Alright, who thinks that a Jon boat is better than a canoe???

And who uses one for their Beaver lines?

I have a 17' canoe and am thinking of getting a small jon boat, but it would have to be small to fit on my ATV trailer.

Marsh rat

what's a marsh rat Vinke.. do you have a photo or a web-link?

You can't beat the jon boat for stability versus a canoe. I have trapped a lot of beaver from my 10.5' john boat, but I have also done it from my canoe. You have much more room in a john boat. I had 2 adults, 1 child, 4 large beaver and trapping supplies for two of us in my john boat and it did just fine.

Overall, I prefer my canoe, but that is just from a traditional standpoint. There is just something about trapping out of a canoe that I like better than my jon boat. I am actually going to sell my jon boat to make room for some kayaks that we are purchasing in the spring. To bad your all the way up in MN

Steve

Really, too bad!... how much should a guy pay for a trapping jon-boat, and are they light enough for one guy to load and unload?

Still kick'in it around...

Canoe...Not as stable as a Jon boat but much more manuverable. I've trapped a river line in my 12' canoe and have had it so full of Beaver and traps that the gunwalls were only 1-2" out of the water.

I don't recommend filling a canoe that full, just saying that I had mine that full and it still performed weel for me.

Had a 12' Jon Boat and struggled with it too much so I sold it.

My 2¢

Price is going to depend on what you're looking for. I'm selling mine for $300, but it is used. I know they can go much, much higher than that especeially new ones. I load and unload mine by myself into the back of Dakota quad cab with no problems. Ace is right what you gain in cargo space you do lose in maneuverability. If you trapping ponds and fairly open water it isn't that big of a deal. When you start getting into stump infested swamps, choked with phragmites or cattails you are looking at a completely differnt setup. My jon boat is much faster to paddle though. It all depends on what you want out of your boat and what you expect of it.

Picked up a "Sports Pal" canoe last summer and used it trapping, worked great for me! It's 13' with a square stern for a motor, paddled mine though with ease. This brand has foam "sponsoons" on both sides as well as a foam linning on the floor. I'm 6'4" and around 255, could stand up and pole with ease. It's only 57 lbs. and very easy to handle alone. Guess it depends on your situation.

A canoe can carry two to three times the weight of a jon boat.

be careful and make sure you abide by the weight capacities in your jon boat! It may be much lower than you expect!
I have a 10 ft and a 14 ft used to have a 16ft but sold it, it was just to big. the 10 footer never ever leaves shore because i dont feel its safe and dont trust it. I like my 14 ft. I have a 5 horse briggs 4 stroke on it.

I have a 13'6 canoe a Old Town - Discovery. I seems like it is nearly half as wide as it is long. Very slow and very stable yet easier to control then a Jon boat.
I have paddeled a Moose out of the woods in mine so I doubt I will ever sink it with Beaver.

2poor, How much dore that canoe weigh?
Whats it made of ?
How much did it cast new?
I'm look'n for a Lighter canoe than what I now own.
I'm now closer to 60 than to 50,and need a light canoe about 14'

Newt

The canoe is over 85#. Not what I would call real portable for a man closing in on 60. It is made of some composite basically a cross link plastic and wears like iron. I believe it was $500 dollars but I have had it for 10years +. It has oar locks and can be oared from the center seat. A real pus in some situations.

Raddison makes a very nice light canoe but I am afraid I would poke a hole in the thing the second day.

i use a belly boat, you know one that is for fishing. i use a pole to push it along, it is called a u-boat. i also use a truck tube and have mounted a box on the tube to hold traps and critters in. very lite and only takes seconds to get in and go, also if you need to get out of it just stand up close to the bank. if i was married i would have pix of me in it and getting a #60 beaver out of a 330 with it, but the ex needed that pix more,lol

GrubStake, how do you like that Briggs 4 stroke? Been looking into perhaps getting one this summer.

For you jon boat guys, did any of you put a deck on it? If so, how does it handle and how stable for standing up?

-Skunkly-

i guess ive been pretty happy with the briggs, it runs good and trolls down pretty good too, i got it pretty cheap with only a few hrs on it.

oh and skunkly, not all jons are created equal, the bigger the better as far as stability. my 14 ft crestliner is pretty stable, i use it for fishing alot, 2 guys standing and casting all day. only had catastrophic results a couple times. lol it has a small platform in the front, dont think you wanna be any higher than that.

i use 14 foot extra wide extra deep jon boat with merc 25 horse works great

Helo
Thats what I use is a john style ply Boat Made by colman with a 5 speed electric troller on the back keeps thing queit and you sneakup on them : )

Depends on where and what conditions you are trapping. I have and use both for different types of water.