flyfishfood had a youtube promo on the stealth pro. He both stands and kneels on it. I stand on my Hobie Compass a lot on lakes and if a calm day on the sound. Love seeing the flash and color of the fish down deep when bringing them in. I do wear a drysuit though....just in case I take a dip....which I have : ).Not sure where would be a stable place to stand, on the seat? I have enough trouble standing on solid ground when casting.
Maybe there is an option of some type of support bar, any pictures from the promo?
Lake craft recommendation
- Thread starter Mukman
- Start date
Yup...and no PFD!
Casting sitting down just ain't that difficult....and far less likely to spook fish.
Obviously the secret to standing up is the lack of a PFD to throw one off balance...
That picture is a recipe for, at best, an exercise in swimming and getting back onto the seat and heading for the truck. (PFD?).
To the OP, there simply isn't one boat that fits an anglers every need. Someone mentioned the practicality of finning with both hands free: so true. Try to take a leak in any of these "pontoon" or frameless boats while still floating? Hope you can swim, right Ira? I miss my 8' Bucks Bronco for the comfort of my butt out of the water, oars to get to and from somewhere relatively fast, and fins for both hands free. My Fat Cat is a bitching fishing machine, it's slow and even though my butt's not in the water, the posterior of my waders get wet so this time of year I need shore breaks not only to take a leak but to warm up. Then there's "Shoal Man", my 8' pram. I used to transport it in the bed of my truck but getting the boat back up a steep bank and into the bed of the truck ended up with me at the chiropractor. I found a trailer, that helps a lot (except at this lousy, rough, good for nothing boat launch):
I really like being able to stand up when I'm anchored - at 74, I'm still somewhat stable and haven't (as yet?
) fallen overboard. I don't have to go to shore for leak breaks. Good luck!!
My journey started with a float tube on a warm July lake. My most productive area on this neighborhood lake was a half hour kick away. Definitely not mobile enough..I used it on lakes with walk-in access. Bought a pontoon. Mobility was much improved. I live near lakes that don't freeze over, so I do alot of winter fishing. I would try to keep legs on the pegs out of the water. I used an anchor but it would still spin around in a breeze. I'd freeze in the Winter. Finally bought a pram. It works best for me. Like Buzzy, I'll probably end up with a trailer but for now I can just use my truck bed. It's nice not having to deal with waders and I can get in and out of it without getting my feet wet...
Fomoco1649
Just Hatched
Outcast or Flycraft….
Yea…with my feet on the river bottom…
Fourbtgait
Life of the Party
I can easily fin my outcast Clearwater
I am glad to hear Ohio still has some good drugs as when I was there Tim
I have two Bucks Bags Southfork pontoons. They are really great stillwater craft, one is about 15 years old, the other near 8. I fish a lot, 40+ days a year and don't baby the boat. In that time I have had one leak and one ripped pontoon. The rip was because I wore out the bottom of the pontoon and it split. They are tough and versatile. I can carry 3 rods with Scotty holders, my lunch, raincoat, and a ton of fly boxes. I use a 10# lead pyramid anchor with the pulley system and have no problems with dragging. I can load it in the back of an F150 by taking a little air out of the toons. My feet are in the water to troll and steady but my old butt is not.
Its shortcoming is range. I've not tried to put a motor on it. Rowing distances needs to be done with care and weather awareness. It will fit in a Tacoma but it is a serious hassle. I traded the Tacoma for an F150 and can carry both Southforks.
I would note that the replacement pontoons were after 10 years of hard use. Bucks sold me new pontoons w/ bladders for $200 each, no tax and free shipping. The boat has a stainless frame so this gave me an essentially new boat for $400.
Yes, I recommend Bucks Southfork.
Its shortcoming is range. I've not tried to put a motor on it. Rowing distances needs to be done with care and weather awareness. It will fit in a Tacoma but it is a serious hassle. I traded the Tacoma for an F150 and can carry both Southforks.
I would note that the replacement pontoons were after 10 years of hard use. Bucks sold me new pontoons w/ bladders for $200 each, no tax and free shipping. The boat has a stainless frame so this gave me an essentially new boat for $400.
Yes, I recommend Bucks Southfork.
