Does anybody hunt out of a 20' modified jon?

A

Andrew Holley

Well-known member
I got old, hunting partners moved on, so my ablity to hunt has changed. I can no longer throw around a layout boat, nobody to tender so I have to find a way to hunt alone. While at Cabala's I noticed a 20' modified V jon boat. Thinking I can carry enough decoys to hunt open water and shoot over the side with a partial blind and be comfortable, if others want to go, I can still carry a layout or two. I tried this last year out of my 16' and felt the side were too low and couldn't get my legs comfortable.

I thought about building another Scaup, only this time out of aluminum and enlarging it, but it would cost about the same amount and the jon boat would be better able to fish out over the summer.

Thoughts from the group?
 
I have a 1999 Lowe 1960. Completely open with a short casting deck up front and two seats in the rear corners with some of the flotation in them powered by a 60 hp tiller. Used to haul an MLB up front in an homemade rack and the guy I bought it from did the same. Haven't hunted layout for some time but built a scissor sort of blind I put on back then when not layout hunting. Ran long lines out of tubs, was a great outfit for my waters ... all fresh water no salt experience.

Good points .. stable as heck. Great fishing platform for my uses. East to hunt out of as a tender. Didn't hunt with the blind while anchored out. Used it as a shore blind where I could hide it. If not hunted from shore after parking the boat away.

Bad points .. rough wet ride in bigger waves (by inland standards in my area) on long runs. Difficult to hide in many spots where my 16' v hull could put back into reeds or cattails. No built in storage at all.
 
I,m assuming your layout hunting is in bigger /rougher water. Have you considered a Lund or similar sized hull instead of a flat bottomed jon. Much smoother ride and less spray in cockpit in the rough. Theres other manufacture's that also make v hulls geared towards waterfowl hunting. Wide open floor plan and drab color. I hunt from a 2072 Seaark with pop up blind when i,m carrying a few head. While its a pleasure to hunt with it will wake you up in rough water. When you move into a boat that size and load it with hunting gear make sure to install an electric wench and bunk slicks for load/unload. You,ll need them. Some jon manufactures make a bay style jon hull with a bit of v. That's also an option and a better ride in the rough.
 
Carl said:
Define open water?
I hunted out of my Smokercraft for years on Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. Deep, wide and stable.
View attachment 69970
Before that I used a Lowe 1440 mv jon, not as deep or stable but performed well in the same waters.
https://www.loweboats.com/hunt-fish/jon/tiller/l1440m-jon.html

Take a look at the Lowe Aura MV Jon: https://www.loweboats.com/hunt-fish/jon/tiller/l1648-m-aura.html
Nice open floor plan, wide and deeper than a plain blunt-nose jon.
Click to expand...
Bay of Lake Michigan (Green Bay) and Lake Michigan on nicer days
 
roy brewington said:
I,m assuming your layout hunting is in bigger /rougher water. Have you considered a Lund or similar sized hull instead of a flat bottomed jon. Much smoother ride and less spray in cockpit in the rough. Theres other manufacture's that also make v hulls geared towards waterfowl hunting. Wide open floor plan and drab color. I hunt from a 2072 Seaark with pop up blind when i,m carrying a few head. While its a pleasure to hunt with it will wake you up in rough water. When you move into a boat that size and load it with hunting gear make sure to install an electric wench and bunk slicks for load/unload. You,ll need them. Some jon manufactures make a bay style jon hull with a bit of v. That's also an option and a better ride in the rough.
Click to expand...
It's a modified V jon boat, not as deep of v as Lunds but some. I hear you on the winch and slicks, current boat is 26' and I still hand crank.
 
Personally wouldn’t buy a tracker boat. Years ago(like10-15) a buddy bought the 20’ mod v Jon . Had to have the floor structure rewelded twice in two years. Looked like they welded to the side and no penetration on bottom or vice versa.

Might have been to rough on the boat (he just used it for a boat to run around on) but that thing broke almost all the rivets holding the flat floor down and the floor beams were welded by Stevie Wonder.

Tony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top