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Can anyone give me tips on river fishing from a pontoon boat? I just bought two of them, 9 footers. Can anyone recommend how to handle then on moving water and survive? I'll be fishing the South Fork of the Snake and Henry's and other southeast Idaho rivers as they are close to my home. I've been fly fishing for years but always wading. Never done any floating. As always, your comments are very enlightening and appreciated. Are there any
See if you can find a copy of...
'Drift Boat Flyfishing, a River Guides Sage Advice' by Neale Streeks 1995
Frank Amato Publications, Inc
P.O. Box 82112
Portland Oregon 97282
503-653-8108
It's more about drift boat fishing than pontoon boats, but the same principles apply. Lots of good advice about rowing, casting technique and river etiquette.
One thing I have learned over the years is that their are two distinct jobs on a boat, the rowing and the fishing. On a 1 person pontoon boat both jobs are now yours.
I don't catch as many fish when I try to to both jobs at the same time. I do best when I can manuver the boat to a good location and drop anchor or wade to focus on my fishing. When drifting the 'rowing' often takes precident, so being able to quickly stow the rod is essential. A rod holder that is easy to use with one hand is very useful acessory.
Kick fins help when trying to drift and fish at the same time. I screw up my casts often enough to loose a lot of time with tangles and re-rigging. This is especially true when I am fishing tandem rigs or split shot weighted nymph rigs. You can drift through a lot of nice water while tying on new leaders.
It can be particularly challanging when you hook into a fish and are drifting into a river situation that will require rowing.
Consider your line through the river obsticles as well as where you would fight and land a fish before you cast. I sucks to have to break off a nice fish because your boat got drawn into a rapid while you were playing a fish. It would suck even more to flip or damage the boat.
The best advice I received was to point the boat so your facing what you DON'T want to hit and row. I was also advised against anchoring a small pontoon boat in moving water. It's probably best to drift to a place that looks good then pull over and fish. Have fun.
Jay
Hi Den, you will have a ball with your new toys! You will also find that being captain and crew has it's chalanges but al of the rivers we have here in eastern ID. are pretty easy water. I tend to agree with others anchors sink more drift boats than any other one thing. (outside of being just dumb.) You will now be able to get to a lot more of the great water we have here and since you have 2 boats you now will have a lot more friends! For your first outing I would float from twinn bridges down to Larenzo. it fished well last week and is very easy with the low water.
Rich