Fishing from a small inflatable boat

[007]

Morning everyone,

 

I have a number of camping trips planned this year - first being this weekend in Algonquin - and was hoping to use a small 4 person Coleman inflatable boat for some fishing rather than renting a canoe. It seems to be quite sturdy but am a little apprehensive about how safe it is - I can just picture me getting hooks in it and it puncturing with me in the middle of a lake! (I will definitely be wearing a PFD)

 

Has anyone fished from an inflatable boat before? Is it safe? Any tips?

 

Thanks

007

Edited May 15, 2007 by OO7

[Terry]

if this is it I would not trust it

well in a pond I might

 

[007]

Terry.

 

That looks similar to the one bought without the fancy colurs scheme. They look quite sturdy and have three different air chambers but I'm a bit nervous about it - may be I should stick close to shore and be very careful with lures.

 

How do those guys who fish from inflatable 'tubes' manage?

 

007

[glirw]

There are cheap inflatable boats , and there are Zodiacs.

 

Make sure your boat is made of sturdy material and not cheap nylon , make sure it doesn't leak , be careful with where you beach your boat, and other then that I'd feel quite safe.

 

Just for the sake of paranoia though, wear a PFD and take as little gear as possible out on the water with you, so that in case something does go wrong , there is little you can lose.

[postman]

Down here in Kansas, I use float tubes quite a bit when I'm bass fishing smaller waters. I've never hooked my tube with a lure in the 15-20 years I've fished out of a tube but there is better control over the tube than an inflatable boat. The water down here is also much warmer.

 

Good luck!

[snag]

I'll be posting some pics of my inflatable kayak soon.

Only sits one person.

Not fast, but it works!

 

Use the inflatable around shorelines where if it breaks, you can walk to public transit!

Check to see if it's certified for open water and load it up with all the appropriate safety equipment that's required for a canoe.

[ricoboxing]

if this is it I would not trust it

well in a pond I might

 

 

one time at the omemee ponds i had to rescue an old couple in one of those things. they had a hole in it and it deflated. me, my wife and dog were in our canoe when they flagged us down. had to drop off the wife and dog, then bring them back to shore one by one.

[Raf]

rent the canoe. most places charge about 20-25/day. i personally would not want to be out on the water in one of those inflatables. i think it is better suited to your backyard pool.

[michaelkovacs]

there was one I was looking to made by Intex. Search for intex inflatables and they make a line specially for fishing. they are very sturdy...a friend has one...and you cn put a motor, elec. or gas, on the back. They are a few hundred bucks, but are pretty good quality. I think one model is called Intex Seaquest II or something like that. you can get em on ebay as well. hit me back if you need furter info on them. they are perfectly fine on smaller lakes, rivers and streams. Obviously you wanna avoid niagara river and the great lakes, and stay closer to shore for other bigger lakes as well. If you get a leak (which isnt' too likely because of hte thickness of this material used) it has backup chambers that will prevent the entire thing from going down. Anyway, good luck! PS..t.here is someone in Niagara selling a brand new one, with 1.5 HP gas motor for $350...search st. catharines kijiji classifieds and you'll find it.

 

cheers

[Row Boat]

I've used inflatables on a few occasions (yes, I'm refering to rafts ).

 

The dingys (i.e. inflatables that do not have a hard deck) will take much more effort to row.

Do not use it on a windy day, or on current.

 

I had a chamber bust in the water on one once. We still managed to stay afloat until we got to shore some 10 min's away.

Don't bring too much tackle on the boat, just in case it does titanic.

 

RB

[Dutch]

Wind is a killer in those things. I owuldn't take it out on a lake, maybe in a back bay or something.

[lookinforwalleye]

I had one many years ago took it out fishing once at the base of small waterfall where Walleye like to hang out and that was the last time my fishing buddy hooked into a nice 10 plus pound Walleye and with the fast water and use bouncing around in a rubber boat it made landing the fish very difficult I ended up with my fingers in the fishes mouth and a couple of trebles in my fingers for good measure.

Saw a couple of guys at Scugog last year in a small rubber boat the guy in the front twice hit his buddy in the head while casting the last time it must of hurt because he doubled over in pain there was some yelling and screaming but I couldn`t understand the language.

