Flyfishing Punts

[Ruger]

who here has a little 8 or 10 foot flat bottom punt they use for flyfishing? how do you have the anchor and seating set up? got pics?

i'd like get my hands on a nice lightweight 8 footer, possible closer to this fall. it needs to be light enough for one person to unload off roof racks, sturdy enough to hold me, me gear, 2 anchors, an electric motor and battery. and it has to be stable enough for me to stand while casting, playng fish and not flip over while leaning over the side to release fish.

i would probably remove the middle bench (if it has one) and front bench, allowing a larger fishing platform. i might move the rear bench forward a bit to allow a swivel fishing chair mounted. two removable Scotty anchor locks (bow and stern). my Minn Kota electric motor on the back. small paddle on the floo. i would probably have a rubber mat cut to size that i could drop into the open area to dampen sound and add grip.

all of this stuff would be removable and fit in the box of my truck along with my other gear, with the boat on roof racks on the canopy allowing me to 4x4 into lakes.

[btree]

My folks have a sabot - a short 8 or 10' (I'm not sure, but it's damn short) fibreglass flat bottom boat (originally designed as a beginner's sail boat).

I recall many a fishing trip with me and my brother when we were in elementary school where Dad dragged it in and out out of the back of the pickup all on his own.

It was really stable and safe for standing (even though we got scolded for standing). I've never sailed it, but I do enjoy taking it out and paddling around when I'm back home. It would take a motor easily and have decent room for all sorts of things like anchor systems and the like, but it might take a creative mind to mount a swivel seat in the middle over the daggerboard slot.

Most of the locals at Jewel lake have deeper home made punts which look like they weight a ton because they have winch, wheel and pully systems for loading and unloading them.

If I were going for that sort of thing, I'd get a heavy boat: 1 - it wont be subject to drifting in the wind as much (it will track straighter with an electric motor) and 2 - it will be much safer and more stable when you stand or lean over the edge. Light boats tend to be tippy! Mind you I regularly stand in a canoe to cast.

All that being said - ever think about a pontoon boat? They seem to be lighter, more stable and offer many more options for standing and sitting, and whitewater rafting as well as lake fishing.

[phearless]

Hey Ruger.
Check out the Boats and Floating Craft forum in off topic.
There are some good pics in there.

http://www.flyfishbc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1401

[johnk]

who here has a little 8 or 10 foot flat bottom punt they use for flyfishing? how do you have the anchor and seating set up? got pics?

i'd like get my hands on a nice lightweight 8 footer, possible closer to this fall. it needs to be light enough for one person to unload off roof racks, sturdy enough to hold me, me gear, 2 anchors, an electric motor and battery. and it has to be stable enough for me to stand while casting, playng fish and not flip over while leaning over the side to release fish.

i would probably remove the middle bench (if it has one) and front bench, allowing a larger fishing platform. i might move the rear bench forward a bit to allow a swivel fishing chair mounted. two removable Scotty anchor locks (bow and stern). my Minn Kota electric motor on the back. small paddle on the floo. i would probably have a rubber mat cut to size that i could drop into the open area to dampen sound and add grip.

all of this stuff would be removable and fit in the box of my truck along with my other gear, with the boat on roof racks on the canopy allowing me to 4x4 into lakes.

I have a 9' Springbok which weighs 70 lbs. empty. It was manufactured in 1961 according to the metal tag. The beauty of this boat is the rear seat is right against the transom so when I'm rowing from the center seat I can have my legs stretched straight out and being 6'3" this has been a problem in the past with other boats. The bottom beam is 44" which makes for a sturdy casting platform.

I use Scotty anchor pulleys and rodholders. I use a 15# anchor at the bow and a 12# at the stern. A friend of mine in Kamloops melts down lead and makes anchors in large soup cans.

The nice thing about the bench seat is there is always something you need close by and you have the bench on either side of the swivel seat. With that said Spratley will make flatbottoms to spec and I've seen the models with the pedestal seat.

[johnk]

who here has a little 8 or 10 foot flat bottom punt they use for flyfishing? how do you have the anchor and seating set up? got pics?

i'd like get my hands on a nice lightweight 8 footer, possible closer to this fall. it needs to be light enough for one person to unload off roof racks, sturdy enough to hold me, me gear, 2 anchors, an electric motor and battery. and it has to be stable enough for me to stand while casting, playng fish and not flip over while leaning over the side to release fish.

i would probably remove the middle bench (if it has one) and front bench, allowing a larger fishing platform. i might move the rear bench forward a bit to allow a swivel fishing chair mounted. two removable Scotty anchor locks (bow and stern). my Minn Kota electric motor on the back. small paddle on the floo. i would probably have a rubber mat cut to size that i could drop into the open area to dampen sound and add grip.

all of this stuff would be removable and fit in the box of my truck along with my other gear, with the boat on roof racks on the canopy allowing me to 4x4 into lakes.

I have a 9' Springbok which weighs 70 lbs. empty. It was manufactured in 1961 according to the metal tag. The beauty of this boat is the rear seat is right against the transom so when I'm rowing from the center seat I can have my legs stretched straight out and being 6'3" this has been a problem in the past with other boats. The bottom beam is 44" which makes for a sturdy casting platform.

I use Scotty anchor pulleys and rodholders. I use a 15# anchor at the bow and a 12# at the stern. A friend of mine in Kamloops melts down lead and makes anchors in large soup cans.

The nice thing about the bench seat is there is always something you need close by and you have the bench on either side of the swivel seat. With that said Spratley will make flatbottoms to spec and I've seen the models with the pedestal seat.

[Ruger]

thanks for the info. sounds like you guys have what i want! lol. i've checked out the Sprately, but i didn't though they'd make them to spec. a little pricey though, from what i've seen.

i have a pontoon boat (Fish Cat Cougar) and it works great for rivers, and small lakes, but alot of the time, i'd rather be able to stand and cast, move around a bit, and not have to wear waders.

[btree]

Arent there toons that you can stand in and even have line baskets and all sorts of bells and whistles?

[Ruger]

yeah, Outcast makes a couple.

this one:

http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/...ault.aspx?id=9

and these ones:


http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/....aspx?series=7


problem i've found with pontoon boats is they really aren't quite as portable as people would believe, and alot more work to set up. it takes time to pump up the toons, assemble the frame and strap it all together. again, they are good, but not as comfortable as a boat. they are also quite a bit more expensive than a used pram/punt or johnboat.

[josh]

i got a little 10 jon boat with achor rollers on front and back. i took a 2x10 and mounted my swivel chair on it and cut it to length. it perfet for one guys but i didn't want something that was permitily mounted cause i sometimes have two of us in it. i made two of these benches but it gets alittle to top heavy with two guys, so you have to be very careful.

[dragonfly]

should float... I hope