SINCE I SAT THROUGH AND READ EVERY WORD OF THE RECENT "REDD DEBATE" ON THE PUTAH CREEK SECTION, I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE CHECKING ALL THE PREVIOUS THREADS TO SEE IF ANY HAD BLOGGED ABOUT PONTOON BOATS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM? I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT BRANDS, EQUIPMENT, SINGLE PERSON BOATS, AND HOW THEY HANDLE, ETC...THANKS. JW.
I just got a two man pontoon that I looking forward to using. (as in where's the rain?) One of the places I checked was a Washington web site because they have so many up there. You might want to check it out, there are many discussions:
Mine isnt a one man, but you cant go wrong with Outcast. I have an Aire Pac 1600, and love it. I have played with a few one man outcast boats, and if you are looking for a new one, the Outcast Fish Cast 10-IR is the cadillac of one man pontoons through outcast. But I think the best on the market right now is North Fork Outfitters Skykomish Sunrise. Both are extremely manuverable on the water, both come with trolling motor mount, 2pc 7ft oars, and stand up platforms and lean bars. Both are pricey but both well worth the money. Id look round online first to see if you can find a great condition used one. They are always on line and usually half the price.
Here is some info about both
outcast 10ft x 4 2/3ft nfo 10 1/2ft x 4 1/2ft outcast 450lb cap nfo 400lb cap outcast 17"dia pontoon nfo 16" dia pontoon outcast 600-denier pvc top / 900-denier pvc bottom on pontoons nfo 1500-denier pvc tops and bottoms outcast 5yr warranty nfo 15yr warranty on pontoons, life time on the frame outcast 68lbs nfo 62lbs outcast stripping basket nfo no basket
Outcast $870 NFO $1000
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE IDEAS. BC...I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE OUTCASTS AND WAS THINKING ABOUT THE ONE MAN WITH THE CASTING PLATFORM. I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT CLASSIC ACCESSORIES PONTOONS. I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN FISHING FROM IT, BUT GETTING FROM POINT A TO B. GOT A CABELA'S GIFT CERT THAT IS BURNING A HOLE IN MY POCKET!!!!!! JW
cabelas has a bunch of pontoons. Outcast, NFO, creek company (dont recommend) and a few other less known names.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Hey Brin, or othrs that use a toon. I've watched a bunch of youtube videos on pontoons and wonder how usefull they really are on moving water.
I remember one video where Dave Scanden (sp) just stood up in his toon in a shallower spot of a river and started fishing. Aside from that I don't remember seeing any others. I remember hearing of somebody swamping thiers years ago (early 90's) on the lower Sac when they droped an achor. For some reason I think it might have been a fatality but old age is creeping in so don't quote it.
I've floated the Yuba many times in a small Sevaylor 2 man raft and even did the lower Sac once, it worked really well but you had to beach it or bail out in the shallow stuff and hold onto it to fish. On the Yuba it was just about ideal and very effective but a little undergunned for the lower Sac. We had to portage a number of spots and got stuck in a whirlpool above a sunken tree for a few minutes on another occasion
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Winter eats heat the way darkness swallows light. The terrors of failed power and frozen stems are stymied with fire, smoke and white ash.
I havent had any issues with my Aire yet. I took it out on the American at 17000 and it was fine. There were a few areas with toms big whorlpools where to big fast long seams combine to create a bus size (width and length) whorlpool. I rowed through it and it was fine. It will defintely take some abuse as well as some major rapids if needed. Ive taken it down the Yuba and its awesome. And yes in the right conditions you can get the toon below a riffle and keep the toon there without paddle to much or at all. They dont back row as easy as a hyde, definitely not like a clacka, but for the price of them you cant go wrong.
Rowing on the Lower Sac isnt the easiest. I have done it a few times in drift boats without any issues. Only time I had a problem was when I took my 6ftx4ft one man toon down the wrong side of a run. Found a car size whorlpool and it wasnt very fun. A 10ftx4ft toon will work fine on the Lower Sac under 6500cfs, over that its to much, under is perfect. When it comes to rowing/drift a river its all about exerience, one with rowing your boat, and knowledge of the river. If you have to try to scope the river below you before going though the rapids, seeing excape routes if something happens. If you have to get out and walk it around. I have no problem doing that if i have to.
Hope this helps.
-- Edited by brian clemens on Monday 14th of February 2011 08:03:35 AM
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
YEAH, I'M PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN GETTING FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND WADER FISHING. PROB. ON THE TRINITY, FEATHER, AND MAYBE LOWER SAC. GONNA CHECK THEM OUT AT THE UPCOMING FLY FISHING EXPO IN PLEASANTON IN A FEW WEEKS. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE GUYS!!!
