Pontoons for fishing?

[Allen Gamble]

I had a 22' Bennington with fishing seats in the back in 2014-2015 and this was about the time I first started fishing again. We sold it for a boat to pull tubes. If I could have seen the future then there would have been no way I would have sold that pontoon.

 

[Wall-eyes]

On the Missouri river with all sand bars not so good, seen plenty of mad people who just party and cruise around get stuck, lakes alot better, boat ramps can be fun if really shallow, the way seats are set up not very comfortable. Have stand all time, if wind comes up big waves are not so fun. See older people trolling on lakes in Minnesota, not best boat control put make do with what you got. Tri toons are new rage put really nice boats with bigger HP cost like sparkly boat. Can handle alot more people is plus side.

 

[Kurtr]

On the Missouri river with all sand bars not so good, seen plenty of mad people who just party and cruise around get stuck, lakes alot better, boat ramps can be fun if really shallow, the way seats are set up not very comfortable. Have stand all time, if wind comes up big waves are not so fun. See older people trolling on lakes in Minnesota, not best boat control put make do with what you got. Tri toons are new rage put really nice boats with bigger HP cost like sparkly boat. Can handle alot more people is plus side.

I would rather fish out the toon when i had it than a boat when it got windy on oahe took waves no problem. Boat control is easy when back trolling with drift socks out the front. Why stand up with the seats you can sit and fish just fine. There is a reason most guides have gone that way. The comfort and room is tough to match in a boat. If I was fishing tourneys a boat is better for the fact it is fast and can be set up better for it. Fun fishing tough to beat the toons

 

[Wall-eyes]

I would rather fish out the toon when i had it than a boat when it got windy on oahe took waves no problem. Boat control is easy when back trolling with drift socks out the front. Why stand up with the seats you can sit and fish just fine. There is a reason most guides have gone that way. The comfort and room is tough to match in a boat. If I was fishing tourneys a boat is better for the fact it is fast and can be set up better for it. Fun fishing tough to beat the toons

The bench seats face each other not forward can't be comfortable to me. Only know couple guides with them they do work I am sure. You can back troll in 3 to 5 foot waves can't imagine that would be interesting I guess, roomy interior yes. All of people don't get the lines tangled up too has to be fun trolling cranks with 6 to 8 lines with people who know how to fish can be fun, kinda be guides nightmare, can see jigging whole lot better. Saw that at Lake of woods and Lake Mille Lacs in 26 foot plus boats. All ones I saw when wind came up got off lake's. Anything is do able.

 

[Kurtr]

The bench seats face each other not forward can't be comfortable to me. Only know couple guides with them they do work I am sure. You can back troll in 3 to 5 foot waves can't imagine that would be interesting I guess, roomy interior yes. All of people don't get the lines tangled up too has to be fun trolling cranks with 6 to 8 lines with people who know how to fish can be fun, kinda be guides nightmare, can see jigging whole lot better. Saw that at Lake of woods and Lake Mille Lacs in 26 foot plus boats. All ones I saw when wind came up got off lake's. Anything is do able.

The fishing ones all have captains chairs up front and its pretty simple pulling cranks when you have them all spread out. Most people are not fishing 3-5 foot waves so that really does not matter but it can be done. Its no fun fishing that in a sparkle boat in 3-5 footers. Bench seats are for party boats.

 

[Allen]

Just like out of a boat, you can pretty easily fish 4 lines while running cranks, if you are wanting to run more than that you should probably use planer boards.

 

[Kurtr]

Just like out of a boat, you can pretty easily fish 4 lines while running cranks, if you are wanting to run more than that you should probably use planer boards.

We ran six alot just used the went short to long out the front and on the side.

 

[Allen]

We ran six alot just used the went short to long out the front and on the side.

Yeah, one can, especially down on Oahe or the flats of Sak where you're not trying to stick along an irregular shoreline. But if you do that on most of Sak you are going to get a lot of tangles when trying to keep a particular depth on a shoreline.

 

[Kurtr]

Yeah, one can, especially down on Oahe or the flats of Sak where you're not trying to stick along an irregular shoreline. But if you do that on most of Sak you are going to get a lot of tangles when trying to keep a particular depth on a shoreline.

Contour trolling pretty much all i did. We run six all the time on the boat only time we used planner boards was to get up shallow. 4.5 foot rods out front with clip weights then 8.5 out the back and 10.5 out each side by the counsels. Lead on both the back rods

 

[Rowdie]

The guides have them tricked out nice. Center counsel for guide, and fishing chairs front and back. The have kickers rigged on the back and BIG motors to push the tri-toon. They can fit a lot of customers on them, and make more $$$.

 

[Wall-eyes]

The guides have them tricked out nice. Center counsel for guide, and fishing chairs front and back. The have kickers rigged on the back and BIG motors to push the tri-toon. They can fit a lot of customers on them, and make more $$$.

I have seen two I know setup that way yes more people more money, just all party pontoons would not be fun most of time to fish out.

 

[Rowdie]

Neither would be fishing out of a big ski boat like a bayliner.

 

[NodakBob]

FWIW I have 22’ tri tune with a 115hp. I upgraded the stock 15p aluminum prop to a Yamaha pontoon performance prop, really improved boat control at low and high speed. I have a 13p but should’ve gotten a 12p. Cruise at 20-25mph with 30 mph top end. Works great pulling cranks.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Is there anyplace to jack on a pontoon to dryland load it on a bunker trailer ? Seeing some that I might be interested in but quite a few are sitting on the ground . Just need to plan for what ever needs to be done before I get serious about any of those without trailers , I want a bunker trailer for sure. Unless there is a magic trick , I suppose about the only way is to rent a crank up trailer then dump it in a lake and reload on bunker trailer ?

 

[deleted member]

i assume they were dumped there via pontoon trailer. correct me if i am wrong. but, i believe a toon trailer can lift and set a toon from and onto a level surface.

 

[Allen]

Both the front and rear of the tubes have attachment points for lifting them. In the back there is a hole in the deck with a removable cover to get straight up and down access to the attachment point.

The question then becomes what are you planning on using to lift the toon? One could maybe use a loader tractor, or multiple tractors to lift the front of the toon and get it set on the bunks, once on the bunks you could then use the same to lift the rear of the toon as the toon gets cranked onto the trailer.

You would want to wetten the bunks before doing this, maybe even slicken them up with a little vegetable oil.

I am pretty sure boat shops use overhead hoists to lift toons and fit/place a trailer under it. Out in the yard they can use scissor trailers to pick up a 2-tube pontoon, but am not sure how they do a tritoon that has been set on the ground.

 

[Davey Crockett]

As long as there are lift points it shouldn't be a problem, almost everyone knows someone who owns a bobcat that wouldn't mind making a few bucks.

 

[Davey Crockett]

i assume they were dumped there via pontoon trailer. correct me if i am wrong. but, i believe a toon trailer can lift and set a toon from and onto a level surface.

There are lift trailers and bunker trailers , bunkers are float on trailers so theres no way to snatch it up off the ground.