Flat bottom trapping boat?

Hello guys, I fell off the face of trapperman for a while, but I’m back. I’ve been looking for a boat for trapping beaver in the fall and spring. This will mostly be for running the rivers and ponds. I’ve been looking at some 10-12 foot Lund flat bottom boats. Do any of you guys have experience with these boats? What are your thoughts?

Thanks, Alex

I have been looking at a 14 foot Crestliner. It has a 54 inch beam so it should be really stable. Crestliner is also the only aluminum flat bottom I can find that has welded seams.

choose width over length if you like stability! I like a boat I can walk around in without feeling like a bobber! that said theres several good boats out there that will meet or exceed your expectations. I have a 16 foot x70" beam flat bottom lowe

Any jon less than 14 ft is unsafe for a trapping boat, IMO... It doesn't take much to sink a jon boat. One rouge wave is all. Add some beaver and your chances go way up. And don't go anything narrower than the 1442. The 36s or 38s are out.

what Calvin said

I have a 9 footer It works to perfection In the marsh and On small streams. I wouldn't take It out In big water.

Who makes a 9' jon boat Gary?

ya, 9 feet.. I had a 12 foot Meyers jon and felt like a frog trying to balance on a cork...

I Have a 12 foot Naden by contrast that is pretty flat bottom, not a jon boat, but is very wide. Heavy gauge aluminum also. I would have no issue taking that boat even out on the bigger bays here. It has high sides and can handle three people if needed and feels quite safe.

it is this same model as this i believe. V front, but flat bottom. runs just fine with a 15 hp, and could handle a 25

It's a Arkansas Traveler It's 9 feet long with 42" beam and It's 15" deep.

And I've had it for over 30 years and I got It used when my buddy left It at my house and moved to Florida.

-This is spot on IMO...I had a 1436 once and it was not a good boat - way too tippy.

Actually, 8' 10" it is, but I hear you sort of exaggerate everything anyways.



Bet it makes a good sled before too much snow gets on top the ice, eh?

Model LF-9. All the way at the bottom of the chart below.

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/index.php?title=File:Arktravbb001.jpg

Well I measured It from the transom around the gunnel to the prow. I had the boat sitting bottom up doing the JB weld thing so I couldn't measure It across the top.

I had an Ice jigger on It once but It was way to radical and just about tore the boat apart and just about killed me. LOL

You are a wild man Beav!

X2 those small johns unless your just using them on a puddle are the easiest way to take a dip I know of

I wouldn't own one if you gave me the thing

This boat Is not tippy. And It work's great on the marsh and small rivers.
If you have a slightly raised tarp In front so you don't have an open bow It will turn a wave and you will be good to go.

Not talking about the small Jon boat . But It works on the larger boats.

We call this 12 footers widow makers here.They may be ok for a small pond,
but anywhere there can be wind and current it's not a good idea.I have a 1648
and a 1655.Both of them are stable and can handle some rough water.


Danny

I got two of those 1030 lowes and don't trust either one! Fine for pulling behind you in shallow water but no way am I riding it in deep ice cold water! im not getting on the expressway to the grave yard! Just sold my 1448 to a guy to use at his small lake! Didn't like it either with a heavy load

what is a "Ice jigger" ?

i have a 20 ga over and under in about 12 ft of water from a duck hunt in a 12 footer.still use it a bunch though,guess i didn't learn anything did i.

It's like an out board motor but Instead of a prop It has a large toothed gear. When you lift the tiller the gear engages the ice and away you go. IT can be a real radical ride. As long as you don't have a heavy snow covering you can get along pretty good.
On that 8'10" boat It was a wild ride.

I think Muskrat may still have one.

how many times did you go round in a circle??

On glare Ice It's a blast. Once you get It going and raise the gear your out of control. But a little bit of snow will slow you down. I think some of the guys put some type of a ski on the bottom of the boats.

On a big boat lets say a 14' Its not so radical since those motors weren't to powerful.

I tried to a do a search but couldn't find anything.

