Thread: Back to John Boats & small outboards - save gas

hey pop, i did just that about a month ago, got a 14 ft with a 5hp, and parked my big boat since i fish by myself most of the time, plus now i do more fishing than thinking the other place might be better and moving

Amen to that... I fish entirely within about a mile from the launch now. Used to run around but cant seem to take the hit at the pumps. Heck I paid 4.35 at the marina and thought I was gonna die. I assure you I caught as many or more fish ten years ago with a 14 ft and a 5hp than I have in the last few years since stepping up the boat size. I am seriously thinking about getting the old five back out of storage and putting it on a flatbottom 14 ft.

Love my 50 hp. Great on gas and still has the power to pull my son on a tube. We had 4 people in the boat yesterday and still got it up to 27 mph. Sometimes I wish I had a bigger motor but other times I'm glad I have that 50 hp and only a 18 gallon tank

The gas thing is getting out of hand.Some of the fellows are paying more for gas(boat & truck) on one fishing trip than their monthly boat payment is.
I've got a 40 H.P. so mine is not to bad. Parked a 150 hp,
Years back(ain't telling age:p) I fished weiss & lived close, we had a 20H.P. so I had to learn the waters close to where we put in at. I believe we caught more fish then. I still don't fish but afew miles away from the lauch now.

I just live 20 miles from the third largest reservoir in Illlinois and fish it most of the time and it has been costing me 35 to 40 dollars a trip just for gas alone for my boat and truck. By the time I buy minnows, and lunch I figure I have $50 invested for the day.

I grew up fishing from small boats. A lot of the time the only propulsion was a sculling paddle. Had a lot of fun. I got rid of our big rig 3 years ago, bought 1436 Jon, fixed it up for crappie fishing with a 15 hp Merc. and 40lb.thrust 12 volt Minn Kota and can fish places where the big rigs can't go. Having a great time. Kids don't like it, but what the heck, they ain't buying the gas.

i have been fishing in the same 14 ft john boat for over 40 years now..................and i love that old flat boat it watched me grow up and is start to watch me grow old!

Same problem here in LA (lower Alabama), gas is now at $4.00 per gallon and with two bass boats, one with a 200 Merc and another with a 150, I had a choice of making a change or taking up golf. I changed, I sold both boats and down sized. I now have a 16 ft. GatorTrax with a 36 hp. surface drive mud motor on it. The longest ride to one of my best fishing spots is 20 miles one way and it takes about 4 and 1/2 gallons of gas for the round trip, which I love. Another advantage that I have is I can now fish spots that no one else can get to. With this rig, stumps and logs are no problem, grass and lilly pads are no problem and in shallow water (I'm talking 3 inches) it actually speeds up. So now I can go places that most can't and I'm not worried about the weekend crowd. It runs about 26 to 28 mph and after getting it I wouldn't have another outboard.