Any pontooners out there....?

My friend wants to get one and part of me wants to talk him out of it.  He is drawn to the standing capability, but correct me if I'm wrong, standing seems overrated, unless you're that bass guy?

Tell him to buy a Hobie AI. You have best of both world.

Tell him to buy a Hobie AI. You have best of both world.

Thanks for that

Tell him to buy a Hobie AI. You have best of both world.

As much as I like my AI, there’s a world of difference between an AI and a pontoon boat...

I see a lot of fly fishing guys up north that use the pontoons. For around here, seems like a yak can get you to alot more fishable water.

My friend is pretty resigned to the pontoon just to get on the water in super tame places so if he gets on the water I'll give him that...thanks for the replies

I had a pontoon for the same reasons your friend wants one - and a week later I sold it on Craig's List.  And it was a darned good one, too.

They skitter around in the lightest breezes, and they're a handful in a current - and they don't track well when paddling.  You can't stand up on one unless there's no wind and no current or you'll end up washed up on or against something.

If none of those conditions apply to how and where your friend will be fishing, he'll most likely be happy.

NRS has a new one called the Gigbob that I've seen in action and it does a good job of minimizing the problems 99 percent of other pontoons have.  And you can put a real deck on it to stand on if they feel they just have to be able to stand up.

P.S.  I fish only with fly rods (not the reason I bought the pontoon) and a kayak is a much better fishing platform.  Your friend can get a Wall-Mart Special for about the same cost as a pontoon if they're only planning to use it in calm waters, and it'll be much more versatile.  Just sayin'

You can’t necessarily stand up in a ‘toon unless you are very light/have good balance/in very calm water. The advantage of the ‘toon is when you’re finesse fishing. And it’s more comfortable to sit in a toon for 6hrs than on most kayaks. Easy to add a trolling motor too, which is basically a must-have item for most places you’d take a pontoon...especially if you need to travel more than a half-mile or want to troll. The advantage of a kayak is versatility (can fish all types of water using any technique) and efficiency (can take it anywhere, easier to paddle, and range is not limited to a half-mile of the launch).

I concur with Pat, you cant really stand on pontoons/kickboat. I used to be pontooners. Like to go clear lake, delta and other small pond lakes for bass. Until I started looking for option to try take it to the jetty/bay. No bueno. Thats how I found Ncka. They are fun on non windy days. I even put trolling motor on mine. But now I just kayak, I think I may still have mine and my float tube. Not sure since we moved I might left it.

I think you will be better off finding a yak that is stable enough so you can stand on it (i.e. like a Nucanoe; I may have one for sale ...).

I used to use them for work on the Yuba. It’s very very stable (I only flipped it once) but super slow.... We have to shuttle in order to cover miles.
You’re sitting pretty high up so no reason to stand up on pontoons.
NRS has good ones, but cheap ones sucks...


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