Swampfishing

I joined when I was 18 and don't regret a day, sure I spent some time in the sandbox, but all in all it was not that bad. Tell you what, that first night in germany after 6 months in Iraq, now that is a good nights sleep.

For as much as I used my Jon, it will be easier to rent one for 3 bucks an hour thru the Air Force, fish all day without having to worry about anything else. That is one benfit most people don't use in the Air Force, outdoor rec. has everything you could ever need for rent, and cheap!

What about snakes? down here in SC the cotten mouths try to climb in your Jon boat, I would hate to get one inside a kayak :-[

Well we decided to get rid of the old jon boat last night, seeing how I am trading my truck in on a Jeep, with no bed to haul it in. The only lake I every really took it on has Jons for rent at 7 bucks an hour, it might be cheaper that way for as little as I used it.

I agree with LBH here, unless you actually lift the hull out of the water and plane it, there is a Max hull speed a flat bottem boat can achieve.

I feel your pain, I have a boat from Alb. that has never been registerd/titled. and is so old it has no HIN

I will post a picture of what I am working with when I get home today, I have never seen a jon boat like this one, the guy I got it from said it was built in the 50's or 60's

I did not go with the floors because I could not get away with 3/8 I have ribs about every 8 inches in the floor that stand about 1" high, and the 3/8 would bow a bit between them. I really hate them, they prove to be a tripping hazard.

I run a light boat, no floors on this one. I am thinking the modified-V helps me get to 5MPH a bit quicker. I thought about floors, but this thing goes in the back of my truck, and I have to man handle it to the water.

the 44 will get you to your hull speed no problem. I run a 50LB on my 12 foot modified-V and I normally run about 1/2 power and move along about 5MPH. Invest in a decent battery charger and charge as soon as you get home, you don't want it sitting dead. and remember to bring them oars with ya.

When we moved to SC, I wanted a Jon boat nothing more. My wife talked me into an old Ski boat, I fiqured I would do some work to it, make it what I want. Well turns out, she did not relize she would have to go Pee at somepoint on the lake and she never came out with me. So now I sold the ski boat (took a loss), and am re furbing an old Jon boat like I wanted. My point is, make sure you wife relizes that if you buy the boat she wants, she better come out with you. She will have to Pee on it some how, and she will have to stay all day on the lake with you. Odds are after this she will tell you to get what ever boat you want.

Ya, I fish the SanteeCooper, the lakes can get deep but for the most part a shawllow. I know Bass will chase a carp around, but where we fish it is a numbers game and the Bass aint winning. I will try going out a bit further like someone suggested.

qustions like this are hard to answer, but I so it is not cheap, not in the least bit. I would say most people here practice catch and release, and if done properly no real harm to the fish is done (just a bad day for it) so it can go back to spawning. People ask this qustion all the time about hunting over derr corn piles, or by streams. I personally don't hund over deer corn cause I don't want to go lay it out all year, but you better believe I will set up on the game trail heading to the creek

I carry a Machete for cottenmouths that come in the boat, but have seen guys shoot holes in there boat, including one of the Lt.s that work with me. The best part was, he did not even own the boat, he rented it from the base, and ended up putting two shells of buckshot thru the floor.

Kinda like owning a jeep, if they want they will get it. It is all a matter of how much time they have, and how much they want to trash your stuff. I never lock my jeep, if someone wants in they can open the door instead of slashing my top, on that note I don't keep anything worth steeling in there.

They said I need to engrave it, but I might get the sheet metal guys at work to stamp me one, and I will weld it on.

This should be moved, but I found the answer, they treat it like a homemade boat with one exception, they run a description of it thru the theft department.

How do you go about applying for a HID for these. The boat I was trying to get kinda fell thru, but my brother in law down in FL has and old old boat he will give me. The boat has no HID and down there they don't need to register them, so I am wondering how hard of a time a regerstering state will give me.

I Carry a .22, down here the snakes fall from the trees in the boat (that is not the time to shoot them) ;)the best snake protection is awarness really. I have only had to shoot a few, and that is because my lab would not leave them alone, and one cotten mouth that was having a real bad day I guess. Long story short, a .38 will scare a snake off, but I doubt you will kill it. A rock tossed in it's direction will do the same. ;D

Train my dumb lab to fetch ducks, and not just chase his tale in the weeds, Fish more of course, and get in better shape.

I fish a lot of swamps, the best thing about them is there are a lot of areas that are pretty much unfished. They are harder to get too, and where I go I don't think a waders would help, that would be a heck of a walk, I normally poll my Jon boat thru. I run into a lot of snags on a lot of growth, but if you can find a clean channel, where it gets a bit deeper, you mise well have hit gold.

Well, for the motor if it is a 2 stroker change the plugs, clean the carbs. For the rest of the boat if it is in good shape, vacume the carpet and start fishing. Throw some pics up, or give a better descripton of boat and motor and you will be better advice. Congrats on the boat.

I would not mine that video either if it is not too much work.

Ya, VA was just oars, I was a broke kid :-/ SC is sending me the forms to look over, after that I will know what kind of process I am looking for. I spoke with a few guys around here, and they said for a jon boat they don't really mind.

Thanks for the replies, I think I have a pretty good plan on how to attack it. The ribs stand 3/4 high, so I think a 1/2" hole will do me nicely, maybe two in each rib. I have not read that other post yet, but I will later. I am thinking 1/2" plywood floor with carpet, and finsih the benches off too the Bow and transom, and carpet those. I wish I took some pictures of how bad this thing was when I pulled it out of my Folks woods. Had a fire ant colony living in it.