Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 20 of 20

Thread: kayak or pontoon?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Id
    Posts
    448

    Default

    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.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    El Dorado Hills
    Posts
    3,715

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by vanessashanahan View Post
    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.
    So long and thanks for all the fish!!!
    `·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    847

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott V View Post
    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.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Id
    Posts
    448

    Default

    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!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Somersett Reno, NV
    Posts
    412

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Idadon View Post
    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

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    LINCOLN
    Posts
    17

    Default

    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.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    San Rafael
    Posts
    560

    Default

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

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    LINCOLN
    Posts
    17

    Default

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

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    San Rafael
    Posts
    560

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Norcal_Flyfisherman View Post
    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.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    San Rafael
    Posts
    560

    Default

    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.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •