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Thread: kayak or pontoon?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    3

    Default kayak or pontoon?

    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?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Id
    Posts
    448

    Default

    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!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    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 (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

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    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.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Id
    Posts
    448

    Default

    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!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    Guerneville
    Posts
    290

    Default

    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.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Idadon View Post
    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.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Id
    Posts
    448

    Default

    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!
    Last edited by Idadon; 01-02-2021 at 08:27 AM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Petaluma
    Posts
    157

    Default

    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Idadon View Post
    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.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

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