How Safe Are Personal Pontoons On Tailwaters?

[Rocky]

I wade fish the White & Norfork tailwaters and like to explore and get away from the crowd. I would like to get a couple of 9' inflatable pontoon boats for my wife and myself that would be used primarily to float from one wading spot to another (not necessarily to fish from) and provide a safe down river exit if the water comes up. I am concerned how safe these boats are if they are generating four or more units on the White or full units on the Norfork. How difficult are they to maneuver and can you get to shore when need be? I appreciate everyone sharing their experience with these craft before I make a costly mistake.

[gotmuddy]

Once you get the hang of rowing them they are just fine. If you want to borrow ours feel free to.

[eric1978]

They're like paddling barges. I'd recommend getting a tandem canoe or a couple kayaks or solo canoes. Toons are a pain in the butt if you ask me and don't do anything better than canoes or yaks. I had a Water Skeeter for a while...I happily sold it.

[jdmidwest]

I have an 8' Creek Company ODC with the rocker pontoons. I fished the Norfork with 1+ generators no problems. I launched out of the boat ramp at the dam and the water came up shortly after. I took my time and fished the rising waters and had alot of fun. By the time I got to McLellan's, the water was dropping fast. By the time I got to the pullout that afternoon at the handicap access, it was low water. I had a blast and was never worried about the boat. Just pull back along the edges and stay out of the main flow to fish. As always, my only anchor was my feet.

The ODC with the rocker pontoons is rated for class II. I doubt if it ever got over class I. Round or flat pontoons perform different in fast water, they are for flat water or lakes.

I have been on the Spring River in falling flood stage. I run the waterfall above the Bayou on the East Side near the rocks and was sucked under to my waist, then popped back up. It was great. It would have swamped a yak without a skirt.

As far as the rowing in swift water, you have to plan ahead if you intend to cross. Mine has the old cordura covers that "stick" to the water. Newer PVC covers are slicker and paddle easier.

[Trevor K]

I've never fished the White or the Norfolk, but I have fished the Green River in Utah with a personal pontoon boat. Tons of people do it out there. The Green even has some small rapids and it was fine going down it. You just have to pay attention to where you are going, but you would have to do that with any boat. I say go for it. Gives you access to more places.

[flytyer57]

I have a Creek Company ODC 18 that I love and if gotmuddy ever gets into it, I'd love to float the White and/or the Norfork with it. The Buffalo would also be nice as would Crooked Creek.

Right now Creek Company has an ODC 920 on sale for $199.99 which you can check out here.

Don't buy one of those float tubes that look something like a pontoon. Those are for flat water as someone mentioned earlier. You can see one here.

ps. You will need to learn to row one. The oars are more for adjusting your drift like a drift boat would, but they can be rowed like a boat too, although they row up-current like a "barge".

[gotmuddy]

after using a kayak this weekend I can see no need for a pontoon.

[flytyer57]

after using a kayak this weekend I can see no need for a pontoon.

So ya gonna trade the pontoon for a kayak?

[fishinwrench]

I can't decide if I like mine or not. It sure is comfortable and there's no pucker factor when going through class 2-3 water, it glides (or bounces) right through it. But I don't like fishing out of it at all, and like everyone else has said, it is way too much work trying to go upstream for a second pass on something. Doing an up-down float is completely out of the question.

For transporting me and my gear in a downstream direction and stopping to wade fish, I think it is great. Easy to load/unload, easy to portage, stable and safe feeling (I don't think a strainer could eat me in a toon unless it was a really nasty one).

[snagged in outlet 3]

I've floated both tailwaters many times and the White is easy and wide even on 6-8 units. The Norfork on the other hand gets narrow and swift on 2 units. I'd prefer a pontoon over a canoe any day on the Norfork. You had better know what you are doing on the Norfork whether it be river jon, canoe or pontoon. It gets sketchy pretty fast.

We shot the Big Hole falls at McC's on rising water in a canoe and believe me it's all that and a bucket of chicken. Especially with waders on in the fall.

He said he was going to use it to float down and access fishing areas. I think that would be perfect and I see lots of guys using them on the Norfork.

This is just my "sittin in front of the computer opinion".

SIO3