My Pirogue doesn't tow well at all.rnI have a 16' boat and a 15' Pirogue and put 3 people 10 doz decoys,5 mojo's and the Yeti its a tight squeeze.once I get to the limited access area out goes the Pirogue and decoys and start push polling.

I don't like a flat bottom .. I have one and hate it , it seems like it forms a suction on the bottom and to me they would be better for open water , not muddy swamp . Round bottoms work much better for me . But If you have two people and two push poles , you should be able to push through just plain mud .

If your eye on the front of your pirogue where you tie your rope is on or near the top , it will sway back and forth bad while being pulled . If its low it'll pull pretty good . If you have a long ways to go and pulling it isnt working out , just put it crossways across your boat .

So flat bottom doesnt mean it can get through shallower water? I just assumed because of the surface area it would dispurse more water and be able to get shallower.... but maybe im wrong i have no idea.

A round bottom to me , gets you through low water and weeds and mud better . The flat bottom is more stable and better suited for deeper water . Just my opinion ... But you can still get in shallow places with the flat , it's just easier for me with the round bottom .

Hey dare Gunslinger! You wouldnt be usin dat dare pirogue to git into ma honey hole wuld U??? Cause i dont care wut kind u is lookin fer...ima gona sling sum steel at it i ketch u sniffin round ma hot spot!!! Now git on outta here! Go on....scoot like a scaup afore i start slingin!

When the water goes out and the going gets tough, paddles are better than push poles, especially with two guys in one piro. If you have wooden paddles you might as well go break them in two right now and get it over with....if you are in mud you are gonna buy metal paddles eventually...do it now rather than later. And even if you are on a mudflat LADWF requires a life jacket for each person.

no doubt the round bottom is better; however, it is less stable and takes some time to master.

I have been push-poling pirogues for over 30 yrs and you cannot beat Chapman. Water? Who needs water? I push pole a Chapman's 16 foot guide pirogue with 2 200lb guys, 1 80lb dog, guns, shell buckets and decoy bag with about 35 dekes over straight mud. Is it easy? NO, but it can be down as I have done so numerous times. Chapman is the way to go in my book.

Yeh I am actually on the Chapman site as i read this post from you im gonna get the cottonmouth this weekend. Thanks for the advice you just gave me the kicker to go ahead and get it.

You will not be dissappointed. However, I would spend the extra money and get the large guide pirogue. It only weighs 72lbs and is the best pirogue I have ever owned. I have a friend that just bought two more, now he has three of them.

I spoke to the guy at chapmans and they said they were out at the moment but he told me to call bowies here on perkins in baton rouge. They have a few in stock so ima run there and check em out in the next few days. Once again thx for the advice guys really appreciate that!!!

I spoke to the guy at chapmans and they said they were out at the moment but he told me to call bowies here on perkins in baton rouge. They have a few in stock so ima run there and check em out in the next few days. Once again thx for the advice guys really appreciate that!!!

Duvics in westwego has the ron chapman pirogues...they may have some in stock..thats where i bought mine from

If the bottoms soft, 1 inch. If your on sand bottom 3 inches. Chapman is my preference, although if a representative of Paw Paw's would like to donate me one for sponsorship I would have one of those. I have towed pirogues before. You have to experiment with how log the tow rope needs to be. Unless you buy a kayak or find a very old dug out( a whole log dug out into a boat) you will not find a round bottom pirogue. My choice of push pole is one made from a broken pole vault pole (dang how did I break that?) with a wooden fork. Wood push pole will work fine for your pirogue.

The talk of pirogues not towing well all depends on the type you have. In order to tow well behind a boat, the bow of the pirogue needs to be out of the water. Years ago, we would tow as many as 4 pirogues behind our skiff tied end to end from the top of the bow. As we got to each persons spot, they would pull in the pirogue closest to the boat and take off to there spot (and so on till all 4 hunters were on their way). Just like when you are paddling a pirogue, if there is a rake in the pirogue (like a Paw-Paw's) and the bow is out the water, the pirogue will go where you want it to go. If the bottom of the pirogue is flat from end to end and the bow is in the water, the pirogue goes where it wants to go and needs to push against the water in order to turn. This is what makes a pirogue zig-zag behind a boat when being towed. As far as paddles or push poles, we use long 6 ft paddles that can be used as a push pole if needed but also allow you to only paddle on one side of the pirogue and use the paddle as a rudder to steer and keep the pirogue straight. Hope this information helps when heading out this weekend. Good luck to all and stay safe.

make sure you have a loop tied to eye of pirogue. Tie tow rope to that loop with a large eye so you have a loop that will slip in the loop. At the rear of the towed craft tie one foot rope and attach 3 or 4 feet of rather large 3/8 ' diameter chain. Always worked for me. Chain wont hang up easily.

steelslinger, there are different types of pirogues. Theres that flat straight fiberglass one that I find plows through the water. I had one but got rid of it. I made on this year with a lot of rake very similar to the pawpaws pirogue. The front of mine rides about 3in or more out the water. Ive pushed it through 2-3 of water with no problem. Which ever you choose, is up to you. but I would suggest one with plenty of rake. Go online and watch the video of Paw Paws pirogues and also a vid. with Duck Commander in these pirogues.

I have a chapmans and a paw paws. The rake on the Paw Paws is outstanding.