Pontoon Virgin

FishFood · 03-16-2004, 08:37 PM

After considering many boats, I decided to just buy a little one-person pontoon to start. It's cheap, and can get me around some lakes and smaller rivers. I now have a water skeeter with a trolling motor.

So, I would be very grateful for any opinions on where I could start with this rig. I live in Battle Ground, and am thinking somewhere like the mouth of the East Lewis (from Paradise Point?) might make sense.

Steve

spinner fisher · 03-16-2004, 08:43 PM

I would also spend some time on the Kalama river, Lots of fish and pretty neasy water for the most part.

Gizmo Man · 03-16-2004, 09:15 PM

An easy first drift would be the N. F. Lewis from the hatchery to the golf course. Watch for the sleds.

You can also do Kress lake to get a feel of the oars and then do the Kalama. E. Fork Lewis would be last as you gain more experience.

Giz...

FishFood · 03-16-2004, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gizmo Man:
An easy first drift would be the N. F. Lewis from the hatchery to the golf course. Watch for the sleds.

You can also do Kress lake to get a feel of the oars and then do the Kalama. E. Fork Lewis would be last as you gain more experience.

Giz...

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Thanks so much for responding. Can you think of any things I should consider about fishing from a one-person pontoon? Any things to watch out for? I wonder about anchoring--I bought a boat that's supposed to support anchoring, but I don't have an anchor. Any advice about the right anchor and how to deploy it?

Thanks in advance

Steve

TheCamel · 03-16-2004, 09:58 PM

fishfood:
If you have not done so already, check Washington State regulations regarding motorized boats. In Oregon, if you put a trolling motor on a personal pontoon boat, you have to register it and put the registration number on the boat with the legal sized lettering. Of course, there are expenses that go along with the registration!

MacEFL · 03-17-2004, 04:39 AM

Just a heads up. The East Fork Lewis is closed to all fishing in that area until April I believe. Upstream from Lewisville Closed til June. Please check the regs first. And I live in Yacolt, we should go fishing some time.

Old dog · 03-17-2004, 10:48 AM

Not sure about WA, but I've sure had fun the past couple years in OR tidewater with my 7ft. and 8 ft. pontoons, plus drifting down the N. Santiam and stopping to flycast for summer steelhead. Caught 2 fall chinook in these boats, 1 each in tidewater on the Salmon R.(on a flash fly and 10 wt. fly rod) and the Little Nestucca R. (casting a Blue Fox spinner with a mid-size spin rod). Be careful anchoring in fast water, but tide changes aren't too bad if you're careful. Last fall, I just drifted during mostly slackwater before an incoming tide and let the chinook tow around my 8 ft. boat until it played out and I could tow it to shore to land - no net. Lots of fun.

FishFood · 03-18-2004, 11:06 PM

Thanks again for all the info guys.

Mac, I live just about half a mile south of the East Fork near Lucia Falls, so I'm pretty close to you. I'll PM you my phone number. It would be great to go out with someone who knows the area. Just bought a new 10'6" Loomis and would love to get out there and try it out.

Steve