Hi, I am going to be getting my first boat and I have decided to get a 16ft Jon boat. The 2 I have in mind are the Tracker Topper 1542 LW or the Lund 1648, my question is what size and type motor should I get? A trolling motor or an outboard for my main engine? I will be fishing a 784 acre reservoir, occasionally a 60000 acre lake and also some smaller 1-3 acre resorvoirs.

tracker- 

http://m.trackerboats.com/#boats_scr_detail?boat=3687

 

Lund- http://www.lundboats.com/boat-models/1648-jon/#specs

 

Thanks, I am also open to other boat options!

Get the Lund, well worth the extra money. I bought a tracker 1542 last year and it was falling apart after one summer of use, the transom cracked, and numerous rivets leaked. I decided to cut my losses instead of trying to deal with the warranty department. 

As far as motor goes I had a 2003 Mercury 20hp 2 stroke on mine, it was an awesome motor, lightweight and plenty of power even with two people a cooler and gear. I used a 55lb power drive bow mount trolling motor and it was plenty of power to pull it around. If I were to do it again I would probably go with a cable steer motor instead of electric steer. 

I have a 1542 without any of the issues listed above. It's a good boat and I would not use a trolling motor for your primary source of power. I have a 15 HP on mine that pushes a full load at about 24 MPH. 

I'd stay away from a riveted hull if you can.  Welded hulls are much more durable and will have better resale value down the line.  As for motor, we use a 9.9 on a similar size war eagle boat and it moves just fine with a bunch of duck hunting gear and hunters, but we don't have very far to go in it.  It just depends on how fast you want to get there.  

Thanks for the information so far guys! I also found xpressboats Jon boats, anyone know anything about them? Also should I get a bow or transom mount for my trolling motor if I get a 15-20 HP outboard?

1 hour ago, JigMaster4 said:

Thanks for the information so far guys! I also found xpressboats Jon boats, anyone know anything about them? Also should I get a bow or transom mount for my trolling motor if I get a 15-20 HP outboard?

Xpress are great Jon boat, I owned 2,  had a 25 hp Suzuki 3 cylinder 2-stroke on both.

I'm currently running a Alweld 16' 52" bottom tunnel with a 40 hp Tahatsu 4-stroke.

Bow mount only! 

Welded are better, but they weigh considerable more and a 15 or 20 HP may be sluggish on one. They also cost more so it really depends on your budget. Catt has the ideal setup, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Let your budget dictate which style you get. 

I have a 1542 as well, with no issues at all. Bought it in 2011 and still going strong. It's a good boat, but that said if I had the money to do it over again I would get something bigger. I think my next boat, if there is one, may be a 16ft skiff.

5 hours ago, zachb34 said:

Welded are better, but they weigh considerable more and a 15 or 20 HP may be sluggish on one. They also cost more so it really depends on your budget. Catt has the ideal setup, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Let your budget dictate which style you get. 

Traded a 21' center console with a 150 Merc on it, got a new Alweld with a dogged out 25 Suzuki, new 55# Riptide, new depth finder, & $4,000 cash.

Paid $6,000 for the Tohatsu

On May 4, 2016 at 3:37 PM, Catt said:

Xpress are great Jon boat, I owned 2,  had a 25 hp Suzuki 3 cylinder 2-stroke on both.

I'm currently running a Alweld 16' 52" bottom tunnel with a 40 hp Tahatsu 4-stroke.

Bow mount only! 

I've been thinking about that same boat, but the v marsh model. Just can't pull the trigger, but I sure want it.