Think your talking about a ice scratcher boat Beav?? There was a company in Stoddard WI that made a couple different Hp models commercially, if I remember correctly. Bet it was a rough ride on that short of boat.

Hard to have too many different boats for trapping and hunting!

Here's a video of me and my oldest trapping spring beaver with a 12 foot skiff. It has it's place, but is slow and bogs with a load.


Here's a video of us using a little 1432. It was fast empty, but also wallowed under a load, and was narrow and tippy. But it had it's place in small creeks.


Different floats for different boats. I run a range from 12 foot skiff to a 24x48 Monark jon boat. If you're careful and stay within your boats limits, you ought to stay dry.

The fella in Stoddard quit selling them quite awhile back after receiving advice from his lawyer. I've got one that hasn't seen ice for quite awhile now. When rats go back up to making money, I'll resurrect it again for the big river.

If you don't have runners on the underside, you'll tear the underside up over time. A fella can usually find beat up old Jon boats cheap enough to rationalize not investing $$ to upgrade to runners.

There's a trapping buddy of mine down here who just picked one up at an auction. Last I heard he's still looking to sell it. PM me if interested.

Yeah, had a 1232 once. I think we all had some forms of the 12s. I love john boats and have 3 currently...But best thing I did was sell the 1232. I'd never trap out of one again where I can't touch bottom...because that's where you'll be at some point.

The higher sided Lund fishing type boats are a lot more buoyant. Harder to trap out of, but those high sides will keep you from going Blub Blub Blub at times.

Pros and cons to about any boat design.

Ain't that the truth.

I too have three Jon boats. Got a 12' that is stashed in a back marsh to access this area with oars for a week. Some winters I use it on early ice as a sled, before snow. Get into a questionable area, walk around back to the stern, grab the transom, and push across. Hear the ice cracking jump in and skid across. If I bust through, I'm in a boat. Push to thicker ice and use the spud to lever out.

The 14' awaits the scratcher.

And the 18' is for duck hunting and fishing. Got a 35 hp longtail on that one. Now I see Go Devil has a 40 horse longtail out. Will have to check with Ron Paul in Fox Lake to see what his feelings are on that one.

16' V-bow with another 35 hp longtail for trapping. I prefer the V-bow over the flat for heavier payload in the bow.

And two canoes. An old standard 17' Grumman my wife and I paddle down a river occasionally for the ambience. It's also my mule lashed to the side of the 18' Jon loaded with gear when headed to deer camp in the river bottoms. Have had that since I was a kid.

The second canoe is a 13' Sportspal. I love that canoe. Fella can throw that over a shoulder and walk into a back slough with traps and such in the other hand. Got a 2 hp Honda air cooled standard outboard that will push it in those long stretches in the back slough.

There is no such thing as one boat does all. My first wife thought so.

shoulda capitalized FIRST.

That ain't no jon boat. That's an aircraft carrier!

Got a picture?

Here's this years moose and caribou hunt, it has some stills in it. Too easy to carry too much crap in such a big boat! Need more discipline next go round.

Excellent in all respects!

Thanks!

Running an 18’ Lowe Stinger with 60 HSP Merc, we tow a 12’9” Golden Hawk Canoe with snap cover behind with decoys and traps. Works well when you love to trap and your son loves to duck hunt.

I was looking for a 10 or 12 foot cheap Jon boat for awhile just for a 12 foot wide stream that went up and down in depth like a yo-yo but never more than 5 foot deep. Also a 10 acre pond that is not very deep. Could never find one on craigslist so I used reverse psychology and put in a "wanted to buy Jon boat ". I must have got a dozen responses and found the perfect 10 footer with 2 brand new wooden oars for 100 bucks. I keep 2 floating seat cushions in it for safety,but have never really used it in water over my chest.

Calvin said it all!

I was going to give an answer, but don’t need to. Too small jonboat is never safe. Size matters.

I had a 10 foot aluminum canoe that was very wide in the middle so very stable. However I used it only along shore and at least half of the time as I waded setting traps it was tied to me on a short leash as a work platform.