fishn bear

I use one from stingray and its great. Its made my boat into a whole new boat. It help me the most in rough water. Made it ride so much smoother. It didnt slow the boat down at all. I think it if any thing may have gave me a little more speed just because in rougher water I can trim it a little higher and not get beat to death. If you are happy with your boat may not need one but if you are looking for some help getting out of the whole or in rough water its well worth a try I think. O yeah I running it on a 17' procraft with a 140 johnson. not all that light of a boat.

With gas price going up very day I have been fishing a lot more close to my house in my jon boat and not make the loner trips and running my bass boat. In my jon I am running a 12v trolling motor and only have room for 1 battery. Any suggestions on a battery that will hold up to an all day fishin trip. Im running a cheap walmart battey right now and it just want last all day.

I have an 8hp honda on a 14' jon boat that with two guys 180-200 lbs each it will plan but thats about it. But it will get me anywere I want to go. I would look for a 2 stroke for two reasons. One it will be a lot lighter and two it is easy to change the jets in the carb to make it a 15hp.

If they are using there boat in both salt and fresh water then they will use a hand operated motor because salt water does a number on the cables in a foot operated. I have always hard that Bill Dance uses a hand operated motor because when foot operated trolling motors first came out he had the cables in his break in a big tourney and he never used one again.

Thanks for the tips! I am look for a web site for the water level/flows. If I find one Ill post a link.

Those are some nice smallies!! I have been planning to take a trip up to the new for about 6 mouths now just waiting for the weather to warm up a little. Do you have any problems running a boat it a small outboard on that part of the new. I have read that parts of the river you can only fish from a canoe or raft. I have a 14' jon with a little 8hp on it I was thinking of fishing from.

Here in North Carolina gas in running about $3.10-$3.20 a gallon. Not quite as high but still to the point of starting to put a hurtn on how much and were I fish as well. Im not running a big bass boat by no means an old 17' procraft with a 140 johnson on her but still cant afford to fill her up and just run up and down the lake all weekend. When gas does get to $4 a gallon Im thinking I will have to park my bass boat and go back to my Jon boat to be able to afford to fish. > but that might not be a bad thing I have cought a lot more fish out of my old Jon than my bass boat anyway. I think we will start to see of the boat manufactors change the new models they come out with in the next few years to become smaller and something that can run well with much smaller motors.

Great job on the deck so far!! Its looking good. I am also working on the same project with a trolling motor mount on my jon boat. I have decided to make mine out of aluminum and rivet it to the boat. Although I am having a lot of help from a good friend on mine who is a fabricator for a nascar team so he really knows what he is doing. That always helps. ;D But im "he" is making it out of .125 gage aluminum bent and formed to the size needed. Ill post pics as soon as its done. Maybe that will give you some ideas. I have also seen them made out of 2x4s and just plywood boxes cut to fit. All will work I just like the look of the aluminum and the idea that once I get it right it want rot out on me.

I think there was a good post a while back about 2 vs 4 strokes. Might be worth looking for, but I also have a boat set up something like yours. I am running a 97 8hp honda and love it. Now I got it at a great deal so that help in my deciding to go with a four stroke. If you are looking for "speed" the two stroke will be the way to go because it will be a good bit lighter. I like my four stroke because its quiet and I dont have to worry with mixing gas and oil. Yes you can play with the carb on a 9.9 and make it a 15hp however if you get a new motor that may void the warranty, so I would ask before I did it. As far as the EPA and regs on 2 strokes I dont know I have hurd that as well but dont know if there is any truth to it or when that will take place.

First let me say that I think alumacraft makes a great jon boat. Although I do not own one myself. As for your size of boat that depends on your buget and what size motor you want to run. Get the biggest boat and motor you can afford as well as dont be cheap on the trailer. Im on my third jon boat now and have learned that if you plan to pull the boat much a good trailer makes a world of differance. I have had good luck with riveted boats but I do think in the long run a welded boat would be the way to go again if it fits your buget. Like jigman said a v-hull rides better and a flat bottom will fish better. I have had both and have now met in the middle and have a semi-V. I think that is the way to go. You can get the best of both worlds. But a semi-v will cost about 10% more than a flatbottom will. The size and weather you go welded or riveted will determine the price. I know here in my area you can get a new 1436 with a trailer for around $1250 plus tax,tag, and all that good stuff. However if you look around you can find some good deals on used jons. Here is a good website to look at prices and get ideas for how to set your up. http://www.akmccallumco.com/ they are in Fayettville, NC might be a ride from were you are but good place to get some ideas of whats out there and what it will cost.

Its a great day in my book anytime you can get them to come up and get a top water. You are right I think that is one of the biggest rushes in fishing is when you know you have found there feeding pattern and can catch un all day long on it.

I recently bought a new crappie style jon boat. Its a waco c-14 and makes a great little poor mans bass boat. The only complaint I have with the boat and its a very small one is that I can get the drain plug to complete seal. I have got it as tight as it will go and still be able to get it in the hole. Its not a major leak by know means. I will have about a 1/2 a coffee cup full of water in the boat after about 6 or 7 hours on the lake. Any tips on stopping this little leak. Thanks for the help....

WOW....you title says it all that is an Epic story with get pics to back it up. I love the worm in the pic that a true Hawg size biat

I bought my first by doing the same thing team_Dougherty did by putting money into an account were I couldnt spend it and putting away every penny I could and it didnt take long. My first boat was a 12' v-hull with an 8hp honda motor and trailer. I pulled it with a little ranger and took it anywere I wanted to fish. I fished some big water with that boat. Fished lake norman just out side of charlotte nc with no problem. Just have to watch the weather and other boaters. Like several have said make sure to no your budget and stay with in it. About 2 mouths ago I sold my little 12' v-hull and upgraded to a 14.5' crappie style jon boat. So far its a great boat and Im having as much fun adding little thing to it along as I am fishing out of it. Biggest thing is just know what you can afford and stay with in that. My dad once gave me some great advice about boats "a fish doesnt know the difference between a $50k ranger bass boat and a $200 jon boat"

WOW!!! Those are the days you dream about. Nice Fish any idea how long she was.