# Small Boat Guys, Advice Wanted.



## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

Ok, gang, I know the perfect boat doesn't exist, but I'm looking for some input. 

Heres what I currently have
Tracker v175 W/T 90hp mercury
Canoes
Kayaks
15' Gheenoe with electric motor, on a trailer. 

I love the tracker, it's a great family boat, I use it on lake erie on good weather days, mosquito, presque isle, etc...I live fairly close to pymatuning, id like to spend more time there. Also the tracker can be a bit tough to handle by myself, which is about 50% of the time that I go out. I also really like fly fishing in shallow water. Im looking for a little boat in the 14-15' range to use alone, or with 1 other person.

I want to use it at pymatuning, rivers, marshes, creeks, and other HP restricted lakes. I also will be using it for hunting, so lots of beaching it on gravel, dragging it around. Id like to be able to launch it without needing a very nice ramp, or even drag it to the water with help if needed. I have it narrowed down to 3 options. I do not like bench seats, I really like open, clean layouts, so if i get a Jon, i will be removing the bench seat. Budget is 3-5k for a boat, motor trailer.
Tracker 1448 grizzly
Tracker topper 1542
An old beater 14' aluminum v
I know i sound picky, Im just trying to make the smartest decision, thanks for any input you may have, see you on the water.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

P.S. a small casting deck up front is more of a need than a want, nothing huge, just enough space to stand and cast.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I like the grizzly 1648. Would give more room and stability than the smaller grizzly. 

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


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## InlandKid (Aug 29, 2006)

You have a 15ft gheenoe, get a 15hp motor for it and you're set, you could build a removable casting deck for it pretty easy, those things ride pretty darn good.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/2018-bass-pro-shop-jon-boat-for-sale.365659/#post-2908051


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

InlandKid said:


> You have a 15ft gheenoe, get a 15hp motor for it and you're set, you could build a removable casting deck for it pretty easy, those things ride pretty darn good.


The only issue with the gheenoe is that it’s pretty fragile. I’ve kinda already tore up the hull running it up and down rivers. I need to re glass the bottom next winter, it’s leaking.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

Lewzer said:


> https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/2018-bass-pro-shop-jon-boat-for-sale.365659/#post-2908051


I really like that little rig, has there been any offers on it? I wasn’t planning on buying anything for a few months, I was just starting the hunt. Was just wanting to have it in time for deer season.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Hi there. No offers on ogf yet. I’m not sure about people calling her (the owner) as she has it parked out front of her house on nice days. 
It’s a good boat. Practically brand new. It was great for Pymatuning. let me know when/if you want to talk to the owner. I will give you her name and number. 

Mike


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## G.lock (Apr 1, 2014)

I really like old beaters that are care free, learned a lesson on a old Larson 14', aluminum.
It was HEAVY! Harder to launch than I expected. Also wouldn't get up to plane with my 9.9. Think it would have taken 20hp to plane.
Lesson, not all beaters are equal.


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## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

I sold a pristine 96 TFX 175 because it was too big as I fish alone, and bought a 93 Alumacraft Lunker 14 and never looked back. Several hundred pounds lighter and it has held up well as I tend to abuse it sometimes.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I'm trying to figure out how a 15' boat is going to be a lot easier to launch than a 17' boat.
Seems to me the comfort of the bigger boat would off set any difference.
I'm 68 and I have no problem in launching my 17.5' boat and I fish solo about half the time.
Now if you're talking about putting it in places where there are no good launch ramps I get it.
In that case I would get a 14' or bigger deep jon and a tilt trailer. I used to have one and I could darn near launch it in a puddle. Very stable for a small boat and it had a decent load capacity.
I believe mine was a Polar Craft.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

crappiedude said:


> I'm trying to figure out how a 15' boat is going to be a lot easier to launch than a 17' boat.
> Seems to me the comfort of the bigger boat would off set any difference.
> I'm 68 and I have no problem in launching my 17.5' boat and I fish solo about half the time.
> Now if you're talking about putting it in places where there are no good launch ramps I get it.
> ...


The hulls I’m looking at weigh 300-500lbs, my tracker is 1500, and drafts 16” of water. I’d like to be able to pole it through a marsh, and launch it in improvised spots like you mentioned.


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

You would probably like a welded modified V Jon boat. I had a 17’ Lowe Rough Neck. The modified V’s are welded and therefore have a thicker hull thank a comparable size riveted boat. A modified V gets you good Hull thickness, will cut a chop, wide and stable, open floor plan, front casting deck, and light weight. My 17’ boat weighed around 450 pounds empty. It was easy to move around and launch alone.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

I'm looking for the same. I considered several boats, aluminum walleye and even a small Lyman. But I'm going to be using it for fly-fishing for bass, pike and musky. Ill probably go with a riveted tracker Jon boat. Easy and cheap. I sooo want one of these though. If it weren't for the stumps and rocks... The hull on the 15' weighs 325 lbs and costs $6k. It'll float in 4 inches of water.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

Id feel pretty bad about throwing dead turkeys and deer in it. I think the mod v jon with a cooler strapped to the seat is going to be my ******* equivalent. 

I actually got the gheenoe out and pushed it around in the marsh on friday, had a good time, but it gets a little cramped with a fishing partner in it.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

I have a tracker topper 1542 with a 25hp jet and pods, has proven to be very stable thus far and I take this into some very shallow water and handles great on swift water rivers. I have a removeable poling stand for the rear, I push my way through marshes and grassy sloughs chasing carp and gar on the fly.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

flyman01 said:


> I have a tracker topper 1542 with a 25hp jet and pods, has proven to be very stable thus far and I take this into some very shallow water and handles great on swift water rivers. I have a removeable poling stand for the rear, I push my way through marshes and grassy sloughs chasing carp and gar on the fly.
> View attachment 361503


Dude that looks awesome. Where did you get the pods?


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

fontinalis said:


> Dude that looks awesome. Where did you get the pods?


I wanted to bump this thread mostly just because of how cool that little boat is. When you pole it, do you have issues with waved slapping on the bow, making a ton of noise and spooking fish?

Also, Im jealous of your boat.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

First of all, thanks for the compliment. Much of the water that I am poling through is flat and water slap is not an issue until wind kicks up or until a boat passed the area and a wake would come through. When that would occur, it was an issue and that being said I came up with a solution that resolved the problem for the most part. On the flat face of the bow 3" above the point where the hull starts to the first set of rivets which is another 14" under the hull, I attached 1/2" closed cell neoprene that had adhesive backing on it while also using strips of 2" wide VHB tape to make sure it would not release. That was the area that was most vulnerable to the water slapping and creating the noise which now is absorbed by the neoprene. When up on plane that area is just above the water line and does not create any drag when I am at wide open throttle. The boat is modular in design, the grab bars detach and a casting platform along with the poling/sighting stand goes in which make this a versatile boat that can go between shallow streams/ rivers to reservoirs and lakes. This picture shows it with the front casting platform and rear poling stand.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

What are you using for a push pole, I’m currently using a closet rod for the gheenoe. Do you have any shallow water anchors or a stakeout pole figured out yet?


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

fontinalis said:


> What are you using for a push pole, I’m currently using a closet rod for the gheenoe. Do you have any shallow water anchors or a stakeout pole figured out yet?


I use a telescoping pole that I purchased from Lowe's used for window cleaning and made a head for it out of ABS, it telescopes to 16' and works just fine. When running shallow water rivers with swift current, the trolling motor comes off the mount and a anchor system drops on it, I use a 30lb anchor to hold me in place.









anchor system


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