Pontoon float

[Cougeyes]

I am interested in getting a small pontoon boat for fly fishing or fishing in general for that matter.  Anyone know of a cheaper brand that is durable and you could possibly pack on your back for a few miles. Are there deflatable ones out there that are still good quality. 

[cackle]

they got somee pretty nice ones at costco right now

[GEARHEAD]

A GOOD STARTER IS ONE MADE BY THE"CREEK COMPANY" THINK IT IS A MODEL 816. ITS LIGHT BUT, YOU CANNOT PACK IT A COUPLE MILES. I HAVE ONE AND LIKE IT, BUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR I BOUGHT A FLOAT TUBE FROM THE SAME COMPANY. make sure if you get one, that its an aluminum frame, they are lighter. others are steel, and will eventually rust. HAVING SAID THAT,  I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER USE A PONTOON BOAT AGAIN. I WOULD STRONGLY URGE YOU TO LOOK AT FLOAT TUBES. I REAL GOOD BARGAIN IS A "U-BOAT" GI JOES NORMAL HAS THIS FOR I THINK 90 BUCKS, COMES WITH FINS AND A PUMP. CAN'T BEAT IT. I RECENTLY UPGRADED TO ANOTHER FLOAT TUBE FROM THE SAME COMPANY, A MODEL 420. BELIEVE ME, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. YOU WILL BE AMAZINGLY COMFORTABLE AND NOTHING MORE RELAXED THAN BEING IN A TUBE. WITH THE MODEL 420, THE WIND WILL NOT BEAT YOU UP AND KICKING BACK AGAINST THE WIND IS VERY EASY. DEFLATED AND FOLDED, INCLUDING FINS AND A PUMP, WAY LESS THAN 10 POUNDS.
OOPS, LARGE CASE. oh well, tight lines and good fishin.

[russ]

i like the u-boats more myself...pontoons kick ass but are expensive and heavy.

[Cougeyes]

REAL GOOD BARGAIN IS A "U-BOAT" GI JOES NORMAL HAS THIS FOR I THINK 90 BUCKS, COMES WITH FINS AND A PUMP. CAN'T BEAT IT. I RECENTLY UPGRADED TO ANOTHER FLOAT TUBE FROM THE SAME COMPANY, A MODEL 420. BELIEVE ME,

  Hopefully its 90 bucks at Gi-Joes or another sports store because this model at Cabelas is in the $200 range.  Thanks for the advice, for what I want to do i think a float tube would be a better option anyways. 

[jackelope]

do not try to float a river in a float tube...totally unsafe.
if you want something for lakes, get a float tube. caddis, creek co., they're all good. you need to remember that you will also be packing your fins, a pump and waders if you choose to use them, plus all your fishing gear. you can get away without wader boots if you have the right kind of fins, but don't plan on walking too far on shore without boots for fear of damaging waders. it ends up being a lot to carry into a high mountain lake.
http://thefloattubestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=19

thats a good one for sure.
you can spend a lot more or a lot less. the one thing to remember is it takes  a long time to get anywhere in a tube and if the wind kicks up, you might as well kick to shore and walk back, cuz you won't get anywhere fighting the wind.

[kbyers]

if you have an ACE Hardware close by go check out the Water skeeter.  It is like a combination between a float tube and a pontoon boat.  Cabela's also has them.  Very safe in the rivers and light enough to hike in with.  Here is the link to cabela's

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0052624320234a.shtml