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[RalphH]

I’m using an Aquamarine inflatable I bought used off FB Marketplace for 400 bucks. Couldn’t be happier with how it portable it is. I can get into the lakes that don’t have a boat launch.

Lots of good feedback om Aquamarine over the years.

[Wiseguy]

Lots of good feedback om Aquamarine over the years.

Good to know!

[Roderick]

I have a 10' pelican sit-on-top kayak from crappy tire.  Weighs 30 pounds.  I can bring it out in the salt when there's not too much chop, and have never even come close to falling off.  The nice thing about a kayak it that they are fast, so if the wind comes up or if there's current you can paddle against it.  I can launch it from the shore anywhere (launching from a dock seems pretty sketchy and I haven't tried it). I do, however, get wet, both at launch and landing, and if there is any chop.  I wouldn't mind upgrading to one of those pedal drive kayaks, but they are fairly pricy. 


BTW there's a really cool video of a guy landing a marlin from his kayak on youtube somewhere.  Pretty intense. 

[SuperBobby]

I’m using an Aquamarine inflatable I bought used off FB Marketplace for 400 bucks. Couldn’t be happier with how portable it is. I can get into the lakes that don’t have a boat launch.

I looked at the website, and it seems even the smallest one is 90lbs. At that weight, I can do a no boat launch, but I can't carry it more than 100 feet....and certainly not down a hill....which would be very limiting for me.

I can launch it from the shore anywhere (launching from a dock seems pretty sketchy and I haven't tried it). I do, however, get wet, both at launch and landing, and if there is any chop. 

That is an issue unfortunately. Thanks for bringing that up. I want to stay dry as I lake fish well beyond and well before summer weather.


I hear that some guys are using the adapters for their leaf blowers to pump up their inflatables....apparently takes a minute or 2 at the most. Anyone doing that?

[pwn50m3 f15h3r]

I have a 10' pelican sit-on-top kayak from crappy tire.  Weighs 30 pounds.  I can bring it out in the salt when there's not too much chop, and have never even come close to falling off.  The nice thing about a kayak it that they are fast, so if the wind comes up or if there's current you can paddle against it.  I can launch it from the shore anywhere (launching from a dock seems pretty sketchy and I haven't tried it). I do, however, get wet, both at launch and landing, and if there is any chop.  I wouldn't mind upgrading to one of those pedal drive kayaks, but they are fairly pricy. 


BTW there's a really cool video of a guy landing a marlin from his kayak on youtube somewhere.  Pretty intense.

I own a pedal kayak (Old Town Sportsman 106PDL) and have fished it a lot for the past year and a bit, mostly saltwater. I’ve caught many rockfish, lingcod, salmon, and even 2 halibut from it. It’s stable enough to stand on in calm conditions (and if your balance is good) and fast enough to handle most tidal currents. That said, I don’t think it’s the best choice for fishing interior lakes for trout.

First of all, even if you get a larger model (12’), there isn’t all that much room to run 2 fly rods and a fish finder. Fly line tends to get caught in the pedal drive and other things. Also, running a double anchor setup is also because it’s hard to move around in the boat. I have run a drift anchor with reasonable success but it still can be a lot of work. I also find it difficult to troll for trout effectively. The slowest trolling speed I can easily maintain is about 2 km/h. Moving slower means putting more energy into keeping my legs up rather than just pedalling smoothly. Might just be a me thing though.

While I do think pedal kayaks (and fishing kayaks in general) are a great investment, I don’t think they’re the best option for OP’s use case.

[Stratocaster]

I had float tubes, u boats, kayaks and now I use a 14' Jon.  Just be aware that a fishing kayak, especially the pedal ones are super heavy.  I actually bought a loader system for it for the roof of my car and it still was a challenge for me to load.  Loved my Stealth pro when I owned it but was only good for smaller lakes and there was very limited storage space.  Costco has a sale on for Tobin's zodiac style inflatables.  They are 50 bucks cheaper in store.

https://www.costco.ca/tobin-sports-3.3-m-10.8-ft.-inflatable-boat.product.100798082.html

plenty of room for rod storage.  Can attach Scotty mounts using the glue on mount system. 

If you are concerned with the amount of time it takes to inflate it, people are now using portable leaf blowers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpmvhP-o4Y

[RalphH]

Just thought I'd put this up

Buck's Bag Sawtooth 8ft Pontoon. I thought they must be out of business but they are still in operational. All their products are made to order. I had a Buck's float tube. It was a great product.

On sale for $395 USD, need to add shipping if they ship to Canada or P.U. in a US border town. - should be great for any stillwater & the pontoons look rockered so ok for class 1 or 2 moving water at least.

https://bucksbags.com/product/sawtooth/

[salmonrook]

The fishing kayak is still in my mind, but I hear from others that they can be tipsy as well. I'm not as agile as I used to be.

 I have fished for years out of a rec kayak , never was a fan of the sit on top because I found them to be too cold when the wind kicks up. The rec one you sit inside , Just usually wear shorts and sandals , rarely cold .
 I have a 10 footer Prodigy  from Western Canoe/Kayak , its just a regular rec kayak , weighs 30 pounds and it goes on top of the truck pretty easy .Maybe the same experience as the float with out your legs in the water .
Its not tippy at all and I find I can still flycast ...
 You can add accessories to the outside , rod holder, etc.
Works for me

[SuperBobby]

I find most decisions about fishing are pretty straightforward. Trying to decide on a boat option has been frustrating.
The only thing I have so far is that I've ruled out any type of Kayak....mostly because of the fact I stillwater fish 3 seasons and don't want to get wet when it's cold.
The Pontoon I'm trying to wrap my mind around as I keep getting the float tube vibes with it.

