I just bought a Colorado XT Inflatable Pontoon and a little minn kota 30# thrust motor, so I thought I would give it a try. I got on the water about 10:30. I hung around the boat launch for a little while, just getting the hang of it. After coming back in to add some air to my pontoons I started trolling north up the east side of the lake. I caught a 12" and 14" Rainbow. I also hooked with a fish that jumped out of the water 3 times, but spit the hook on the third time. I think it may have been a bass, but it was definitely bigger than the other 2 fish. All 3 came on the southeast edge of the lake. I was rowing instead of using the motor, trolling a UV coated pink wedding ring with a silver blade.

The trolling motor was aggrivating to work with. I assume it was due to weight distribution, but I was having a hard time keeping it straight. If anyone has any experience using a trolling motor on an inflatabel pontoon, suggestions would be appreciated.

mulisha12588

3/23/2011 9:36:00 PM

try smaller thrust

tfguy

3/23/2011 9:48:00 PM

Were you the guy I saw on the dock on Tuesday 3/22? You mentioned you had a pontoon you were going to try. Notice that you took my suggestion fishing the east side. Nailed three nice rainbow that day. I would just paddle my pontoon. Later.

JAT

3/24/2011 7:43:00 AM

The problem with keeping the boat straight is a result of 3 issues. On pontoon boats the motor is not on the stern but closer to the middle of the boat, usually in front of you. As such the motor is pulling rather than pushing and you have almost as much boat in front of the motor as you do behind the motor. Any wind at all and the boat will want to spin around the motor. The other issue is a problem I think inherent with all inflatables. There simply is not enough boat (a keel) down in the water and to much boat above the water to catch the wind. This puts inflatables at the mercy of the wind. The other issue is length. Short boats don't track as well as longer boats. I fish out of a 8' pram it doesn't track well. Simply to short. Not much can be done to fix the issue. You will get accustomed to the way to boat handles in time. Good fishing

jtwing85

3/24/2011 8:25:00 AM

Thanks for the feedback. My pontoon is 9 ft long. The motor is mounted at the stern. There is about a foot of pontoon behind it. I actually found that the easiest way to maneuver it was to just line it up straight and use one of my oars to steer.

Tfguy- that was me.

tfguy

3/24/2011 4:34:00 PM

Alright winger. See you at the lake.

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