I'm completely lost....

[Cliff955]

I'm moving to central Oregon, where there are many opportunities for stillwater flyfishing from a watercraft of some sort. I have a tube but don't really like it much, so am considering my options...canoe, kayak, pontoon boat..? I'd like something stable and reasonably portable - I don't see myself packing it far but I don't want to be restricted to finding a boat ramp just to get into the water.

What are the pro's and con's of canoes, 'yaks and 'toons?

What's the best option for a rookie?

Many thanks for all input.

Cliff

[Lotech]

I am completely satisfied with what my pontoon boat is capable of allowing me to do. I have the ODC Sport LT. It is an 8 foot, 16 inch diameter toon and I can launch it almost anywhere. I've been all over a 200 acre lake in N/E Washington with ease and comfort. I would NOT however take it on a river with any serious rapids. But for streams and meandering rivers it suits me well.
http://creekcompany.com/product.php?...cat=254&page=1

[Uncle Jesse]

I have a pontoon that I primarily use when fishing a lake too large to cover well in my float tube. Rowing just moves you quicker than kicking with fins but I love my Fishcat tube for lakes around 30 acres or so or for floating down the Chattachoohee River.

http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/...ult.aspx?id=22

[Boyscout]

I've got friends who use jon boats, toons, canoes, yaks, and even one home made wooden canoe. We argue all the time about the different advantages and disadvantages of each. We fish 300 acre or less lakes, small rivers, big rivers, slow rivers, and up to class 3 rocky rivers. Currently I have a tandem canoe (OT Disco 158, solo canoe (OT Pack), and a SOT yak (Jackson Coosa). I am going to stick to boats that are stable enough for fishing. For example, whitewater yak may take on class 4 water but is impractical for fishing. Also, when I say most yaks have a low seating position, there are several models (like the Coosa) that have a very high and extremely comfortable seat. Point? There are always exceptions. Standability and stability are highly subjective and all types have models that have that capability so I won't discuss that.

Here is my opinion and all of it is worth about 2 cents! If you must throw tomatos, please get them out of a can!

SOT Kayaks (the current rage these days)
Advantages
Most can be remounted after a flipping even in deep water
Less likely to wrap around a rock after flipping in a rapid
Do not take on water during high waves or monsoon rains - great for salt water work
Speed - a little faster than a comparable canoe but much faster than a toon when you need to cover a mile or 2
Light weight - depending on model
Most models do not catch a lot of wind
Easy to transport due to ability to stack in a truck bed or trailor - light weight ones easy to car top
Most models are fast even with a headwind - what I want when it is whitecapping out there

Disadvantages
Most models have a low seat and can be hard on bad backs
Low seat means decreased ability to see down into the water
Less gear storage than canoes - only relevent on camping trips
Heavier than a Royalex or Kevlar canoe of similar length - my Pack weighs 33lbs while my Coosa is 60lb+ both are 12 ft+-


Canoes
Advantages
Higher seating position than a yak for better sight fishing and all day comfort. My butt is 11 inches higher than my feet in my Pack
Tons of storage space
Easy to modify
Extremely shallow draft - many SOT have "tunnel" hulls that sit an inch or so deeper
Light weight - I once picked up a kevlar 14 foot solo that was only 25lbs - A Royalex 15 ft canoe = 55lbs - 15 SOT will reach 70+
Transport - I have put up to 3 in one pickup - important for shuttling river trips with several pals - I have stacked 4 + 1 SOT on my trailor

Disadvantages
You flip and you are sunk. I have done it in shallow water but in deep, you have to swim it over to the bank. I have had to help pry one off a rock once.
Catch more wind than a SOT but not as bad as a toon. If your canoe is leveled out, it is very managable. If one side is up high, it will weather vane like crazy.


Toon
Advantages
Most models I have seen have extremely comfortable and high seating position. Fantastic comfort for all day fishing. Hands down best fishability
Stable as nothing else this side of a real boat
Most can handle big rapids. I know guys who shoot class 3+ that I must portage in my Pack
Quiet rubber tubes make little sound when hitting a rock

Disadvantages
Wind - I have seen toons not be able to go down a slow river due to 20mph+ winds
Transport - hard to get 2 large toons in a pickup - many guys have special trailors
Slow - I have done a paddle down 2 miles, fish a mile of shoals, and then paddle back up to the car in a canoe - no way in a toon
Not as much storage as a canoe

Summary:
I prefer my solo canoe due to it's sort of a jack of all trades.
I can fish about anything but really rough water on large lakes or salt.
It will never be as comfortable as a toon for all day fishing.
It will never be as fast as a SOT especially in a head wind.
But it can do it all well enough for a wide variety of water and weather conditions.
You really need a couple of each but I ain't got the storage space or the money!
There is no such thing as the perfect boat. They all are great for certain types and styles of fishing.

Good luck with your boat choice and I hope I haven't muddied the water up too much for you.

Pics of me and my frinds various boats...

