Small fishing boat - aluminum, inflatable pontoon or kayak?

[jpohlic]

So my 1970's vintage Sears gamefisher 12' aluminum boat is nearing the end of it's useful life. It was well used when I bought it in 1999 and the hull has a couple cracks that have been repaired more than once. The keels are worn through at the back from being dragged on the ground and I've lost count of the number of leaking rivets. It's time to start looking for something new.

The replacement boat(s) will mostly be used for fishing smaller lakes and ponds - fly fishing, spin casting, or trolling with an electric motor - but I'd also like to be able to float rivers such as the Red Deer, Bow, North Saskatchewan, etc. For this reason I think another aluminum boat is out of the running.

I'm leaning toward a fishing kayak but my wife thinks she'd prefer an inflatable pontoon. What are the pros and cons of each? Other than the Nucanoe are there any kayaks out there that can handle an electric trolling motor, or should I go with pedal power? Anything else to consider? I'm not interested in a canoe. Thanks...

[wind drift]

Here ya go:
https://www.flycraftusa.com/pages/stealth-boat-packages

[3blade]

Disclaimer, I've not tried to actually flyfish while in a kayak. Generally used it to get to places, beach it and wade from there.

IMO kayak wins hands down. Most durable, easy loading, access anywhere, quiet, stable, just plain fun. Inflatables are a PITA and too delicate, unless we're talking zodiacs for gear hauling. I've borrowed a friends kayak multiple times and almost have started to dislike my boat. whenever I decide to replace the 12 ft tinner, it'll be a kayak for me.

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Disclaimer, I've not tried to actually flyfish while in a kayak. Generally used it to get to places, beach it and wade from there.

IMO kayak wins hands down. Most durable, easy loading, access anywhere, quiet, stable, just plain fun. Inflatables are a PITA and too delicate, unless we're talking zodiacs for gear hauling. I've borrowed a friends kayak multiple times and almost have started to dislike my boat. whenever I decide to replace the 12 ft tinner, it'll be a kayak for me.

Flyfishing from a kayak has it challenges for a couple reasons,,, There is significantly more movement involved in casting a fly which means you will likely want to fly cast from a sitting position which tends to limit your casting distance. The second big issue is fly line management,,, loose fly line has a tendency to find things to wrap itself around on or under the kayak.

If flyfishing from the watercraft is a primary purpose, you might want to consider a pram,,, great littler boats for stability and you can fish them is still waters and class 1 rivers like the Bow and Red Deer.

[aulrich]

That sort of depends on how nimble you are, my son can stand an fish in our boats.

Jackson has a boat the mayfly which was designed for fly fishing.


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[kinwahkly]

Lund SSV 14

[The Spank]

Buy yourself an aluminum jon boat. For the needs you are describing you won't find better. They are lightweight, stable and have lots of space for flyfishing, gear etc and are easily moved along with an electric motor and they are inexpensive. Can't go wrong for the price and will last you many years. Tracker 1236 @ Bass Pro in Calgary....$736!! And it weighs a whopping 126 pounds!

[jpohlic]

That flycraft stealth looks interesting... After I looked that up I looked at a few more like it, Scadden boats, etc. Not sure if that's exactly what I'm looking for, plus my dad has a decent inflatable raft that I could borrow and build a frame for and mount some seats.

I should also add that I have a couple basic 10' kayaks, one sit-in and one sit-on-top and I've fished from the sit-in one a couple times. It's not too bad, just has no storage or rod holders and the seat isn't great for long periods of time. I haven't fished off the sit-on-top yet but it's probably about the same. I'd like to get something more comfortable and with better storage.

Still not sure about the inflatable pontoons. Any thoughts on those?

[Okotokian]

well if your wife is coming with you the fishing kayak is out. If you want a boat where you can take another person and also do rivers, I'd consider a jon boat. I saw a lot of them when I canoed the Bow for a few days a few weeks ago. Get one with a small jet outboard. They were whipping up and down the river in a foot of water and probably less.

Personally, before I bought a full size fishing boat (useless on a shallow river) I had a canoe, but honestly didn't use it much. But at least a canoe or kayak you can handle pretty well by yourself, don't need a trailer, launching and recovery is easy. etc.

[The Spank]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

well if your wife is coming with you the fishing kayak is out. If you want a boat where you can take another person and also do rivers, I'd consider a jon boat. I saw a lot of them when I canoed the Bow for a few days a few weeks ago. Get one with a small jet outboard. They were whipping up and down the river in a foot of water and probably less.

Personally, before I bought a full size fishing boat (useless on a shallow river) I had a canoe, but honestly didn't use it much. But at least a canoe or kayak you can handle pretty well by yourself, don't need a trailer, launching and recovery is easy. etc.

Years ago I had a Sylvan Big Jon. 14' long, 72" beam, 48" wide floor. Weighed 220 lbs. It was rated for a 25hp. Had a built in gravity fed livewell in the centre seat. I once put a Mariner 20hp jet on it and once on step would run in 2" of water without tagging bottom. Great for rivers!

