Fish finder for pontoon boat?

[bubba_burt]

My wife and I have pontoon boats and were considering getting some fish finders for them. I was wondering what what be a good one for around $100.
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[bwhitty]

I use a bottom line fishin buddy 2202. I got mine on sale for about $120 a couple years ago. I works great for me. I also bought the holder that straps on to one pontoon for about $15. It's not state of the art but works for what I need!! I know they sell the cheaper one for around $100.
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[bubba_burt]

Thanks for the info! We will have to check it out[]
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[toyguy]

I've got the Fishin Buddy 4200 for my Fishcat 9. The problem with a Fishin Buddy is that the transducer is on the end of a 3' tube. Since that tube it's mounted to the outside of one of your pontoons, whenever you row, you can't row straight because of the drag of it.
Annoying.

Consider getting a fishfinder with a regular, small transducer

tg
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[bwhitty]

huh Mine is a Fishcat 9 also and I've never noticed the drag while rowing but you have the bigger model buddy so maybe it makes more of a difference. Mine is the next size down and only sticks in the water maybe a foot and a half and I believe the 2202 has a smaller tube.
I just like the idea of no chords to get in the way of my fishing.
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]I mounted the buddy on my toons, and haven't experienced any problem with drag.[/size][/black]
[size 3]But, mostly, I use my legs for getting around, using oars for getting in and out, and my motor for getting around from one place to another.[/size]
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[size 3]There are much better fish finders available, offering a better picture of whats under you, but because I'm casting a fly some distance from my toon, I only use my finder for information on depth and bottom structure.[/size]
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[size 3]I think that if I was jigging or fishing directly below me, I'd look at an upgrade with all the bells and whistles.[/size]
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[toyguy]

Aaahhh. And therein the dfference lies, Saber. I hate to kick, prefer to row.

Then again, this is all pretty moot to me since I bought my boat.

And fabb'ed a steel rear mount to the pontoon (which I never use)so that I can bolt my 3.5 Nissan to it.

It's a hoot though. Bassrod's seen it.
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]Whoa, a 3.5 hp motor!!![/size][/black]
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[size 3]That would be a trip. When I say motor, I mean a little electric. [/size]
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[size 3]I kick cause I haven't figured out how to row, and hold and cast a fly rod at the same time.[/size]
[size 3]I do like to row, when I have done a lot of it, I came closer to having a tight 6 pack than any gym workout I ever experienced.[/size]
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[size 3]Have you ever tried the Nissan on your boat?[/size]
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[toyguy]

Which boat? My pontoon or my Smokercraft? Yes, no. On my Smokercraft, I'll use my Powerdrive 55 if I need to move slowly/short distances.

You just don't want to go all out on the pontoon with it. But it'll spray Bassrods pretty good when cuttin turns by him. [cool]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]In my mind's eye, I picture you using your 3.5 hp motor on your pontoon craft.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]Did I misunderstand your posting.[/size]
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[size 3]If not, you got the fasted kick boat in the state.[/size]
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[toyguy]

Yep, you got that right. It's on the pontoon. Oh, BTW, your "mind's eye" best be wearing goggles/glasses, when you're on the throttle...[]
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[bwhitty]

I'd like to see that! I bet thats a riot!! [shocked]

I run a little 30 lb thrust electric on mine but have always wondered what a bigger motor would be like.
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[toyguy]

I would seriously wholeheartedly recommend doing this. It just made complete sense to me. I have a great fab guy who I worked with to do this. All we did was substitute the alumie motor mount piece (the u-shaped piece) of the deck with steel.

Just let me know...
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[bwhitty]

I have a fishcat which has a steel frame. If I ever have the chance I will probably try it just for kicks!!!
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[toyguy]

Two things:

1. You've got the steel-framed model. Nice. I preferred alumie because of the weight.

2. I extended the male pieces all the way to where the side-decks mate up with the main frame. That was about 6". The motor weighs 41 lbs, and I'm a worrier by nature, so I wanted as much tube as possible anchoring the engine-mount bracket. Probably overkill since nothing on a boat is "dead" weight; water provides a lot of cushion/give.

My fab guy said I was worrying about the wrong thing; he thought that if the mount was gonna break, it would be in the back corner(s), where the down pieces mate up with the slide-in male pieces. That's why we went with .082/.089? steel. That mount is flippin bomb-proof.

Again, overkill? Most likely. But if the bracket were to snap while the engine was in gear, I would have a MAJOR problem on my hands: a fast spinning cutting blade on the end of a loose-swinging lever on an unstable watercraft that is made bouyant by an easily-cuttable container that holds the bouyancy material. And all this happening while floating in ice cold water.

Not a good plan.

I didn't check the steel spec's at Outkasts website, but I'm bettin their steel is around .067. Really no need to do more; who would think someone would come along and do what I did?

Call' em, find out, and consider extending your male pieces. Watch your engine bracket corners.

You're probably fine as is, but I'm just throwin it out there...

Wanna race? [cool]
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[bwhitty]

"[size 1]But if the bracket were to snap while the engine was in gear, I would have a MAJOR problem on my hands: a fast spinning cutting blade on the end of a loose-swinging lever on an unstable watercraft that is made bouyant by an easily-cuttable container that holds the bouyancy material. And all this happening while floating in ice cold water."[/size]

Ever seen the TV show Home Improvement cause your starting to sound like Tim the Toolman Taylor!!![laugh] Yeah I think I'll stick with my electric motor. I must be past the "live dangerously" years!

I've decided that watchin a video of you doing it sounds alot more like fun. So get out there and get that camera rolling!!! LOL

Or post when you are going to do it and we'll bring lawnchairs and a cooler and watch the show. You could get a waterskiing squirell to pull behind you and sell tickets. I'd be first in line to buy em![laugh][sly][laugh]
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[toyguy]

Nah. Get outta your head.[] Don't assign a disproportionate risk-weighting to a remote catastrophic possibility.

1. Probably never driving it fast enuff to cause this problem.

2. Bracket may just start to crack instead of a full-on instantaneous "snap!". You might have plenty of advance notice.

Like I wrote, my bracket's bomb-proof. I have complete peace of mind. That's why I went with .089.

Git yourself some steel, hand it and your current bracket over to your favorite weld guy, paint it black when you get it back.

Add flame decals for a nice touch.

Voila, you got yourself a dragster.
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[bwhitty]

[size 1]"You might have plenty of advance notice." [/size]
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Thats reassuring! LOL
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[bwhitty]

cabelas has the 2202 fishing buddy for 79 dollars. I think they used to be more than that!!! just thought id let you know ( i couldnt find it on their web site but they have em at the store.
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[jerrylauj913]

[reply]
I use a bottom line fishin buddy 2202. I got mine on sale for about $120 a couple years ago. I works great for me. I also bought the holder that straps on to one pontoon for about $15. It's not state of the art but works for what I need!! I know they sell the cheaper one for around $100. [/reply]
I just ordered a fish CAt streamer xl IR pontoon from cabelas along with a fishin buddy 1200. Where would you recommend I put it on my pontoon? Would it make a difference if its in the inside/outside of the pontoon?
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