pontoons

[Kyle]

anyone fish out of these one man pontoons? i recently sold my solo canoe because it was killing my back. summer will be here before we know it, and i have a chance with cash in hand to buy a pontoon for float trips. what are your thoughts? if i buy the pontoon it will be only used for floating rivers for bass and trout. and my tacoma has an outlet in the bed so i can fill it with air.

 

[jifigz]

anyone fish out of these one man pontoons? i recently sold my solo canoe because it was killing my back. summer will be here before we know it, and i have a chance with cash in hand to buy a pontoon for float trips. what are your thoughts? if i buy the pontoon it will be only used for floating rivers for bass and trout. and my tacoma has an outlet in the bed so i can fill it with air.

I say go for it so you can let us know how it is. I've always been intrigued by them. I think you'll need a shuttle vehicle downstream for moving waters, though. Plus, I can see lots of stuff to get hung up on with your fly line on a boat like that. The chair and seating position might make it hard to get that stuff untangled, too.

But no, I have no personal experience with one.

 

[KeviR]

I guess it depends what you want to use it for. The pontoon I tried was OK for transportation between spots on the river, but not good as a fishing platform. It was pretty stable and manuverable and I felt comfortable negotiating moderate rapids. If you only plan to use it as transportation between spots, it seems like a decent choice. The advantage is that it's small enough to put in a truck bed by yourself. (Or assemble/inflate from a trunk.) Its main disadvantage in my limited experience is that it's not great as a fishing platform. The one I had, you couldn't stand up, and the anchor was difficult to use and the boat was squirrely when anchored. I know there are lots of other models out there, so some may not have these problems.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I owned, fished and floated a number of rivers (and lakes) in the east and west pretty extensively for 20+ years. My first one was a wonderful, if not overbuilt, Kingfisher 11’2” x19” diameter tube cataraft, built by a guy who lived in Sand Point, ID at the time, and I subsequently sold it and got an Outcast 10’ Ferrari Series pontoon which was also excellent. While the Kingfisher was technically a one person boat, I often took a person with me who sat on a cooler that I strapped on the deck.

I know many people are quite happy with smaller pontoons (9’ is quite common), but I’d suggest to determine what size rivers you might be floating, plus what size boat you feel comfortable in handling (back problems?) and then get the very best boat you can afford, with the best oars, anchor system, fins, and manual pump that you can afford, and go for it.

You‘ll find that a lot of the pontoons use on rivers will be to transport yourself from point to point, where you’ll stop to fish likely places, but you can also fish from a moving boat, although it is a bit harder to use a combination of the oars, fins, and your fly rod all at the same time.

Learn how to row and handle the boat first, and stay away from cheap products, and poor customer service companies (of which there are many) and you’ll do fine.

John

 

[krayfish2]

I've done it off and on for about 20 years. They're awkward to load and get to the water but extremely useful. I've snuck up just feet from a fish and they kept feeding. There's a lot going on when you do it and it's definitely a learned talent.

I might even have one I'm willing to sell.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I don’t think that pontoons are necessarily any more awkward to load and get to the water than are other boats. But, like anything, where one person may think they are awkward, another person who is perhaps younger, stronger or more energetic, etc. might think they are a piece of cake. A lot of the potential for awkwardness also depends on how you transport and handle your pontoon getting them to and from the water.

I‘ve put pontoons into and taken them out of many places on rivers where I couldn’t possibly get another larger boat, or drift boat, in or out. I also taken my pontoons on rivers that I’d never take a drift boat because the water was too shallow, rocky, or even too swift or dangerous for a drift boat, or perhaps even a raft. (You can change directions on a dime in pontoon, with good oars and oar locks, but it might take a dollar to miss a rock in a drift boat 😊, for example.). In that respect, a pontoon may be the better or less awkward watercraft.

I‘ve transported pontoons on my roof rack and and on an aluminum utility trailer, and in the bed of my truck. I never needed one, but you can also buy or make a transport wheel to get a pontoon to and from the water.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

You may want to borrow one to try before you buy one. If a canoe is hurting your back, a personal pontoon may not be any better. I think HugeFlyFisherman has a YouTube about pontoons that you may find useful (and humorous).

