Pontoon Boat or Float Tube
Pontoon
Boat Versatility
Anglers in the UK are now beginning to discover the benefits of the versatile watercraft known as the personal pontoon boat sometimes known as “Toons”!
Float-tubes (or belly boats) have been used for fishing local lakes and reservoirs for quite some time and originally came out on the market in the 1970's. They are great for fishing in small areas of water and are extremely compact, enabling them to be carried in a daypack to places normally inaccessible to boats, a hill loch for example.
The pontoon boats came along a bit later and have taken awhile to catch on. Unlike the float-tubes which are propelled by the use of swim fins, the pontoon boat's main propulsion system is a set of oars, though fins can also be used to maintain position while in the water. Some pontoon boats also have the facility to attach an electric motor.
They are very stable and manoeuvrable watercraft, their smaller size allowing them to easily float in shallow water, unlike larger hard hulled boats. While some anglers have used them in lakes and reservoirs for quite some time, they are now being seen in rivers as well. You can cover a lot of water in a pretty short time frame as well as reach areas not easily accessed by wading anglers.
The pontoon boats have a number of advantages over the float tubes,- they are more stable, have a higher seating position giving more visibility to spot rising fish, more comfortable, with the adjustable seat and footrests keeping you high and dry above the water - waders are not required, only a set of wellies. The boats have storage space for rods, reels and other tackle, some even come with drinks holders!
Pontoon boats are very light to carry, when deflated can be stored in small spaces and can be transported in the boot of the smallest car or on a roofrack, some even come in a rucksack which you can hike with to your favourite remote fishing spot!
Happy Fishing!
