Pontoons for fishing?

[Tommyboy]

Id go for it. Only draw back is loading/unloading and towing. Other than that its really nice to fish on a toon. Oh, get a long handled net so you dont have to bend down for the bigguns.

 

[guywhofishes]

poor juanr… had no idea he was frail/ailing

 

[Allen]

Juan,

It's a bold step to go away from such a nice fishing rig as your ProV and depend on a Toon for all your boating and fishing needs. Sounds like a pretty nice toon you are considering, I am guessing it's at least a 22 ft ride, or probably a 24 footer. On Sakakawea, I wouldn't hesitate at all to go with a 22+ foot tritoon running that many horses. That toon will be plenty safe and comfortable up to about 3 ft waves so long as you are running into or with them.

As far as loading onto a bunk trailer. I'm not going to say it's as easy as my Lund on a roller trailer, but you will get it figured out. In all reality, I am just about as fast at loading the toon so long as there isn't a lot (15+ mph) cross winds. In those situations the toon's rear will sometimes want to float off to the side of the bunks.

I would have gone to just a toon several years ago except I don't want to have to fish the Missouri river in the spring on the toon. As the kids are now entering college and I no longer have to regularly skipper 6 people out fishing, I may upgrade to one of those sparkly boats in the near future, but am quite sure if I go that route that I will miss the toon during the summer lake fishing season.

 

[SupressYourself]

To each their own, but it's not for me. I fish out of an uncles toon on Sak around the 4th every year. Maybe his driving skills are not great, but it's frustrating. Unless it's dead calm, we never seem to be able to keep the proper speed or direction to troll a given structure. There are times I know that if I was in my boat, I could be hammering fish. Instead, we pick up one here or there when boat control is accidentally "correct".

 

[Allen]

By far, the best way to fish out of a toon would be slip bobbers up in the trees at DL.

Second best, and the one I employ 80% of the time, is to drift with the toon using the electric to keep on the right path/depth. 15% of the time I am using the electric to troll forward. And last, about 5% of the time I am using the big motor.

 

[scrotcaster]

Can you pull cranks with a toon ? now that would be comfy fishing

 

[Allen]

Can you pull cranks with a toon ? now that would be comfy fishing

Yes. I don't do it often, but I have and it was fine. The downside is that the toon isn't as nimble in allowing you to follow a specific depth contour. Hence you will find yourself in shallower water than you wanted to be, which will likely ensure more snags. Again, with the toon not being as nimble, it's slightly more challenging to go retrieve a snagged crankbait.

However, at places like Antelope Flat up north of 4Bears, or Pepsi Flats on the west side of Indian Hills campground, the toon is fine for pulling cranks since they are long and relatively straight runs. On an irregular shoreline you will likely run into the problems I mentioned above.

The other problem is that your anglers (at least a couple of them) will want to sit in the front of the toon. This will help ensure getting lines tangled or in the prop unless you have a plan for depth choices and how much line is out. Always have those up front with more aggressive diving lures on your longest rods so they don't have to let out as much line. Those in the back of the boat should be running another 50% more line to again help prevent entanglements.

 

[Kurtr]

Back troll with a drift sock up front right in the middle never had a problem following contours. I wont ever get one again because i dont want to be volunteered to go float around the lake. Some people like that shit not me if i am on the lake i want to be fishing.

 

[Fallguy]

I have a 16 foot Bass Buggy that I inherited from my dad. Both my kids learned to fish in it and it can pull cranks just fine. That's one of my favorite ways to fish. Got a 25 horse Mercury on it and I max out at 15 mph. Got an old trolling motor on it that works just fine. She got flipped over in a tornado a few years ago and I kept her. Rails are bent a bit and the door on the side is gone and the canopy is gone. Good thing I like the sun. The deck and down was fine. Seats were fine. Motor was fine. Finally replaced the cranking battery (2013) this summer. Some year I plan to redo the flooring and layout and make it a dedicated Red River cat boat.

Here's some pics from last weekend in the boat.

 

[guywhofishes]

get the pontoon...

 

[shorthairsrus]

More tunes than boats on the lake that reside on weekends. What are they used for mainly Partying. Tie 15 of them together and yes my fishing boat is squashed somewhere in the middle at times. With all the fancy seating etc -- imo it would be must for one that is designed for fishing - however if your using it for fun - go with the party seating as it will make more sense. Since everyone has one i always have access to jump on one for a p;arty ride.

GET A YAMMY OR ZUKE and a nice prop with power. PS I am seeing alot more zukes.

 

[shorthairsrus]

For whatever reason black tubes are the thing - hmmm IDK u bump a dock wrong and you have a black and silver smudge.

PS LED lights a must and a big subby

 

[scrotcaster]

Yes. I don't do it often, but I have and it was fine. The downside is that the toon isn't as nimble in allowing you to follow a specific depth contour. Hence you will find yourself in shallower water than you wanted to be, which will likely ensure more snags. Again, with the toon not being as nimble, it's slightly more challenging to go retrieve a snagged crankbait.

However, at places like Antelope Flat up north of 4Bears, or Pepsi Flats on the west side of Indian Hills campground, the toon is fine for pulling cranks since they are long and relatively straight runs. On an irregular shoreline you will likely run into the problems I mentioned above.

The other problem is that your anglers (at least a couple of them) will want to sit in the front of the toon. This will help ensure getting lines tangled or in the prop unless you have a plan for depth choices and how much line is out. Always have those up front with more aggressive diving lures on your longest rods so they don't have to let out as much line. Those in the back of the boat should be running another 50% more line to again help prevent entanglements.

Thank you for the thorough answer ! @Allen

 

[Rowdie]

It's all about boat controll. I'd want a kicker on to and a good electric trolling motor on the front. Guides around Pollock and Mobridge have went to center counsel toons.

 

[deleted___account]

Some guides run toons for fishing rigs. You'll be alright if your not a hard-core fisherman anymore. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Besides when the fish aren't going you'll have a party barge to fall back on.

 

[Fester]

Any boat will catch fish...its the person putting you on the fish that counts. Pontoons are sails but after learning you will be fine. Its like any other vessel there will be a learning curve and some adapting but you will probably catch the same amount of fish. Will it be the same handling as your pro v? Absolutely not but thats ok. Look at it as another fishing challenge to overcome. The reward will be great! To add, I would love for a big name tourney to be won by a guy in a pontoon! Epic!

 

[NodakBob]

My buddies with fishing boats are amazed by my boat control with my pontoon…just takes a bit of effort to learn to ease it around rather than jerk it around. Works great for pulling cranks on the river!

 

[shorthairsrus]

I have taken a toon, alum boat and a glass boat to the ramp with the wind blowing or a big current, none of them are perfect by no means. IMO mark with a little piece of tape on the deck so you know exactly where your tube is so it hits that bunk trailer perfect. If you do it enough times boom

As far as the sail effect --- those statements are overrated glass with a windshield, alum with a windshield, toon with bimini down they all catch wind-- the only guy who may do better is a bass boat --- otherwise its BS IMO. Weight imo is what slows it down. The big 300 on a tri check prices to the east -- where the prices are the least.


Speaking of wind ---- get that auto bimini top too!!! Sweet!!!

 

[lunkerslayer]

Looking to sell my trusty 2007 ProV 1900 and purchase a used tritoon listed locally here.
Bennington with a couple live wells and a troller, graphs and such.

Am I crazy, or now that I am an old man will this work for me. I fish probably half as much as I used to, but still want to get after it on occasion.
This toon has a 250 merc on it also, so should get me where I need to be on the big lake, however it is rarely calm, and I have never actually fished out of one.

any new advice out there?