kayak or pontoon?

[vanessashanahan]

I have always been a pontoon guy. I have even attached trolling motors to them on occasion. Pontoon or kayak? For those who have done both what did you ultimately stick to and why?

[Idadon]

If you plan on fishing South Texas like I do all winter, the PEDAL kayak is the better choice. Better in the wind that seems to blow all the time. The new kayaks now are relatively stable and depending on the manufacturers have comfortable seats that sit you up higher. I’m personally saving my pennies to buy a Native Slayer Propel 13!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Or a new Stand Up Paddle Board? They have fishing models.


We usually see pontoons going down rivers for trout and steelhead or in lakes for trout and bass.


These peddle kayaks are extremely popular in Florida inshore fishing.

___________________________

Idadon, Where in TX? We spent the last 15 winters in the central east coast of Florida.

______________________________

Native Slayer Propel 13 kayak......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOPTSyN_uTg

___________________________________

Here is a video that gives you an idea how the peddle kayaks perform:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXuYyTHRyhg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is a good video about fishing Stand Up Paddleboards - SUP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEjqyZNhwbo


These are getting very popular in Florida.

[Idadon]

Hey Bill! We have a permanently set 5th wheel on the shore of Baffin Bay. If the bay is dead it’s not to far of a drive over to South Padre Island for Bull Reds, flounder, etc. Baffin Bay is reputed to be the best place on the Gulf Coast for huge speckled trout. Unfortunately I can’t find one but I keep hoping!

[Jcolin]

Really love my Outcast 8’ pontoon for floating steelhead rivers, its not easy fishing out of it or anchoring up, but I just use it to get out and swing different runs. Also light enough to launch anywhere. I'd assume an experienced whitewater kayaker could float gnarlier rivers, but the rivers I do are pretty mellow anyway. Got a drift boat recently, but probably will still use the pontoon much more as I'm usually doing solo floats and swinging flies.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hey Bill! We have a permanently set 5th wheel on the shore of Baffin Bay. If the bay is dead it’s not to far of a drive over to South Padre Island for Bull Reds, flounder, etc. Baffin Bay is reputed to be the best place on the Gulf Coast for huge speckled trout. Unfortunately I can’t find one but I keep hoping!

That Baffin Bay looks very interesting. What other species are in there?

Our son's mother-in-law live right on the top of Padre Island on the inside water with a dock.

We have a customer/good friend who lives in Brownsville south of you.

[Idadon]

Baffin is a prime spawning area for big Black Drum as a result when they come in, usually Jan-Feb, they can fish good. There seems to be a pretty good population of Reds but a person needs a boat to get from our location to those on a consistent basis. The trout are always here but hard to find keepers, 15” to 25”. There’s numerous Utube videos for Baffin Bay fishing but it’s a big bay with lots of “Empty” water. A guy with a good bay boat that knows where the rocks are can almost always limit out on smaller Black Drum which are great eating.

Padre is a favorite of mine! Always something biting over there. I do most of my flounder fishing around those docks.

The only problem is there is so much water to fish that it might take years to really figure it out. As far as fly fishing, well I have several here but have only fished flies at night under the lights. Small trout just love a small Clouser!

[Steve S]

If you primarily fish rivers class I and above I think it is tough to get more bang for your buck than a solo pontoon. Most will accommodate a a battery and trolling motor if you fish lakes and need to cover more water than you wish to row or kick. You generally sit higher than most kayaks which is an advantage when sight fishing. They are very stable in wind chop even though they don't dodge the wind well.

If you primarily fishing the ocean, narrow sloughs, estuaries and lakes it is tough to beat a sit on top kayak especially the pedal style where you are hands/paddle free. They track better on flat water than a pontoon, launch just about anywhere and are very stable depending on the hull style and length you purchase. They are good on rivers too but once you get to Class 2 plus you need to have better paddling skills and good judgement so you don't dump.

If I was going to have one non-motorized boat to fish as many water types as possible it would be a kayak. If it was primarily for rivers it would be a pontoon. Lakes, it's a toss up.

My $0.02.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Baffin is a prime spawning area for big Black Drum as a result when they come in, usually Jan-Feb, they can fish good. There seems to be a pretty good population of Reds but a person needs a boat to get from our location to those on a consistent basis. The trout are always here but hard to find keepers, 15” to 25”. There’s numerous Utube videos for Baffin Bay fishing but it’s a big bay with lots of “Empty” water. A guy with a good bay boat that knows where the rocks are can almost always limit out on smaller Black Drum which are great eating.

Padre is a favorite of mine! Always something biting over there. I do most of my flounder fishing around those docks.

The only problem is there is so much water to fish that it might take years to really figure it out. As far as fly fishing, well I have several here but have only fished flies at night under the lights. Small trout just love a small Clouser!

Idadon, Sounds like a great place to in the winters. How did you end up there?

We ended up in Sebastian, FL because one of our daughters married a USAF guy and they were stationed at Patrick AFB near Sebastian.

We have so much water it is daunting......offshore, inshore (100 mile plus Indian River Lagoon) and rivers and lakes.