[jpohlic]

Im ok buying two boats, one for me and one for my wife. If I can find the perfect boat that seats two that would be good, but I haven't found it yet.

A Jon boat doesn't really peak my interest and I don't want to buy a gas outboard. We prefer the peace and quiet of an electric motor.

[RavYak]

I have owned 12 and 14 ft tinners, a canoe, inflatable pontoon and multiple kayaks and each has advantages and disadvantages.

The tinners cover ground easier and can take multiple people out. You have already had them though so know what they are capable of.

Canoes are good for packing lots of gear with you but other then that I am not a fan. That said they are easy to mount a trolling motor on and are probably the cheapest of the bunch.

Inflatable pontoons are perhaps the best choice for fly fishing since there is less stuff to get in the way and you can control the boat with your feet. Since you are propelling with your feet or an electric motor you are hands free which is also important. The big downfall for inflatable pontoons is being able to cover ground and handle windy situations which limits them to ponds and smaller sized lakes. I don't know enough about floating them in a river so won't comment on that.

My favourite personal watercraft are kayaks and in particular pedal drive kayaks of which I believe Hobie makes the best ones. Regular paddle kayaks are a good way to get on the water too but leave a lot to be desired for fishing since you always need to be putting the rod down to keep the kayak in position and trolling is a lot more difficult when you always have to have the rod in a rod holder.

The reason I prefer kayaks is that I like the quietness and the exercise aspect. The good fishing kayaks are extremely stable boats capable of handling extreme conditions allowing them to be used on any size of lake. They cover ground much better then an inflatable pontoon and are easily rigged for any situation. The reason I prefer the pedal kayaks is because you are hands free which is very important when it comes to fishing and especially fly fishing.

There are also multiple kayak options with trolling motors although most are pricey. Examples include torquedo motors that fit any Hobie, Wilderness systems motor drive, Old Town Predator with electric motor and those are just a few of the options. I personally prefer pedal drive over electric motor because then I don't have to worry about having a charged battery with me at all times.

As for fly fishing out of a kayak. There are more things to get your line caught on and you will more likely then not be casting from a sitting position but with some practice it is very doable. I fly fish a lot and the only time I have any trouble is when I try to stand and cast cause then my line gets caught around stuff too easily, when sitting I just strip over the side into the water and it doesn't get in the way. If you were going to stand and cast a lot you could always use a stripping basket to avoid that problem.

Kayaks are also great for floating rivers. You can just leisurely float or if you need to can pick up the pace and cover ground quick.

So judging by your comments I would say kayaks would be a great choice especially if you go with a pedal or electric drive model. The only reason I would go with an inflatable pontoon over a kayak is if you are going to primarily be fly fishing smaller lakes/ponds. In that situation a pontoon is probably a bit better but if you want an all around capable watercraft then kayak is the way to go.

[TylerThomson]

I have a inflatable pontoon fishcat streamer in good shape I'm looking sell so I can put the money towards a kayak. I'd personally go with a kayak but if you decide a personal pontoon is what you want let me know. It comes with an aluminum portage setup that makes launching and long drags a breeze, a high-speed hand pump, and a humminbird piranha max.

[theycallmeNoah]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

Im ok buying two boats, one for me and one for my wife.

Well if that's the case, then I want a pontoon boat. They look pretty comfy.

Thanks honey

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

Im ok buying two boats, one for me and one for my wife. If I can find the perfect boat that seats two that would be good, but I haven't found it yet.

A Jon boat doesn't really peak my interest and I don't want to buy a gas outboard. We prefer the peace and quiet of an electric motor.

Well if the price doesn't scare you off you might want to think about a Hobie Mirage. Those are the sit on top kayaks propelled by your feet, keeping your hands free for casting, etc. They are also a little faster than regular kayaks. They come in tandems too.

[SNAPFisher]

Well, I'll be damned if I didn't learn a thing or two in this thread. I pretty much poo pooed all kayaks until now. But of course that was out of complete ignorance of what they can do. For me, I think Ill need both. A peddle based kayak for river fishing...can't wait to get one out on the Skeena or Kitimat. And, a jon boat to replace the 12 foot aluminum and get a jet tiller and keep the electric for it. The jon boat will be great for lakes where I like to stand-cast and that odd time that the wife comes along too.

Great thread and info guys, thanks!

[jpohlic]

Soooo... I was watching some video's last night of some DIY kayak based catamarans - basically 2 kayaks with a frame and deck between them. Saw one youtuber that had made numerous versions including this one made with 2 Jackson Cuda 14's with a 3.3hp Merc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oTzlUNvFnQ

This may be the perfect solution. Stable and able to handle our electric motor for small lakes/ponds as a catamaran, or just the kayak for solo fishing or river floats. Now to convince my wife that it wouldn't be too redneck and to find a kayak that we both like. The framework and deck looks easy enough to fabricate.

