"Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is Here wrote in message
. ..
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.



I guess you need to be a serious fisherman to see and appreciate the
features. I'm not, so I don't.