Been thinking of getting another boat to restore and turn into a cat boat, I'm kinda thinking of either a pontoon or center console, not looking for a big boat cause the lake I fish 99.9% of the time is my home lake which isn't big at all, I like the idea of a smaller pontoon (18 to 20ft) because of the room and space that comes with it but not sure if it will blow around like a leaf when the winds get over 15mph and how do they do in shallow water when I'm catching bait, a center console sounds good too but alot of the ones that I have seen doesn't have a way to put on a front trolling motor, not looking for new or fancy and I've found quite a few older models that's pretty cheap that would give me a nice project to work on (not looking for a piece of junk either), anyone got any pros and cons on a toon or center console for cat fishing, all opinions are appreciated. Not looking to buy right away just an idea that I've been thinking of lately.

The toons will go as shallow as you want to go normally. Put as much motor as you can on a toon also. My toon is better in rougher water than my 17 ft aluminum, but not near as good as a cc in winds over 20 mph.

This! In winds less than 20 mpg that toon will give ya a pleasant smooth dry ride. And for most of fishin or leisure the toon will win hands down IMHO. Very stable, lots of room & don't have to walk around a console right in the middle of the boat. Downside is unless you have access to a welder where you can make trailer mods that help loading that toon in the wind easier, the other boats are easier to get back on a trailer.

If funds are not a problem, I would pick the toon and get a slip at a marina. Best of everything then!

I love my pontoon, it's 20' so it's small enough to catfish out of but still has plenty of room. I've never fished out of a CC so I can't compare them. The wind is not too much of a problem until it gets on up there to 18 20 mph or above. It will move you around more than a smaller boat though, but for me it's a small price to pay for having the comfort and room.

So whats the downfalls of the pontoons in big winds ?

I'm a big guy. I don't care much for smaller center consoles. Alit of them, you have to turn sideways to comfortably get by the console. Now a 24'er, that's not an issue. For drifting, I like being able to quickly get from one end of the boat to another if I hook up. I'm boat less now, but if we get another, it will either be a pontoon or a big deep v single console. Like a walleye boat.

I have never fished in a CC, but I have had my toon for about three years a LOVE it.
Very few times the winds have made it unusable compared to the extra comfort and room it gives us I don't grudge those few times.
I have one Box and one Digger anchor that nails it good when needed.
I HATED loading in ANY amount of wind at first but I did these mods to my trailer without welding and now I load up first time ALMOST every time.
It has made loading up in any winds so far a piece of cake.
(My wife parked the trailer!)

On a newer toon there's really isn't a problem, but one as old and abused as mine is, five ft waves on Twok will make you wonder about the structural integrity!!!! Lol
The other downfall of a toon is on lakes like texoma and needing the fuel capacity and speed!!

I' haven't known many people to buy a pontoon for fishing and be glad they did years later and it seems every one of them ends up buying a second more agile boat.

If deck space is your priority them you can't beat a pontoon. If you want something that loads and unloads easily and is capable of doing it all on the water then get a center console.

I can say after running center consoles for a very long time they're the perfect catfish boat. I'd love to have a toon for big groups but wouldn't consider dragging one all over the place to fish. I've trailered a few and hated every second of it.

If you need to mount a trolling motor you can, where there's a will there's a way. Just build what you need to do it.

At the end of the day nobody can decide what kind of boat you need, you need to do that. Find a way to get on both and see what you think and then go from there.

Ive owned 3 different boat. Jon boat 21ft.majek red fish line and 18ft pontoon boat.if you plan on just lake fishing... pontoon all the way! Mines the fishing style with live well bimini top added a propane grill and have 5 rod holders on one side of the rails.handles good in in choppy water if the wind is 25mph id pick another day to fish to windy for any boat.mine has a 75hp mercury runs about 23mph fast enough if you know where the cats are... they will be there by the time u get there. U can drive ur pontoon on the bank if need be.i catch hundreds of cats. Shallow anchored and 20 to 35 ft drifting.

I have a Kenner 19vx cc. I can fish for any species from it and have fished bass tournaments with it as well as taking it to Port Aransas for bay and flats fishing. It's a personal preference.

One word..... FALCON!! Lol

I'm gonna throw this out there, Deck Boat, I draft in about 18" have a lot of room and most of the comforts of a pontoon, handles rough water really well, 220 hp inboard will push it 50 mph, so it's fast enough, it holds 52 gallons of fuel,has a easily removable Bimini top for summer time shade, trolling motor mounted easily , easy to anchor, front and rear swim platforms are great to throw a net from, and when the Family wants to go play, I can pull 2 skiers with eight people in the boat! " Just Saying". Mike hope this helps

Show off....LOL

+1 Love my little 19ft lowe