[theycallmeNoah]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

Soooo... I was watching some video's last night of some DIY kayak based catamarans - basically 2 kayaks with a frame and deck between them. Saw one youtuber that had made numerous versions including this one made with 2 Jackson Cuda 14's with a 3.3hp Merc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oTzlUNvFnQ

This may be the perfect solution. Stable and able to handle our electric motor for small lakes/ponds as a catamaran, or just the kayak for solo fishing or river floats. Now to convince my wife that it wouldn't be too redneck and to find a kayak that we both like. The framework and deck looks easy enough to fabricate.

Buy what you want, I'm happy sitting and reading a book.

I'll save my fishing for when we are Delaronde

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by theycallmeNoah

Buy what you want, I'm happy sitting and reading a book.

I'll save my fishing for when we are Delaronde

You know, you could just tell him. Do you post his honey do list here? LOL

[Mackinaw]

have yoh looked at the pelican intruder great for thin water with rocks ram x is almost undetectable.


mack

[dwedmon]

Have you considered a portabote folding boat? It will easily hold 2 people and is stable enough to stand in if you need to cast. They weigh less than aluminum and can easily be assembled and launched by 2 people or even 1 person if you install the transom wheels.

I liked it way better than my pontoon or my zodiac knock off.

[jpohlic]

The pelican intruder seems to have a much lower max capacity than a similar aluminum boat. I checked out the portabote a while ago but I don't think its even in the running - the flexibility of the hull kinda freaks me out.

[Mackinaw]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

The pelican intruder seems to have a much lower max capacity than a similar aluminum boat. I checked out the portabote a while ago but I don't think its even in the running - the flexibility of the hull kinda freaks me out.

you are right but we have had well over max in our with no problems. if you want to try one out let me know. got one thats been sitting for a while your welcome to try it for a few days.

mack

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Well, I'll be damned if I didn't learn a thing or two in this thread. I pretty much poo pooed all kayaks until now. But of course that was out of complete ignorance of what they can do. For me, I think Ill need both. A peddle based kayak for river fishing...can't wait to get one out on the Skeena or Kitimat. And, a jon boat to replace the 12 foot aluminum and get a jet tiller and keep the electric for it. The jon boat will be great for lakes where I like to stand-cast and that odd time that the wife comes along too.

Great thread and info guys, thanks!

Not sure what those rivers are like but the one thing to remember about a pedal drive kayak on a river is that you need deep enough water for the fins or propeller to operate.

That isn't an issue on most bigger rivers but some small ones have lots of shallow spots. If you are going down river then you can get past those shallow spots in a Hobie by simply laying your fins flat against the hull(one foot forward), if you are going up river chances are if it is that shallow the water will also be fast and the easiest way is to usually get out and pull the kayak to the next bit of deeper water.

Buying one that is also good paddling could be beneficial for rivers too. I like the Hobie Outback because it is good all around boat and super stable with tons of room for gear but it isn't a very good paddling boat and is a bit heavy if you need to do portages etc. If I wanted a Hobie for Rivers I would probably look at a Revolution 11. Small, light and easy to paddle. The 13 could be considered too just not quite as maneuverable.

[C & C]

I have been really happy with my porta bote. Easy to store, durable, light enough I can load solo and really easy to stand in. I put a 4hp on it too.

[theycallmeNoah]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

You know, you could just tell him. Do you post his honey do list here? LOL

I'm kinda hoping that you guys would be "hey man, listen to your wife, she's giving you the green light!!"

I've been telling him for a while now to get whatever he wants...he's not listening to me, maybe he'll listen to you

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by theycallmeNoah

I'm kinda hoping that you guys would be "hey man, listen to your wife, she's giving you the green light!!"

I've been telling him for a while now to get whatever he wants...he's not listening to me, maybe he'll listen to you

[jpohlic]

Update: We sold the old SS Leaks-A-Little (More) at our garage sale a few weeks ago and replaced it with a couple Wilderness Pungo 140 kayaks. They are stable enough to fish from with a huge open cockpit and a really comfortable seat. They have front and rear bulkheads and enough storage for probably 3-4 day trips, maybe more if I pack like I used to when I backpacked years ago. They track great on lakes but are not the most maneuverable, they definitely don't spin like the whitewater kayaks I used years ago on the river.

Anyway, I built a deck out of 4 2x4's and a 32" wide sheet of plywood, a bit of hardware, some carpet and some seat pedestals. Took the old boat seats and set them on my new "yakamaran". I tried it out this weekend on Beaver Lake and it's stable enough to stand on and goes almost as fast as my old tinner. It took 23 minutes to unload off the trailer and assemble and was under 20 minutes to disassemble and load back on the trailer. With a bit of practice I should be a little quicker. It worked great and I'm really happy with it!!!

stupid iphone always posts them upside down

[RavYak]

Anyone sitting on the fence about buying a kayak should bite the bullet before the end of the month. The new tariffs kick in and most kayaks(along with a variety of other things) will be going up 10%.

[jpohlic]

We lucked out at bought these at campers village and used a 20% off coupon, plus got a free paddle with each boat. Saved $760 on the kayaks, paddles and extra taxes we would have paid!!!