Thread: Kayak isn't cutting it for the family.

I fish with 2 different friends that own pontoons. Both are the pleasure type. So here is my opinion on what I would want as a setup. Fishing seats mounted out front outside the fence with enough room for rod holders and trolling motor. Back deck large enough to have seats outside fence and be able to get to motor if need be. Have had to work on both motors and no room to stand safely. Live well are not well thought out on either one of them though they could be improved if you did a little work. One is Tracker the other is higher end Bennington. If it was me I'd try to hold off until fall ad start looking for a good used one or a year end deal on new. One thing I can't stress enough is if your going to pull any distance get a large tire tandem axle trailer.

Try a Qwest Pontoon boat. I fished out of one with a guide on West Point Lake. Fishes a lot better than my friend's Crest " Beer Barge".

Originally Posted by Cray

I fish with 2 different friends that own pontoons. Both are the pleasure type. So here is my opinion on what I would want as a setup. Fishing seats mounted out front outside the fence with enough room for rod holders and trolling motor. Back deck large enough to have seats outside fence and be able to get to motor if need be. Have had to work on both motors and no room to stand safely. Live well are not well thought out on either one of them though they could be improved if you did a little work. One is Tracker the other is higher end Bennington. If it was me I'd try to hold off until fall ad start looking for a good used one or a year end deal on new. One thing I can't stress enough is if your going to pull any distance get a large tire tandem axle trailer.

Great advise. I saw an awesome veranda that had as close to a set up as you described sans the front deck area seats. It was a tritoon with 200hp supposedly it's a beast for those occasional tubing days.

Thanks again!


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I fish from a used pontoon that is pretty solid but only cost 2k. With used many many things will need to be fixed. All these add up. You will also want to add this and that and all that adds up too. I agree with looking for a used one but look for everything you will want in the package too.


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Hate to say it but your going to break the bank no matter which way you go. There are a lot of good pontoons out there! I will say you can get one the way you want it or a close to what you need for a good price if you look around. A plus is to know what you really need before hand, boat length, doors on both sides, big enough motor to push with and tm type, carpet or vinyl, bimini top, furniture vs. seats, tandum axels and trailer type. You'll see the one you want and know it when you find it. Then comes putting on the fishing gadgets. It will not be easy and you shouldn't try to do it over night unless you got the dough to put out there. I think most of us built ours to what we wanted over a period of time. You could get lucky like me and get one already set up to work with. Uncle Remus must have had me in mind when he sold me his. All I had to do was add me, boat seats, rods/reels and him back on. Good luck!

Lots of good ideas, from experience get at least 143" tires tandom axle and brakes on all 4 if you tow any distance. My trailer had the little tires and one axle brakes If I towed 45 miles it would often lock the brakes and then it was time for new linings and wheel cycliners as they'd blow out. Now I have 13" tires 4 wheel brakes and you forget the trailer is back there when you stop
Big motor over 90hp big troller for the windy days.
Vinyl floors if you have dogs or live bait
I was told by a dealer that having the solid support between the toons and the floor was a real plus on the outside
Look in the Fall lots of folks looking to unload rather than store for the winter.
Good luck and take your time, it took me about a year to find the one I bought and looked at so many

Yea, your about to spend a lot of money either way.

Trailer, trailer, trailer!!!
The tritoon is a huge step up in performance.

Good luck. We want pics.

Another thing to consider is the tow vehicle when looking to get a big boat. If I lived on the lake I may would have a pontoon. I trailer my boat lots of miles and a toon just doesn't work for me. I did see an add for a pontoon company that pretty much made a fishing pontoon,whereas most companies build the for pleasure. I wish I could remember the name. I'd recommend going out with others who owns pontoons and see how there's fit what you want to do with yours,because when you talk with the boat salesman,he is gonna tell you what you want to hear trying to make that sale.