talk to me about jon boats

[BF]

Jon's are not very popular up here... regular v bow aluminum utility boats are the norm. The jon's look like they'd be stable to fish out of, but they look to me like they'd ride rough in any chop (more so than a V bow). Is this true? I've never riden in a jon boat... I have a few aluminum utility boats (16' utility and 12' cartoppers), and I'm thinkin' of getting another 12 or 14' aluminum... for this coming summer, for guests that come out to the lake... I can't bear to send anyone out in the 12' cartoppers I have... they're not fun to be in (too shallow/flimsy/tipsy).

power would be from one of my current OB's... 2, 6, or 15 hp omc's...

Are most 12' jon boats rated for a 15?

thanks for your $.02

 

[flashback]

Re: talk to me about jon boats

BF......jon,s are very popular down here in the small southern lakes and rivers.. they are very stable and as you said, do not handle chop.. or maybe they handle it but your ride will be wet...they are a great inexpensive fishing platform for lakes and rivers.

 

[JB]

Re: talk to me about jon boats

Jons offer more room than a V or semi-V, draw less water, have greater load capacity and plane with minimum HP.

On small, generally flat and protected water they are great fishing boats.

I wouldn't take one out on big water or choppy water.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: talk to me about jon boats

these partial V jon boats, serve double duty. order a brochure.
http://www.loweboats.com/fishboats/jon-boats/

 

[Texasmark]

Re: talk to me about jon boats

Johns to me:

As stated by others plus:

They beach nice and stable when driven up on a beach, like on a small river. Easy for folks to egress/ingress; easy to load your gear.

No such thing as "stealth" with a flat nosed/bottom john. In any kind of wave action you get water pounding against and up under the flat bow.

Lowe makes a series called (used to be) Lake John, which had much higher sides than the regular river john; very safe and stable. Definitely my preference.

I used to sit in the front seat/deck (the one that is all the way forward) and scull (using about a 3' paddle) with a cane pole or flyrod (for really dense brush) and minnows in the spring and go right along the bank in inches of water and pull (literally drag them out) Crappie out of the tree branches and brush along the bank....really great sport...even had a place to sit my beer 8) . The locals would cut willows trunks partially so that the tree would fall into the water but left some bark so that it would continue to grow.....Crappie loved it.

Many fond memories of John fishing and duck hunting trips.

Good luck,

Mark