When I was about ten I had a great uncle who died and left me all kinds of fishing stuff, including my first fly rod and this sweet 15' grumman square stern canoe with a 4-horse Johnson that we had to haul back to TN behind our Wagoneer from his estate in Arizona. Had to wait a few years before my dad would let me take it out on my own, but when I was finally allowed, man that was freedom. Wasn't real fast but it got me into the fish for several years until my dad let a couple of his friends borrow it to put up trot lines on the Harpeth one night and they got ran over by a couple of drunks in a bass boat. Cut the thing right in half and killed the little outboard too. That was the last (motorized) boat I ever owned.
Until now, anyway. I've always been fascinated by the little Coleman Crawdad jonboats you see old timers puttering around in. Found a cheap one on Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks and decided to try and build some kind of flyfishing river skiff out of it. Behold, in all her glory:
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/DE7C769A-FAF0-42BA-B271-F82CE9C6B4F1_zpsh9pgfxhc.jpg)
Traded a buddy a Glock for the little Merc on the back, which has a handy, 1-liter internal gas tank so I don't take up space in the floor with an auxiliary. Bought the trolling motor today also.
Sorry for the blurry shot.
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/2C7A831A-058B-4320-970C-696228DA3E77_zpsivf9e6u9.jpg)
Anyway, I ripped off the bass boat seats and have begun stripping it down. Am gonna remove the front seat altogether for casting space. I mostly fish alone, but a passenger can sit on the cooler.
So far, $286 invested:
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/839CBE62-882B-4B0D-9808-D375330EBBD1_zpsiwykxbji.jpg)
I like where this is going, carry on
Cool. You need more shit in your garage. It's way too clean and uncluttered.
That'll make a good little river boat. What will you mainly be chasing in it?
There are a bunch of nice smallmouth rivers around me where this will come in handy, but the main impetus behind this is some musky water I can't get to on foot. There are a couple decent tailwaters nearby also. I don't fish for trout much, but they both have striper runs.
Quote from: JMiller on February 11, 2015, 07:13:51 AM
There are a bunch of nice smallmouth rivers around me where this will come in handy, but the main impetus behind this is some musky water I can't get to on foot. There are a couple decent tailwaters nearby also. I don't fish for trout much, but they both have striper runs.
I was hoping you'd say musky. Striper are fun too. Let me know if you ever make it up my way
I'll do that.
Haven't yet boated a musky, but I think this turns the odds in my favor. Kayak fishing is the worst.
Quote from: JMiller on February 11, 2015, 07:31:56 AM
I'll do that.
Haven't yet boated a musky, but I think this turns the odds in my favor. Kayak fishing is the worst.
Musky kick my tail. I've caught two but both were with Dave. He's got good musky juju. I'm just starting to learn. I did put my friend on his first musky though on his first trip in my boat. It's mainly about just getting time on a section of water and learning it. Last two sections i fished were new sections to me and got a good skunking. Just part of the game.
Yeah, Ive seen some fish and had some looks but just haven't sealed the deal. Pretty negligent on my part because one of the best rivers around is about 30 minutes from my door, but again it's really not something you can do wading and just isn't much fun getting blown all around, trying to paddle with one hand in a kayak. Hence the trolling motor. This is the year though. I've tied up the flies. Time to make it happen.
I like boats
Quote from: Dougfish on February 11, 2015, 07:01:01 AM
Cool. You need more shit in your garage. It's way too clean and uncluttered.
Agreed. If you need some shit for your garage, PM me.
Last night I wrestled with a kiddie pool for about 30 minutes just trying to make room to use my router table.
Looks like a fun boat project. I know the musky river you speak of. It is good.
Jmiller, we are counting on ya to produce some goods this upcoming season. You keep things righteous, so bring it on!
Mr. Miller,
I wish you success with the bote project. Mine has stalled. :laugh: This the proper garage scene:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--xRT9PxFkX8/VNtmbDpQjhI/AAAAAAAAeiw/hQydY38QW0E/w720-h540-no/P2110007.JPG)
BTW, this situation pisses me off. By the end of the day, the wife will be able to get her new car in the other stall.
I have boat and garage envy as I have neither. Who buys a house without a garage? This guy....
Jmiller, was thinking. You planning on removing the seat and bars in the front? Might want to make sure they aren't structural. Might be night to remove just eh plastic seat and add a mesh stripping bag in hole where the seat was for line management help.
