I am looking at pontoons to fish off of primarily striper fishing and trolling and double duty as a family boat. I sold my 1700 Maycraft, just too small at times. Do many folks on the board use them? and any preference on what not to buy?
Jeff
Jeff , I had a 18’ tracker with a 40 . I loved it in the winter ,especially on them 19-20 degree days . We could troll with 8 or more rods easy and more down rods with several cast out around the boat . 4 of us could fish and not get in one anothers way . It was a fish catching machine ,
I could take the kids out and load the grill , etc and have a ball . Never worried about the weather as I had curtains for the front and sides stored away ready for use . The top was nice when it was hot but most of my fishing was in the fall and winter .
The down side , It took longer to go 10 - 12 miles down the lake , the wind can pull loose about any anchor because of the height of the toons and the sides and you would loose your setup . The wind made it a bit tough to load at times also .
My advise : go out on one with somebody that has one before you pick size and horsepower (more than once if they will let you go)
Pontoons are nice for fishing whenever the wind isn’t too strong and there aren’t too many big boats out making the water really rough. I’ve fished out of a few and if they have a strong foot controlled TM or Ipilot they are great, as said before, for fall and winter fishing. I’m now in the process of rigging one for fishing.
One downside in my opinion is that big boat wakes will rock the boat a lot if you’re not facing into them. Box waves are not fun either.
A relative has a “fishing pontoon” with a new 90 HP motor. Top speed is around 22 MPH. He has an Ipilot and on good days he can troll, spotlock for downrods and/or pull planerboards.
If you want a pontoon geared more towards striper fishing (pulling boards and downrods), here’s one that has really caught my eye.
http://anglerqwestpontoons.com/
Muddy Bay Marine in Newberry is listed as the only dealer in SC.
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
wow that is a bad ass fishing center console pontoon…
I fish off a 24ft Bentley with a Honda 90, It may not be the best looking or fastest thing on the water but it fishes great.
I would recommend a TriToon over a pontoon.
…Bentley 24ft…
90 Honda
TEAM
Fishin Fools
quote:
Originally posted by weston tI fish off a 24ft Bentley with a Honda 90, It may not be the best looking</font id=“red”> or fastest thing on the water but it fishes great.
I would recommend a TriToon over a pontoon.…Bentley 24ft…
90 HondaTEAM
Fishin Fools
Your boat is distinctive, for sure, and I promise you’ll never be mistaken for anyone else. 
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
Try booking a guide at Santee that fishes from a tritoon, it will change your mine about all boats!
May have to do that
http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=163982
I project I completed and I’ve had a year to play/fish and couldn’t be happier. Downrods, boards, trolling and downriggers are all good. Placement of rods etc is always a learning curve, but most “new” boats have a rigging stage. 80# i-Pilot(24 volt) 2 Humminbirds, livewell pump to a 1/4 turn if I need water, portable bait tank and plenty of storage. For family time the bait tank and trolling motor are removable and it cleans up nice.
Great flyfishing/light tackle setup as well.
If you are near the Columbia area and want to take her out, PM me and we’ll line it up.
High as giraffe _____ but (**() it’s gor some features I like.
http://www.muddybay.com/boat_inventory/6009317/
Btw, I originally laid it out as a center console, but WAY more space with the side console
After I sold the motor I had $700 in toon and trailer. Also sold my Ankona so I had play $ to build
If money were no object, here’s the one I like.
http://www.muddybay.com/boat_inventory/6158494/
I’m getting ready to do some conversion work on my pontoon soon. Plans are to make it into a rockfish killin’ machine.
Those Qwest boats have given me a lot of ideas.
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
Which toon?
That’s very nice Loon, good looking rig too. I live …in Va but fish down that way quite a bit. So don’t know when I could but thanks for the offer…
Look up Premier Dodici 310 on Google! Ultimate toon!
quote:
Originally posted by boatpoorLook up Premier Dodici 310 on Google! Ultimate toon!
Nice for sure, but can be over $100,000 (yes, that isn’t a typo) for late model used ones. New ones are priced in the stratosphere.
And they aren’t designed for fishing…
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
When I was at Doss Marine getting my 90 Suzuki installed my wife asked the sales mgr why everything was pretty much tritoons. More hp, more money and weight. They love the tritoons, because they obviously get more bank for them. He said they aren’t as stable(side to side like a deep V and the more hp you get the more you waste. His recommendation if someone wants true performance and speed, get a deep v fiberglass. “Doesn’t mater if you hang a 50 on it or twin 300’s…it’s still a pontoon.”
I’m on a few pages on FB about pontoons and man they are popular and can come as plain jane or tricked out as you can afford.
quote:
Originally posted by LoonWhen I was at Doss Marine getting my 90 Suzuki installed my wife asked the sales mgr why everything was pretty much tritoons. More hp, more money and weight. They love the tritoons, because they obviously get more bank for them. He said they aren’t as stable(side to side like a deep V and the more hp you get the more you waste. His recommendation if someone wants true performance and speed, get a deep v fiberglass. “Doesn’t mater if you hang a 50 on it or twin 300’s…it’s still a pontoon.”
I’m on a few pages on FB about pontoons and man they are popular and can come as plain jane or tricked out as you can afford.
There was one at the boat show this year with (3) 300’s on it
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
quote:
Originally posted by striperskiffquote:
Originally posted by Loon…“Doesn’t matter if you hang a 50 on it or twin 300’s…it’s still a pontoon.”
I’m on a few pages on FB about pontoons and man they are popular and can come as plain jane or tricked out as you can afford.
There was one at the boat show this year with (3) 300’s on it
</font id=“red”>
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
Everybody on the lake needs one of those…
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
Looking forward to trying out potoon foishing. put a deposit on a 2013 22fishin barge…