Plastic Boats
I've been looking at the small plastic boats, actually Fiber reinforced plastic. I have a Tracker bass boat, but some reservoirs around here don't allow gas engines. I was thinking one of those might be nice for my wife and me to use in small lakes and ponds. Does anyone have any experience with them? What is a good size trolling motor to use with one?
Link to examples at: http://www.basshunter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=3
I've been thinking along the same lines.
Iv'e been looking at a preadtor boat.
We went ahead and bought a Bass Baby from Bass Hunter. It is 4’x8’, has wheels on the back and weighs 130 lbs.
PROS:
It fits in the back of our pickup
After unloading it, we roll it like a wheel barrow
My wife and I can easily pick it up to put it in the pickup
You sit higher than in a john boat
Our 40 pounds thrust MiniKota has more than enough power.
The flat deck and trays on the side provide plenty of room
My wife and my combined weight is ~410 and it rides great and is stable enough to stand when casting.
Good quality construction.
CONS:
I honestly have not seen any yet.
I've used them a few times but didn't care for them.
On the other hand, I used a Coleman RamX canoe for over ten years. The old style, aluminum frame which has a keel and optional transom, works fantastic with a 17 lb thrust trolling motor or for that matter 1.2 hp gas. The squared off version was called a Scanoe, both were wide enough for a cooler sideways but light enough to carry easily. Both had optional seat backs. Forget the fancy hauling rigs, I just kept a red bananna on the back and threw it into the back of my truck loaded up and simply tied off the front.
I don't know what's out there now in the canoe line but I'd definately look that way first. The advantage of the canoe is it cuts the water much better than conventional plastic boats. That means faster to your location and able to handle rougher water (in that type water mostly wind from storms). Did see one at Gander Mountain with seat backs, motor transoms, and hell had drink holders.
It also opens up a whole lot more water activity including streams instead of just ponds.
Fishing is a little different in that you are so close to the water and nail a big one its like the old "Moby Dick" movie as it pulls the canoe along, but it doesn't take long to get use to it.
I'm a River Rat and highly recommend canoes for small bodies of water fishing. I even tow mine behind my big boat sometimes to get up into those places where a shallow draft is needed.
Tj
BTW, Just did a fast Google and the screw on universal canoe Transom is $37 on Amazon. It just screws on behind your seat across the top, motor mounts off to one side, you put the batter behind the back seat leaning it to the opposite side of the motor to balance it out, and drive off. It is the same concept I use on my Coleman 15'. One of those Gander Mountain seat back canes and that would be the cats meow.
Update after a year:
We went ahead and bought a Bass Baby from Bass Hunter. It is 4’x8’, has wheels on the back and weighs 130 lbs.
PROS:
It fits in the back of our pickup
After unloading it, we roll it like a wheel barrow
My wife and I can easily pick it up to put it in the pickup
You sit higher than in a john boat
Our 40 pounds thrust MiniKota has more than enough power.
The flat deck and trays on the side provide plenty of room
My wife and my combined weight is ~410 and it rides great and is stable enough to stand when casting.
Good quality construction.
CONS:
Since you sit higher, your body acts llike a sail and even a slight wind moves you around.
The seats are not securly fastened down, they just "click" into a track. So, if you get too comfortable and lean back - the seat pops loose and you do a dying cockroach.
