Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Small inflatable pontoons?

Anybody fish from one of these? Doc says I have some rotator cuff issues and looking for something light to drag into and out of the water. Mostly small or medium sized ponds, maybe putz around the edges of some small lakes.

This one can even be fitted with trolling motor, so liking the thought of that. Just don't want to end up with something else that looks and sounds good, but ends up taking up space in the garage.

I started with a belly boat (inner tube) and upgraded to a pontoon. Like the pontoon a LOT more. They are very wind sensitive, don't track very well with the oars, and you still can't stand up (unless you want to take a swim!) But they are pretty light (mike was 40 pounds with no tackle stowed) and you can store one deflated in most car trunks. Do get a high-volume, low-pressure 12v pump if you plan to blow it up lakeside.

Be aware that if you put any kind of motor on it, you'll have to register it and put registration numbers on it.

My brother in law has that exact one and loves it. No trolling motor so he couldn't say how it would do with one.

He got it for a similar reason. Had elbow surgery. And has long since healed, but still uses the pontoon

Well, for starters, get your shoulder fixed, it won't repair itself. Then get yourself an Old Town Pack canoe. 33# and 32in wide. Best freshwater fishing platform out there for less than Class II or III waters.

Would love the shoulder to get fixed today, but doc is talking physical therapy at the moment so it's not going away overnight. Figure with luck that either the physical therapy will work or I'll at least hold out until after fall deer season and then get it worked on.

Appreciate the feedback guys. Think it's going to be my Father's Day present from the wife and kids. Start out with oars and think about trolling motor if the shoulder screams.

As well as the fishing lease, thinking a couple days to do a road trip and hit a bunch of the I-80 wildlife management areas in mid-Nebraska will be great with this rig.

Creek Company Sport LT (the one pictured above) is on sale online at Cabelas.com for $250 right now, down from $350. Dropped $10 from yesterday, I suppose it might drop more in the days ahead or the sale might end. I ordered today.

Just as an FYI after finally got this into a lake last night: Wear waders or swimming trunks. Your butt is gonna be getting wet.

Actually shouldn't be too difficult to put in some kind of spacer to raise it up 4 or 6 inches. But by default the seat is only a couple inches above the water and your feet will be in as well. Maybe not if you're a 100 pound small guy, I suppose.. Going to take some practice at rowing the oars, but was fun and workable. Took a 5lb anchor on 12' of line and had a blast sitting and fishing.

Water is still churned up from a 4" torrential downpour we got a week ago, so a couple of nibbles but no bites last night. They're out there tho, caught a largemouth just under 21" first trip out on the 1st (downpour was that night, lake rose at least 4 foot). Another week at most should see the water calm down. Big bluegill, 10"-14" crappie, and big bass... heaven!

I looked hard at the Creek Company Sport but decided there's always the odd gator around. Don't want to dangle my feet in the water.

Finally decided a 10-12ft Jon boat is the way to go.

Mind your inflation. The pontoons need to be firm but not hard - you should be able to make a half-inch dent with one finger. And if you set one in the sun, it can burst from heat/pressure. It's always best to let some air out between uses. Not a lot, but enough to guard against over-inflation from heat.

Yeah, gators would totally remove an inflatable from consideration for me as well. Even our snapping turtles here are the smaller kind.

Thanks, Rocky, on the inflating notes. I deflate between every use simply so it fits into the Jeep, so don't have to worry about long term inflation. But I wasn't quite sure how much to inflate it for use, first time I underinflated it which really had my butt dragging in the water. Kept me cool, but not ideal.

Water settled down some finally, caught a couple small bass and a bruiser of a bluegill Friday night. Great to be out, even though it was too windy for the pontoon...

Sunset:

Next, look into a "drift chute" to slow you down in a wind. I use a 30" drift chute in my kayak, and it reduces my drift rate by about half. You could also drag a chain or something that doesn't fully anchor, but such a thing can really rip up the bottom.

This lake's too shallow for a drift chute, though I've been looking to get one for my 17' Tracker. That 5lb anchor should work fine for me with the pontoon as long as the wind isn't gusting to 25.

Shoulder's getting better with the physical therapy.. might have to get the canoe out soon.

Had the pontoon out Tuesday night, absolutely calm evening and about 80 degrees. Two hours of fishing saw about half a dozen largemouth and a bluegill caught, quite exciting from the pontoon!

Largest was a big, fat 20" bass hooked about 20' from the boat as it exploded out of about 18" of water to nail a #4 Blue Fox lure I was skipping over the top of some moss. Yeehaw! Sucker ran left and right and then made a run right between my legs under the boat. Had the pole bent into a big old U and line screaming off and me glad I chose to wear waders rather than shorts! Gonna have to get a waterproof camera to take along..

I think the secret to rowing the pontoon is to realize you're not going anywhere fast. Just go slow and stealthy and enjoy being out.

I had a big ole bass do that to me once. I was fishing out of a tube, he made a run right between my knees with a 3/8 ounce jitterbug full of treble hooks hanging out of his jaw. It weren't funny.

Buddy of mine has two 9 footers river pontoons like the picture. They have a trolling motor brackets and baskets behing the seat. Super to fish from.

So did ya put the trolling motor on it yet? And does that make you have to register it where you live?

Haven't done the trolling motor yet. Didn't come with one a mount, so have to build one or pay $80 for the company's version. Thinking I'll build one soon as my shoulder gets a bit better to where I can reach back to grab the stick. Almost there!

Even the 33lb trolling motor I've got is gonna push that sucker around like crazy if I open it up. Hee hee..

And, yeah, I'll have to register it. Any powered watercraft has to be registered here. Not sure where I'll come up with the $26 for a 3 year registration..