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Kyle,

Have you considered a hybrid boat like the Buck's Bag Roughneck, the Creek Company Voyager, or the FRM boat from Amazon. I have a Voyager and I'm a BIG DUDE and it holds me fine, but I have only used it on lakes. At 8 feet long though frameless it is a pain to schlep around. I may get a Roughneck instead.

One thing you need to consider is that it is almost mandatory that you have a shuttle with a pontoon unless you restrict yourself to fishing a single large pool on a river. You won't get anything done rowing against the current.

The FRM boat has a motor mount and will take a small trolling motor but then you will need to register the boat.

Have you also considered a kayak?

Edited to add this link, https://floattubeforum.forumotion.com/f28-float-tube-pontoon-and-equipment-related-discussions. Look here for ideas and boat reviews.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Kyle]

thanks for all the comments. it would be only for floating downstream from point A to B. i would have someone pick me up or drop me off. i dont have terrible back problems but with the canoe i had it was a combination of the extremely low seat and leg room that made my back hurt. the seats on a pontoon look a little more comfy but i could be wrong which is why id rather buy used then new. my other concern is where the fly line goes like another member here mentioned. it seems you could get into a tangled mess if you have alot of line out.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I never had any major problems with getting fly lines tangled in a pontoon boat, although it happens from time to time, much the same like it does when fishing any other way.

If and when you’re fishing while you’re floating most of your casts will be shorter ones as you float downstream, and you’ll probably have no more than a rod length or two of line out and won‘t need to hold any extra line in your opposite hand, or let loose line dangle somewhere on or off the boat where it can and will get tangled. Also, unless you’re fishing very slow moving water, you probably won’t be anchoring and fishing while seated in a pontoon as much as you would from another boat, like a drift boat, since a pontoon anchor, if you have one, weighs much less than those on larger boats, and it simply won’t hold a pontoon in faster moving currents - not that you’d necessarily want to anchor in faster moving water anyway from a safety standpoint.

 

[ocfisher]

Check out the Bote Zepelin 10. Upright seating, stand able. Inflates quickly and easily (especially with a power pump) . Stores into a backpack and weighs only 40lbs so pretty portable too.

 

[Kyle]

You may want to borrow one to try before you buy one. If a canoe is hurting your back, a personal pontoon may not be any better. I think HugeFlyFisherman has a YouTube about pontoons that you may find useful (and humorous).

that was funny. but i think he was mainly talking about float tubes. i am interested in this type of pontoon

 

[krayfish2]

Have a scadden x5 with u shaped pontoon and 2 single toons. Also have the 8-9 model which might have been called the Madison. 4 plus sets of oars and all kinds of stuff. If you hoof it several hundred yards to launch....PITA. You have to make a trip with the boat, oars and anchor, cooler, gear, etc. Even though I see all of that stuff as a downside, I still used it quite often. Try throwing a triple nymph indi rig while navigating fast water. I was actually very handy at it a while back. Struggled the last time out since I hadn't done it in years but man can it be effective.

 

[TimMurphy]

that was funny. but i think he was mainly talking about float tubes. i am interested in this type of pontoon
View attachment 1641230416

Dear Kyle,

My brother lives in Fargo ND and fishes a LOT. He had that same pontoon but after a year or two he replaced it with a Perception Outlaw kayak. He may still have the pontoon but he fishes from the kayak now.

Krayfish has some nice boats you may want to look at. Scadden has been around for a long time and his boats are well regarded though mostly out West since he is located in Utah.

I may buy this boat, https://www.davescaddenpaddlesports.com/product-page/dave-scadden-s-detonator-r-series

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[mt_flyfisher]

If you hoof it several hundred yards to launch....PITA. You have to make a trip with the boat, oars and anchor, cooler, gear, etc.

Now I understand why you say pontoons are awkward. I’d think that would apply to most any watercraft you attempt to launch several hundred yards from the water. 😊

Dear Kyle,

My brother lives in Fargo ND and fishes a LOT. He had that same pontoon but after a year or two he replaced it with a Perception Outlaw kayak. He may still have the pontoon but he fishes from the kayak now.

Krayfish has some nice boats you may want to look at. Scadden has been around for a long time and his boats are well regarded though mostly out West since he is located in Utah.

I may buy this boat, https://www.davescaddenpaddlesports.com/product-page/dave-scadden-s-detonator-r-series

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Dear Tim -

You don‘t have to look very far to find an equal number of people who will give you the exact opposite opinion of Scadden and his boats. More so perhaps on his honesty, reliability, and customer service than on his actual boat designs.