I think that that all of Florida and all of the American Gulf of Mexico is highly under rated for a winter hideaway.

[Idadon]

South Texas is a great place to winter over. Just about even with central Florida and very comparable weather. The real advantage in Texas are the prices. This is a very popular location for midwestern folks, Minnesota, Michigan, etc. We tried arizona about 5 years back but hated it! We found are place by sheer luck and a strong desire to be near fishing. Dropped anchor here and expect to come back every winter as long as our health permits. I love Idaho but that winter cold truly hurts anymore.

From the fishing standpoint there’s water everywhere around us for 100+ miles. Bays, beaches and lakes. If it wasn’t for the summer heat and humidity I’d stay here all year.

[Scott V]

I have always been a pontoon guy. I have even attached trolling motors to them on occasion. Pontoon or kayak? For those who have done both what did you ultimately stick to and why?

I use my kayak in the delta and ocean only. I will take my float tube any day over a kayak.

[Woodman]

I use my kayak in the delta and ocean only. I will take my float tube any day over a kayak.

I have to agree. Just a lot easier to manage multiple rods and gear in a pontoon. Move around with fins if you're on still water. Stand up in the shallows without leaving the boat, etc.

[Idadon]

A lot of you that respond to this kind of question probably know the name “Dave Scadden”. Some years ago he produced a hybrid inflatable kayak called a Navigator. It’s about 10’ long, has good size tubes, a regular kayak kind of seat and can be propelled with oars, a kayak paddle or your legs & fins. How you ask can that be, well the front of the kayak floor, just forward of the seat is open! This little jewel try’s to be both a kayak & a solo pontoon and actually does pretty well at it. Rated for class three rapids, it been on the snake river numerous times. At the moment it’s being used as a wading AID in south Texas. I paddle out to where I want to fish and then stand and walk around as I need to. At 71 years my balance is somewhere between poor and zero! My navigator serves as a wonderful stabilizer and if I get tired (happens often nowadays) I just sit down for awhile and fish.

Having maybe peaked Your interest I’ll let you know that the navigator is no longer produced. I bought mine years ago when it was on clearance. Not sure if he has any left. Check the navigator out on uTube it’s an impressive fishing aid!

[JayDubP]

A lot of you that respond to this kind of question probably know the name “Dave Scadden”. Some years ago he produced a hybrid inflatable kayak called a Navigator. It’s about 10’ long, has good size tubes, a regular kayak kind of seat and can be propelled with oars, a kayak paddle or your legs & fins. How you ask can that be, well the front of the kayak floor, just forward of the seat is open! This little jewel try’s to be both a kayak & a solo pontoon and actually does pretty well at it. Rated for class three rapids, it been on the snake river numerous times. At the moment it’s being used as a wading AID in south Texas. I paddle out to where I want to fish and then stand and walk around as I need to. At 71 years my balance is somewhere between poor and zero! My navigator serves as a wonderful stabilizer and if I get tired (happens often nowadays) I just sit down for awhile and fish.

Having maybe peaked Your interest IÂ’ll let you know that the navigator is no longer produced. I bought mine years ago when it was on clearance. Not sure if he has any left. Check the navigator out on uTube itÂ’s an impressive fishing aid!

Idahoan,

Outcast still makes a similar inflatable. bottomless kayak-- the Commander.

I am 73 and understand the balance issue. I also bought the Scadden Navigator several years ago when it was being discontinued. I use it like Idahon does.

Like that it can be used with a kayak paddle which is great on smaller water and is pretty easy to use as a kickboat on stillwater It is perfect on lower Yuba and some SJ Valley rivers. I have used it on parts of the Truckee. I use my Warermaster Kodiak (also a bottomless front) on larger water.

I can carry the inflated Navigator like a back pack which makes hiking with it & my rods & gear doable for a couple of hundred yards.

Friend has the Seaeagle PackFish which is 7ft long and real easy to carry. He got it on sale for $400. Not bottomless, but easy to stand up and fish with it tethered to you.

Jim

[Norcal_Flyfisherman]

I bought a Stealthcraft Hooligan raft a few years ago and love it for the variety of water I can use it on, but it is big and heavy. I'm fishing with my 5 year old son more these days and I'm considering a Sea Eagle fishing kayak to add to my toy collection. They are light, can handle 2+ people, able to stand in the kayak with a drop stitch floor, and they are light. They also have a swivel seat that sits higher available, you can add a motor and anchors. The new inflatables are pretty impressive, we aren't talking pool toys anymore.

[steveg137]

Would love go hear from someone who has one of the sea eagles as they look v good

[Norcal_Flyfisherman]

I'll probably buy one pretty soon. There are a few Sea Eagle Facebook groups, they are great resources.

[steveg137]

I'll probably buy one pretty soon. There are a few Sea Eagle Facebook groups, they are great resources.

I'll take a look, have not seen one in action.

[steveg137]

Is it the 285 frameless or two person you are looking at?

The only down side I can see is they are closed front so you couldn't use fins unlike some other models of frameless and pontoons. In some places that can be v useful - eg slow kick/retrieve up wind.

Not an issue in moving Stillwater's but makes river use harder.