Semi Duck related - otter sled

Matt_n_Barb

Matt_n_Barb

Well-known member
Have any of you used an Otter brand sled or something similar to haul decoys with? The make several sizes and am curious as to durability, how much weight they will float (of course size dependent), and general thoughts about them.

I am going to build a small tow barge for electroshocking fish. The barge would carry a generator of about 100lbs, the electronics, a small battery (8 ah 12 volt), maybe a removable live well (15 gallon tub or similar), attached cathode array or plate, anode reels and so forth. The total weight of the contents might be 200-225 lbs depending on size of live well (if used). The tow barge will be controlled by hand while wading. Other options might be a small cat similar to what the fly fisherman use (9 foot or so),

I could also build one out of ply and glass.

Matt
 
They are pretty commonly used for icefishing around here. Durability is not an issue, they are built plenty tough. Don't know how much they will float, try not to find that out on the ice. :)
But from just looking at the shape I think with that much weight all of them will be very tippy. Maybe they would be good base to add small pontoons to.

I have an 8 foot inflatable pontoon, it moves pretty easy in the water. I think 225 would be a weight that could be pulled around but might get a little hard in heavy current. I'd go that way before dragging something the shape of a john boat through the water.

Tim
 
What about a 10' jon boat? Common as h#ll around here! They are easily thrown in the back of pickups and usually seen with a guy < 250# fishing for crappie or bream, sitting in front with the stern in the air as all the weight is forward. Trip.
 
Having fished out of a 10' jon I can confirm that walking and pulling it is the best way to use it. It would be perfect for what you are doing. :)
 
I've never used the decoy sled, but for your described use, a little jon boat might handle the weight better. I'd be concerned that a decoy sled won't handle 225# without being tippy. A 10"x32" jon is rated for 320#. Another option is the mini bass boats. They are often only 8' long and very stable. They are expensive new, but maybe the classifieds or Craigslist will have something reasonable.

Nate
 
HI to all..

Here is a pic of a barge that they want 1500 for (1900 kevlar) that is 3'x6'x15". That is darn close to the Otter sleds is size, so that is what caught my eye. Those prices are just for the barge, no gear.

The small jon boat is an interesting idea, but fighting one down an 1/8 mile of brush to the river.....ummm...

Getting a otter sled to the river in a few places will be a challenge also.

I could go with a backpack shocker but they are 7500 each and I can get the guts of the barge set up for 3 anodes for about 5500 excluding the barge. Renting 3 backpack shockers is 4500.

Another consideration for choosing the barge with a generator is the specific conductance of this river is above 1500 mico-Siemens and battery powered shockers have issues over 1500.

The other option is the fisherman cats of 8-10 foot length like Tim suggested.

All good ideas if your ruminations produce others holler.

Thanks.

View attachment electroshocking_barge.jpg
 
Last edited:
My brother has done a lot of fish shocking. I will see if he has any ideas.

I would think that you could make something like the box that Bob B made and use it. It looked fairly straight forward.
 
My wife and I own an environmental company check out www.greatbasinenvtl.com

Electroshocking is for fish community population and species composition in this study...

Would be a nice hobby though.

Matt
 
My wife and I own an environmental company check out www.greatbasinenvtl.com

Electroshocking is for fish community population and species composition in this study...

Would be a nice hobby though.

Matt
Click to expand...


Last time I was involved in electroshocking, a 3K balance ended up in the drink (and no, it wasn't my fault). I learned the usefulness of that horrid orange color of the older Sartorius balances - it sure helps locate them in 3' of turbid/stained water.
 
Matt,
I have done a fair amount of electrofishing using a variety of contraptions from whitewater Smith-Root pimped out jetboats to backpack units. Most of the work has been in flowing water. We put together a cataraft unit as push barge on set of 12 ft Sotar tubes. We float to the survey area then get out and wade for the collection. The cat tubes may give you some problems as pull behind, since they seem to track but as push barge it works well. We are now headed to put that ES system on 14ft large tube cataraft frame, so we can float while sampling and reduce the number of staff needed. One nice advantage to the cataraft system over the hard boats is the ability to break it all down and pack it out if you need to. Check out Outcast they use Aire tubes, which are the real deal.

Cheers
RD
 
I use a 6' Otter sled for hauling decoys, etc., I use it as a layout box when it's empty as you can lie down in it, and wade, tow it where I want.

It's light, tough, not that expensive, but horribly expensive to ship very far. I don't know HOW much weight it will float, but I'm pretty sure it will float over 200#. I have a smaller, narrower sled, (54") that I had over 40 red bricks in it before it sunk.
 
I would not recommend utilizing that style of sled for the application...I hunted all last year in Louisiana with a similiar sled in profile to haul gear, decoys, and etc into green tree reservoirs...The stability of the sled would have the generator being farmed out of the water more than working...

Regards,

Kristan
 
Matt:

I can't speak to the Otter sled, but can highly recommend the cataraft approach. Have seen it used in a variety of environments out here, ranging from Class IV whitewater on two large rivers to hike-in remote ponds. You want to suit the raft to the water you'll be on. If you need to run your gear through big whitewater, you want one of the rafts designed for that application. These will be a little larger, heavier, and have a lot more rocker in the pontoons than the ones normally sold to anglers. For portability, something smaller, lighter and flatter will be better--but that would be a dangerous rig in standing waves.

I've also seen whitewater rafts outfitted with efishing gear, but I suspect that will not be portable enough for your application.

There is a company that makes very light, very durable inflatable rafts that are popular for trekkers in Alaska. http://www.alpackaraft.com/index.cfm Their rafts are as light as 3 pounds! That's probably overkill for your application, but they would be super-portable.

I looked into getting one to use on remote ponds that are farther into the backcountry than I want to haul a float tube, but the costs are still prohibitive for me. I recall pictures of their rafts being used to do things like float a moose downriver from where it was harvested to the next town on the river.

E-fishing gear is expensive. I wouldn't try to cut costs on the platform for it.

You can definitely make your own e-fishing raft or boat cheaper than you can buy one ready made.
 
Jeff,

Thank for the response. I have also used cats for research, ADP and GPS on the mighty Salmon and others. Great boats, stable, white water worthy and you can even put a motor on them.

Cats are on my short list of possibles.

Yes the e equipment is not cheap, a Smith-root backpack L-24 $9000....ouch!!

My preferred system was the old Coffelt, but they are no longer to be had.

Matt
 
RD,

Thanks for the response. The reach of interest is 110 miles long and is difficult to float. In the past all e-sampling was done by walking in short distance to the sub-reach level sites and sampled wading. So the small barge idea with ETS equipment is in serious consideration.

So far the ideas:

1. Small cat - inflatable or gold dredge pontoons with a platform (Tims idea on the dredge pontoons) -
2. Build a small barge similar to the ETS product. 3'x6'x15" ---- one of the Otter sleds is darn close to those dimensions
3. Small bass mini boat - cumbersome
4. Buy the ETS boat @ 1500 but shipping to the west would be OUCH!!

5. Forget the barge and go to backpack but the 1500 plus mirco-siemens is an issue.

I have used an 18foot Aire Leopard for research on rivers such as the mighty Salmon - good gear.

Matt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top