marcusearlt Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 I bought a 15ft jon with a 25hp Merc jet 2 years ago. I really appreciate the access it gives me and how quickly I can get there. 75% of my fishing is done wading/canoeing but the rest is in a jet boat. Yes, they are much louder than a prop motor and sometimes tend to suck up debris and force you to clean the grate. That's a few of the trade-offs compared to a prop, as there are tradoffs when comparing of any boat/motor combo or any watercraft/water body you could dream up. I feel the tradeoffs are worth it, most of the time. Just knowing you can cruise up and down shoals a little easier and run in 6 inches of water kinda makes the boat ride more of an adventure in itself. I never swamp out others or do exorbitanly risky things in any boat, but when it's just you on a well known river running wide open knowing that you have good clearance and dont have to stop unitl you want to makes for one awesome feeling. Jets are fun to have around IMO. "If people don't occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads, you're doing something wrong." John Gierach
fishinwrench Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 Well Wrench my friend I'm not physically able to drag the shoals anymore. That and there are not many people where I go, that and you won't be there unless you go with me will you? That and still no boat yet, that and I am still working on it and you may not want to go in a four stroke boat motor? I said that a bunch and that is that Oh come now If you can carry a sack of dekes then you could pull MY Jon upstream over a shoal! I can just clip the rope to the belt loop of a rotten pair of cutoffs and it follows along like a hungry puppy. And my big old Olympic wasn't much harder (man I really miss that boat ) Doesn't matter tho, I seriously doubt that You, Seth, Goggle-eyed, ect. would be the type to send folks hightailing it to dry land while giving the old Ft.Leonard Wood/Trout&sons shrug. I honestly have nothing against jet outboards, I love them! But if everyone who wants to use a jonboat on a Ozark river gets it in their head that a jet is the only way they can pull it off then we are all gonna be in trouble.
Gavin Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 We already are in trouble. Had an air boat go by my canoe at full tilt three times on the mid meramec on a float last summer. give me 10 jets pass bye's for one of those.
Ham Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 I own a jet. I love my jet. My jet helps me get to fish. But I have suffered at the hands of obnoxious jet boat owners too. Jets enable people to be obnoxious in certain situations that without that technology they would have to be obnoxious somewhere else. Boat the airboat deal is sooooo much worse. That's porcupines in your underwear obnoxious. grizwilson 1 Every Saint has a past, every Sinner has a future. On Instagram @hamneedstofish
BilletHead Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 Whhhhhat Wrench? Me carry decoys? I drive right to my places if not you have got to meet my porter. And another thing I could see you pulling me around in that nice john. Rig a harness to Orion and have him help Jason, instead of a rundown it has become a runaround. I suppose this discussion has showed you both sides and mostly where you want to go and how to get there. In the past I have pulled many boats to places I could of driven to with the right rig. I know as Al has pointed out missed many places that hold fish. I like a nice boat ride to find certain concentrations of specific fish. We all want to do what we like and like what we do. Have you went with someone jet boating? I have in the past fished with a fellow in a rather large jet boat. The guy had nads of steel and was crazy to boot. The welds on the bottom of his boat told the tale. He has had me stuck on gravel bars. He had a hot foot and could run that boat like a banshee. Speed up to a gravel bar trim the motor, slide over and tilt back down hit the gas and keep on going. When I got smart I quit fishing with him. I think I would of had a coronary if I kept it up. Not to the other extreme. With another friend a small 25 jet on a 14' boat. We plane to the point where we get out and examine the shoal. Decide carefully the route to take. I get out and point to the place and my bud slips right through. Most problems sloved. I say most because while persuing a specific contrary group of fishes we hit a rock. A stream of water was spouting from the back of this little boat we were in. We return back to the ramp. Peen the crack best we can. Clean the area and I apply some medical tape to the spot. Again launch and this time miss the rock and fish. Problem sloved and we only had a small seep the rest of the trip. Later to a nice welder and small bead and back to new. As you are doing I am looking for my rig. Not too small and not too big. With Wrenches help and he may hate me whan I am done it will get done. Hate me or not I bet he will fish with me Good luck Jason, BilletHead "We have met the enemy and it is us", Pogo   If you compete with your fellow anglers, you become their competitor, If you help them you become their friend" Lefty Kreh   " Never display your knowledge, you only share it" Lefty Kreh      "Eat more bass and there will be more room for walleye to grow!" BilletHead   " One thing in life is for sure. If you are careful you can straddle the barbed wire fence but make one mistake and you will be hurting" BilletHead  P.S. "May your fences be short or hope you have long legs" BilletHead
Seth Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 We already are in trouble. Had an air boat go by my canoe at full tilt three times on the mid meramec on a float last summer. give me 10 jets pass bye's for one of those. I was under the impression that air boats were illegal in Missouri. When Jon Paul Morris organized the first big bow fishing tourney at Tablerock a few years ago, he had to get special permission from the state for anglers from the south who ran air boats to participate. It was only a one or two day exemption to the rule though.
fishinwrench Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 I don't think we'll be seeing many airboats on our rivers. The guys down on Okeechobee say that you have to be able to "build one" in order to own one because they are always in a constant state of repair. And judging by the number of air rigs 1/2 torn down in back yards around there I believe them.
fishinwrench Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 I would expect THIS to curb it... http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/stathtml/30600001471.html
Ham Posted January 8, 2015 Posted January 8, 2015 Gosh, I hope air boats never catch on around here. Awful. Every Saint has a past, every Sinner has a future. On Instagram @hamneedstofish
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