Pontoon Motoring

[smallmouth89]

I know a lot of you with pontoons use motors. I borrowed a 30 lb. thrust to try on my Outcast 10 IR and I really hated it. With no keel of any sort and the strange leverage from reaching back to the handle I found it was as Joni says hard to steer. It was too easy to oversteer and end up circling. After challenging another guy in a pram with an electric to a race to the opposite shore I raised the motor and rowed against him and was able to reach shore way ahead of him. Since that experience and since I troll with my fins I've wondered why would I need a motor.

The recent post on motoring a 10 IR has got me wondering. Do most of you steer with your fins? I know Joni must since her "chopped" motor has no handle.

Also, I'm not clear on rotating the head so that the boat is pulled instead of pushed. In my mind that means I am propelled stern first as when rowing. Is that correct? If so, to me one of the major advantages of motoring (travelling face first) is lost.

So far the only reason for me to use a motor would be for the assist in bucking wind and waves at the end of the day on the way back to the launch. I must be missing something because I know many of you have been happily motoring for years.

God Bless.
Don
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[flygoddess]

I do have the motor pull me. I loosen the bolt in the head and turn the lower portion so that the prop is facing the same direction as the handle. You now have all five speeds to pull you (like rowing assuming you row backwards) You have more power going backwards (being pulled)
No, you can not see where you are going except for occasionally turning around and looking then aiming for the spot. Instead you are looking at your line all the time. For trolling or even moving into the wind.

They will go much faster in the pulling mode, but nothing beats a good rhythm with some oars. Difference being, your lure/bait/fly is in the water more, and that is where the fish are.[]

You CAN even steer with just your feet without flippers. But, with flippers, you can turn on a dime.


I watched some guys at Strawberry with no fins and doing the total forward steering with their motor. There lines were out of the water allot while they adjusted their position. They could some what troll, but the line was out to the side and behind them so they had to keep looking back.

Even on popular lakes, I have never come close to running into anyone.
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[smallmouth89]

Based on my experience and reading your advise about the pulling I can see where you are coming from. I figured steering with the feet had to be the answer because trying to steer with the motor handle was just a total exercise in frustration.

Moving in the same direction as you do when rowing would definitely be the best setup for trolling. I have found kicktrolling with my fins to work just fine but I can see where the motor would be of help on bigger waters with some wind and chop. Having just stated that I think I've found the reason to turn the lower portion so that the boat is pulled and give the motor another try. Thanks Joni!

God Bless,
Don
P.S. What's your favourite fly line for the way you fish?
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[flygoddess]

My favorite, is a floating line and just sitting...LOL (Deep Nymphing) but if I am moving, I like a Type II or III in about 30' of water, Intermediate in less water and in the heat of summer, a Depth Charge or a Type VII.

If I only had one choice though, I think a Type II. You can always cast out and count down.
Try the motor and let me know what you think. What is the weather like up North anyway?
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[albinotrout]

I have to agree with Joni. Have the motor pull you. When MaDfisher55 motorized his toon he did the same thing you did and found that I was doing circles around him and caught more fish as well.[] Use the fins for steering. Makes things a lot easier. You will find that you will enjoy your toon more with the motor turned for pulling.[cool]
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[idahoron]

I will also say the only way to troll is backwards. Look at it this way. If you go forward you will be looking back to see your rods and lines. If you going backwards you glance over your shoulder ones and a while to maintain where you want to be. I troll in very shallow water and I set my fish finder to tell me when I am at 3 foot. I set my motor so the FF will tell me if I am too shallow for the motor. I can also tell it to tell me if I am too deep.
Motor vs Oars. Oars can be fast but,,,, I could never be able to row for 5 to 7 hours in a day. That is just not going to happen. Also I want to maintain .9 to 1.1 MPH when I am trolling SFCR for walleyes. I could do that with fins if I kicked hard and had no wind to buck. I could do that with oars. I could NOT do that like i said for 7 hours.
Another thing. I have not had good luck on high gear. My Minn Kota has 5 speeds and if I put it in 5th gear steering is tough. Now if I hook my toon up to my son's toon I can hit 5th gear and it pulls great. The extra length helps keep it straight. If I am pulling another toon I do have to steer with the motor. That is a pain but when I am over at Brownlee and I want to get in the Oregon side and fish the Idaho side that is a good 1/2 mile one way trip. I can smoke us both across in a few minutes. Oars take for ever.I am thinking about getting a swivel for my seat just for when I hook tow toons together. I would turn sideways and steer much easier.
Ron
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[smallmouth89]

The weather has really been bad. Still cold and lots of wind. Of course Saturday when the trout ponds open, I am singing and playing as my church praise team leads at a big women's ministry conference. So I still have yet to get on the water, Saturday is going to be prime if the weather holds up 16 celsius, sunny and only 5km winds. When I get a chance to borrow a battery and finally get on the water, I'm going to give that motor another try using your suggestions. I'll let you know how it works out.

God Bless,
Don
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[smallmouth89]

Thanks Ron, interesting insights based on your motorized toon experiences. Usually if I'm expecting some wind I will take my kayak instead of the toon but the pontoon is certainly comfortable to fish from.

God Bless,
Don
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