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Evolution of the Personal Pontoon Boat |
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Fishing Untouched WatersBy Dave Scadden (Published in Utah Outdoors magazine, 1999) It was with these thoughts in mind that I found myself staring out the port window of a Russian military helicopter flying out across the vastness of outer Siberia. Unbelievable scenery greeted my eye with every glance. As the huge helicopter settled into the upper Sadonka River valley I was shocked at what I saw. Untouched beauty in a pristine wilderness that almost defies description lay before us as we stepped from the chopper. Words like "paradise," "Shangri-la," "heaven on earth," were the only fitting descriptions for the untold beauty that stretched before us. As the coming weeks of floating the Sadonka in a pontoon craft ensued, with average 100-150 fish days, it was without a doubt the finest fishing I have ever experienced. Huge rainbows, char, cunja, cutthroats and silver salmon, all in such abundance as to defy description. Streamers, bead head wooly buggers and wiggler bugs all produced big fish.... But the biggest hit was a 2/0 hair mouse with a two- inch tail. Slapping the water hard and stripping the mouse across the surface produced voracious strikes. I was there with an exploratory expedition hosted by the University of Moscow and the Wild Salmon Center, part of an exhaustive effort to document the fisheries of Russia for future reference. It was the first descent of the Sadonka and a chance for Russian scientists to study its resources. It had virtually never been fished prior to this expedition. On the flight home, somewhere over the Bearing Sea, I contemplated what had brought me to this point in my fishing career. My mind drifted back to a cold winter morning 10 years ago when I frantically tore at the cardboard box that had just been dropped off by UPS. Hurriedly assembling one of the first Water Otter pontoon crafts in existence, I sat back and saw before me the realization of a dream. Finally, a craft that could be use to float rivers while keeping your hands free to fish. I was on the Green River the next day! I was elated to find that the Little Otter worked better than expected. In the years that followed I found myself sharing this form of fishing with everyone I met. Working for Angler's Inn provided the forum for teaching the concept of pontoon craft fishing. The advantages are obvious. On lakes you sit higher so you could cast more easily, spot fish and glide through the water with less effort. On rivers you can float with your hands free to fish, using fins to navigate. . . . Fishing would never be the same! After logging hundreds of hours on pontoon craft, I found myself being approached by a number of companies seeking advice on design. I began doing consulting work and helped companies create more user-friendly pontoon craft. The concept of fully rockered pontoons was needed to enhance the craft for performance and ensure safety. Working with Buck's Bags, my idea of a pontoon craft that shared the same characteristics as the drift boat became reality: the Buck's Bags "Bronco." The Bronco handled like a dream! Being fully rockered allowed it to spin on a dime. If you happened to hit a rock while running a river, it would rotate around the rock without a hitch. It did everything well. Durability became more of a factor as anglers began to access more demanding waters. Working with Outcast and the Aire Company, the first completely heat-welded high performance pontoon craft was produced. Coming right out of the whitewater scene, the PAC 800 and 9000 incorporated tough heat-welded outer shocks with durable urethane bladders as a back-up inside. Cargo decks, stripping aprons, oar systems, side pockets and anchor systems all became standard equipment. Over the years, many other companies have taken advantage of the pontoon craft boom. J. W. Outfitters, Creek Co., Stillwater, Versa Vesser, Conic, Skookum, Caddis, Trout Traps, Leigh etc. In an extremely competitive market some have survived while some have died. One thing for sure remains.... That is the fact that the pontoon craft is here to stay. Pontoons For Backpacking With a number of cutting edge designs on the horizon, I think pontoon craft fishing is just getting started. In the year 2000 we will see design changes that make more sense than ever. Angler's Inn Pontoon Craft Company will have pontoon craft that will literally roll up and pack so small they can be checked on as luggage and stored in the overhead of a jet! You will now be able to travel to any fishing destination in the world and with the proper skills, have the ability to run up to Class 5 whitewater. You will be able to keep your boat with you at all times in the trunk of a compact car or in the storage hatch of an R.V. Weighing in at around the 20-pound mark, and lighter, you can now easily throw your boat into a backpack. Packing into high mountain lakes or portaging long distances will be a snap. You will be able to transport your boat on a bicycle, motorcycle or four-wheeler. All of a sudden, the world is at your doorstep. Book on Pontoon Craft There is a book being published this fall that will go into great detail on the art of pontoon craft fishing. "Pontoon Craft Techniques and Tales" will be a must for the pontoon craft angler... Look for it in the year 2000. If you own a pontoon craft you can relate to the excitement that pontoon craft fishing brings with it. If you do not.... this is the year. The year to become your own guide. The year to discover the adventure of pontoon craft fishing.... The year to fish untouched waters! |
Siberia,
Russia.... The very words capture up visions of the world's most brutal
prison camps. To be "banished to outer Siberia" has always been synonymous
with a fate worse than death.
A
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