Fishing pontoons have had a good run since they became something of a phenomenon back in the 90’s, and they’re still going strong, with many excellent craft available for your still water fishing expeditions.

And they don’t have to cost an arm and a leg either! Even brand new you can get an excellent 8-footer with many handy features and a comfortable seat for only a couple of hundred dollars.

So what’s the big fuss about these agile-looking craft?

Well, for a start, they are very, er… agile little fishing craft! This is largely thanks to the the particular rocker-shape of the pontoons. Other than, say catarafts, pontoon boats have less of the tube in the water per foot of tube - and therefore less resistance.

Less resistance means it becomes possible to turn in very tight circles, always getting you in the best spot for the action going on below! This maneuverability also helps you to easily navigate the river runs you’ll be making from hole to hole.

And of course, sitting comfortably in your high seat gives you an excellent view of your surroundings and where you’re heading.

Where can you go in your fishing pontoon?

These craft are primarily aimed at still water, inland lake and slow-moving river use. You will definitely want to avoid whitewater situations! Even the larger, more stable 12 footers are not designed with the stability needed for fast-water rafting. For that you will need to look at catarafts and the like!

And when it comes to getting to the river and back, most of these craft can be loaded and transported with ease on your rooftop or in a pickup or SUV.

So if you’re aiming for some quiet, sit-down fishing on your own or with a buddy - and you don’t want to break the bank - a fishing pontoon is definitely an option to look into!

For more information visit Fishing-Things.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

When heading out for an evenings go at a local small water Trout stream, you might consider the following tips.

I suggest you use a Double Taper fly line versus a Weight Forward line. This fills up the spool a little quicker with less weight and is better suited for the many Roll Casts an evenings fly fishing on small streams usually requires. Also, use either an 8# or 12# backing line if you can find it. Not a real big deal but keeping the weight down on small stream outfits is useful.

Small stream fly rods do not normally require a very long casting stroke. A key to accurate casting with these short rods (5′ to 7′) is to execute both your back cast and forecast with a very short casting stroke, the shorter the better. Smooth acceleration to an immediate stop, almost like punching a wall, then hold the rod stopped until the cast is almost completely laid out….then drop your elbow (without extending your arm or body) to present the fly.

Another tip………to increase speed and accuracy very quickly…..AS YOU ARE EXECUTING YOUR BACK CAST……OPEN YOUR 3 LOWER FINGERS……control the rod with your thumb and fore finger. (keep the back of the rod handle up against the fleshy part of your hand) HOLD THE ROD WITH THESE TWO FINGERS THRU THE BACK CAST. ………Just as you are finishing your fore cast……SHARPLY SQUEEZE…..THE 3 FINGERS TOGETHER AGAINST THE LOWER PART OF THE ROD HANDLE and your thumb against the top of the rod handle……
THIS GIVES A FINAL, RAPID ACCELERATION TO THE STOPPING
of the rod…..SPEEDING UP THE LINE AND IMPROVING ACCURACY….TAKES A LITTLE PRACTICE BUT REALLY IMPROVES A CAST IN A TIGHT SITUATION.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you…I call this “The Squeeze Cast”….tricky name I thought……Best Joe @ Castitagain.

Joe Loughran is a Federation Of Fly Fishers Certified Fly Casting Instructor. Owner/operator of Castitagain, a web centric Fly Fishing business and publishes “Casting About In Cyberspace, a bi-monthly newsletter. Can be reached at http://www.castitagain.com

Fishing is a versatile activity; you can do it alone or with family and friends. You can compete with others or with Mother Nature. You can do it for sport or as a therapy to get away and relax from boredom and routine. That is why most of us make of fishing our primary recreational activity and that is why it is becoming so popular in America as well as in other countries.

According to some surveys, more than 60 million Americans preferred fishing above some other sports like soccer or foot-ball. Like any other sport, fishing also has rules and among the most important ones are letting go the fish you won’t eat and getting a fishing license before going to fish.

To get a fishing license you have to check for the requirements and regulations your state and/or country have. In some cases you need a “conservation license” before getting your actual fishing license. The age is not important to get a license, but usually kids up to 11 years old can get the license for free.

I think one of the most important things for making fishing a memorable experience is learning -if you have never fished before- and planning.

If you are new to fishing you can start by doing some research on the Internet. There are some good sites where you can find useful tips for beginners. Another thing you might want to do, is going to a fishing store and ask. Usually they have directories, guides or instructors, you might even find there someone who is willing to teach you.

Be mindful of your budget, you don’t need state of the art gear to learn, you can get inexpensive “second-hand” gear until you are experienced enough to choose the best tools for you.

Once you get a grip on the basics, you can keep practicing almost everywhere, the backyard can be a good place for practice if it is big enough, but be careful if you decide to do it at your work cubicle, you might fish something nasty inside the coffee cup of a co-worker or poke out someone’s eyes…specially your boss’.

The next step on making fishing a memorable thing is the planning stage. Planning is as important as having the knowledge on fishing. In my experience the first thing to consider is LOCATION.

You do not want to go to a “fish desert”. Location also involves the type of fishing techniques involved and the gear you’ll be needing like boats, tools or special fishing-wear, the kind of bait you will be taking and the most important, where you, your family and friends will have a great time. For example, Alabama promotes their lakes and open banks for fishing; in some of them you don’t even need a boat to fish.

But, why is it so important taking your family with you?

Firstly, according to “Family Life First” - an organization dedicated to promote the need of spending quality and useful time with families - in the last 20 years, children have been spending less time doing outdoor activities and parents reducing the time they spend with their families all together.

Evolutionary Psychologist also points out the importance of family or group bonds and member collaboration, as well as teaching-learning skills handed from the parents. Getting every member of the family involved on the trip planning creates a stronger bond between all “the group”, it also makes everyone happy. I still have some memories from my fishing trips with my family and family’s friends.

Besides going out fishing in a group to help to tighten “family ties”, it also has some therapeutical values like stress relief and to becoming more structured in your life if it’s done properly. This without mentioning the enjoying values and benefits of interacting with nature.

Another ability you can get from fishing is cooking. There is nothing like preparing and grilling or baking a fresh caught fish, using, creating, modifying recipes and “taking out” the inner Chef in you.

Fishing is good for you, and is fun in group. The more you do it, the more you’ll like it and learn from it. You will also discover that fishing is not only taking a rod and a bait, you can also “Bear fish” or even use a bow!!!

Happy fishing.

“Tony the Tuna” is a fishing enthusiast and a regular contributor writer for Fly-Fishing-North-America.com. If you want to learn more about fly fishing visit http://www.fly-fishing-north-america.com