Drift boat or pontoon boat

[Keta]

I am relatively new to freshwater fishing and want to get a fishing craft for rivers. I was thinking of getting a used Kofler or Willie drift boat but someone at work suggested a pontoon. I usually fish by myself due to my odd days off and think the pontoon boat might be what I need. Any suggestions? :whazzup:

[Doc Spratley]

If you fish alone most of the time, a pontoon boat might be the right ticket. They are easy to transport, pick up and carry, and don't take up room in your driveway. Make sure your pontoon boat is designed for use in moving water. Some of these watercraft are designed for use in lakes or slow moving water. Taking the wrong style of craft on whitewater sections of our local rivers is asking for big trouble. I used a pontoon boat on the Deschutes during a fishing trip and felt completely safe and comfortable while on the river.

I had the same debate with myself several years ago. In the end, I bought a driftboat (Clackacraft). The reasons? I can stand and fish from the boat (wherever legal) regardless of water depth, something you can't do in a pontoon boat. I am out of the water and relatively dry, especially important during long trips on cold winter days. Finally, if I feel like I want to bring every rod and tackle box I own, I can (well, almost). :smile:

[Thumper]

When you say "pontoon boat" I assume you are talking about a real cataraft, not a little toy one-man boat. I have had several driftboats and currently have a 14-ft. 3-man cataraft. Both can be deadly fishing platforms. The driftboat is more comfortable (heaters, etc.) in medium and higher flows, but nothing fishes like a cataraft in low water. I use the cataraft on the East Fork Lewis and when nobody else can go down in their drift boats I'm out there on the cataraft. You really need one of each!

[hustlerrjim]

pontoon boats are becoming very popular here on the n. fork nehalem simply because they can carry them around the bad spots,
before you buy one check with people that have them,
the biggest problem is getting one to small.I have run one and they are a blast,make sure you have a floor under you so you don't lose any reels or other tackle when you drop them.
but youll be treated like a snowboarder on the ski slopes,
I would highley recommend one when you rig up a good anchor system you can do any thing you can in a drift boat [except sex]only on a smaller scale buy one youll love it but dont get any thing over 12 ft.

[Steelheader69]

Ok, here's som misconceptions thtaI'd lie t clear up here.

First off, a cataraft (not a pontoon boat) can do just aboutanything a driftboat can. It realy depends on what you buy and how you design it. You do have more chances to get wet, sine you have an open hul in the front and back. But for most part you'll stay high and dry. By a true cataraft, and ven the smaler 9' models are completely safe to stand up and fish (I had a 9' Steelheader thtaI used quite alot on theHoh thtaI'd anchor up just out of the rock garden). They're quite stable, and the biger they are the more stable thy are. Ii've run up to 18' catarafts, I have a16' cat thtai've rn on the Noch during sumer flows. Anyone who's seen the Nooch duuring the summer knows it's a mere trickle. Had no pproblems.

Ok, YES you can put a heater on a cat. I have a smal canaaister with heatee andhaen't had a problem wit heat on tubes. You just don't have t enefit of wind protection you have from a DB. Oh yeah, YES you can have sex i a cat :grin: .

I'd highly suggest if you're gonna go with a 1 man boat, get a 12'. This way you have theavailability to expand it to 2 man if need be, but a perfect 1 man boat. Make sure when you have aframe built, have a good standdingplatform built in front of you. A good set of tubes will make standing and breze. Ben running cats sine the 80's and love them. Won't go back to a DB (unles I got one heckuva deal on one). But wuol stil get a cat.

[Keta]

I was looking at a Skookum Products "Steelheader II".

I don't feel that a heater in necessary. I fished year round out of a 18' open skiff in SE Alaska and have plenty of foul weather gear.

Thanks for the response.

[Osprey]

hey Keta (cool name) :cool:
I had the same delema 6 years ago,except I owned a drift boat at the time.because I fshed alone so much,The drift boat was a pain.So I stared researching Catarafts.I still couldn't find a frame design the fitted my needs,so I built my own.Problem solved :grin:
I use a heater on my boat on those extra cold days,and of course you can use the heater to cook some some hot grub.
The problem that people run into with Catarafts is they tend to over load them,when this happens they are anything but "Cat quick".
My main reason for a Cat was I wanted to fish stretches of Rivers other guys were afraid to fish and be able to fish in low water conditions that kept the other guys at home.
A properly balanced Cat is a joy to Ride,they are the sportscars of river running.

For 1 person a 10' will work 12 is better (more weight capacity) can handle 2 guys on water below class 2.
For a full time 2 man boat go with at least a 14,thses also make awsome 1 ,man boats.
Last bit of advice....don't buy cheap tubes!!!!!
Tight lines..........Os

[rob allen]

Osprey In all my searching I haven't found anything that I would consider cheap. The cheapest ones I have seen was a used pair of 14x22 maravias for 1475.25 . Br the Time I outfit it with a frame, oars etc. I am in the mid 3000s anf I don't have a trailer yet. So I'd say the one downside to the cat is the price, which is an issue for a lot of people including myself.

Could you give us aome ideas of what brands to stay away from? or that have reputations as being inferior?

[ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: rob allen ]</p>