Drift Boat or Pontoon?

[dnance21]

Im debating whether or not to buy/build a drift boat from a kit or buy a pontoon. Any suggestions?
thanks,
Daniel

[Jack Hise]

dnance21;
A lot more information on your location and type of fishing would help to get some positive answers.
Still Water, Rivers, etc.

[dnance21]

I live in Newnan. I fish ponds, small lakes, but my favorite is nymph fishing on the hootch. Because I am new to fly-fishing (about a year now) most of where I have fished, apart from two visits out west, has been on the hootch. I am going to Western Carolina in several weeks and I'll be in Northeast Tennessee in a month from now.
Simply put, I will mostly fish on the hootch and other rivers/streams in North Georgia.
thanks,
Daniel

[FlygURL]

Do you usually fish with others? Thesame folks all the time?

[Trout8myfly]

dnace21 seems like you're describing two very different worlds, both of which have pros and cons.

Cost:
A high-end pontoon will cost $1,000 ready to go - e.g. a Skykomish Sunrise from Cabelas. A cheapie will go for $350, and probably less if you look hard enough.

A starter drift boat kit begins at, what, $1500? And goes up to your credit card limit.

Ride:
Drift boat, hands down. Out of the water, high and dry (mostly). But, often easier to handle with two people; one fishing and one rowing.

A pontoon would seem to be more forgiving (IMO) for just one person.

Pontoons are not the most stable platform for standing, whereas a drift boat is pretty good.

Durability:
A good pontoon copes well with rocks. A wooden drift boat can have...issues...if it gets sideways to a shoal. But most DBs are very sturdy and seem to survive casual contact with the occasional piece of metamporphic.

Here's one site that describes drift boat pros and cons (but is openly biased towards drift boats):

http://www.bigskyfishing.com/fishing-boats/drift-boats.shtm

Good luck, and let us know what you decide! (so we can go fishing with ya!) :)

[Drifter]

Daniel,

I built a driftboat from a Tatman kit and live in Newnan as well. Let me know if you want to take a look and I'll give you the scoop.

http://www.pbase.com/stevekeeble/image/92195630/medium.jpg

[dnance21]

Thanks everyone for the help.
I think I am going to purse getting a pontoon by mid summer and buy plans from Montana boat builders (http://www.montanaboatbuilders.com) and build my own (with the help of a carpenter friend) over the next few years.
I think a pontoon will be my best bet for the next few years, and in the meantime I can be slowly working on my future drift boat.

I guess I have to move over to another thread for 'rod-building.' My buddy and I are getting our rod building kit next week and we are going to try wrapping and finishing some blanks.
thanks for all of your help!
and drifter - I would love to see your drift boat. Also, a group of us from Newnan will be going to western North Carolina mid march and out west in September to fish.

Later,
Daniel

[Rusty Fowler]

Daniel,
If you get a 'toon, get one that you can stand up on. Skookum would be my first choice because of the frames. Scadden would probably be my second. If you want insanely hardcore then you can't beat a Sotar.

[lewdogg]

I have a one-man drift boat designed by butler,
http://www.butlerprojects.com/boats/minimac/
attached is a pic from their site.

Its fun with one person, and OK two if both are small (i.e. 160 lb each). Its best if you have a long day so the hassle of moving it around is worth it. My strategy is to put in at 6am and call the girlfriend midway down and beg for a ride home.

For short trips, the hike a tube method is pretty unbeatable.

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