I just stumbled across these this morning.  I may buy one just to get on the little water I have to drive by now with the big boat.  I actually miss the serenity of the little ponds.

 

 

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/colorado-pontoon-boat-sage/130833.ip

 

 

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/lifetime-10-tandem-fishing-kayak-w-paddles-backrests-camouflage/prod5710484.ip

Board member Frog Turds is probably our most prominent 'toon user and may be along with his comments on inflatable pontoon boats. And of course we have lots of kayak drivers on the board.

 

I only fish my local, small neighborhood lakes (2.5 to 200 acres) and looked at all small watercraft from float tubes, pontoons, yaks, canoes, bass raiders, etc.  I ended up with a heavily outfitted canoe (TM, SI/DI sonar, outriggers, etc.) that meets my needs. Can be car-topped, doesn't need a launch ramp, no gas, little to no maintenance...

 

As you say, it's nice being on the smaller ponds - no lake lice or other fast boats around you all the time.  Of the 12 lakes I fish, I prefer the smaller ones that have less boat traffic. Sometimes, I'm the only boat on the lake.

I hit craigslist when I wanted to get off the shore,  300 into the canoe, another 250 into the motor/battery and alot of redneck ingenuity and Im now good to go.... A fishfinder/sonar and outriggers in the future but for now I can hit everything from a flooded drainage ditch to the bay, and everything in between... Eventually Ill get into a bigger boat but I know I can always go back to the canoe for the smaller water...

You have to please yourself, either one you found will work to get you around on small waters, but both are very tight quarters, I think the canoe, although no floating platform would be a more comfortable option for longer outings on small waters and much easier and roomier to stow what gear you want in,,,,JMO

I think the canoe, although no floating platform .......

 

My canoe is a floating platform...

 

My canoe is a floating platform...

 

 

Nice! Do you disassemble this and car top? If so, how long does it take you to put them together?

Nice! Do you disassemble this and car top? If so, how long does it take you to put them together?

 

Yes, I car-top.  From the time I pull up to a launch point with the canoe on the roof of the car, until I shove off the bank to go fishing, is 13 - 15 minutes (not much longer than it takes many people to launch a boat from a trailer - pull up to ramp, back-up, launch boat, park tow vehicle and trailer, return to boat). My record is just under 11 minutes when I was really hustling one time and I had the back bumper of the car only about 10 feet away from the bank of the lake.  The main systems are modular. Plug in the "dashboard" and you have the sonar (head unit and transducer), a couple tackle trays, and a rod holder.  Clamp on the cross-bar behind the seat and you have the mounting for the outriggers, TM, anchor system, and 4 rod holders.  Plug in the outrigger floats and anchor system, clamp on and connect the TM to the extended battery cables (contained in a conduit that runs along the starboard side just below the gunwale), and connect the battery (in the bow). Then add your stuff - rods, tackle, paddle, lunch, raingear, etc. - put on your PFD - and you're good to go.

3 people in that 10 foot yak pictured.  That I would have to see to believe 

My canoe is a floating platform...

 

Everytime I see a pic of your set-up, I think ....that is so COOL! I can picture being out on a llittle lake all by my lonesome....can you take a nap in that rig???

If that seat reclines....I might be in trouble:)

Everytime I see a pic of your set-up, I think ....that is so COOL! I can picture being out on a llittle lake all by my lonesome....can you take a nap in that rig???

If that seat reclines....I might be in trouble:)

 

Thanks! 

 

The seat will recline back a good ways - then you can kick your legs up on the dashboard or the gunwale and relax - I do that while eating lunch sometimes.  The rest of the time I'm standing - I usually only sit down to boat a fish, change baits, and eat lunch.  I haven't taken a nap in the boat yet - there's fish to be caught...

Trident 13

I just stumbled across these this morning.  I may buy one just to get on the little water I have to drive by now with the big boat.  I actually miss the serenity of the little ponds.

 

 

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/colorado-pontoon-boat-sage/130833.ip

 

 

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/lifetime-10-tandem-fishing-kayak-w-paddles-backrests-camouflage/prod5710484.ip

 

 

Fishing Daddy, Have you considered frameless pontoons? Sea Eagle has nice little thing which can be set up very quickly. That would have been the route if I didn't care about being able to take co-angler.

 

 

Yes, I car-top.  From the time I pull up to a launch point with the canoe on the roof of the car, until I shove off the bank to go fishing, is 13 - 15 minutes (not much longer than it takes many people to launch a boat from a trailer - pull up to ramp, back-up, launch boat, park tow vehicle and trailer, return to boat). My record is just under 11 minutes when I was really hustling one time and I had the back bumper of the car only about 10 feet away from the bank of the lake.  The main systems are modular. Plug in the "dashboard" and you have the sonar (head unit and transducer), a couple tackle trays, and a rod holder.  Clamp on the cross-bar behind the seat and you have the mounting for the outriggers, TM, anchor system, and 4 rod holders.  Plug in the outrigger floats and anchor system, clamp on and connect the TM to the extended battery cables (contained in a conduit that runs along the starboard side just below the gunwale), and connect the battery (in the bow). Then add your stuff - rods, tackle, paddle, lunch, raingear, etc. - put on your PFD - and you're good to go.

 

Last season, I got myself an 11 ft. inflatable raft. I needed something, I can bring without trailer, not needing garage to store, something I can fish standing and something I can use in rather rough (not very rough) conditions.  I looked at the different options, tube, pontoon, kayak, canoe. The raft basically met all of my requirements, plus I can take other person,  it stays dry and pretty stable even with lots of wake by wakeboarders. I dismissed canoe because I was worry about stability with wake/wave in the water I fish,  but maybe with set up like yours it would have been okay.

I like to stand when I bass fish. I bought a Sea Eagle 285fpb Pontoon boat that has a solid, removable floor. It is light weight and mobile. I'm on my second year and love mine. Sorry I don't have a link, but you can find it easy on Sea Eagle web sight.

How about a 13' Gheenoe?

I wouldn't want to be dangling my feet in any water that holds aligators... or be in an inflatable.

It might also be worth looking into duck/hunting boats in the same price range.

Up here in the northeast we have snapping turtles. Anything dangling is food.

here's what we use on the west coast...  

This is my Seaeagle 285 pro ,  I thinks a great little boat go to seaeagle .com   Not the cheapest but certainly cool... Good Luck   Carl