Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Matt]

I have a small aluminum boat and a Fishcat and it works well for me.  Most of my buddies who fished out of pontoons ended up getting boats.  They have more storage space, easy too piss over the side, no need to where waders all the time etc.  Most lake pontoons aren't well suited for rivers and vice versa, but they'll do in a pinch on some rivers if that's something that might interest you.

If you're just getting into lake fishing and not sure whether you'll get into it seriously, I think a used Fishcat or Caddis pontoon-style float tube is a good choice.  About the time you'll get sick of the tube, you'll probably be pony up for a cheap aluminum boat for less than the cost of a pontoon.  At this point, keep the float tube for friends or hike-in lakes.

[skaha]

--big thing is to decide where you want to use it... if in similar areas or even often same area you can really fine tune with specialty craft...
--I think in my lifetime I have only sold one boat.
--I still use my bag maker which at the time I thought was the best available..one of the first to actually have a bit of a shape to it rather than straight round boat.
--Pontoon boat... low profile flat pontoon river rated water skeeter...got a good price... only others I considered were Dave Scadden or Outcast.. for the size i was looking for.
--Old outcast raft.. which has hole (it is supposed to be there) in the floor so can use fins as well as kayak paddle with feet up.
--Frontiersman Canoe.. 16 ft classic lake model from early 70's popular in Williams lk area.
--12 ft aluminium  2hp Honda 4stroke...one of the first Honda's to come out.
--17.5 thunderjet... powerbolt model.. deep V off shore bracket... downriggers etc.
--a few more not fishing boats.
--I sometimes take the pontoon, raft or belly boat on the thunderjet when fishing remote areas.

--There is always a compromise, that's why you  have several different clubs in your  golf bag and also why different players choose different club for the same shot. 

[Sterling C]

I have a small aluminum boat and a Fishcat and it works well for me.  Most of my buddies who fished out of pontoons ended up getting boats.  They have more storage space, easy too piss over the side, no need to where waders all the time etc.  Most lake pontoons aren't well suited for rivers and vice versa, but they'll do in a pinch on some rivers if that's something that might interest you.

If you're just getting into lake fishing and not sure whether you'll get into it seriously, I think a used Fishcat or Caddis pontoon-style float tube is a good choice.  About the time you'll get sick of the tube, you'll probably be pony up for a cheap aluminum boat for less than the cost of a pontoon.  At this point, keep the float tube for friends or hike-in lakes.

I've drifted several class 3 rivers in various pontoon boats, including an 8 foot fishcat 9 and a 7 foot fishcat streamer. More than anything else, safety comes down to common sense and boat handling ability. For 95% of the people out there these boats will be more than ample for drifting rivers. If you are relying on a bigger boat to keep you safe then chances are you shouldn't be there in the first place.

As far as aluminum boats go. Yes they are nice but are not practical for everyone. For starters, you need to have a place to store them as well as a way of transporting them. That alone makes it impractical for people such as myself.