Catfish and Inflatables

[CatfishCam]

Are there any inflatables under $1800 that would be good for catfishing?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[fbpooler]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

I have known catfish spines to go through the sole of a shoe, so any fabric can be pierced by a spine. You need a fiberglass or aluminum hull if you are a catfisherman.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

A fish made 3 tiny pinholes on a 1.2 mm tube while jumping out of water, bad news. If being kevlar made not an issue. If fishing from an inflatable place a thick cover inside deck and tubes lenght.

Check JP Marine heavy duty inflatables...

Happt Boating

 

[ronaldj]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

Please dont get an inflatable raft confused with an actual inflatable boat.
The material on an inflatable boat is much thicker than an inflatable raft.
I have a Zodiac Fast Roller Vhull 325 (with high pressure air floor)
I have been catfish fishing several times and I have had no problems.
I also go crabbing in the same boat.
if you are worried about a puncture in an inflatable boat you can always put down a rubber mat if you have an air floor.
Or you can get an inflatable boat with an aluminum or wood floor.
I prefer the air floor because it makes the boat lighter.
Any of the better made inflatable boats will do ok for fishing
That is important in that it makes it easier to carry, faster to setup and faster to take down.
I mostly launch by myself

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

There are fishes and fishes, some of them can puncture tiny pinholes and sometimes even larger ones on tubes, when bouncing against tubes once sttill on the hook or by careeless fisherman operations, knives, sharp objects manipulation you name it. So if fishimg from any inflatable you must do it with some considerations to avoid human stupidity specially from other fishermen being on your beloved inflatable.

Happy Boating

 

[fbpooler]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

Out of curiosity - are you planning on using an inflatable for serious catfishing or are you concerned about the odd catch? If serious catfishing, why are you interested in an inflatable rather than a hard hull?

Fabric will bounce off rocks and other hard, fairly smooth objects with no damage, but they do not do well with sharp objects such as spines, snags or oysters. The first time we used our Fastroller, a catfish or small panfish bounced against the side of the boat and punctured it.

A good rule of thumb is that anything which will puncture your skin will puncture fabric.

 

[Sinistre1]

Re: Catfish and Inflatables

I bought my boat with fishing in mind... so far i have found that striped bass (aka Rockfish) dorsal spines, porgy (aka Scup- any of their spines) and larger bluefish dorsals WILL puncture your boat if you give them the chance. When inflatable fishing diligence is the key and a net is a MUST!!! For bigger fish play them out at a distance til they are tired... you can control them a little easier boatside and by boat side I mean NET side as they should never be allowed to get that close to your actual boat. Smaller fish are more easily handled and come over the rail and into a pail for me. Or a milk crate hung from the side of the boat. I have been known to leave a particularly ornery fish to suffocate at waters surface (obviously only if you know you are keeping it..) and please no PETA comments... if you are keeping the fish it WILL suffocate.. the difference becomes where.. in a cooler or oxygen depleted water bucket makes not difference and at best prolongs the experience. From my experience catfish and dogfish (sharks) have even stronger spines as they are meant to be offensive weapons not just defensive. All of the above becomes even more meaningful when targeting these species. So... A net... tire them out... a bucket for smaller fish and.....


saving the best for last.... CIRCLE HOOKS are an absolute must!!!! I have replaced as many of my lure hooks with circles as has been possible... with big fish i have found i am just as likely or more to get a puncture or slice from a large fish making a dash alongside the boat with a J hook trailing from his mouth or an extra treble that is dangling. The circles won't grab the boat material while sliding by, so the point is never introduced and can not find purchase.

Since doing all of the above, the only pin hole I have had was operator error of placing a j hook lure on my air floor and proceeding to step on it minutes later Doohhhhhh!!!!