Jim wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is Here wrote in
message ...
wrote:
I am thinking of making my next boat a pontoon boat in the 20 foot
range. I'd like to hear from people who own pontoons and especially
those who trailer them. Things that I'm thinking about is how hard to
load/unload, ease of towing, etc. Also, do you all fish with yours
using an electric trolling motor? One thing I'm wondering is how they
handle while using the trolling motor in the wind? Much difference
than a bass boat?
As you know, they are popular on inland lakes as a party barge, but
they would be hard to handle in a cove with a electric trolling motor,
ESPECIALLY, with any kind of wind. You have much more wind surface to
act as a sall on a pontoon boat than you do on a bass boat.
If you want a boat to act as a floating dock, to bring lots of people
to spend the day on the water and to be able to have a grill and
picnic on the water, and maybe do some fishing, go with a pontoon boat.
If you want to be able to do serious fishing, working the shoreline
and coves with a trolling motor, go with a bass boat.
Why are they called bass boats? What advantages do they offer serious
fisherman?
To truly appreciate the advantages they offer an inland lake fisherman,
you really need to look at one. Everything about them are design to
meet the needs of an inland fisherman, from the placement of swivel
chairs designed for fishing, an open flat deck that allows one to easily
walk around the boat, the low freeboard to easily land the fish, low
draft so they will fish in very skinny water, the engine easily pulls of
the water so you don't hit the bottom when trolling in shallow water,
they include a mount for the trolling motor that will allow you to
easily control the rrolling motor with your foot from your fishing
chair, the storage is designed for storing fishing equipment, a built in
live well etc.
While you can pull water toys with a bass boat, it's reason for being it
fishing.