# fishing frame for Super Duper Puma question



## skico (Sep 3, 2014)

I'm putting together a fishing frame for my Aire SDP and wonder for those who fish from a puma how it fishes without front and rear floor stands. I've fished it from sitting on a front cooler which did good for nymphing and dry but would want to stand throwing streamers. will just adding thigh braces with front and rear swivel seats be stable enough to stand and lean on the brace for casting?


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

Several friends guide out of super puma's, raised front seat, rear trailer seat/anchor system and without NRS's stupid floors. Most folks I know with the hard floors leave them in the garage, regardless of boat manufacturer.

I've had several fishing frame rigs on my boats over the years and I love a raised front seat. I've always set it up so that my feet rest on the tubes when I'm sitting on the seat, you can walk/spin faster than when standing. They work great for dries, streamers, what ever... try it you'll like it. Nice thing is it's the simplest/cheapest to do. 

The whole puma series are very popular fishing boats up here, next to otters they're easily the most numerous and virtually all have the basic NRS fishing frame (no braces, no floors...just seats)


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## LongmontRafter (Jun 12, 2008)

I don't have an NRS Frame but have a similar sized boat...I have used a homemade beaver-tail style floor to cast from a couple times. I haven't used it lately just cuz it doesn't add that much functionality...I mainly lean into the casting brace rather than completely stand on the floor when casting.

The one thing I wish I had invested in is the stripping basket...maybe for christmas...


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

Beware of studded wading boots if you skip the floors- just get some carpet scraps from the dumpster at a carpet store. Works great

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## dafewillis (Jun 21, 2014)

As I understand it, from reading other threads on here, and from personal experience, a hypalon boat floor is pretty mushy and unstable, while a PVC boat's floor is a good deal more stable. Not sure why that is, perhaps the folks on here with better knowledge of materials and construction can chime in. Regardless, our boat is hypalon and I only floated without floors once because it was so wobbly. Meanwhile, we did the lower Blue in my buddy's PVC boat in June with no floors and it was as stable as could be. 

Now, as to what an Aire SDP is, I don't know. But I would say if you find out it's hypalon, buy the platforms or rig something yourself. Good luck, yo!

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## fourtyfloater (Aug 26, 2011)

I have a 13 ft SB PVC raft with front and rear lean bars. In my humble opinion and simple mind fishing from a NRS platform is far superior than from the raft floor. One, you are higher thus a better angler to cast over the oarsman when you are in the rear. Two, better line of sight to see water/fish/etc. Three, more stable than just a lean bar alone. I also find that the platforms make it easier to get around on the raft and most importantly, decrease the complaining from my wife and kids when we are just out floating about their feet being wet and cold during the early June and mid October trips. That alone is worth the price of admission. Downside is cost, weight and rear platform coving floor valve. Working on the last one. Just my 2 cents but can see that Elkhaven has good experiences without thus saving money and keeping it simple.


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## jimr (Sep 8, 2007)

Thigh braces are all you need especially in Aire boats... Also not even sure if you can fit platforms in the Aire SDP?

"Traveling light is the only way to fly"


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## 2kanzam (Aug 1, 2012)

I'm typically fishing out of my 14ft NRS Revo or my buddy's Aire 130D. The floors in either are stiff enough to facilitate just casting while leaning a little on the tube (read: no beaver boards, no braces).

I'm a fan of the keeping it simple and light. All those extra bars and straps just seem to clutter a boat and give my flyline more things to catch on. Although a stripping basket could alleve some of those issues.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

skico,
Just like 2kanzam said too much clutter and you just start tangling.

I attached a pic of my rig to better illustrate how it's put together. Unfortunately I don't have pics of it in use showing how the fishermen sit but you should get the idea. The key is not using them as lounge chairs, you should be sitting up, bracing off your legs, then it's quick spins to hit holes, switch sides, etc. You torso is still free to move so you retain casting power but your not balancing as your casting, your attached at three solid points. When you stand up on the floor, the seat is right at butt height so it's easy in easy out - super flexible. I've owned and rowed rafts and driftboats for a long time and I've tried just about every rigging style imaginable and the simple raised seat trumps them all (I know I'm belaboring this point).

