ATV's and Bellyboats

Post by **Steely1** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:42 am

Hi......new to the board. I purchased an ATV late in the season last year and am looking forward to using it soon. My dream has always been to access some smaller lakes for specky's. My question is whether any of the members are doing this and if so, are any of you using bellyboats once you do find a nice small lake? Thanks

Post by **Todd B.** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:11 am

You can't beat the use of a float tube on the small backwoods lakes. they're far easier to haul in as opposed to toons or yaks.

With respect to ATVs, I personally do not like them due the to the damage they cause to the trails. Unfortunately a majority of the ATV operators ignore the provincial regulations for
All-Terrain/Off Road Vehicle Use on Crown Land.

Post by **MLR** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:32 pm

Todd

What type of damage have you observed?

I just love when an ATV club decides to nail signs to trees along a trail that someone elses grandfathers father established and call it their own and then carve some nice ruts into the trail.

Post by **Steely1** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Todd, thanks for your reply. At 53 yrs of age, I think I am beyond the stage of wanting to rip up anything let alone a trail system. The atv was something I had always wanted mainly to access small obscure spec lakes in and around the Bancroft area. Now that I have the quad, my next issue is whether or not to spend a few hundred on a belly boat. The reason I posted the question was to find out whether there are many members on this board who are actually doing this? Perhaps most are using canoes or small aluminum's......I don't know.

p.s. If I had a choice, my quad would have come with a cup holder LOL

Post by **Todd B.** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:02 pm

MLR wrote:Todd

What type of damage have you observed?

I just love when an ATV club decides to nail signs to trees along a trail that someone elses grandfathers father established and call it their own and then carve some nice ruts into the trail.

MLR,

As you say, major ruts, tearing up the trails to the extent that they're only passable with an ATV, etc. I would say the most abuse is in the spring with people looking to enjoy the milder weather, unfortunately the trails are still extremely soft from the snow melt.

Post by **Todd B.** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:07 pm

Steely1 wrote:Todd, thanks for your reply. At 53 yrs of age, I think I am beyond the stage of wanting to rip up anything let alone a trail system. The atv was something I had always wanted mainly to access small obscure spec lakes in and around the Bancroft area. Now that I have the quad, my next issue is whether or not to spend a few hundred on a belly boat. The reason I posted the question was to find out whether there are many members on this board who are actually doing this? Perhaps most are using canoes or small aluminum's......I don't know.

Steely1,

If the lakes are anything like the ones around Calaboggie you'll definitely need some sort of watercraft. I'd go with a tube rather than a bellyboat, as you ride higher in a tube. My personal recommendation would be to have a look at the Outcast floattubes. They're probably the best floattube on the market, and worth the additional money.

While I don't ATV into the back lakes I am part of a group of at least 30 "tubers" that regularly ply the waters of various local trout lakes.

Post by **troutnmuskiehunter** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:34 pm

Why are ATV's being singled out as the "destructive" ones???.....I fish many back trout lakes using my ATV to get there only to find HUGE DEEP WIDE RUTS and damage to the trails due to 4x4 trucks with lift kits and oversized mudder tires tearing up the trails.....

Steely1....I will send you a pm later tonight or tomorrow regarding ATV'ing into some back lakes

Post by **hook&shoot** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:38 pm

Todd B. wrote: With respect to ATVs, I personally do not like them due the to the damage they cause to the trails. Unfortunately a majority of the ATV operators ignore the provincial regulations for
All-Terrain/Off Road Vehicle Use on Crown Land.

Got any stats to back that up Todd? I think the real facts are that a FEW ATV riders like many other yahoos in recreational sports, give us a bad rap

Post by **MLR** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:56 pm

hook&shoot wrote:
Todd B. wrote: With respect to ATVs, I personally do not like them due the to the damage they cause to the trails. Unfortunately a majority of the ATV operators ignore the provincial regulations for
All-Terrain/Off Road Vehicle Use on Crown Land.
Got any stats to back that up Todd? I think the real facts are that a FEW ATV riders like many other yahoos in recreational sports, give us a bad rap

Statistically people who own atv's own over powered bass boats.
Opps, did I just pour some gas on a fire?

Post by **hook&shoot** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:44 am

Thank You MLR ..... I see my point is not lost here.

H&S

Post by **beachburger** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:08 am

I picked up a new ATV this winter as well (a Honda TRX420PG). I had no pressing reason to have one either except for the fact that I am about to turn 50 and I wanted one for many years now. I've had a lot of fun with the ATV this winter and I plan on buying the Renfrew County ATV trail pass this season.

I spend a lot of time with my fly rod in an Outcast float tube and initial tests have it fitting on the back rack fully inflated with front part of the pontoons sitting alongside me in the seat. I'm glad I can keep it inflated because because I don't really like always having to inflate/deflate the tube.

Of course, I am hoping the very kind TroutnMuskieHunter will send me that same PM....

HTH,
Doug

PS - I'll be using the ATV to my bass boat in and out of the garage.....

Post by **Steely1** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:41 pm

Hey Beach, I purchased mine (CanAm 650 2 up) at the beginning of November and got out on it about 10 times total including a few times ice fishing on Simcoe. It sures beats walking. I just joined the Kawartha ATV club mostly because I have a lot of friends with cottages up that way.
My daughter lives in Tweed so I will probably end up buying a pass for out that way as well. I cant wait to find some small lakes with decent sized spec's that are too difficult to reach walking in and therefore hopefully a lot less pressure on them.

p.s. Brad recommended an Outcast as well and I am going to start searching.

Post by **hook&shoot** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:49 pm

Steely1 and Beachberger

Post by **hook&shoot** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:54 pm

Steely1 and Beachberger,
The Ontario Gold Pass will work for both areas you are planning to ride in I think, as well as locally. It retails for $140 prior to HST roll out. Look it up on OFATV.org

Post by **S.M.05** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:47 pm

Steve dont forget we have to atv in for an appointment with a couple ladies this year.
Im thinking we'll bring the fly rods with us