South Florida Jon boat?

[Wurming67]

I got a 10ft Jon boat with a 55lb trolling motor and optima gel battery wanted to know if it would be safe to take it out to places like holiday park, Sawgrass recreation, US 27 or Loxachee? My buddy and I been just using it fishing neighborhood canals with it.He thinks the big boatd are gonna tip us over lol!!! Thanks guys!!! 

[frogflogger]

you'll be fine out in the glades - fished out of jon boat all over down there - I would take an extra battery - just in case

[Jm526]

Should be fine. When driving bass a jon boat I always slow down, it's ok when they go fast, they don't make big of wake. It's the worst when they fast idle when the bow is facing the sky. 

I agree with frogogger to take an extra battery. Also down the road you might want to add a gas motor to increase range. 

Good luck

Should be fine. When driving bass a jon boat I always slow down, it's ok when they go fast, they don't make big of wake. It's the worst when they fast idle when the bow is facing the sky. 

I agree with frogogger to take an extra battery. Also down the road you might want to add a gas motor to increase range. 

Good luck

[BassinLou]

Sound advice provided so far. Wurming67, with a 10ft jon boat you will be fine on Lox, the alley, 27, etc. Your only limitation that I see is covering long distances. But you can cover a fair amount of water with a TM. The extra battery is the best  and safest advice. Enjoy!! 

[geo g]

Go out in the flats, you'll be out there alone.  Good luck!

[Wurming67]

Thanks guys for all the feed back my partner is a little skittish about going out there with such a small boat but I told him guys aren't gonna blow by us and we got a 55lb trolling motor and big Ole optima gel battery, if we go in flats do we need to put a flag on Jon boat with a pole or is that just for Jon boat rentals?? Thanks again guys happy holidays!!! 

[GLADES]

You will need a flag, and if you don't have an extra battery, bring your oars.

Grinding up weeds with your TM will drain the battery quicker.

 

[BassinLou]

12 hours ago, Wurming67 said:

Thanks guys for all the feed back my partner is a little skittish about going out there with such a small boat but I told him guys aren't gonna blow by us and we got a 55lb trolling motor and big Ole optima gel battery, if we go in flats do we need to put a flag on Jon boat with a pole or is that just for Jon boat rentals?? Thanks again guys happy holidays!!! 

If you go into the flats you need a flag. Get an idea on how much water you need to cover to reach the flat entrances you intend to go to. GOOGLE Earth will be a big help. Click on the ruler icon and measure the distance you will need to cover. You can measure it in miles. Exercise extreme caution out there. Using a TM for your main form of propulsion plus asking it to manuver in weeds and grass can really run the battery down. Especially in a 12 volt setup. 

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Majority of the bigger boats don't slow down out there when passing other boats. Especially during tournaments. Personally, for the most part I only slow for Jon boats. I've heard rumors/stories of them being tipped over by the wake of another boat..

[BassinLou]

2 minutes ago, Gotfishyfingers? said:

Majority of the bigger boats don't slow down out there when passing other boats. Especially during tournaments. Personally, for the most part I only slow for Jon boats. I've heard rumors/stories of them being tipped over by the wake of another boat..

Gotfishyfingers, the responsible boaters will slow down for a Jon boat if they see them. But you know how other boaters can be. They will fly right by without any care in the world. 

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Ya, I wouldn't be venturing into the flats with a single 12 volt battery either.

[J Francho]

I would rather a bass boat stay on plane, when they pass and I'm in a kayak, or other small craft.  There's less of a wake, than when they're plowing water.

[Wurming67]

We're going to give it a shot thanks guys for all the input I will post the results lol so if u don't hear back from. Me that means it didn't go good lol!!! 

[BassinLou]

2 hours ago, Wurming67 said:

We're going to give it a shot thanks guys for all the input I will post the results lol so if u don't hear back from. Me that means it didn't go good lol!!! 

 

Best of luck to you both. Be safe. Double and triple check everything, and let someone know more or less what area you will be going to.  Take a spare TM prop and TM battery. 

[SFL BassHunter]

I agree with J Franco. Them bigger bass boats create more wake I think when they slow down, unless they are completely idling. Lost a rod a reel due massive wake of one of them and my inexperience with a tiller motor. 

[BassinLou]

On 12/19/2016 at 5:22 PM, Wurming67 said:

We're going to give it a shot thanks guys for all the input I will post the results lol so if u don't hear back from. Me that means it didn't go good lol!!! 

 

Wurming67, did you guys manage to go out? How was it ? 

[Wurming67]

Going next weekend 

[BassinLou]

43 minutes ago, Wurming67 said:

Going next weekend 

Oh.. looking forward to your report and experience out there. Good luck. 

[frogflogger]

My buddy caught a 10lber in Pelican cove on Okeechobee out of his jon boat