[ccmtcanada]

Saw a couple of guys at Scugog last year in a small rubber boat the guy in the front twice hit his buddy in the head while casting the last time it must of hurt because he doubled over in pain there was some yelling and screaming but I couldn`t understand the language.

 

I just had to laugh...imagining the scene. For some reason I was thinking the two stooges....LOL.

[Zib]

You would never catch me fishing in that thing. Make sure you have a good life insurance policy.

[lookinforwalleye]

I just had to laugh...imagining the scene. For some reason I was thinking the two stooges....LOL.

 

It was kinda funny!

[carll2]

been there tryed it and never again, man was it dangerous lol. me and my buddie decided to try a small trout back lake, damnn branches on shore poked a hole in the bottom air pocket thank god the big round sides are a different air pocket. after that we invested in a cheap used canoe for those kind of trips

[ccmtcanada]

Famous last words....

 

"Oh come on...what could possibly happen????"

 

or, you know disaster is about to happen when someone yells excitedly....

 

"Hey everyone....watch this!!!!"

[Weeds]

I tried fishing once or twice in a cheap inflatable kayak but could never get comfortable. Found it too cramped and lost my fishing rod over the side into Ashbridges. It was cool to be out on the water but in my opinion not much of a fishing platform.

[007]

Thanks guys - now you've got me even more worried!

 

I've already bought it so will no doubt give it a go (close to shore on small lake and with a PFD on), learn my lesson and then regret spending the $150+tax! LOL

[Fisherpete]

Rowboat was right on, any kind of wind and they are a terror to paddle as they don't 'glide' on top of the water but more plow thru it. I bought one last year to paddle from the mainland to my parents cottage on Rice Lake (BEFORE I bought my own boat LOL), whick is only a few hundred metres, and if it was calm as glass no problem, but when the chop was there I might as well have swam over. As far as fishing from it, I wouldn't even consider it unless staying VERY near to shore.

[danbouck]

I fished in an intex one for 2 summers. It worked great. Got hooks in the outside and it never popped. Went through rocks and beat it up, never had a problem. If you are carefull there is nothing to worry about as long as you stick to small lakes

Edited May 15, 2007 by danbouck

[Black_Blade]

Several years back, desperate to get out on the water to fish but no funds for a real boat...I got a inflatable similar to yours, made by Sevylor which is a good name and all. Biggest trouble is you sit so low down inside this thing, you can't really see what you doing...can't track a lure etc. The soft bottom is always shifting on you..you have any gear and it all slides down into you...just horrible! I must say...only fished out of it once and it was right out from Emily PP (caught a nice sized largie on a spinnerbait...since couldn't see where I was really tossing it tho it more a matter of luck) Then, talk about awkward to get fish off the hook and released...reaching over this huge air tube and trying to lip the fish over...then get water all over yourself.

 

The kids had a neat beach toy for the rest of the time camping...

 

But hey go ahead and give it a whirl and get up close and personal with Mr. Fishy (I'm just glad I didn't hook onto a pike or musky in it ) Here is a pic of the beast!

Edited May 16, 2007 by Black Blade

[wolfville]

I have a seahawk 400 (about 11' long). It is great as long as you know its limit. I think the newer intex ones use thinner material then the old seahawk (also made by intex), I have the old one and it feels different from the new ones.

 

I put a cooler in it so I can sit on the cooler. This way I sit a bit higher. I just couldn't find a motor mount to hook up a trolling motor, so far it's been 1 man power but even after 6 - 8 hours in it I still feel fine.

 

I have tried it in cooks bay (the south most part where it's very shallow) twice early bass season last year. Wasn't too bad. But don't venture out if the wind is over 15 km/h any direction.

 

Travelling light and always wearing a PFD. Safety first.

[fish4me]

I am thinking of getting an inflatable also. My friend owns a zodiac and fishes it 100 times a year. I have been with him in the worst weather and feel safe in it actually. But it is those types of boats I would consider getting, not the one posted. They can be pricey though so look around or on ebay/boat trader, you can find some more affordable ones, may consider a portaboat also but less power on those boats.