View attachment 9033


What I didn't mention earlier is that this boat does have a deck in the back. I built a different style trailer frame that runs down off the rear tube to longitudinally just over the inflatable floor and has a plywood deck that covers the whole rear bay. It's awesome... super stable for getting in and out. I can stand and fish but I really built it for my 72 y/o father to make it easier for him to get in and out and to fish. I don't really want him standing back there (his reflexes are pretty slow) so I haven't put in a casting brace but I plan on working one up this winter to give a shot for my buddies. I think it will be perfect for high volume casting.

edit to note that obviously I don't head my own advice on clutter...


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## skico (Sep 3, 2014)

Thanks for the input all. this is my first raft as I have a clacka skiff that I guide out of on the north platte river around casper. My skiff is way too low profile to run pump house area and can't take a hard boat down the Ark. I'm also looking for people who can row/fish on the Colorado, roaring fork and Ark. having someone row slow moving water on the Platte is very different than teaching someone on pump house. I end up doing most of the rowing and less fishing.


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## Whoapiglet (Aug 23, 2010)

I like the hard floors and built mine from skid guard blanks I bought from NRS. I cut around the valves and fit the floors tight to the raft (1" clearance all the way around) The biggest benefit is the height -makes a huge difference not only for casting distance and ease of clearing the oarsman, but for seeing the bottom structure and spotting fish. You can definitely get by without, but man they are nice.

I had a similar setup on a tributary 14 which is very similar to a sdp. While an aire floor is stable enough to stand on, I like the height the floor adds.


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

I row the rivers you're looking at- I have a 14' Solar cat rigged for flyfishing. It's tough to find somebody to share the oars. Let me know if you want to share the boat sometime. I'd like to learn the N Platte

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## climber-420 (Jan 10, 2014)

SkiCO - PM Sent. Ditto what Osseous said.


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

I've got a Super Puma with a DRE frame on it, the Gunnison Frame I think? Does not have a drop floor on the front seat and just has the bench w/o the regular seat. Most people complain about the mushy front floor and I'm thinking about building my own drop floor. I think it would definitely help for the stability.
http://downriverequip.com/media/cat...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/G/u/Gunnison_25.jpg
But for chucking streamers, the bench is AWESOME. You stand on it like a flats boat and you get great perspective on being able to see the streamer in the water and strikes that occur.

I fish/row all of those rivers. Always looking for more row buddies. Hit me up!


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## skico (Sep 3, 2014)

I didn't even think about a bench for standing on, that's a good idea for streamers on flat sections. All I need is my buddy to cut the side rails and it will be good for a rower and front angler setup for now. I'll work on the back of the boat this winter. I'm not going with a platform yet and see out it does.


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## chiapet74 (Apr 13, 2014)

Get as much crap off the outside of the boat as possible, lines and flies will tangle/hook into anything and everything. 

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## Sembob (Feb 27, 2014)

My buddy has that DRE frame with the big stripping basket and it is sweet for managing your line. Way less snags and hang ups. I have a much smaller DRE basket on one of my set ups and I like it too. Chiapet is right but the basket makes a big difference. I know a lot of guys that like Elkhaven's setup or something similar better. These seem to be the ones that are better casters and just prefer to stay seated. In that case all the thigh bars and stuff are in the way. I personally like to stand and I prefer a raised floor. All my floors fill the bays they are in entirely. On my Spider I have a 3/4 thigh bar with the DRE basket and on my expedition I have the NRS thigh hook. I like the hook better but will be adding a stripping basket this winter. It is always a matter of preference but an absolute consideration is your river access. All those bells and whistles get heavy and may not be worth it if you have to carry your boat at all. I also get to fish from friends boats and it seems like they all work great once I adapt to their set up. 


Jim


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