Jon boat or canoe?

[ArcticCat500]

this debate can go on and on with no real conclusion, there are just way to many parameters to factor in for an answer in which equals right or wrong, better or best. If you like the idea of a canoe then get one, or a jb for that matter. To each his own.

[bigfruits]

if you get a canoe, i strongly advise against a 12 footer. go 16 or 17.

it really depends where you fish as to what you should choose. if you fish shallow rivers or back waters a canoe is better.

if you cover alot of open water where it can be very windy, go for the jon boat.

i got my canoe used for 300 bucks and ive had it for over 5 yrs. you can also buy a used jon boat for very cheap. my suggestion, get both!

dont let the fear of tipping stop you from buying a canoe. get one with a flat bottom. the only time i flipped mine out of countless trips was on class II rapids (waves come over the edge and flood the canoe) and when i stood up to take a leak (about 8 beers into the float)

to make your decision harder, look up native watercraft's ultimate 16 ft "hybrid" kayak/canoe. 2 person or 1 person (removeable seats), super stable. you can stand and fish on it.

[LunkerLust]

I own both, here's some + & - for each. The canoe is very light, I can put it on top of my car which gets much better gas mileage than my truck. There are lakes locally that don't have ramps or don't allow motors, +canoe. A few lakes are very weedy, I get through them better with the canoe.

If you like to fish for more than 4 hours at a time, it's nice to be able to stand up once in awhile +jonny. If you fish where there is water sking and jet skis jonny is the better choice. A friend and I amost got swamped by water skiers in the canoe. I saw a huge wave coming and turned into it before we lost everything. Some types of fishing are better suited to standing up, flipping etc, unless you get a really wide canoe or attach outriggers, ++ jonny.

Most of my favorite lakes are an hour + drive and don't allow motors, so I use the canoe a lot more often.

Hope this helps!

[DADto4]

I would suggest a jon boat as well. Canoes can be a little unstable. I recently went over.

x2 I also went over,only we lost the battery for T.M. My buddy was,,,, how do you say.......P'D OFF!

CANOES=UNSTABLE AT ANY LENGTH OR WIDTH.

[ArcticCat500]

I would suggest a jon boat as well. Canoes can be a little unstable. I recently went over.

x2 I also went over,only we lost the battery for T.M. My buddy was,,,, how do you say.......P'D OFF!

CANOES=UNSTABLE AT ANY LENGTH OR WIDTH.

Im sorry...this statement is absolutly false....let me see you white water a jb...

[DADto4]

I respect your opinion ArcticCat500 after all it is yours and that is what this forum is about,,,opinions!.With that said I stand behind mine. 8-)

[bigfruits]

what did you guys do that made you go over? like i mentioned earlier, out of over 200 trips ive flipped twice and that was because i was doing something i shouldnt be doing. ive stood on my canoe to fish many times (not recommended).

with flat hull canoe that is at least 15' long you dont just tip for no reason.

if they were so unstable, i dont think people would be using them in the winter, several days away from civilization, in Minnesota's boundary waters canoe area.

[DADto4]

Long story,

The short version is too much beer,too young,and way too anxious on the hook set!

Yes it was an act of stupidity on our part , and now that I am 12 years or so older I would probably fair well with a canoe.My way of thinking is if you can buy a canoe brand new for close to the same $ as a new or newer jon boat, with all a jb has to offer why not do it.Chances are you will out grow whatever you buy.

P.S. By the way it was a 14' alum. bought from a nearby church hauled around by means of a chevy luv truck.But boy did we have fun that summer!

[avid]

If I recall correctly those square stern canoes are pretty heavy.  a riveted aluminum jon would be more stable unless you go with a gheenoe.

[kayl.]

You could always buy a canoe and build some outriggers for stability, I've seen this done and it looked pretty nice and stable.  They came off for easy transport too!

[kikstand454]

you can easily stand up and fish in a wide bottom'd 15ft canoe in protected waters or rivers.

easy. done it a million times on wakulla river here.

just have to sit down whenn  someone goes by in a boat.

...... annd try not to hit anything unnderwater.... ie... logs, stumps...manatees,alligators...

[BirdNestBen]

check out the Alumnacraft jon boat at Academy....... they are a little pricey but well worth the money and easy to put a seat in.....

I'm clumsy and canoes are way too tippy-------- especially in windy conditions......  plus this boat will hold 3 people.......