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Fomoco1649
Just Hatched
I remember Bucks Bags, but never had one….Ive always had Outcast float tubes & now use their Stealth Pro & Flycraft 1 man pontoons so I can use fins & oars
I have owned and used the following:
8 foot Spring Creek Pram
Outcast PAC 900 Pontoon
Fish Cat Scout
Fish Cat Float Tube
I have owned other products like the original Insul-Dri Float tube and the forgettable Caddis float tubes. But the four listed above are quality products and I still own three of them today.
Spring Creek Pram. The 8 foot Spring Creek Pram is great if you bobber fish. It was really comfortable to bobber fish. Not so good for trolling around finding other spots to fish. It was light and small. Fairly easy to put on the boat rack on the truck. The bonus was due to its shape I only needed two straps to firmly secure the boat to the rack. It was quick and easy to unload and load the pram. It would even fit in the bed, but I never used it that way. I should have kept it just for bobber fishing.
Fish Cat Float Tube. This was the first Outcast product I bought and still have it. Used it for years as my primary fishing craft. Great design. It even has a lunch storage spot behind the seat. It was a little difficult to carry an extra rod. The modified V shape makes it "faster" than a u-tube or round tube float tube. Other benefit is that your low enough in the water than you don't need a net.
Fish Cat Scout. I bought this because I wanted a water craft that would fit in the back of my pickup under the cap. I could just keep it there during fishing season. It also has an area behind the seat that fits my French girl. It primarily displaced my Fish Cat Float Tube simply because I wanted the French girl with me while fishing.
Outcast PAC 900 Pontoon. I stayed away from pontoon boats for years because of their instability in the wind. Whenever, I borrowed one and the wind came up fishing became a real chore and was no longer fun. And it took much less of a wind for this condition to occur.
Then one windy day, I traded my pram for a pontoon boat with electric motor. My friend, then quickly took the pram and hid so I couldn't swap back the boats. I was totally miserable for about an hour, and then for some unknown reason I changed the trolling motor so it would PULL instead of PUSHING the boat.
All of the sudden the boat became totally stable in the wind and I could easily steer with my fins. I was, as if, the wind had just disappeared!! It was just great.
So great I went out an bought the Outcast PAC 900. I then rigged up a solar panel to charge a small LiPO4 battery, which ran the trolling motor. It is a great setup for windy conditions. On small lakes I just use my fins and oars, but at the first sign of wind on goes the trolling motor and solar setup.
I did rationalize the purchase that it was a perfect river boat. In twenty plus years it has yet to go down a river. It is a great roomy boat and my french girl likes it just as well as the scout. Downside, is I need to remember to carry a net with me. It is also big. Making it a pain to put in the back of the pickup or on top of the cap. That in another decade will make it tough to use due to age.
I did see that Outcast is finally making a 8 foot boat. I might buy that one and retire the big boat.
I am keeping the three boats and wish that I still had the Spring Creek Pram.
But if I was limited to ONE boat it would be the pontoon boat in 8 foot size, with a solar panel, battery and trolling motor for windy days.
8 foot Spring Creek Pram
Outcast PAC 900 Pontoon
Fish Cat Scout
Fish Cat Float Tube
I have owned other products like the original Insul-Dri Float tube and the forgettable Caddis float tubes. But the four listed above are quality products and I still own three of them today.
Spring Creek Pram. The 8 foot Spring Creek Pram is great if you bobber fish. It was really comfortable to bobber fish. Not so good for trolling around finding other spots to fish. It was light and small. Fairly easy to put on the boat rack on the truck. The bonus was due to its shape I only needed two straps to firmly secure the boat to the rack. It was quick and easy to unload and load the pram. It would even fit in the bed, but I never used it that way. I should have kept it just for bobber fishing.
Fish Cat Float Tube. This was the first Outcast product I bought and still have it. Used it for years as my primary fishing craft. Great design. It even has a lunch storage spot behind the seat. It was a little difficult to carry an extra rod. The modified V shape makes it "faster" than a u-tube or round tube float tube. Other benefit is that your low enough in the water than you don't need a net.
Fish Cat Scout. I bought this because I wanted a water craft that would fit in the back of my pickup under the cap. I could just keep it there during fishing season. It also has an area behind the seat that fits my French girl. It primarily displaced my Fish Cat Float Tube simply because I wanted the French girl with me while fishing.