Attachment 8685 Attachment 8684 Attachment 8686 edisto0005.jpg Attachment 8682

[sagefisher]

Cliff,

There are a lot of factors to consider. How much do you want to spend? What kind of a vehicle do you have? Those are the two big ones. I have no expierence with canoes nor kayaks. I have some friends who own kayaks and they like them. I have a metal framed pontoon boat and a WaterMaster raft. I use both. I like them both. The raft is best when I am going to have to go a ways to get to the water, a friend of mine put two bicycle wheels on an extended shaft and I simply strap the raft to the shaft and take off. The pontoon boat comes with a wheel but it is heavy and I would not want to go any distance trying to keep it level over uneven ground. The pontoon boat will give you a very stable platform to fly fish from and it raises you a foot or two above the water. It is a problem when it is very windy, the pontoons act as sails and can cause you problems. I suspect a canoe would do the same but not the kayak.

They have some very nice pontoon boats now that have no frame, simply blow them up and get to fishing. When I bought my pontoon boat those were not an option, not I think I would go for one of them. They are costly but then so is a good canoe or kayak.

Check around your area where you live and see if there is a place where you can rent a canoe then a kayak and see if you feel comfortable enough in them to operate. If not. go for a pontoon boat and keep your tube for smaller waters.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Cliff955]

Thanks all for the great advice! My instinct says go with a 'toon, but I really need to see what sort of winds I'll be dealing with before I make a final (?) decision.

All the best,

Cliff

[Flyfish Dog]

Kayaks!! Thats all I need to say.

[Gigmaster]

I have several kayaks. I got rid of my canoe, and float tubes quite some time ago.

I have a Pelican Pursuit 100. It weighs a whopping 31 pounds. I fish out of it sometimes, but it is mostly my adventure boat. I use it hunting frequently, because I use muzzleoaders, and it keeps my powder and weapon dry.

I also have an Advanced Elements Convertable inflatable kayak, that is my favorite. It has rigid side braces, and handles like a hardshell yak, but it only weighs 23 pounds. I can convert it from one to two seats in seconds. It is my main fly-fishing yak, and the one I use on the Florida coast most of the time..

My main fishing boat is an SOT Pelican Angler (11 foot). It is perfectly equipped for fishing, and I have added two retractable pontoons to the rear, and a standing brace so I can stand up to cast, and bowfish. With all the equipment, it weighs just shy of 55 pounds.

I've had Jonboats, canoes, rowboats, and motorboats, and yaks beat them all for fishing, and just enjoying time on the water.

My one exception is my Intex Mariner Raft. It is a Four-Person inflatable with rod holders, pivoting oarlocks, a motor-mount, and a rigid wood floor. I can put a 4 hp motor on it, but I only do that on the lake when I am Jump-Fishing for Striped Bass. The rest of the time, I paddle it. It's slower than a yak, but you can take several weeks worth of gear with you, and it by far the roomiest, most comfortable boat I have ever owned. It weighs 46 pounds (including the pump), inflates in 20 minutes, and at $225.00, it was more than a bargain. You can put swivel seats in it if you want, but the ones it comes with are extremely comfortable. It's the only boat my wife will go out with me in. You can easily stand up in it, and I bought the canopy for it (for the Mrs.) and it is a pleasure to just drift and paddle all day, fishing or not. There is a sail kit for it, but I haven't gotten around to trying that yet. I don't really need it (but it would be fun, anyway). It makes a great dive boat (I skin-dive for mussels sometimes), and a bowfishing platform (as long as you are careful with the arrows). I also duck hunt with it (with a camo cover over the top).

If I could only have one boat, I would probably go with the Intex. But yaks and the Intex are so economical, why just have one boat?

[jszymczyk]

this is like a question about motor oil or fly tying vises... which one's best? Everyone will have their own perfectly valid reasons for why their choice of watercraft is "best"... after many years I've settled on a kayak for my fishing needs. I saved and wanted a "real" boat/motor for many many years and never pulled the trigger on one. I realized I didn't want the constant expenses and upkeep of a nice fishing boat, even though the comfort while fishing is not attainable in any other way. Canoes are great for many things and I think I'll always have one around. Never owned a real pontoon, but back in the 90's we used to make pontoon-like rafts with wood frames and round 5-gal water jugs for floatation. Got the job done on lakes. Had several float tubes. Down in Alabama and Florida, I was always a little nervous when gators were around, and more than once had a water moccasin try to come aboard without permission. I settled on a SOT kayak, a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 for portability, ease of use, ability to cover water and handle waves, etc. I'm not going to be out downrigging for summer steelhead in the great lakes with it, but for everyday use in lakes and rivers, IMO it can't be beat. BTW I have a little Kia 4-cyl econo car, and with a Yakima rack system, the kayak is super-portable. At about 55-60 pounds, it's easy to lift up on the rack and tie down. I've got 5mm neoprene waders for when the water gets cold. Lots of storage capacity, and it moves along nice and quick---- for a SOT. I've got a ruined back from a career in the service. The Wilderness Systems seating system for 2011 is the most comfortable kayak or canoe seat I've ever had my butt in. I have paddled and fished 6 straight hours with no discomfort. Another advantage with a SOT is that you can move around some and sit side-saddle when you're drifting on a lake or at anchor, as long as conditions are good.

The best thing you can do is go to as many places as possible and try out a lot of different watercraft.

[Jayatwork]

I actually fish Central Oregon lakes. The best scenario would be to have a pontoon and a good motor-boat. A Kayak might be an option but I don't know enough about them to recommend one. For fishing Cascade lakes I would not choose a canoe. A canoe is fun for exploring but you will be constantly fighting it, if you try to fish from one solo.

Here is a Central Oregon lake. It might give you an idea of what others are choosing.