New from NC with a question

Hello, Darrell here from the foothills of NC. I have question for this group, I have been thinking about getting another Aluminum Boat. I recently passed my 1985 1860 Lowe River Jon on to my SIL, and have been kayak fishing since. Sometimes I think about getting another boat. The two main problems with the old Lowe bat where that I was having trouble raising the 40 hp Yamaha and getting it locked in order to put it on the trailer, and I was getting tired of stepping over the livewell to move from the drivers seat to the front deck to use the trolling motor. I have been trying to decide on what type of boat would suit me best. I like an open floor plan, I don't really feel the need of a high front deck, and I don't want to get in a position to have to swap seats between the gas motor and the troller.

I have put some thought into the 16 ft. sticksteer panfish boats, I would like any opinions that anyone would like to share. I mostly cast and retrieve when I am fishing, I will be on some big water (inshore and sort ICW runs) but only in decent weather with manageable winds. These would be better suited to a bigger boat, but I also want to be able to use it smaller lakes and in coastal rivers. I would like to be able to pull it easily behind a smaller truck or SUV. After fishing 6 yrs in a yak I have figure out how to pare down the stuff I take with me, and I am not really worried about speed so much. My main concern is how a stick steer boat would handle with one person sitting up front? I am a big guy 275lbs.

any thoughts?

Thanks
Darrell

Darrell .... I moved this to the Main Forum so that you would get the most exposure for your questions. :ThumbsUp

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Originally Posted by CrappiePappy

Darrell .... I moved this to the Main Forum so that you would get the most exposure for your questions. :ThumbsUp

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Thank you I appreciate it.

Darrell

:welcome:welcome

dbeam, here is a link to a discussion of stick steer boats on the Louisiana forum. It covers a lot of territory.
"gene"

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/louis...steer-console/

I have a 14ft Alumacraft Crappie Jon. I installed stick steer with a 15hp Merc 4 stroke with CMC trim and tilt. This rig has no problem getting on plane with my neighbor who weighs in at 315 lbs.

I love my Crappie Jon, especially after adding the stick steer. Plenty of room for 2 old folks and don't have to swap seats to run. Here be a pic. I like pics with words. Pics Corrects me Englis ( but so do me wife).

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps89ecd0ac.jpg

Tom, show him your toon too.

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Originally Posted by S10CHEVY

Tom, show him your toon too.

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Old folks boat. 16x72. Several members have this Pondtoon. It is more like a tunnel hull than a pontoon.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...psba8a2895.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...psd5e51d0d.jpg

Stick steer all the way.

I like the stick boats a lot, and owned one in the past. My biggest complaint was the rough ride in windy conditions. I think it's Sea Ray(a member) that has a a shock absorber seat that would have eliminated that problem. A 25hp Johnson and a 1648 basic boat planed at a low speed and ran out at 22. Made 6 or 7 trips on a 6 gallon tank. Mine had no storage. Excellent boat for comfort and ease of fishing by yourself, and mine was easy to put on the trailer.

Thanks for all of the replies and links. some great insight. I guess a big part of the decisions will depend on what I find used.

Cane Pole I LOVE that pontoon. It is a real no nonsense fishing platform.

Darrell

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Originally Posted by dbeam

Thanks for all of the replies and links. some great insight. I guess a big part of the decisions will depend on what I find used.

Cane Pole I LOVE that pontoon. It is a real no nonsense fishing platform.

Darrell

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If you think that, then you should see it up close and personal. It has some of the neatest things on it. Imagine seeing a Pondtoon that can do 360's without moving from the spot it's on, this one can!

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Originally Posted by wannabe fisherman

If you think that, then you should see it up close and personal. It has some of the neatest things on it. Imagine seeing a Pondtoon that can do 360's without moving from the spot it's on, this one can!

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I had actually looked for PumpHouse TN on Google Map so I would know where it was at.

Darrell

OK Cane Pole, what brand is it? Where do you find it, what town, where on the NET? How much of all those goodies did you add VS what comes with one? How well do you think it will do in the ICW?

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Originally Posted by dbeam

Thanks for all of the replies and links. some great insight. I guess a big part of the decisions will depend on what I find used.

Cane Pole I LOVE that pontoon. It is a real no nonsense fishing platform.

Darrell

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I've never fished from a pontoon,but have fish with canepole on his pondtoon.Canepoles pondtoon is a fishing machine,would recommend it to anyone interested in that style of fishing platform.Its very stable,rides good,plenty room and fishes good[emoji2]

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I definitely recommend a single console or tiller. For big water all that fished from my alumacraft competitor 175 like the stability in the big water and they make this boat in both dual, single console and tiller. I have fish smaller lakes also with my boat. Alumacraft also provides you an auxilley fuel port for easy kicker installation, i use my kicker in areas i am especially concerned of the lower unit of the main motor hitting hazards. My kicker has power trim also for the shallows and doesnt stick down nearly as much as the main motor, also is good for lakes with motor restrictions.

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Originally Posted by Missed Again

OK Cane Pole, what brand is it? Where do you find it, what town, where on the NET? How much of all those goodies did you add VS what comes with one? How well do you think it will do in the ICW?

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It is Custombilt from Geneva, Alabama. It came as a blank hull. Cardboard on the deck contained extra panels and diamond plated pedestals I ordered. You can have them do it all or you can DIY. The aluminum is 90 thousandths, which is enough for what I do.

Boats & Fishing – CustomBilt Pondtoons

Thanks for the info Cane Pole. You ever take it to ReelFoot. Probably a question for another post, but when I looked up the lake mentioned in the article I saw you were fairly close. After seeing the ads in the back of outdoor magazines for the last 40 years or so Reel Foot seems like some kind of mystical/mythological place.

Darrell