Inflatable Pontoon Style Fishing Boats

Tackle and Lures – Information for the Fisherman

I live in Southern Idaho and I’m lucky to have a good selection of fishable lakes, reservoirs, streams and rivers within an hour drive of my home. I’m a veterinarian by trade, and during my days off, you can often find me fishing for trout and trying out new trout fishing lures. I’m like every other avid fisherman trying to find that trout fishing bait or piece of fishing equipment that outperforms other items I have tried.

I tend to fish alone on my days off, and I prefer fishing using a pontoon style boat over a fishing tube. My fishing tube works great in small protected bays when I feel like mainly fly fishing. I have my best success when I utilize my inflatable fishing boat with an electric motor. These one man boats allow you to avoid competition from larger fishing boats and let you follow schools of fish once you find them. I have equipped my boat with a small fish finder, and this set up really comes in handy for locating good fishing spots.

The inflatable fishing boat that I use is frameless, and folds up into a small carry bag. I drive a 1993 JEEP Wrangler that has very little room for bulky items, and this boat fits easily in my rig with room for the other tackle that I need. I used to have an inflatable pontoon boat with a frame, but ended up having to pull a utility trailer in order to haul this more bulky boat.

The other nice thing about the Sea Eagle pontoon boat that I use is its ease of setup. It only takes me about 5 minutes total time to be ready to go out on the water. This boat is puncture proof and weighs about 40 pounds.

The biggest drawback to these inflatable fishing boats is controlling them under windy conditions. In fact, if a wind starts blowing I get off the water! They do sit fairly high in the water, and the small electric motor I use is no match for a stiff breeze. I’ve personally been blown clear across the reservoir I frequent the most, and had to walk or beg a ride back around to the other side when the wind didn’t let up. A second drawback is if you enjoy fishing with a friend. These are one man rigs, and your buddy will need his own!

Other than the wind issue, these types of boats are excellent for trolling with trout fishing lures, or anchoring and dropping trout fishing bait to the bottom. They also work well on small rivers when you feel like drift fishing. The Sea Eagle boat that I own can currently be purchased with most of the bells and whistles for under $900 including the trolling motor. When compared to the cost of a full sized boat and trailer, they are a bargain.

I hope this gives you an insight about pontoon type inflatable fishing boats. They really are a fisherman’s best weapon!