Jfey, I'm also garageless. It sucks.
I think the plan is to let the front thwart remain, remove the seat and front post supporting it, then mount a cooler just behind it, upon which I can add/remove a seat as necessary. Will give me an extra foot or two of space up front. If that makes any sense.
Also, initially I had the idea of going with this type of boat because it's light and I could just strap it to the top of the jeep and go. It's now becoming clear that I need a trailer.
Edit: Dougfish, man that's a sweet looking Jon. Get that thing on the water.
Edit: Phal, I don't know how I ever came off righteous, but Ill post all the fish pics I can.
Granny,
Spot the router table in the pic, yet? :laugh:
Yeah, I thought I was going sans trailer. Just slide it in and out of the truck bed.
Who am I foolin. :;!
Doug how old is that craftsman router I spy in your picture? I had an old one my grandfather handed down to me until it decided to throw a bearing a few years ago. Sounded like a bag of rocks in a clothes dryer when it went. I upgraded and bought myself a 1 3/4 HP one, soft start, variable speed, can rip your arm off if it wants, quite nice.
Quote from: Dougfish on February 11, 2015, 10:08:27 AM
Granny,
Spot the router table in the pic, yet? :laugh:
Yeah, I thought I was going sans trailer. Just slide it in and out of the truck bed.
Who am I foolin. :;!
HA! I win, I was writing my reply as you posted this.
Router tables are so handy.
I have a craftsman router too.
Doug, looks like you have a yard sale in your future.
One thing that you may want to look at, and it may not be an issue, is the possible line snags the corners of those floors may create. May not be a problem if you can keep most of the line in the middle of that floor but I can see the line in my head getting wrapped around a corner and fouling a cast.
Quote from: benben on February 11, 2015, 10:09:18 AM
Doug how old is that craftsman router I spy in your picture?
It's about 20 years old. Lightly used. Not variable. Torquey mofo. There is an old one I may unearth today.
Fuck a yard sale. Less creepy people show up on Craigslist.
I shamed myself into some garage work. Better organized, tools put away, her car will easily fit.
A garage is an excuse for too much shit, IMO.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ih6VmypYfEg/VNvGTq8mz1I/AAAAAAAAejQ/K2-LxHaFBWE/w897-h540-no/P2110001-001.JPG)
I agree. Add a 1K sq ft workshop and imagine my mess.
Quote from: steelrain202 on February 11, 2015, 12:21:11 PM
Quote from: Jfey on February 11, 2015, 09:33:36 AM
I have boat and garage envy as I have neither. Who buys a house without a garage? This guy....
I have no garage. Not many homes up here do. I do however have a boat
Could you produce a reason for the scarcity of garages up there? I trimmed 3 houses in Watauga last year and none of them had garages.
Maximization of square footage and a lack of permanent residents? Or topography. I don't have a garage either. I'd like one but it would be full of garbage. I'd damn sure never park in one.
Quote from: Dougfish on February 11, 2015, 16:22:14 PM
I shamed myself into some garage work. Better organized, tools put away, her car will easily fit.
A garage is an excuse for too much shit, IMO.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ih6VmypYfEg/VNvGTq8mz1I/AAAAAAAAejQ/K2-LxHaFBWE/w897-h540-no/P2110001-001.JPG)
I still can't see my welder. :laugh:
It's right in front of the bote.
Keeping it safe. 8)
Anyone know where I can get some "Port-a-Jon" stickers to put on my blue plastic boat?
Quote from: JMiller on February 12, 2015, 09:14:08 AM
Anyone know where I can get some "Port-a-Jon" stickers to put on my blue plastic boat?
That's a great idea. If you can't find any, look into Vista Print or something similar that will make you one up for each side.
My old house originally had a carport. Then my wife's great grandfather enclosed it to make it additional living space. I now have a boat that stays parked under trees until I can get a boat shed built.
Nice Rig. A couple of my SW VA buddies have had several of those over the years. Yours is one of the original models. The newer ones have an interior hull that adds a ton of weight to the boat. Those old crawdads are awesome! Throw it in the back of your truck, drag it across a shoal. They are dang near indistructable. If you do happen to punch a hole in it, there are plastic "welding" kits available to fix it.
You will dig this little boat.
Good luck to you!
:D
J Miller
You live any where close to the Collins River -- Pretty fair musky hole with some thick smallmouths in there also.
