# jon boat conversions



## faw67 (Jan 13, 2008)

Im workin on that project right now, dont need a poling platform here in va where im at, mostly river fishing, some parts brackish, but always fast flowing one way or another
FAW


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## santander (Jan 18, 2008)

Here is my little jon boat that is under construction. Under the deck is a airated baitwell and storage. Since this picture i have carpeted the false floor, deck, and seat so it looks a lot better. I also added a 9.9 johnson, fish finder, and mounted the trolling motor on the front. The boat floats is a couple inches with the motor up and is pretty stable. Not bad considering i bought the boat and trailer for $250. I painted it blue when i first got it because i wasn't a fan of the army green color.









she wont win any beauty contests but she will catch fish. this pic is the my first trip in the boat


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Thats a great fish for any trip let alone the 1st one!


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## chef (Dec 27, 2007)

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=164437
here is a link to mine , cant figure out how to put a picture on this forum, :-/ mine is the boat at the end of the of the list


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## santander (Jan 18, 2008)

Just curious on what other people think about using jon boats to fish the flats and inshore waters. Would a jon boat rigged properly be considered a microskiff? why, why not? Seem like they have all of the requirements except their made of aluminum and have the hydrodynamics of a fridge I realize they aren't high dollar boats but if properly rigged seems like you would catch the same amount of fish. I live in north florida where sunken oyster bars are the norm, and i cringe at the thought of taking a fiberglass boat deep in the oyster labrinthys. I would, once i can afford it; get a proper micro but for know i'm stuck floating in a converted beer can. Any responses positive or negative appreciated.
thanks


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## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

Jon boats don't seem as seaworthy as a "skiff" although I have seen a few in waters that I wouldn't take mine into but that is just me. I use mine mainly for shallow fresh water where there is less chance of a 36' Bertram buzzing you.


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## santander (Jan 18, 2008)

good point i didn't think about the big boats coming by. I had some scary experiances in a canoe on the ICW when big boats went by and instead of my canoe going over the wake it went straight through it, felt like i was going on a submarine mission. Now if i;m in the canoe i try to surf the wake towards shore.


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## Ron_W. (Dec 14, 2006)

I think the durability of aluminium is it's best feature especialy in the rocky or oyster lined creeks. As you head south to the wide shallow grass flats and crystal clear water the stealth of an extremely quiet dedicated flats skiff makes a big difference when chaseing heavily pressured spooky fish. There's nothing saying you can't get out and wade on firm bottom once you get to the fish reguardless of the boat that got you there. I could not get comfortable with the idea of beating and banging a high dollar skiff through rocks and oysters. Aluminium still dominates in many areas where the going gets rough.


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## chef (Dec 27, 2007)

mine is 16ft and 5 ft wide, very stable with the casting decks, and not to noisy with the carpeting, in which i hear carpeting in a boat is a no no in saltwater, but crossing the IWC i would deffinently look both ways


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## santander (Jan 18, 2008)

I added carpet because the wood with fiberglass on top was very slick to walk on especially with bare feet. It really help to insulate the sound on the boat. I know it looks a little more bass boatish but the pro's outway the con's. If i deciede to convert my square back canoe into a little skiff like snookers i will have to learn how to work with wood and glass a little better. Does adding some sand or silica to the final coat of glass add to the traction or would it rub my feet to the bone.


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## faw67 (Jan 13, 2008)

Mine is a 14 ft monark mid to late 60's and very wide and flat bottomed, it has a new 25 yammy 2stroke on it and will do 28 mph with me and 24-25 with 2 people in it, a 20 mile day bukkin the tide and the wind used 2.5 or less gallons of gas . I considered several possibilities before I bought this hull a couple years ago,at the time most of my fishin was in the swamps and such and a aluminum boat lends itself to beating into things more than a pretty glass one, I got a pretty bowrider with a smallblock for ridin around in and hanging out, but for fishin in rivers creeks lakes and ponds, blood, mud , old bait and whateverelse you just cant beat a aluminum jon boat . One day I may break down and get even more boat poor and get me a nice center console . Now them boys up on the non tidal side of the james river, up in the hills, got a nice setup, a aluminum tunnel hull with a jet outboards, they say them rascals get in the skinny with the rocks , lots of rocks ( not the fish ). When the weather gets a bit better I'll get some pics and post em of my jon boat though.
FAW


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## knotmyfault (Apr 25, 2007)

Here's a couple pics from an old jonnie I fixed up. Paid $300 and sold it for $1800   I did not keep the tanks in the front. Ended up using the original 12 gallon tank (gone all day and night) midship. Did move one battery to each side. Second battery was for the giggin' lite. Lot of wood, but.... I made $$.


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## faw67 (Jan 13, 2008)

Here is some pics of mine not that great , too much junk and extra light lol


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## santander (Jan 18, 2008)

here is a updated photo of the deck, my brother is to lazy to stand and use the deck but none the less the bucket was functional. :


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