Guiding with pontoon

[GRIZZ]

http://www.manitouboats.com/main/mod...ategory&boat=5

Hey you guides out there. Any of you ever considered using a pontoon? More comfortable for several clients, safer, handicap access, elderly safe and manuverability.

Be sure to check out the video and you'll see why I said manuverable.

[skiptomylu]

That's pretty impressive!

[papasage]

i don`t guide but like my pontoon boat . haven`t used my bass boat sinse i goy it . it aint new but it is what i could aford .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...toonboat-1.jpg

[guest01]

no guiding here, but it will be my next boat, got young kids and it would make outings so much more enjoyable with all the room. great for night stalks also

[GRIZZ]

For those of you who havn't checked out the video of how well that pontoon boat performs do yourself a favor and watch it. Its amazing.

[Jerry Blake]

http://www.manitouboats.com/main/mod...ategory&boat=5

Hey you guides out there. Any of you ever considered using a pontoon? More comfortable for several clients, safer, handicap access, elderly safe and manuverability.

Be sure to check out the video and you'll see why I said manuverable.

Hey GRIZZ:

I think you would be a lot happier with a Center Console "Hull" boat for guiding out of. I've never had a pontoon but from talking to those that do or have had them they are tough to handle in any kind of wind and they are a bit more trouble to load and trailer. The sides of a Center Console (with a handrail) offer about the same security for kids and folks that may be unstable on their feet as a pontoon. The interior room of a Center Console may be a bit less than the same length pontoon but there is plenty of room in mine to move around.

The front deck of my boat is level with boat docks and there are short steps from there down to the floor, which is right at the water level. A pontoon probably would be a bit easier to get on and off for someone in a wheel chair but it's not difficult on my boat if it's next to a dock.

You don't really need a big fancy boat to get started guiding though. If you can take up to two or three people, put them on fish and show them how to catch them you can get started. I started out just booking trips on weekends and then added Fridays. It took a while but before long I was able to quit doing my "Real Job", which was making dentures - for over 20 years.

Guiding is the most rewarding thing I have ever done and you should give it a try. Even if it's just part time you can write off all of your fishing expenses, depreciate your boat and write off some of your towing vehicle expenses so it doesn't take a lot of trips to make it worthwhile.

Of course you’ll need to do your homework, put folks on fish and show them a good time so they’ll keep coming back. Folks understand that you don’t always “load the boat” but they can see through BS and that will only get you so far. Once you establish a solid base of repeat customers it’s a lot easier to fill your calendar.

I’ll be glad to help you out any way I can if you decide to give guiding a try.

[FishnLine]

Nice looking pontoon! What about guiding on a deck boat? Would it make much difference? I would like to get one or the other sometime.

[Ferdi]

What a hoot, trolling at 60MPH.... OKAY I'm kidding. That was quite a show about those Manitou's. Pontoon's are great to fish from, easy if you tie up but a bugger if you need to houver in the wind, takes a lot of trolling motor. I would definately reccomend one for a family or a couple getting up in years (like me) or stumble bums like my fishing buddy and ME because we don't fish that serious especially in the wind. Grizz I think you ought to find one to fish from on a windy day and see how well you like it after getting in off the lake. I have found that I have less trouble loading and unloading the pontoon over a bass boat too as long as they don't get the trailer to far in the water, it's pretty easy to power onto the trailer and hook up to go. I'd like one of those Manitou's but would never get to run wide open when the better half is aboard, I couldn't take the beating she'd give me when we hit land. hehehe Enjoyed your post. Ferdi

[skiptomylu]

I had a pontoon and you can't have a better boat to tie up and night fish or tie up over a brush pile. However what Jerry and Ferdi say about the wind is true. I sold my pontoon after 2 years because I just couldn't troll out of it in almost any wind at all. Trolling is my favorite way to crappie fish so that was what made me sell it. I would have loved to kept it and got a new boat, but couldn't afford that.

My pontoon would not do what that one does though, LOL!

If I had found this boat (cost is right) I probably would have bought it instead of what I have now. If I could afford a Lund or a Deep V G3, they would probably be my choice.

Anyway if anyone is looking for a center console boat (see video) for a reasonable price I say check out these...
http://www.bluewaveboats.com/

[GRIZZ]

Man those videos make you want to run right out and buy one of those boats - don't they? Too bad I don't have 25k laying around.

Anyways, One thing that came to mind is if you could remove those panels on the railings I wonder if it would significantly reduce the wind signature of a pontoon, or is it the pontoons that catch the wind. If you just had rails without the panels it would be just as safe. The fact is I just want one of those pontoons - they are so cool. I just imagine fishing for crappie on a nice calm warm day in summer and some bass boat roars by at 50 mpg too close. I just would like to see the look on his face as that pontoon fires up the 200 horse 4-stroke and chases him down and does a couple tight donuts around him. Not that I would do it - lol - Its just fun thinking of doin it. Can you imagine the spider rig you could do off a pontoon? Maybe 6 gangs of 6 poles? lol

That's excellent advice Jerry, and I'm sure I'll take you up on that offer if I dare to try it. A lot of changes will have to take place for me to manage doing it, but you never know. Maybe I'm being gloomy today. Fall is pretty much over here and winter is threatening. All I can think of today is 4 or 5 months of snow. Ugh.

One question I had was if you and Darryl have had much trouble with clients being careless with your gear and drinking and such? You know the typical horror stories former guides like to tell after they quit.