Onemorecast has Muskys and smallies in his back yard at Erwin
JT
Yeah not too far from that river at all.
Actually most of the rivers around here have toothy fish.
I do think Im gonna dig the boat Onemocast.
Anyway, did cave in and get a little trailer today. Nice and galvanized.
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/2E108A10-7F74-4DB4-83F8-E3FAA49C1A67_zpsxs4hhxl4.jpg)
Also been playing with composite decking to beef this thing up a little.
Old transom:
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/A5380628-D734-4F5B-9110-409DFF289EFE_zpsopowoeyn.jpg)
New one:
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/Millerj87/6D6A32C8-F94F-4678-8351-B4B27229FCD4_zpsy15gfysg.jpg)
Got seats on the way. Need a trolling motor battery and something to house it next. She'll pretty much be ready to go after that.
Quote from: Stone-Man on February 15, 2015, 11:27:32 AM
J Miller
You live any where close to the Collins River -- Pretty fair musky hole with some thick smallmouths in there also.
Onemorecast has Muskys and smallies in his back yard at Erwin
JT
Catch alot of smallies in the Noli but have yet to hook up with a Musky. Have seen a a couple on occasion. Working on it though. I have an old college buddy that guides up on the New. That is the place to go for toothy fish.
Quote from: onemocast on February 17, 2015, 15:09:26 PM
I have an old college buddy that guides up on the New. That is the place to go for toothy fish.
b';
b';
Quote from: Big J on February 17, 2015, 15:10:27 PM
Quote from: onemocast on February 17, 2015, 15:09:26 PM
I have an old college buddy that guides up on the New. That is the place to go for toothy fish.
b';
You'll get a head ache if you keep that up!
Quote from: onemocast on February 17, 2015, 15:09:26 PM
Quote from: Stone-Man on February 15, 2015, 11:27:32 AM
J Miller
You live any where close to the Collins River -- Pretty fair musky hole with some thick smallmouths in there also.
Onemorecast has Muskys and smallies in his back yard at Erwin
JT
Catch alot of smallies in the Noli but have yet to hook up with a Musky. Have seen a a couple on occasion. Working on it though. I have an old college buddy that guides up on the New. That is the place to go for toothy fish.
Nice job on the transom. You might want to take the vee shaped bow stop off and replace it with a carpet covered piece of 2x4 applied horizontally. that gives you a firm place to winch against that won't deflect the front of your boat. Have fun.
For kicks and giggles the guide friend from VA or another state? My b'; expression is from the hundreds of guides on the New and James as of late. Especially out of state guides.
Quote from: Big J on February 17, 2015, 15:22:40 PM
For kicks and giggles the guide friend from VA or another state? My b'; expression is from the hundreds of guides on the New and James as of late. Especially out of state guides.
My buddy is Greg Rife. He has a cabin on the New up around Pembroke. He guides some trips for Britt Stoudenmire. Britt was a fly guy and more of a small mouth guy. He picked up Greg to boost the musky aspect of his business. Greg is kind of a local musky guru and was fishing for them 30 years ago when nobody else was. From what I understand, Britt has gone absolutely insane for musky and is catching them regularly.
Quote from: Big J on February 17, 2015, 15:22:40 PM
For kicks and giggles the guide friend from VA or another state? My b'; expression is from the hundreds of guides on the New and James as of late. Especially out of state guides.
I have the same feeling about all the NC guides coming to TN to fish the Watauga and South Holston. I got no problem with guys coming over here to work. I don't even have so much trouble with there being more boats lined up to go down the barn drop at Chicken Charlie's than a boat ride at Dollywood. For me, it is just the general rudeness and the "I own this river...what do you mean fishing my hole" attitude some of them demonstrate. Just a little courtesy please.
Quote from: onemocast on February 18, 2015, 19:07:42 PM
Quote from: Big J on February 17, 2015, 15:22:40 PM
For kicks and giggles the guide friend from VA or another state? My b'; expression is from the hundreds of guides on the New and James as of late. Especially out of state guides.
I have the same feeling about all the NC guides coming to TN to fish the Watauga and South Holston. I got no problem with guys coming over here to work. I don't even have so much trouble with there being more boats lined up to go down the barn drop at Chicken Charlie's than a boat ride at Dollywood. For me, it is just the general rudeness and the "I own this river...what do you mean fishing my hole" attitude some of them demonstrate. Just a little courtesy please.
Spot on!