Pontoon spider rigging

So I have a question about trolling with a pontoon. I assumed the wind would push them around pretty bad. But I saw a couple fishing today that appeared to be handling it better than my 15 ft Jon boat. Granted today wasn’t high wind but they appeared to have better speed and holding control than me. So my question is do they fish well in the wind and what’s the negatives to using a pontoon? Typically I’m a solo fishermen or maybe one other. but wanting to get my family of 5 going some too and curious about pontoon vs a fish and ski glass boat. I’m not in the market currently but hopefully in the next year and always open to advice.


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We don’t spider rig but pull cranks off back of pontoon. It’s perfect. Every one has a good time plenty of room and anyone can reel in a crankbait with a crappie on it my 3 year old grandson will reel them in. This is 3rd year for ours it’s a 22’ party barge and we can have 10 folks on board with plenty of room. Plenty of shade and plenty of couches to kick back on a take turns reeling them in. These last 2 high water years been great. This year is allready looking good for plenty of ground to cover. Also be great for older folks to tag along. Very stable. So for large groups it’s the only way to go and be safe. If one was going to spider rig then you would want to get the fishing barge.

I think its safe to say, size matters :)
I had a 24ft pontoon and we all called it a sailboat. I'm getting set up to spider rig for the first time this year, so I cant speak on the subject except I cant help but offer my $.02 anyway... a 24 footer will drag a pair of anchors around without any trouble. With enough battery and very strong trollers you might be able to control things but I wouldnt count on it being fun. Will you troll though timber or near obstacles?

I think you should consider a deck boat. I have a 19ft Lowe (LS1900) the hull is actually a big john style and they cut the gunwales and laid a deck over the top. The result is a 1500# hull that is easy to walk around and comfortably seats 7-9, I have a rod locker, livewell and a front fishing deck that seats 2. It's good on gas and I can pull the kids tubing etc. I'm still a little concerned about wind, but if I have trouble with the bimi off, I can probably get a more powerful trolling motor.

I’ve pulled cranks off the back of a 28’ pontoon for 15 years with a 4hp kicker. Zero problems. Now spider rig would be a different animal.


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Couple of friends I have and fish with have them. They spider rig just fine with 24 or 36 trolling motors.

I have a 24 ft party barge and all I do is spider rig. I fish more than most and have been all over the surrounding area without any issues. I can fish 6 people comfortable and push and pull 24 rods at a time. Granted if the wind gets up too much, 10 mph or more, then it's gonna push you around quite a bit, but I have a 24v Terrova with remote and it will troll me all day on one charge. I also take my boat anywhere I think I can get it into with not much thought about scratches and dents lol, that's why I bought an older one so I wouldn't worry if it got banged up some. Just my 2 ¢ God Bless.

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Thank you guys all great information. As far as trolling through stuff not typically. I like to fish at Sardis and mostly from clear creek back to the dam so not much for obstacles. I like the deck boat idea as well.


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Hey seek bigger what pound thrust and shaft length you running. Iam looking at mounting a trolling motor up front to pull cranks with

I have a 21 foot lowe and you can do anything you care to do off of it. depends on how you set it up but since I got my wireless fob it makes it so easy as can be in back of boat pulling or single poling the docks off front or just laying around taking a nap for a while under the bimini. Love my toon as most of the time I am hanging around party cove with lily pad with the grandkids or pulling kids too. have livewell and built in rod holders in back it's the best of both worlds. especially since my buds have bass boats that can come and pick me up on my dock and do different things. Going to set up some simple spider rigs for front this year.

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Originally Posted by hotrod1

Hey seek bigger what pound thrust and shaft length you running. Iam looking at mounting a trolling motor up front to pull cranks with

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I have a 60 inch shaft 80lb thrust. If it gets too windy for it to control my boat im going home anyway lol.

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Originally Posted by hotrod1

Hey seek bigger what pound thrust and shaft length you running. Iam looking at mounting a trolling motor up front to pull cranks with

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I can’t speak to how a toon will act, but, pulling cranks generally draws down the batteries much more than spider rigging. You may need two banks.

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Originally Posted by Seekbigger

If it gets too windy for it to control my boat im going home anyway lol.

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Excellent point!

Ok thanks.

I'm spider rigging off a 16ft Qwest pontoon, and have no issues with control unless it's super windy. I'm running a 52LB/54" motorguide. The only issue is in standing timber, sometimes the timber can get between the toons and make it a little bothersome getting off, but nothing terrible.

I can see where timber could be an issue. Thanks


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When spider rigging on windy days my drift sock does the trick or keeping the pontoon fom becoming a sail boat!

I fish both spider rig and jig fish out of a 21' toon. Have a 54"/12v TM and it does fine most days unless it gets super windy as others have mentioned. My only issue is that it being so bulky like, it's rather difficult to bounce from stump to stump or spot to spot in a quick like manner. Other than that it is a catching machine.

I fish out of a 18 ft pontoon with a 80lb terrova and I love it, spider rigging pointing into the wind is great because you get the water to cut around the pontoons and you don’t get that slapping sound like you would on a flat bottom and the fact that you can get up and walk around or lay down or sit under the Bimini top are great!! And the built in cooler is nice

I've got a 54" 24v 80lb thrust gen 1 terrova I'd sell if it's of interest to anyone. It's fine for trolling, the spot lock just isn't as good as on the gen 2 is the only reason I changed.

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Originally Posted by Mac Daddy

I've got a 54" 24v 80lb thrust gen 1 terrova I'd sell if it's of interest to anyone. It's fine for trolling, the spot lock just isn't as good as on the gen 2 is the only reason I changed.

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Pm sent.


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im over here in Missippi from the florida board. was gonna look up our slabfest in april and wanting to come. Slab told me about it this morning. Not sure how i can pull a 20 foot Pontoon with a 30 ft RV?? Nevertheless, Note to man thinking of pontoon. I have a 89 suntracker that has been taken care of and looks pretty good. It has a center console that i wouldt trade for anything, It has a 1/2 third pontoon in the front. i carry 3-4 batteries on the left gas on right. I have lowrance structure scan on the console and the front for troling . trolling motor is minkota 80 lb thrust riptide(100 if i were doing it again although i have no problems with an 80 for this boat i have rod holders that i have found to be perfect for pontoon. i just lately installed these pics at the bottom of post..i have seen pntoons with really big toons. i believe that is probably the problem with fellows that want to use them fo fish. the whole boat sits farther higher up out of the water than my tracker. in fact by the time i add my self 3 or 4 batteries and gas i sit real low in the vack and lower in he front eue to the size of the toons. i believe this is a huge advantage for somebody wanting to spider rig our of a toon.or just fish. Keeping the top DOWN is a must in high winds or it will be hard t handle otherwise i wouldnt trade fishing out of my toon for notheing and especially as ive gotten older, its nice to be able to walk around and have some room. granted my litle bass boat got me in a lot more smaller places but i just learned to fish different spots. i have 2-15lb anchors the round ones . if the wind is blowing where i want to fish i just drop them and there has been times whe is a little rougher i have just trolled with them outdragging. there is always a none windy spot to fish n my lakes i can cross apretty rough lake to go to a lake that the wind isnt even hitting. the bass boats and everybody else is sitting home. thught my pics were on my computer apparently not i will find them and load and post for you tommorrow

Thanks for the description of your setup. Sounds like a lot of thought went in to it.


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Attachment 367409
Our setup!

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Originally Posted by Crappiemaniac

Attachment 367409
Our setup!

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I saw a rig just like that at Toby Tubby yesterday.

Nice setup


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