So, I went looking today for a jon boat. I went to one place (no names to protect the guilty) in virginia beach, and had to get a price sheet from the parts and service department. There obviously is no money to be made in selling jon boats since talking to a sales person was not going to happen. But then again, time is money and if they were to add a markup to what they were already asking for stamped aluminum, then the prices would be even more unreasonable. So, for those of you willing to help, here are my dumb jon boat questions. Oh, and for background, I grew up in Hawaii and primarily was a spearfisherman and cast-netter. So that's my excuse. And that explains why I didn't understand camoflage paint on the boats.

1.
If I want to go to hug the shore by Lynnhaven Inlet or the interior waters of Norfolk/Virginia Beach to fish for flounder, croaker, spot, and hopefully striper, what is the minimum length I really need? I'm not prone to motion sickness and swim well, but I'd rather not end up in the water at the first puff of wind.

2. With said boat length, do I really need 25 hp or will 9.9 do?

3. Is the Tidewater Trader the place to look?

4. Finally, do these questions suggest I stick to the shore and piers?

Turns out after reading the Tog report that there is a fifth question to my previous post.

5. Do I just turn into a boat ho?

A v-hull is a must, 15 footer with a bigger motor than 9.9---the wind and tide could make a 9.9 struggle. There is no need to stay and fish on the shore. The jon boat is great for near shore fishing and fishing up some of the rivers and inlets. Just don't get caught out on the bridge tunnel when the wind picks up. I've been out there in a 25 walk-around and got real interested in getting back to the dock in a hurry.

You may just be kidding yourself with the jonboat anyway. Most guys I know have always ended up upgrading into a bay boat anyway. I fish out of 96 Robalo 2120 with a 225 merc on it. It just got paid for so I guess the engine will blow up this summer. I don't fish much once bow seson comes in so the open center console works for me.

Haoleboy,

No such thing as a dumb question (for the most part ).

Can't offer much insight on the Jon-boat question, but wanted to say welcome to the site.

Naved

I recommend getting your Jon Boat from eds marine superstore they have the best prices on jon boats and outboard motors that I can find in Virginia the store is up in Ashland but worth the drive... I don't think I've ever been out on a Jon in the river or bay but my younger brother fishes the JRB in the Fall in his friend's 16 footer. They seem to always catch fish and it's easy to troll really slow with one.

haoleboy, friend has a 16' modified v with a 25 tiller stear motor, dam thing runs 28 miles an hour that close to the water is flat out getting it, putting out at the bc park or marina you can fish the godwin bridge, monitor merrimac or the hampton bar as long as the wind is good. that unit is easy to load-unload and tow anywhere. lynnhaven inlet would be good too
buy something dont be scared

I just got a 35hp Johnson w/ a tiller for my 18' wooden skiff... we clocked it at 30mph with the GPS last weekend... shortly thereafter the throtle broke, the boat slowed down all of the sudden and the motor jumped up and the prop hit the side of my boat cutting a 2" hole in the hull... the damn thing started sinking but we were able to get it to shore before we lost everything....

moral of the story is to always bolt your motor to your boat.... never again will I simply rely on those clamps that you tighten

Did the 35 johnson head for the bottom? I saw that happen one time off of Gwynn's Island. I had to tow the skiff back in sans motor.

Don't buy brand new, keep looking in the classifieds, trader, etc and you will find something good. I have a 1971 17' center console, well really 16'7", Whaler, with a 1983 75 HP Evinrude that I picked up for $1200 which included the boat, motor, trailer and electronics. The motor needed about $1200 worth of work and the hull needed some minor work, chips, etc. It ran like a champ last year and I think I put in 200 hours or so fishing last year from May to January. I mainly fished teh CBBT and Cape Henry. I was out a couple of times when the wind picked up and I had no trouble getting in with 3-4 seas, but mostly I picked my days. Best part, I only use around 12 gallons of fuel during an entire day fishing.

Point is, you can pick up a decent bay boat for less then what you will pay for a brand new jon boat if you search and are willing to work on it yourself. Check up in Gloucester, Williamsburg and down in NC. Research the make/model and check the boat over carefully. It may not be pretty but if its solid it will get you out and back.

Anyway thats my 2cents.

no... almost lost it but i grabbed it in time... well in time before it fell off the boat but not before the prop ripped a whol in my boat.

thank god I was in the warwick river just testing out the motor because if I was out in the middle of the James I would have lost the entire boat

it was a lesson well learned...I just hope i can get the boat fixed in the next couple weeks cause I'm dying to fish

that's what I love most about my Simmons Sea Skiff... for $25 i have all the fuel I need.

my grandfather died about a month ago and left us his 23' Parker... I'm dreading the day when I have to pay to fill up that 150 gallon tank

I have a 23 foot boat but I am also going to get a John Boat for flats fishing,Trout and cast netting for Baitfish.There are many many uses for a John Boat .Fresh water is another use.I am going to get an 18 footer with a 35 horse motor.John boats have a very shallow draft and can take you to fishy places you cant get to in a deep v hull.PolorCraft,Lowes or other welded aluminum boats are good,stay away from riveted boats they dont last as long.

