10ft Jon Boat - Ability to Cast/Work Presentations While Standing?

[Brad Reid]

Well, that video of Cornell I mentioned and that was posted above shows how stable and effective they can be.

 

If truck bed width is an issue, that, or wanting to launch away from ramps, to carry a vessel some distance through the woods or something to the water's edge, I'd go with a Meyers Sportspal S-13. It weighs 57 lbs. and it can be tossed over a shoulder and a small athletic woman can walk with one for some distance, no issues. And, you can use either a TM or a small outboard as it has a square stern. Mine pictured below is the S-15, same width but longer.

 

I often paddle mine over a mile on a large lake, then back, just sitting down to re-tie or eat lunch, etc. Two large men can stand in them and fish at the same time. Wide enough to drop a bladed leg aluminum lawn chair for super comfort, carry twice the weight of most kayaks. What a wonderful vessel!

 

Brad

 

 

[TOXIC]

I put my Bass Hunter on a small utility trailer from Tractor Supply.  I also unloaded everything from the boat when trailering and here's why....When you have a battery sitting on the floor of a pvc boat and you go bouncing down the road, it will crack the floor over time.  Don't ask me how I know.  I also launched and used my boat when the lakes were semi frozen so i had to drag it over ice and even break skim ice with it on occasion.  I ended up putting a couple layers of fiberglass on the rub areas after I noticed they were cracking and leaking water into the pontoons.  You could be preemptive and put some Gator Patch on the pontoons.  Go look on the Gator Guards website for the patches.  They were designed for patching yaks and would work well.  I also added a drain plug to one of the pontoons due to water intrusion that happened from my cracked pontoons and because water gets in between the top cap and hull.  I would unload the boat, put it on it's side with the drain on the bottom and then tip it up on its tail to drain the water out.  It did have a drain in the floorboard of the the rear of the boat, but that didn't help with the pontoons.  I was extremely rough on that little boat taking it through ice, gravel and even rapids in some cases bouncing it off rocks.  If you unload it completely, there would be no problem loading it in the bed of a truck even if it was uneven and rested on top of one of the fender wells.  

[wasabi_VA]

Yes, I'm expecting more bouncing and jouncing of the boat and contents when I switch from truck bed to this little trailer with those stiff leaf springs. I don't want to over-engineer things but might revisit how my battery is secured in the boat. Currently it has a 2" strap built in. Maybe I'll but something underneath like a larger foot of plywood or maybe even build a milk crate box to help spread out the battery weight. I've got several positives and negatives involved with moving to a trailer solution.....I'll make it all work somehow. And if not I bet that trailer will sell in a heartbeat on Craigslist!

[TOXIC]

I sold the boat and the buyer loaded it up in the bed of his truck.  I still have the utility trailer collecting dust under my deck.  Needs new tires and lights and probably a few other things.  

[Dr. Big Dog]

On 1/3/2019 at 10:31 AM, TotalNoob said:

Thanks for the responses guys I'm starting to see this in a new light ... greater width for greater stability - seems like the consensus is there's a substantial difference in stability between 36" and 48" - I've been looking at the specs of something like a Pond Prowler.

 

 

 

 

Can I get some quick clarification from those who basically said that they are able to stand but either learned or preferred how to present to the fish from a sitting position?

 

What presentations are you referring to? 

 

Fishing from shore the last couple years (this last year pretty hardcore) I can't even begin to imagine any kind of presentation from a sitting position inside a small, deckless craft ... am I missing something? 

 

Jerkbaiting comes to mind as a good example ... can anyone say they effectively worked a jerkbait from a sitting position? 

 

My primary use for this will be in the early Spring to mid-Spring (water temps ranging low 40s to around 50° - hence jerkbaiting) around the inlet and first small creek channel of the reservoir.

 

The shoreline in this area is a joke - that is, you can cover maybe 5% of the water in this area via shore. It isn't a lot of water overall (a pond's worth), but the structure of this canyon reservoir makes covering that water from shore extremely difficult if not impossible. Hence why I'm seeking a portable, stable, standing-while-casting vessel that can be unloaded on the spot from my 6ft bed truck. 

 

Yea - It's not ideal at all. I hope to be able to find something used in great condition while I'm educating myself on watercraft in the interim. Part of my motivation here for the smaller craft is that I already own about $600.00 worth of everything necessary to put onto a smaller, portable craft (trolling motor, battery, small fish finder, oars, PFD, etc - all brand new). I'm just lacking the vessel itself. 

 

Out of curiosity, is this FB marketplace you're referencing a local thing or...? I check CL on the reg and I'm going to start checking the local paper as well. I'm wondering if the good-old newspaper doesn't get overlooked sometimes given the prevalence of CL. 

There are tons of kayak bass fisherman who fish every lure known to man while sitting just above the water. It may require some adjustments, but it is most certainly doable.

[Cranks4fun]

I still use a 12 ft Alumacraft on small bodies of water. Heck! I have used it many times on Grand Lake (Bassmaster Classic was held there twice). When there are two of us in it, the rule is that only one can stand at a time (the other seated guy is bio-ballast ). You should always have one leg pressed hard against the bench (I also have custom-framed seats in mine). Have your rapid seating technique down for wakes and windy waters. If it is real bad (15 plus mph wind), I would not be out on OPEN BIG water in a little jon. Another big caution: be careful swinging those treble hooks around with two guys in the boat. I rammed a Shad rap into my buddy's head one day while in a canoe. It was painful for him and embarrassing for me. We plan and discuss our casting direction in small boats now. 

[waymont]

I had all the same gear you have when I was switching from a canoe to a boat. I went with a porta bote brand folding boat. It’s 10’ and super stable.

73lbs and two people can stand and fish with no wobble. Look them up, a great option.

[Fishing Rhino]

On ‎1‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 5:06 AM, Catt said:

With small boats bottom width is the key to stability!

 

Your 10' Jon has a 36" bottom width, most "plastic" boats have a 48"+ bottom width.

 

Can it be done comfortably?

 

Absolutely!

 

I fished/hunted out of pirogues (24" bottom) for years!

And I thought pirogues were a Polish dumpling.

 

?

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Fishing Rhino said:

And I thought pirogues were a Polish dumpling.

 

?

 

I know what's for supper ?

 

My mother-n-law was Polish & made the best pierogies!

[Woody69]

10 ft. Marlin Jon boats are made extra wide at 55"

[Danika 327]

Do you think a 10 foot jon boat could have a front deck and have one adult and a teenager with light gear and no motor? The reason i ask is because he really wants a deck to fish from and i need some storage area so i thought it would work well, all together with me and him with light gear is 375 pounds. Do you think it could handle the extra 20 pounds in wood?  Let me know what you guys think i will only be fishing a small pond.