Boats?

[flyfishingpastor]

Trent and I have been kicking around the idea of purchasing some kind of flotation device. Trent wanted to tie milk jugs on a lawn chair - I'm not one for luxury but I thought that was a bit stripped down for me.

So, do you fish with a boat, a float tube or one of those 1 person pontoons? I'm sure some of you, maybe several of you have all of the above. Our conversation has been along the lines of: we'll probably need some kind of personal flotation device like a tube/pontoon (I'm leaning towards the pontoon, Trent is still thinking lawn chair/milk jugs). But, that still leaves us thinking about something that could float 2 or 3 and we have thought about everything from a Jon Boat to a driftboat (w/small motor) to float the Tippy, the Wabash and Michigan/Ohio rivers and streams.

What do you guys fish? AND, as since this is the season for miracles/hope: if you were buying a boat for this spring that would float 2 or 3 - what would you get?

Pat
P.S. Don't line up waiting for rides in the new boat. Trent and my "deliberations" process often goes on and on... You might start saving milk jugs for Trent though!

[trent]

Yep, love those jugs: big ones, little ones, anyway, where was I...


I'm thinking since I be po', the jon boat is the way to go in the near term. More stable than a canoe, a heck of a lot cheaper than a drift boat, you can paddle it in a general direction, motor it, etc.

[flyfishingpastor]

Trent

Since my post had the prerequisite of floating 3, unless we got a BIG honkin' Jon boat (for instance: the 14' Jon Boat at Sportsman Warehouse has a loaded limit of 625 lbs) it wouldn't accomodate 3 with gear, motor, dog, etc. So we wouldn't be able to take wives, children, trusty side-kicks (sorry Monica) - all of which may be part of your master plan. Hmmmm...it's sounding better!

Pat

[rstaight]

A jon boat would be good choice. It'll get you up and down the Tippy with out a problem, can handle the Wabash, and 2 people can easily put it on the ponds at Fairfield. It will also work nice on Knop Lake.

If it is used on Fairfield and Knop Lake you will have to use a trolling motor if you don't want to row.

Last fall I purchased a 16' jon boat and trailer for $100. Still need to get started on fixin her up.

[flyfishingpastor]

Rick;

I think you're right, a bigger Jon boat (16') would be a good bet for around here (Tippy/Wabash) and anywhere you'd use a motor. My only problem is that they row like a concrete block. And, I'd like to get something nimble enough to be used/rowed on the PM or smaller, no-motor/flote or row-only streams in MI or WI.

Still, a $100 boat/trailer would be hard to turn down! Great deal!

Pat

[phishphinder]

If anyone is interested I have some raffle tickets from The Northwest steelheaders club for a john boat. Let me know.

[phishinincident]

Drift boats are it!

I have owned a set of 1 man pontoons, a Grumman flat back 14' sport canoe and a jon boat (by me I mean my dad has, lol)

I have fished out of everything, and Drift bots are the cats meow. I have a Hyde 14'6" LP and absolutely love it, the maneuverability is great, stability is great, COMFORT and you can fit 3 people all their gear and a dog in it, right along with a grille and coolers. I realize they are somewhat expensive compared to the other options but if you look around you can find them cheap...

The smaller 11/12' skiffs that stealth craft makes are going to be about the same price as a nice jon boat, and youl love the drifter much more I promise you.

Just an option, the steelhead site, fish Baldwin, Craig list, and many others have several on them right now for cheap...

Jordan

[flyfishingpastor]

Jordan;

I did talk with Mike at Stealthcraft and the skiff options I was looking at put me right in line with the used drift boats I was seeing. Trent's not convinced we'd use it that much. We'll see.

Thanks for all the input - any more out there? C'mon - I KNOW some of you have boats! I'd appreciate all input on this one.

Pat

[Tippecanoe Fly Fishers Admin]

All I know is that the mininmum length of a boat that will allow a husband and wife to fish together is 16 feet. ;D

[flyfishingpastor]

Les;

I'll factor that into the decision making process! ;D

Pat