Thats a good point, but I would still stay away from a new one. You can probably find a decent used one for a lot less.

Yep,Used hull new motor is what i really want.

Wow, 14 posts in only a few hours. Who ever said fisherfolk (nod to the ladies in the group) were a solitary bunch? Thanks for the input. I'll keep an eye on further posts, but all is not lost judging by your comments. Which is good. My son is 13 now and the more things we can do together, the better off we'll both be. There's some weird **it out there for teenagers to mess up in. Aloha.
Haoleboy

I had a 14' Polarcraft with a 15hp Evinrude on it. Fished it many many days in Lynnhaven and Rudee inlets. I also used it alot on the Eastern Shore seaside flats. I caught lots of fish from that boat and I really regret selling it when I upgraded to a bay boat. You'd be surprised at how many fish can be caught from a small boat fishing in the inlets, you won't regret buying a johnny.

You dont just have to stick to a john boat you can also get a skiff but both of them can be a wet ride if it gets ruff. I fished out of a 15ft blufin for years till i upgraded. The guy i sold it to is hard up for money so you might be able to get from him for cheap. Even with a small boat you can still fish a lot of place that hold good fish.

So, you bowfish from your boat on the bay? That's pretty cool. I used to bow hunt and actually worked with hunters and gatherers in the Philippines (it's a long story) and thought of bowfishing but don't really care for carp meat. What do you shoot on the bay?

That sounds promising, jimbob. Your contact is hard up for money and I hardly have any money. Sounds like a match to me. One of the reasons I'm looking at a john boat is that I'm on a state salary with the usual car payments and mortgage and wife and teenage kid...whine, whine. Hey, have you noticed how peaceful fishing can be and still provide something for the dinner table? If you wouldn't mind telling me a bit more about the bluefin, what engine is on it, how many hours/old it is. And if the guy is interested in selling for cash.

Found a gentleman who has two to three in his front yard year round, last time by he had a 14, and a 16 footer with trailer, motor, ... here is the number, he is hard to reach sometimes, but leave a message. May be a good way to save some money (EDIT)

Lives in Chesapeake around the corner from Oscar Smith High School. Good luck.

Keep your eyes open when your driving around town. If you see an old John boat stop and ask if they want to sell it. There are hundreds of boats sitting around that people want to get ride off, but they don't want to deal with selling them. My dad bought two Albermarles out of people's back yards each was under $8,000. The 93 he has now had pine trees growing out of it. It's amazing how well a boat will clean up sometimes. As for jon boats, I fished the Elizabeth river out of a 15' w/ a 9.9 for years and have caught more striper, trout, perch, croaker, spot and redfish than you could imagine. I have two center consoles now, one being a 17' Carolina Skiff. There is nothing better than a flat bottom boat for inshore river and inlet fishing. Good luck

Well, I took the plunge yesterday and bought a new jon boat, trailer, and motor. Shows you how well I take advice, though I appreciate the help and insight all of you provided. My wife convinced me that our boy is too precious to risk on a used boat (she's hydrophobic) and so thanks to Discover, I'm able to discover how much in debt I can become. So I got a 14ft-er with a 9.9 4 stroke. I'm the faculty advisor for Christopher Newport University's newly created Student Fishing Club, most of whom are avid bass fishers, so I guess I'll go on the Norfolk lakes this summer and get ready for students in the fall. So when you see a white guy out there with glasses and my red Berkeley Trilene fishing cap, you'll know it's Haoleboy. Pull alongside and tell me how to catch fish since I most fish to eat. Going home without dinner is a real drag. See you online and on the water.

Congradulations! The key to catching fish is going fishing and sometimes a smaller rig puts you on the water more because its a lot less hassle. The results are: you may fish more and catch more than the guy that has to hassle with a 27' rig! Good luck, keep us posted.

haoleboy,
Congradulations and welcome to the club. Filthyhabit is right about getting out more. I bought and restored ( with help from a good friend) a 1958 16' Alumacraft. It was work, but she turned out pretty. I've taken it to the 1st and 2nd islands of the CBBT. The best fishing though was durning the summer after work around Rudee. Its funny how just a couple hours of fishing can ease the most stressful day!!!
Good luck to you and see you on the water!!

--Don

We use a "Shoal Cat" 17' with a 50hp Suzuki. I go all all over with it, but not in all weather. Only electrics on board is a depth finder. Dr Wright upgraded from a 20hp last year, and now I can outrun many thunderstorms. The cat hull is pretty nice, except in a beam sea, when you gotta be careful. Try the nice folks at Blue Water Marine on Shore Drive.

Does CNU have a boat ramp at thier sailing facitilty on deep creek?

That would be a perfect place to put your jon boat in to do some fishing on the James... we catch a bunch of catfish in the Wawick River.

Good luck with the CNU fishing club... I'm going to be trying to transfer there in the next year so maybe I'll join.