to fly fish from the kayak in rapids since you need to paddle to maintain control, but it is not impossible. I usually float to a good spot and get out and fish for a while.
Click to expand...



That's pretty much what I do when I float a river with my yak. A pontoon boat is a little easier and more comfortable to fish from but it is like a sail on a windy day.
 
Jay,

I came across this thread on another forum. Thought there was some good info on there regarding kayaks and canoes, specifically the posts from Foulhook.

http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190781

*Mods-Not sure if linking to another forum is against the rules, if so feel free to delete.
 
I think you got a alot of good input on yaks Jay. I have a 12' and I really think that is the size you would want to look at which is another problem for your Jeep. 12' is stable and easy to steer in fast or lake water. I also went with alittle deeper hull to cut through the water. It really doesn't make a diff for moving water but it helps on flat water. Spray skirts keep colder water out. Also I have a sit in which can be loaded with a ton of gear that is easily accessable. Just my 2 cents if you ever wanna take it out on Blue Marsh let me know that's a good excuse for me to get out there.


BTW whatever happened to the Blue Marsh Jam idea mentioned last winter. Guess it was a time and priority thing for everyone.
 
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