Pontoon boat fishing for the first time was a success. I look forward to our next fishing adventure.
We finally got to experience fishing out of a pontoon boat and I might be hooked in more ways than one (price and person capacity on these things are impressive). Ours friends bought a pontoon boat last year because it was the right fit for their family. We all know too well that when our kids grow up they will most likely want to do more than just go fishing. I am happy that I am able to recognize this future “problem” for me and am always searching for ways to reduce the collateral damage (most likely just my problem) and reduction in my time on the lake fishing. Last year, this pontoon boat was still in the process of becoming a family member. It spent countless hours pulling kids on a tube, kneeboarders and water skiers. I’ll admit (as quiet as I can 
) that I might have also enjoyed spending time on this boat with family and friends last summer. Floating around and listening to music while eating pizza under a canvas canopy protecting us from the hot sun was quite enjoyable. What was even more enjoyable was cooking lunch on the bbq after a nice cooling swim in the lake. And of course, the most enjoyable part for me was the amount of space a pontoon boat has to fit family and friends compared to a strictly fishing boat only.
I’ll admit (again, as quite as I can ) that I really enjoyed this boat last year and my enjoyment level has climbed a few more notches after today.
Last year, I was hesitant to go fishing on this pontoon boat as it was not set up for downrigger fishing yet and kokanee fishing in 30 degree weather was quite difficult. However, this year, downriggers have raised this experience to the next level. Even when the lake was calm, we were able to keep our speed between 1.5 and 2.0 miles per hour with the motor. On average, we were fishing around 1.7 mph and maybe a slower speed may have put more kokanee in the cooler, but we can not say for sure.
Our day started early and we were up at 530am to get a running start on the day and take advantage of rested children before the meltdowns began. We were on the lake, Tyee Lake, by 9am and fishing by 930am. When we launched, the people camping said there was a huge storm last night and the calm waters we had were a blessing. We attempted to figure out which way the wind was blowing last night to figure out which area of the lake to target first, but were unsuccessful when they told us the wind was coming from all directions.
We were marking fish right away, but the fish we were marking were not interested in our offerings. We did manage to find some kokanee willing to bite at 10ft off the downriggers and thought we had it dialed in, but time would prove otherwise. Fish were caught at all depths throughout the day. We caught many different age classes of kokanee with no rhyme or reason as to why they were mixed together and some of them reminded me of when I used to go smelt fishing on the beaches of Kitsilano in Vancouver, BC when growing up. We found plenty of schools of kokanee, but the weather front pushing in did not help the “bite.” We tried numerous combinations of dodgers and lures. Our most successful lures were a pink spinner we made and the good old tried and true pink hoochie with a moon jelly Mack’s smile blade. Our most successful Dodgers of choice were our new Luhr Jensen dodger and a Gibbs Dogtail dodger.
It didn’t take long for the kids to all start asking for candy and asking for lunch. If memory serves me correctly, it was 10:30am and the hunger pains were setting in. After numerous conversations and discussions about what it would take to get into the candy, all the kids decided eating healthy veggies and fruits were the ticket. After all, could this be too much to ask?
The fishing stayed consistent for the day. Just as the interest on the rods was fading, another fish would bite and it was game on. Thankfully, we had developed a task to keep the boat occupied and deep in concentration before lunch. We started a tally sheet for the fish each person had caught and lost. This was a great way to keep the boat focused and the questions of “when can we eat candy and have lunch” and “when can we go tubing” at bay.
Lunch was as delicious as expected. We cooked hot dogs and smokies on the back of the boat while anchored and listening to some relaxing music. The smells of cooking hot dogs and smokies on the grill have become a favorite pastime on the lake both during the summer and winter months. After lunch, we spent about an hour towing the kids on their tube. We were impressed at how they managed to want to keep going, even after goosebumps and chilling winds wicked their body heat from their bodies. Of course, we had devised a plan to continue fishing after tubing. As luck would have it, the kids discovered a fun filled adventure when blowing up the tube prior to tubing. The tube fit perfectly on top of the seats in the front (away from the fishing deck 
). They had effectively created a fort which would be fun to hang out in after tubing. This fort would also become an incubator to help warm them back up after spending time in 60 degree water. The one thing we did not think about was the dripping water from the tube after it came back on board. Thankfully, it wasn’t long and the fort was dry and heating up the space underneath as more kids joined the fun.
The “last bite” was exciting and a fun way to end the day. We started reeling in one rod and a kokanee slammed it. We managed to get it close, but not close enough. When we finished putting away the gear on the first rod, the second rod went off. Fish on! We managed to land a nice kokanee on our last attempt before going to shore. However, what happened next should have made it into our blooper video, but our action camera batteries were dead. As James held onto the slippery kokanee (after allegedly “bonking it”), the kokanee slipped upwards and out of James’ double gripped hands. As if watching a cartoon, you could see the grip on this kokanee tighten in a last attempt to hold on. What a person needs to know is today was the first time ever that this boat has fished with downriggers and the “bugs” are still getting worked out. We had a small cooler on the back deck and the objective was to take the fish out of the net and place the said “bonked” fish into the cooler. This kokanee got air like no other. It went flying into the air at least 3ft and in perfect form entered the water only to skim across the top and swim happily and healthily across the top of the lake for 30ft as if waving goodbye.
Overall, today was a 10 out of 10 when it comes to balance and fishing with kids. Those who have fished with kids know that treats and short fishing trips are the perfect combination and golden ticket to happy kids who ask to go fishing time and time again. We managed to fish until 530pm which is unheard of on our smaller 14ft Lund. Balance was achieved. Fishing from a pontoon boat was extremely enjoyable and relaxing for myself. The space was incredible and the functionality and its ability to fish with downriggers was amazing. If I have too many more days like today, I might just have to seriously consider buying one for our family. Maybe I will start looking around and learning about what is available for the fishing family and what models are the perfect fit for our needs and lifestyle.