Anybody use a pontoon on the yak? How is it in the lower canyon between Eburg and Yakima? I just purchased a pontoon and can't wait to try it out on the yak soon.
Good move! Let me know how it works out. I often think that would be the best way to fish the canyon. I rented a drift boat once and fished during low water. Try as we might, we left more fiberglass on the rocks than one would want. My only fear would be fishing in fast, murky water where either you wouldn't see submurged obstructions like trees/limbs, or would be upon them too fast to clear out.
I saw 3 pontoons on the lower river on Sat. between RIngers and Ahtanum they weren't having any difficulties. Of course the flow was much lower than in the summer months when irrigation water is let out. Hope it works out for yah!
Charlie :beer1
Only float if your Pontoon is designed for River use....Having used my Pontoons on the Yak numerous times I can recommend that you don't use them if the river flows are above 3500 CFS.(UNLESS your very familiar with the section your floating.) It can be very dangerous. If your boat is equipped with an anchor also be aware of its danger even at lower flows.
Good luck and be safe. No trout is worth drowning.:thumb
I am floating the Yak canyon next Saturday. Look for a Red Toyota Pickup towing a Driftboat.
I've floated a pontoon from Rinehart down to Bighorn without any problems during medium to low flows. I didn't have an anchor with me so whenever I got a fish on I was forced to fight and navigate at the same time. Each time I was concentrating more on navigating than on fighting and therefore lost a lot of fish.
I've read a couple posts that discuss using an anchor with a pontoon and decided that generally it is probably not a good idea but I haven't closed the book yet. For those that are using pontoons are you using an anchor? I would be interested in the methods used to navigate once a fish strikes......
Fishing from a pontoon boat is a great method on the Yak, especially in the Canyon. Anchors can be effective but be VERY careful. Don't use a big anchor on big water. Usually I think of my anchor as a 'parking break' not a stopping break. I usually only use it in frog water to keep the boat from floating away while I fish on foot. Once in a while, in low flows, I will use the anchor to slow myself down while fishing but that is rare. (and then you get into the whole dragging the anchor along the bottom is bad stuff but I won't go into that). For an anchor I use a 10# downrigger ball.
Rowing a boat while trying to land a fish is difficult at best. The best way I'ver found is to use flippers to sorta control the boat with your feet while you totally control the fish with you hands and rod. This technique requires patience and practice but is kinda fun.
Fish on!Piscator
Flippers definitely help when fishing the Yak from a personal pontoon boat; at least if you plan on fishing while floating. They make positioning and keeping distance between you and the bank much easier.
i have floated the yak in a watermaster several times with no trouble in high water. i wish i had an anchor and just found they now make anchors for the wm. please dont bitch me out to bad but i do not think boats should be allowed to drag anchors(chains) to slow the boat. i feel it disturbs the bottom of the stream. does anyone know if it is illegal in any states?
I don't know if dragging an anchor is illegal anywhere else but it is not illegal in Washington, perhaps it should be. A dragging anchor presents a far more clear and present danger than damage to the river bottom. Particularly in a pontoon boat, an anchor hung up in the rocks in fast current can put you in harm's way in a hurry; pontoon boats have a tendency to broach and can even turn completely over in such situations. Chain anchors show less of a tendency to hang up in the rocks than the conventional lead pyramid anchor, but even chain can somtimes wedge immovably.
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