Michigan Sportsman Forum banner
  • From treestands to ground blinds, all your hunting must-haves can be found at Bass Pro Shops. Shop Now.

    Advertisement

pontoon and downriggers

19K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  penaltybox  
#1 ·
Anyone put downriggers on their pontoon? I have searched all over and cant find anything that seems like a great way. I know there are track mounts that fit the rails, but will that flex the rails and fencing too much. Whatever I do its going on a new boat so don't want to have to do a lot of custom stuff and want it to look clean.

I was thinking about doing a board all the way across the back that can be taken off, but would like some sort of quick release to put the board on and take off. Not sure if that would require additional support either.

Boat is a lowe sf212. it has 2 fishing seats in the back with relatively square corners. The aft portion of the corners are gates, so don't want to permanently take out the use of the gates.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
#8 ·
The rails are the obvious location for where you’d want them to be if the rails could take it. So put your efforts into building some (removable?) bracing for the rails. Some pieces of aluminum tube at 45 degree angles from the top of the rails down to the deck would make them very ridged, and maybe an aluminum C-channel over the top of the existing rails if you are worried about them bending if you snag a canon ball. You could put some short sections of track on the deck for attachments points for the bracing and put the step pads in them when not being used.
 
#16 ·
That's a serious solution you've got there. Must have cost a small fortune. Check out the really beautiful TIG weld on that circular Traxstech riser. That's a nice piece of work. Their stuff is great and I'm proud to have it on my boat. Nice design you have there. Thanks for sharing it although I'm not a pontoon guy and never will be but to each their own, I say. I bet netting a big boy is a bit of a reach though, haha.
 
#18 ·
That really looks good, I have found when netting i can get one leg over the fence and reach out to grab the big guys. i never go completely outside of the fence while trolling. for walleyes and such just extend the net and bring them in.
kinda curious how hard its going to be to clipping your lines to the down riggers with those sitting low and inside. even with snubbers and at rail height and to the outside its still a challenge to do it without banging the weights sometimes.

may want to do some dry runs on land to see how it goes.

seriously it really looks bad ass something to be proud of
K