I've been bushwacking on the bank for about 15 years now and I've had it...I need (or want) to buy a boat.

What sort of thoughts do y'all have on buying a boat on a budget for fly-fishing? I'm 26 and don't have a ton of money, so my budget is <$5,000 right now. I'm thinking about finding a jon boat on Craigslist for cheap, and using the bulk of the cash for a motor and trolling motor. I realize $5k won't get me very far, but I really just need something to scoot around on � nothing fancy. I live right off of Ray Roberts, and spend too much time around lakes not to buy some sort of boat.

So I guess the crux of my question is this � am I crazy to want to buy a boat of this time of budget? My other option would be financing a nicer boat (I have reliable income), but being in any sort of debt is not my top option.

If I do go the jon boat option, what sort of advice do y'all have on what sort of amenities to get on it � as well as motor type, etc.

I know it's a long post, but I would like some educated advice before I seriously start looking. I can't go through another spring season without being on the water!

With 5k budget, I do think you can find a boat with motor, trolling motor, etc. Wish you good luck.

Hi Steven,
I live about seven miles West of Sanger and I fish Roberts a couple of times a week during the summer months. I have a fourteen foot flat bottom MonArk with a twenty five horse Mariner outboard. I fish it in all kinds of wind and weather. The trick, I think, to Jon boats is to get the widest boat you can find I've had several buddies buy boats that were too narrow, only to sell them a few months later because they "weren't big enough" - which means they were not stable enough to stand up in or handle rough water. My bout measures sixty inches at the beam and two people can fly cast out of it, standing, at the same time.
My thoughts are, buy the widest used boat you can find then spend the money on a new outboard. At least then you will be fishing and not " working on the motor ". As far as trolling motor - as much thrust as you want to spend the money on.
As far as economy - buying a used boat means, that if things slow down for you, your not making payments on something that is just sitting in the driveway.
But that's just my $.02
Good luck.

If you will be fishing shallow water you can find Carolina Skiffs in that price range.

What Capt. Mac said. It's lots easier and cheaper to repair an aluminum hull than to get an outboard motor worked on.

Simple is better.
When I was a kid, we had a 14' flat-bottomed aluminum boat with a 9.8 Mercury on it. I only remember Dad having to work on the motor once in the 15 to 20 years we had it. A 6 Gal. tank of gas lasted for months.
Over the years, he added swivel seats front and back, an in-expensive hand operated trolling motor, and a portable flasher depth finder to it. We caught a lot of fish out of that boat.

My first boat was a 15 foot Skeeter. It seems like I was ALWAYS having to do something to it, just to go fishing. I sold it 5 years later for a third of what I bought it for, and was glad to see it go.

Unless you are planning on going way across the lake to fish, I would even recommend a kayak or canoe as a way to get off of the bank. It's what I did last summer. I'm really looking forward to warm weather this year.

Kirk

I have a 16' skiff for sale with a 40 hp Mercury with a brand new trolling motor and electronics in Gainesville. I have it setup just for fly fishing and it's right in your budget. Pm me for my number and I'll send you pics.

Boats also come with a lot of hidden long-term costs. Assuming you already have a truck/tow vehicle, have you considered the costs for storage, insurance, maintenance, registration, etc.?

For 5k you can buy a nice Hobie kayak and electronics. and have some left over.

Get a gheenoe!!

http://www.gheenoe.net/index.html

Those things are awesome. Plenty stable to stand/cast.

The 15.6 is about 2100 I believe, you should be able to find a 10 hp or so motor to stay inside your budget. They even can put a poling platform and a bunch of other options on It for you. And if you ever wanted a trip to the coast You have the perfect boat

I still have my 14 foot johnboat I bought used in 1969 from a fishing uncle. I added a new 9.5 evinrude in 1970 and have built 6-8 new transoms, decks, flooring, etc. It is the best investment I ever made; $250 for the boat and trailer; motor was $400 new(1970) It'l still crank by the third pull and hasn't had anything done to it except spark plugs and water pumps. I've owned at least 16 other boats since I bought this one but it has been so handy I never got rid of it. I can launch it anywhere. My advice is if youre a fly man; buy a flatbottom and you'll love it. I have my kayak and a 16 foot big boat, but the best boat I ever owned is the little 14 foot flatbottom-p-

2nd that, I have owned several boats & the one I miss was my 14' 48wide flatbottom with a 15 eveinrude, pull it with anything, launch it anywhere, if its too rough for it probably dont need to go fishing that day anyway, and adding carpet, seats, fishfinders as you go is part o the fun

You could always consider getting a pretty souped up kayak or two in that price range!! Get a bigger water kayakand a river kayak, and you can have the best of both worlds!

Kayaks are easy to maintain, and can be loaded on top of a car or in a truck bed for quick access to go fishing!