Regards,

John Rhoades

 

[Kyle]

so why is the colorado $600 but the outcasts are $1000 or more. better material? able to stand up on more expensive outcasts? i have the cash for a colorado, but if an outcast is $400 more i would rather spend the money now for a better model. i wish there was a place to test ride these things.

on another note, i have had kayaks and canoes my whole life including a 2018 hobie outback which i outfitted for fishing. i had all the bells and whistles on it. but i cant see myself bouncing off rocks and skidding over rocks in low water with a hobie kayak.

what im looking for right now is a " throw it in the truck, drag it to the water, and hop in it" type of water craft just to get me down the river for some fishing. then make a phone call for pick up. by no means will i be rowing up river in a pontoon to get back to my truck.

 

[caddisflyer]

I have two fishing pontoons made by Fishcat. I like them for certain situations. You can dry fly fish out of them ,especially if you can float near feeding fish and anchor. No good for streamer fishing in moving water.

 

[TimMurphy]

Now I understand why you say pontoons are awkward. I’d think that would apply to most any watercraft you attempt to launch several hundred yards from the water. 😊



Dear Tim -

You don‘t have to look very far to find an equal number of people who will give you the exact opposite opinion of Scadden and his boats. More so perhaps on his honesty, reliability, and customer service than on his actual boat designs.

Regards,

John Rhoades

Dear John,

I think he grossly inflates the capacity of his boats, but I know people who have been using his boats for 20 years and they love them. Maybe they get comped a new boat every couple of years to brag on his boats? I have a Creek Company Voyager frameless boat that hasn't seen water in 5 years. For giggles and grins, I aired it up a couple of weeks ago and it, along with my Waterskeeter Daytripper float tube that I aired up with it are still standing tall.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[TimMurphy]

so why is the colorado $600 but the outcasts are $1000 or more. better material? able to stand up on more expensive outcasts? i have the cash for a colorado, but if an outcast is $400 more i would rather spend the money now for a better model. i wish there was a place to test ride these things.

on another note, i have had kayaks and canoes my whole life including a 2018 hobie outback which i outfitted for fishing. i had all the bells and whistles on it. but i cant see myself bouncing off rocks and skidding over rocks in low water with a hobie kayak.

what im looking for right now is a " throw it in the truck, drag it to the water, and hop in it" type of water craft just to get me down the river for some fishing. then make a phone call for pick up. by no means will i be rowing up river in a pontoon to get back to my truck.

Dear Kyle,

That Colorado weighs 80 pounds set up, with nothing in the bags, and nothing else tagging along. That accounts for a large part of the price difference vs. higher end models.

Have you considered an inflatable kayak? Aquaglide makes some nice ones set up for fishing and some similar models without all the fishing features for less money, and they weigh much less than a pontoon. If you are a normal sized person and not some gigantic freak like me you might want to look at the NRS Pike, or it's equivalent model from Star Inflatables. Look at Advance Elements, Saturn inflatables, and AIRE too.

The wife and I have two hard sided kayaks from Crescent, otherwise we'd have inflatables and dispense with the need for a trailer.

There is a boat out there for you!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[krayfish2]

What is the difference between a $400 pontoon and a $1200 pontoon?

Frames:
$400 = tube steel frame that is heavier and will end up rusting out
$1200 = 6061 aluminum or stainless steel (bucks bags). Longer lasting and the aluminum frame is lighter

Bladders:
$400 = nylon cover with plastic bladders. The 'rip stop' nylon is lower grade and will pop like a hot dog left on the grill. Not fixable usually.
$1200 = PVC cover (think lighter grade WW raft material). Easy to patch with a little know how. Some are bladderless some aren't. Typically very durable.

Seats:
Similar on both price points

Oar locks / anchor system:
Typically upgraded on the more expensive models

Bottom of the barrel:
* Classic Accessories
* Creek Company (might be out of business)

Better:
* Outcast (steel tube frame)

Most more better:
* Aire (big brother of outcast). Aluminum framed, higher grade pontoon material.
* Dave Scadden. Many options, innovative designs. Not as high grade PVC as some companies. Sometimes, shipping issues and that's the main beef with disgruntled customer reviews.
* Bucks Bags. Stainless steel frame, high quality PVC covers, frame add on options for anchor, rod holders, etc. Heavy