Somebody please talk me out of it.

[Lotech]

I had such a lousy day yesterday fly fishing out of my pontoon boat at a lake that is supposed to offer up a 50-100 released fish per day, that I'm considering selling everything I can, and buy an aluminum fishing boat with a 25 hp motor. I remember fishing for put-and-take rainbows with leaded line and pop gear, or mono line with a line counting reel, and having very successful days. Yesterday I got skunked. Five of us fished that lake and 3 of us were skunked. To make matters worse, I was about a mile north of the southern launch and a storm came up out of the south with winds of about 30 mph. I fought whitecaps and currents in more than one direction caused by high winds. With about 1/2 mile left to go to the launch, my left oar malfunctioned. All tolled, (including the time it took to repair the oar) I had 1 1/2 to 2 hours of hard rowing just to get back to the launch. Today, my left arm hurts so bad, I doubt the pain will ever go away. Yes, I'm griping and I appreciate your listening. I just needed to vent. BUT, that 14 foot aluminum with a 25 horse Merc sounds better all the time. Warm feet, no waders, lots of storage and speed into a nasty headwind when needed.
Thanks for listening.

[JohnScott]

...BUT, that 14 foot aluminum with a 25 horse Merc sounds better all the time. Warm feet, no waders, lots of storage and speed into a nasty headwind when needed. ....

Joe -

Boring !! Need I say more ??

John

[DShock]

Joe,
You need to PM Fly Goddess and get info on hooking up an Electric Trolling Motor on your Toon, and invest in some good Oars.
Doug

[Eric-WD]

Gas at $4 a gallon, (it will be back) Noise, Launch Fees, unable to use it on many small lakes due to motor restrictions, Lining up to launch and take out. I agree with DShock, find a way to mount an electric trolling motor on your toon.

Eric

[nighthawk]

Hi Joe,
You are a very skilled carpenter. Why not build your own? Take a look at this web site:

http://www.jemwatercraft.com/free.php

Hopefully I will get to do one of these myself sometime.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Joe,

At last years CWFI I was using my brand new Fatcat float tube when I got a chill in places that you shouldn't get a chill. My trusty Simms waders had finally sprung a leak and that lake water was dang cold (warm water fishery my eye, it was cold as the Dickens). While sitting in my brand new Fat Cat Float tube with cold water invading my waders I watched my fellow FAOLer's in their motor powered boat and drift boat casting comfortably in DRY clothes.

I would advise against a 14 foot aluminum boat with a 25 horse motor. I'm thinking of a 16 footer with a 48 inch beam and a 25 horse motor. Anyone who advises a wood boat must be a younger person in good physical shape. The maintenence on a wood boat is for the young or folks who can afford to have someone else do it.

REE

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Joe,

Sounds like you had a tough and somewhat dangerous day. I'm glad that you made it through the waves right side up. As an old Yankee lobsterman for twenty years, off and on, I've got a question for you. How did your oar malfunction? Motors malfunction. Oars are the only thing in this whole wide world you can trust to do the right thing. On many occasions, I rowed home two to three miles in some really bad weather when the old Evinrude decided to stop working. Just curious. 8T

[DarrinG]

Joe,
Dont sell the toon!!!!!!!
It's a much more versatile craft than the jon.
I use my catarafts / toons on rivers (current) that are very rocky and often shallow. But....if I used any of my toons on still water (lakes/ponds, etc), I would definitely be rigging up a Minn Kota on my rear deck! A 33# thrust and the lightest battery you can find will scoot you across the lake like a charm, and no wearing out your shoulders trying to row into such a wind.

Upgrade oars to either the Carlisle HD's or Cataract Mini-Mag's, depending on the OD of your oarlocks, for use in moving water.

[Lotech]

The oar malfunction was in the oar stop collar. That's the collar that goes around the oar to keep it from sliding out of the oar lock. It somehow loosened and the oar could slide freely through the oar lock. It was just a matter of tightening the screws that hold it in place. I carry 2 stubby screwdrivers on my toon. One phillips and the other slotted. The problem was trying to hold the boat still in slippery rocks and a high wind while tightening the oar stop. Needless to say, I was very grateful I had decided to carry those screwdrivers with me.

[Grubb]

I don't use those but can say I'm sorry you had a bad day. B-4 you make any decisions, I would my self take time to recuperate, then head back out and wipe that day off the books...