Outcast PAC 900 Pontoon. I stayed away from pontoon boats for years because of their instability in the wind. Whenever, I borrowed one and the wind came up fishing became a real chore and was no longer fun. And it took much less of a wind for this condition to occur.
Then one windy day, I traded my pram for a pontoon boat with electric motor. My friend, then quickly took the pram and hid so I couldn't swap back the boats. I was totally miserable for about an hour, and then for some unknown reason I changed the trolling motor so it would PULL instead of PUSHING the boat.
All of the sudden the boat became totally stable in the wind and I could easily steer with my fins. I was, as if, the wind had just disappeared!! It was just great.
So great I went out an bought the Outcast PAC 900. I then rigged up a solar panel to charge a small LiPO4 battery, which ran the trolling motor. It is a great setup for windy conditions. On small lakes I just use my fins and oars, but at the first sign of wind on goes the trolling motor and solar setup.
I did rationalize the purchase that it was a perfect river boat. In twenty plus years it has yet to go down a river. It is a great roomy boat and my french girl likes it just as well as the scout. Downside, is I need to remember to carry a net with me. It is also big. Making it a pain to put in the back of the pickup or on top of the cap. That in another decade will make it tough to use due to age.
I did see that Outcast is finally making a 8 foot boat. I might buy that one and retire the big boat.
I am keeping the three boats and wish that I still had the Spring Creek Pram.
But if I was limited to ONE boat it would be the pontoon boat in 8 foot size, with a solar panel, battery and trolling motor for windy days.
My outcast has been perfect for what I do. I made a motor mount and mounted a 12 volt, big battery case behind the seat, but very seldom use it.
If you are dragging the boat, I would suggest an extra strip of glue on material to protect the main bladder.
If you are dragging the boat, I would suggest an extra strip of glue on material to protect the main bladder.
Dammit Buzzy, now I’ve got that tune stuck in my head…That picture is a recipe for, at best, an exercise in swimming and getting back onto the seat and heading for the truck. (PFD?).
To the OP, there simply isn't one boat that fits an anglers every need. Someone mentioned the practicality of finning with both hands free: so true. Try to take a leak in any of these "pontoon" or frameless boats while still floating? Hope you can swim, right Ira? I miss my 8' Bucks Bronco for the comfort of my butt out of the water, oars to get to and from somewhere relatively fast, and fins for both hands free. My Fat Cat is a bitching fishing machine, it's slow and even though my butt's not in the water, the posterior of my waders get wet so this time of year I need shore breaks not only to take a leak but to warm up. Then there's "Shoal Man", my 8' pram. I used to transport it in the bed of my truck but getting the boat back up a steep bank and into the bed of the truck ended up with me at the chiropractor. I found a trailer, that helps a lot (except at this lousy, rough, good for nothing boat launch):
View attachment 108016
I really like being able to stand up when I'm anchored - at 74, I'm still somewhat stable and haven't (as yet?
Good luck!!
Despite @iveofione having a rather unfavorable opinion, I like my Watermaster. Sure it’s not the fastest thing on the water, but it is stable, it is comfortable and I’ve grown accustomed to it. There is that, and I’ve caught a hell of a lot of fish in it.
Compared to a pedal kayak ALL inflatables without motors are slugs on the water!
Another South Fork fan here. I've had mine for 25 years now. It's been dragged miles through the woods, run down Class III river floats (and lots of easier ones), and been used on countless lakes/etc. Great fishing platform, and relatively lightweight. I think they cost about twice what I paid for mine now (I paid $600), but they're still a great value for their durability and flexibility.
There's no standing to fish, so if that matters, look elsewhere. Also, while they are safe to anchor in stillwater, I can't recommend anchoring in any meaningful current (major flipping hazard). Sounds like you won't be using it in rivers, so probably no concern there.
There's no standing to fish, so if that matters, look elsewhere. Also, while they are safe to anchor in stillwater, I can't recommend anchoring in any meaningful current (major flipping hazard). Sounds like you won't be using it in rivers, so probably no concern there.
But, I am not in a hurry. I may be a slug but I like a slower pace. Crawl on....
I have a motor and the large battery to go with it. Just doesn’t suit my need on the lakes I fish.
Just me, Krusty. No disrespect intended.