Help me make up my mind.

[Fishnbuddy]

I've come into a liittle money and I want to get another fishing boat. Right now I'm running an old 14 foot Glasscraft or some tri-hull with a 50 horse merc. It serves the purpose, but it's ugly and crowded and it's going to need work on the transom soon (it leaks!).

My thoughts have run to a 16' or more flat bottom aluminum jon boat as wide as I can get that I might be able to put my motor on and then fix it up the way I would like it. However, I see some pontoon boats out there and some mentioned on this forum that have been rigged for fishing. How more comfortable can you get? I like, also, the bimini tops on some of them I've seen that would keep the sun off you while you fish.

Now, am I missing something here? Is there a drawback to getting a pontoon boat that I'm not seeing?

[Barnacle Bill]

If I lived on or near lakes that allowed motors biger than 9.9, there is no doubt I would have a pontoon boat. I like the idea of having all that room, and like you said, if it rains, just put the roof up.

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

The only real drawbacks to a pontoon boat are fighting high winds, slower travel times to different areas, and trying to go into the tight stuff like say the standing timber at Patoka for instance. Other than that, they are pretty dang user friendly!

<,"}/>{ Rippa

[GABoy]

Well there is one major disadvantage that I have come across, but it will only affect you if you like to troll for crappie.

A pontoon tends to catch EVERY LAST BIT of wind that may be on the lake on any given day. So they are VERY tough to control when the wind is blowing even moderately. You will need a very high-power trolling motor with a lot of thrust to control it properly, and even then it is very difficult.

Just a thought.

[Slab Hunter]

Alot of folks are going to center console boats because of the deeper sides, the shallow draft, and if the weather gets rough (like on Toledo Bend) they tend to do better in the larger waves.
I fish one in salt water and offshore and you can't ask for more room.
Can also be fitted with bimini tops.
Xpress has a fine line of center console boats in aluminum and sprayed in liners.

Just my thoughts.

[Crappie Chatt]

Slab Hunter,,,I agree on the 'Bay' boats!! I just ordered a 'Bay Invader' made by Alumacraft. Can't wait to get it rigged and on the water. <*)}}}><

[gooch]

I have a toon and a fishing boat and I will tell you that the toon is only good for nightstalking and fishing brushpiles. If you get one you better invest in a good battery charger cause they will suck a trolling motor dry quick. The wind is not a issue for me in mine cause I only fish out of it when I am tied up to a snag or anchored up nightstalking so I dont care how hard it blows. I would suggest taking a fishing trip out of a toon before you buy one. I am guessing if you fish a 14 foot now that you will miss the manuverabiliy of the smaller boat. I think these guys are right on track in that a center console boat would be a happy median between the two.
Congrats on the windfall. Glad it happend to a crappie man.

[boat49]

I too agree with slab hunter. I bought a Bay Charger. 22ft long with plenty of room, whether its me and a friend or two fishing, or for those scarce times the kids want to get dragged around. Plenty of room and the length handles the waves very nicely. It has an 82 lb thrust trolling motor that moves it where you want it very easily. I highly recommend it! No carpet so it washes easily. After loading from fishing Saturday , I had two guys giving it a look, their comment was, " Now this is a fishing machine!!".......thats my 2 cents
Happy fishing
the link:http://www.chargerboats.com/2230.html

[HOOKED]

Another disadvantage to the toon is loading that sucker on the trailer. If you have and wind or cross current, you could spend some frustating minutes and the ole boat ramp with lots of bystanders. If you go that route, it would be wise to have some guides on your trailer.

[rango]

i fish out of a 20 ft sea ark and love it to death. its good for just about anykind of fishing ive done. i wouldnt wanna take it to the coast and get in some rough water but around here im not worried about any rough water i might get into. im like gooch here. the only time id want a toon would be for nightstalking . it would be perfect for that in my opinion