# Swim Fins



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Do those of you who have pontoon boats use swim fins, or do you just use your oars? What are the pros and cons of using/not using fins?


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## Poo Pie (Nov 23, 2007)

Would not go out without both. It's a huge pain in the A to be fishing and want to turn your boat slightly and have to stall and use the oars. Also a huge pain to have to kick your way a mile or so when you could be fishing. I like the short "duck foot" style flippers, hate the long ones and really don't care too much for Force Fins.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

Both are a must have.

The oars are for covering larger distances. I can oar about as fast as a steady walk, and it's pretty easy to grab hold and move 1/2 mile at a time to try out different locations.

Once on station and in fishing mode the fins hit the water. They are in use almost constantly to keep slack out of the line, and to position the boat for casting or hold ground against wind.

If you omit the fins your boat will be constantly changing attitude with breezes, wind, and drift. Fly fishing in particular is a 2-handed affair. You need a hand for line control and another to cast with, so modifying the boat's position in a hands-free way is a necessity. The only way to do this without fins is with an anchor, but even then the 'toon will point straight downwind and that is not always the direction you will want.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks for your responses. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. So Thresh- you brought up another piece of equipment, the anchor. The boat I bought came with a cheesy looking little mesh bag that I guess you are supposed to fill with rocks to be an anchor. In your opinion, will this work? Or would it be a good idea to spend ten bucks to get one of those little fold-up metal ones? My boat comes with an integrated anchor system, with a pulley on the rear basket, and cleats for tie-down up front, which seems like a nifty little system, but like was mentioned, sometimes you don't want to face straight downwind. Is it a better idea to leave the anchor free so that I can place it of any side that I want to face my boat?


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't use my oars very much, but the fins are a must!
I also use an electric motor once in a while.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

My personal preference is usually to leave the anchor off entirely. I like to keep a light boat and when it's windy I just use my fins to hold position. When it's really windy, or in cases where fish are staging/concentrated in a relatively small area that can be cast to over and over, an anchor goes a long way. The pulley & cleat system you mentioned is really the way to go, and I'd suggest an actual commercial anchor attached w/ a caribiner or similar quick release. That way you can just unclip it to save weight when not in use.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Take the anchor with you....it weighs less than a 6-pack...a slight breeze can blow you right out of a good fishing area.....just cause *thresh *catch's 8 billion fish a year, does not mean he knows what he's talking about...


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

Little .45 said:


> ....it weighs less than a 6-pack...


You're not right in the head .45, no anchor means you can take ANOTHER 6-pack.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

threshershark said:


> Little .45 said:
> 
> 
> > ....it weighs less than a 6-pack...
> ...


    That's true !!! :shock:

In that case, leave _all _ the fishing gear home...


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Anchor is certainly needed for certain types of fishing. Nothing wrong with a bag full of rocks for an anchor I have used worse. I now use chain but whatever holds you with out too much weight is fine. And when it's not full of rocks you could put a 6 pack in it and toss it over board.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

It just seems to me that a bag of rocks would just get dragged across the bottom in a stiff breeze, where an anchor would be like a grappling hook on the bottom and grad hold of stuff to keep you in place.


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