I'm not really in the market right now, saving my pennies. But I was curious what companies to look towards and which to stay clear of. I want to get a head start on researching before I buy one in march

I want to 10ft or 12ft pontoon that I can fish both rivers and lakes. That has or can have a standing platform installed. Also an electric motor mount.

Thanks

Bad cat, Skookum, water.ready are a few

So you want a trolling motor and standing platforms.

Although the one boat isn't complete, put a lean bar up front and a 2 HP Honda outboard on back and you got a serious side drifting machine (at least for a pontoon boat).

Or you can get US-made pontoons or an aluminum frame.

Forgot catchercraft. Sorry about that

Catchercraft / Skookum

+1

That's sweet.

You can't go wrong with Catchercraft!
Fishermen building boats is the best you will get.

stay away creek company boats

I owned a creek company that I bought when Gi Joes went out of business. I'll never own another one

What? you got something against rowing out into a lake and slowly sinking then limping back to shore with a 1/2 deflated pontoon trying not to lean forward or back so you don't tip over?
Me too

The Catchercrafts look really nice, I've been debating DB/Raft/Toon for a while now. 3 man 14ft raft is getting mighty tempting.

+ 1
They should come with a life insurance policy and a free PFD.

I've looked at every "store brand" pontoons and I haven't seen anything that catches my eye or looks as sturdy as those catchercraft pontoons.

I know what ill be spending my money on when the time comes. Catchercraft 1 or 2 salt Steelhead looks perfect

We'll be "unveiling" our 3-Salt Steelhead at the Washington Sportsman Show in Puyallup, along with another model or two. It is based off 14 foot pontoons and has a seat for the rower and a front and rear module for two other anglers. It should be a nice alternative for flyfishing guides who want to accommodate two anglers as well as gear anglers who want to side drift.

I didn't go through all the specs due to bad phone connection.

But can I get 12' pontoons with a single seat setup? I was sure I seen that 12's come as 2 salt models?

Absolutely...you want one seat on 12' pontoons, no problems. One thing about building our own frames is we can put together most any package an angler wants...up to a point.

Perfect thank you. My eyes are set on the prize.

Agreed. Heard and seen nothing good from them.

BADCAT or a Skookum nothing else
I would suggest getting a 2 man off the bat, I had two 1man toons starting from a 9' and 10' now have the 12' 2man. River fishing your 1man your gonna miss fishing the "good" water because your on the sticks all the time and good luck on landing a fish by yourself. 2 man your buddy or your self will be fishing not missing the good water while someone or yourself is rowing. Landing a fish is easier when you have another dont go cheap if your wanting to float a river even if its a "easy flat" river things go bad quick and fast if you have a weak boat.

IMO BadCats are the best because there frames are compatible w/ NRS frame parts so if you want to extend or upgrade its all nuts and bolts not welded chain link fence posts like skookum and catchercrafts(skookum rip offs)
hope this helps

Rag,

You don't really expect me not to respond and correct your erroneous statements do you?

But you do make a good point...allow me to expand. By getting a rower module/one seat frame on a set of 12 foot pontoons, it opens the door to easily adding a front module at a later date for a second person. It will strap right in front of rower perfectly. That way, you can upgrade later, without having to buy everything up front.

Speaking of NRS, I just dropped off an NRS frame for Ken to repair. Let's see, that makes two NRS bolt together frames he's repaired over the last year vs. NO repairs out of the close to a thousand he's actually built himself. He did repair one frame for a customer once, but only after the customer admitted that he ran over it with his truck and didn't do it on the river like he said. He has NEVER had to repair a frame that he built out of galvanized steel that didn't involve a truck running over it. Some of the inferior parts Skookum used needed replacing over the years but never the frame itself due to a boating incident.

Regarding your chain link fence post comment, wrong again. It is galvanized EMT. If you want an aluminum frame, we can do that...but it won't be bolted together like some, but rather welded.

Finally, please explain to me how Catchercraft ripped off Skookum? The frame design, pipe bender, frame welder has all been Ken Rambow since day 1. And he now co-owns Catchercraft. So again, tell me where we ripped off Skookum?

I'm glad you like your Bad Cat.

Go welded all the way...and catchercraft does make a great pontoon!!