[DanL]

Anyways....I need something light. 120-140lbs Jon boats are out of the question....too heavy. I fish by myself most of the time. I want something light that will work as I go through my 50s into my 60s.
A fishing Kayak seems nice...but have never used them. Seen some good deals at Costco.
I'm not against a 'small' inflatable, but even if it doesn't come with an electric pump....I would want the option to be able to use one for it.
I don't need it to be able to use an electric motor. I do have a jon boat for those few times I fish with someone else that can handle my electric motor.

So sounds like you already have a jon for multiple people so want something light for single operator.

How much weight do you think you can handle? That will very much drive the decision making.

As others have said, the lightest PWC is going to be a frameless pontoon that's probably 30-40lbs

if you really want a hard boat, then the lightest new manufacture is likely going to be the 1040 at 87lbs. If you put a set of wheels on it then you can roll it around or load it quite easily, but probably still need to be able to still lift 50lbs or so

If you're willing to consider used, look at the 80/90s era 9' Flyfisher or Springbok They are apparently 70-ish(?) lbs if you can find one.

If you're willing to consider plastic, there's a local company (Backwater Boats) that makes an 8' rowboat that's under 70 lbs. I think they are meant as small tenders for sailboats etc, but apparently people do fish out of them. I've seen them at a boat or outdoor show, but have no other opinion.

There's also the Frog Boat that you see on the SFOTF tv show. Honestly doesnt look like a very good platform, but apparently the hull is under 50 lbs, since the pontoons are detachable.

Final option is to find/build/commission a stitch & glue wooden rowboat. I've seen on the internet ones with hulls made from a single 4x8 sheet of plywood that are supposedly 50-70lbs depending on thickness of wood and how much durability you're willing to sacrifice etc

[SuperBobby]

How much weight do you think you can handle? That will very much drive the decision making.

As others have said, the lightest PWC is going to be a frameless pontoon that's probably 30-40lbs

Would love something under 50lbs

If you're willing to consider used, look at the 80/90s era 9' Flyfisher or Springbok They are apparently 70-ish(?) lbs if you can find one.

Yeah....some of the older stuff out there is interesting, but hard to find.

If you're willing to consider plastic, there's a local company (Backwater Boats) that makes an 8' rowboat that's under 70 lbs. I think they are meant as small tenders for sailboats etc, but apparently people do fish out of them. I've seen them at a boat or outdoor show, but have no other opinion.

Interesting, but I'm not finding much info on them.

There's also the Frog Boat that you sTee on the SFOTF tv show. Honestly doesnt look like a very good platform, but apparently the hull is under 50 lbs, since the pontoons are detachable.

Didn't consider that one.

Final option is to find/build/commission a stitch & glue wooden rowboat. I've seen on the internet ones with hulls made from a single 4x8 sheet of plywood that are supposedly 50-70lbs depending on thickness of wood and how much durability you're willing to sacrifice etc

Madness.....lol.

[SuperBobby]

So far, I've ruled out any style of Kayak, and I think I'm ruling out any of the Pontoons.
I think I would regret not having a place to put my stuff. The Pontoon is limited for carrying stuff like extra clothes and lunch, etc.
I've seen some nice 7.7 inflatables with a raised chair....some less than 50lbs......what to do..

[clarki]

So far, I've ruled out any style of Kayak, and I think I'm ruling out any of the Pontoons.
I think I would regret not having a place to put my stuff. The Pontoon is limited for carrying stuff like extra clothes and lunch, etc.

Perhaps not a limited as you think. My pontoon boat has four saddle bags. Lots of room to carry everything that I need for a day on the water: water, lunch, and every bloody piece of fly fishing tackle that I own. Easily enough room.

Re: extra clothes. Two of the saddle bags are big enough to hold a rolled up rain jacket or sweater. But in the past if I've needed to shed layers, I just drape the coat over the back of the seat. Many framed pontoon boat came with a back deck, and the frameless boats have a holding area behind the seat. Perfect place for a dry bag.

When I use my pontoon boat for stillwaters, I'm on the water for 6+ hours at a time, in a variety of weather conditions, and never have wished I had more storage space.

[chief]

Agree with Clarki ! Have had a Bucks Bag pontoon for many years of still water fishing . Exceeded expectations and bonus of a little exercise pumping up pontoons and rowing ! Maybe not for everyone but works for me !

[canoeboy]

I recently bought my self a fishcat cougar and I love it. More then enough storage, Excellent stability can mount a trolling motor on the back. I sit out of the water on it and just get my feet wet getting in and out but I'm sure I can mitigate that with either rubber boots or water shoes( or waders) , I've also seen people mount swivel seats to them so you would definitely not get wet. If you don't put a trolling motor on the back you could mount more storage for sure! Also you can most definitely put a bike wheel mounted on the back to roll your set up pontoon down to where ever you want. Or if you like you can set it up at the lake in a couple pieces. 3 to be exact. The quad pontoon system of it also gives you the extra protection and peace of mind.