Attaching a fish finder to a pontoon boat?

Bad Wood 75 · 01-02-2007, 06:17 PM

I just got an inflatable pontoon boat and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to attach a fishfinder.

Fishstik 1 · 01-03-2007, 05:28 PM

I have a a Mr. Skeeter with a anchor system on it. it is behind the seat, I have one of those C cell battery operated depth finders ,I can't remembeer the name off hand without going out to the water soaked grass to the shop. any way I use it strictly for seaking depth and structure because i am usually near or in shallow water (20 feet or less). I take it with me once , mentally map the water then I put it back in the truck.

Fishstik 1 · 01-03-2007, 05:32 PM

Too much stuff on a pontoon boat scares me last spring I chose to bring my cell phone on board, overexcited with one bite after another on Benson Lake, I had to call dad, well all the stuff on board my pontoon made me a little clumsy ,59 dollars later I had a new cell phone .

RazorClam · 01-04-2007, 04:16 PM

I am looking @ getting a pontoon boat myself, and I was thinking about going a very cheep way about having a FF. I was thinking about getting one of thost wrist watch FF. You can run it off the back of the boat and it dosent take up any space. I have used these things from shore to see how deep a hole is and they do work. So this might be a good application for these little gadgets

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Chug · 01-04-2007, 05:43 PM

what about those fish finders for $90 bucks that are just screen & the long shaft to go on side of boat. thinking of buying one for my Canoe for This summer Bass fishing.

Is it worth the cost?. or just do not bother with it???? any ideas? Or thoughts???.

happybrew · 01-04-2007, 06:44 PM

I've used a fish finder in a rubber raft before. This is how I set it up. I took a piece of wood about thee feet long and half an inch thick and bolted the transponder onto that. I clamped it on the motor mount board on the back of the raft, and secured the wire to the screen so that it wouldn't get in the propeller. I think duct tape was involved somewhere along the way. I had the screen sitting loose in the boat, and I'd pick it up when I wanted to look at it. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. I tried to simply duct tape it to the bottom of the raft, but it wouldn't hold to the vinyl in the water.

It was a bit of an inconvenience to have to hold the screen to see it, but there was nowhere to bolt on the unit without deflating the raft!

It worked.

Bad Wood 75 · 01-05-2007, 05:45 PM

Thanks for the advice guys... I am thinking about trying U bolts and then screwing the fish finder into a small piece of wood. My next delima is trying to hook up the transducer so that it doesnt catch too many weeds

BassMan · 01-05-2007, 09:41 PM

I have one of those humminbird wireless wrist watch fish finders and use it a lot. Although it advertises a 70 ft range it's not near that much. At best on flat (and I mean flat) water I can get about 40 or so feet. If there is any chop on the water at all it is dramaticaly reduced. I have had times on lost lake where if its out more than 5 or so feet it will lose signal. I will however tell you it does mark fish and pretty well, much better in fact than I thought it would. I have mine set up on an old fly reel with floating fly line. I did have it on a spare rod but I did not like that setup.

good luck

-jb

Bad Wood 75 · 01-07-2007, 09:20 AM

I bought a humminbird 363 and I think I have come up with a solution I didnt think it would be this difficult to hook it to a pontoon boat.

Clyde · 01-07-2007, 08:39 PM

I just bought a Zebco fish finder and it is very lightweight handheld version. You just toss it out and it checks things out. Very compact and you can take it anywhere.

Hunt'nFish · 01-08-2007, 03:14 PM

I have seen pontoon boats with an elec motor hung on it and a battery to power it. Pick up a cheap unit like the Fisheasy and just let the transducer dangle in the water. Or have a hinged pole dangle down.

The Fishing Buddy by Bottomline sounds easier tough.

For bass fishing a unit w/ sidefinding capability seems more logical for shallower water. No need to know whats under you....or more precisely what NOT under you since it got scared off anyway. Better to know what's "over there" off the side.
just my thoughts,
Hunt'nFish