I mainly fish small creeks and medium to small lakes. Thats just me, but I will most likely have company for a few trips, got female friends with kids and absent or not so good fathers.
Now canoe..I hear is portable lightweight and I can just paddle around no problem...but got kids coming so stability is important
Jon boats heavy, need a motor(not sure on those specifics) but stable.
Now Im only 20and college student so big bass boats an such are way out of my limit.
2009-08-10T06:16:41Z
This seems to be a use debate lol
?2009-08-09T22:40:35Z
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I have both of those. i bass fish in lakes rivers and basically everwhere. my canoe is 17 ft. I take my canoe out 10X more than the jon boat. in fact the canoe seems to be more stable mainily becasue the canoe sits about 3 in. in teh water where my jon boat is about 7 inch. also, my canoe says on it that it can hold up to 650 lbs. wayyy more than my jon boat. to add on to this i took my canoe out in the bay today with actual waves. had no problem. i love my canoe, its lighter, and all around better. not to mention i have an electric trollin motor ont he jon boat which i still rather just paddle due to lack of speed.
While any ones first instinct is to say the jon boat, its because the first thought is of stability with a little kid
I've had my coleman scanoe for 18 years now and have almost fished exclusively in saltwater. I've taken kids as young as three. Heres what I've found;
Even little kids figure out quick where the balancing point is on a canoe.
Since an adult outweighs a tyke, they can hang pretty far over without any real risk of falling over, or worse tipping the canoe, which is just a big drag for everyone.
Falling in is falling in, whether in a jon boat or a canoe, if a kid is that much of a spaz, then he shouldn't be in any boat, period
Even though my canoe has a metal transom, and I use a trolling motor to fish with my adult friends, I always paddle with the kind of kids your talking about. It makes them an active participant, rather than a passive occupant.
A little kid will never ever forget you took him out in a canoe.
You'll probably have to register any boat with a motor, even if it's electric. But you can carry more than 2 people in it. I prefer a canoe myself cause I can get in and out easier and in more places. A 16 or 17ft canoe and kids are no problem.
Jon boat definitely... canoes are iffy enough fishing out of on your own as far as stability goes... add in a fidgity kid and who knows what might happen...
Jon boats can be paddled if need be, or you can pick up a small trolling motor to make life a bit easier... completely up to you.