jon boats

[pike slayer]

For a while now ive been using an older 12foot aluimum and its getting pretty beat and i keep having to replace old rivets and it just looks like crap. i was thinking of hooking it up to the sled and dumping it at a secret lake for the summer. That now leaves me boatless and i would like to buy a new boat. i was thinking of buying a jon boat. i think they are are great like boat with a flat bottom great for standing and casting and hauling gear and what not. the only down fall that i've heard is that jon boats arent good when the lake gets rough. i always fish inlake lakes which arent that big and i dont fish in bad weather but have hammered it back to shore cause bad weather. are they really that bad? like im never gonna be on superior with it or anything. the price seems right for them and theres lots of different styles. another thing i found is most cant handle a decent motor. i plan to put my 9.9 evinrude on it, so i'll probably get either a 12or14 foot one. i got one stashed up at a speck lake and its 8foot and it cant handle a 3hp hahaha. you think the jon boat is the better boat or just stick with the traditional? anything i should be aware before buying? whats the best one out there? anyone know of any deals? thanks guys

[danbo]

Deep-V is more versatile. If solo the smaller one is OK, but bigger is usually better for 2.

 

Ask around at marinas & take your time. Haggle the final price too..

Edited December 9, 2008 by danbo

[walleyejigger]

i bought a 10' jon boat a few years back and love it, wish i had bought it earlier, its super light, (under 100lbs) takes very little water to float(a few inches), carries a good load, ( we put a good size bull moose in it and my bro and i, we had to sit on the moose though there was no room), takes a good size motor we started with a 2hp honda, then a 8hp mariner, and now a 15hp evinrude on it, you just have to be careful on turns at that speed as the boat doesn't lean but turns "square", great for putting on top of a quad, easy to do 1 person,

 

anyway like i said you wont regret it, of all the boats i have it's one of my favorites, but like every boat learn it's limitations and be extremely cautious, i wouldn/t be in rough waters in that boat, but have been in decent white caps and it handles nicely

[The Urban Fisherman]

I picked up a 15 foot G3 this summer and it handled 2.5 footers on Long Point Bay like a dream! I've had it out on the bay 3 times, twice it was in harsh conditions and I felt as safe as I had in any similar sized deep-v. The 20hp pushed us along @ 20+ MPH into the wind smashing through the waves with 3 adults on board.

 

 

 

I'm not saying to go ahead and get a jon boat for use in rough water, but the point is if you're safe about it, as you should be in any boat - I'd certainly endorse the purchase of a jon boat. I LOVE mine.

 

Cheers,

UF

[danbo]

http://www.boatdealers.ca/boats/details.aspx?BoatID=37513

[tomO]

I've got a 16.5 ft jon boat with a 25 merc. on it. Been pullin it around for 35 years. I've been caught in some rough weather in it. You just have to use your head and go slow and steady in those situations or beach it for a bit. I use my brothers 17 ft targa on occasion which is a nice boat but to tell you the truth I like fishin outa my old beater better.

[pike slayer]

yup definitly think i'll get a jon boat! they seem to be well priced for what you get! thanks guys

[chris.brock]

I bought a 12 foot tracker from BPS and use an 8hp 2 stroke tiller, I like it, it's light, fits in the truck, but it does ride terribly, it's the worst when trying to ride on plane with just 4 or 6 inches of chop on the water, everything (including the driver) bounces around pretty good

[pikehunter]

I was faced with the same decision. I bought a 16' regular pointed bow Lowe Sea Nymph.

Reasons: Versatile, higher weight capacity for same size boat, and I didn't want to be cooking in a dark green frying pan on a 90 degree hot sunny summer day...it's bad enough in an aluminum boat with a light tan coloured interior. But the weight capacity and versatility was more of the deciding factors for me anyhow.

 

I would stay away from one with the flat bow and opt for a modified Jon like Urbanfisherman's if I were to buy a Jonboat.

[profisher25]

Jon boats are the way to go if you want a small versatile tin boat. I am personally a big fan of these boats, and ive been saving up for one for the past year now. Gunna hopefully buy one soon

[MCTFisher9120]

A friend of mine own's a 12' jon boat and he loves it.