My pride and joy is my 16' Lowe Wide Jon w/ 25 hp Effinrude.

I use it mostly for perch jerkin' and trot lines.

But lately I have been getting the bug to fish the Bay behind Rollover Pass.

Mostly I am thinking to get to good wading places but I am open to any other ideas.

Thanks

You should be just fine with it on calm days. Just make sure it is a solid boat with a reliable motor.

If it wasn't designed for saltwater, there is a bunch of stuff you are going to have to hassle with.

#1 your trailer is probably painted. Get ready for it to rust out from underneath the boat.

#2 What is the hardware made out of on your boat? If it is not stainless......you know what happens.

#3 Most electrical connections on fresh water boats are not up to the task of salt water.

#4 best indication that your boat was not designed for salt water will be the trailer it came with. If it is painted, that is prbably a good answer to whether or not points 2&3 are valid.

If bay fishing is really beginning to itch your curiosity get a boat that is compatible for salt water. I promise you it will chase everything you want in fresh water and won't be killed in the salt.

I do have to agree with Nitro777, I had to replace the axel on my trailer last year from several years of saltwater use and the boat wiring harness as well..

+2

Good points all, the trailer it is on IS painted but that is not the tralier is started life on.

I bought it from a Marina on Toledo Bend that was selling it for a little old lady from Chicago of all places whose husband used to come down here in the winters to crappie fish.

Not worried about trailer wiring harness, one of the greatest inventions ever is the prepackaged wiriing and light kits you can get from Academy for around $25.oo. Had the rig for ten years and it is on it's third set. They go bad I pitch it and start over. LOL

I am about to tear everything out of the boat and rewire everything and put a deck in and a few other things, new electronics etc.......


If anyone has any ideas about customizing a jon I would appreciate that as well, found a couple of sites on the good ol' www but more info is always better.

Muchas grackas to all. This site is awesome.

This website is gone - they didn't renew their domain name.

You should be fine. Those are all valid points, but as long as you take care of the rig and dont mind working on it, it will work. My step-dad runs a Cajun fish and ski rig in the salt. He repairs the trailor every two years or so and has completely reriged the boat several times. Even salt water rigs have issues and galvanized trailers eventually rust as well. Its just one of those things you deal with.

What you're describing sounds like an aluminum boat with an outboard motor. Doesn't sound like that is much to it to be impacted by saltwater.

Do make sure you bearings on your trailer are packed tite with grease.


Do plan on hosing down the trailer at a car wash when you leave.

Do plan on spraying down the motor with WD-40, which can help with spray from the water.

Do plan on running the motor when you get back to completely flush the motor of saltwater.

Do have fun and go fish.

add a flush kit to the trailer. washing it off is half of it, you gotta wash it OUT if you wanna keep the rust-monster at bay.
SS prop, NEW water pump impeller every year, dielectric grease on ALL electrical connections, soap/brush cleaning w/in 12 hours of coming out of the water.

Don't forget zincs!!
Joe

Thanks to all