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Mingo
 
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Since the forum is a little slow, let me take this time to solicit you guys for advice. I'm currently in the planning stages of setting up a new flounder rig. I'm looking to buy a welded jon boat in the 16-18' range with a bottom width somewhere between 50-60" and complete it with a standing platform and lights. I'm leaning towards a Honda gene. with HPS lights. I've looked at Weld-Crafts, Alumacrafts, South Forks, Sea Arks, Lowes, Grizzleys, Fishers, Kenners, etc. I've decided that they all make great boats but I'm unsure which would make the best start to a rig. SO...what advice can you guys offer on which brand boat is best in your opinion and/or any other knowledge you guys have picked up in setting up your own rigs. thanks and keep it civil. Oh, and I know that a tricked out boat is not necessary to killing fish and in fact won't help you if you lack basic floundering skills but I just finished up my MBA w/ a concentration in accounting and will be starting to work on Sept 2. with a CPA firm as a staff accountant so the boat is a present to myself for finishing school and finding a job!
"When the sun drops, the BS stops."
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Snapper
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The draft would be the most important part of my decesion if I was buying a boat just to flounder with.
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Ruby Red Lip
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I have had most of the top welded boats made. The war-eagle and dura-craft are the best I've seen. The 18 war-eagle is wide and has a very small draft. A side consol will give you the most room and comfort.
Thank you Lord!
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Trigger
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Last Login: 7/1/2009 4:23:51 PM
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Not sure what kind it was but I was checked by the conservation the other day and they have a camo painted aluminum boat and it is sweet. One of the best looking ones I have seen. Looked like a pretty sturdy boat to.
Ramma Jamma Yellow Hamma Give em Hell Alabama
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Ruby Red Lip
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G3  this is the second one I have owned and I love them to death. Like it was said up there^^^ side console gives you more room.... (the only thing I regret! )
http://www.g3boats.com/GatorToughSeries/GatorTough/?m=1860SCCamo#model
I don't remember what the draft is on it, but I gig down a river that is on average 2' deep and a lot of times less than a foot. I can float it just fine with all the gear and 3 or 4 people. It got up on a plane in 2' of water with 6 people and two marine ice chest full of  , didn't take it but about 25' to do it in either.
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Grouper
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Landau make a good all weld jon. I have a 1652 that I bought new over in LA 8 years ago. I can float in 4" of water.
DFA
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Mingo
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This is awesome guys, thanks for the advice! Keep it coming! The draft is definitely what I'm looking at the most. I am considering getting one with the flotation pontoons on the back if possible, to help with draft. Nothing more frustrating than trying to fish and not being able to get where you want to go b/c of hitting bottom. Alot of the places I fish have acres of water in the 6-12" range that also happens to be in prime spots.
"When the sun drops, the BS stops."
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Pin Fish
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Josh...I know every gigger has his/her favorite jon boat for gigging but I'll add mine to your list for consideration. I'm a 71 year old codger and have been gigging for most of that time. It is the only fishing I do since Florida restricted the Reds and Trout so much. Not that I disagree with the restrictions its just not worth the time and expense for what you can take home. Been doing it in NE Fl for the last 35 years and I love it.
In reference to the jon boat the best one I've ever used personally was a 14' FisherMarine. I have a 16' Fisher now but long for my old 14 footer. The 14 handled so much easier, especially when I'm gigging alone. The 16' has a double bottom, side console (which I love) and I run a 50 Johnson on it. The 14' sat a little higher in the water and could get into places I can't quite reach without extra effort. I would definitely NOT recommend an 18 footer as it will probably work you to death. If you plan to use over a 20-25 horse motor I would really recommend it be equipped with power tilt and trim as you will be raising and lowering it each time you reach and leave a gigging bank. I see where there is some talk about the type of lights to use. I've tried just about everything and whatever you choose make it underwater lights. Any light placed above the water will reflect back into your eyes rather than penetrate the surface, especially if the water is a little choppy. I can't believe folks are paying the kind of money for generators and high dollar lights (that get in your way) when the solution only costs less than $100 dollars. Anyway, congrats on your graduation and good luck to you in your gigging endeavor.
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Grouper
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jaxtiger (8/21/2008)
Josh...I know every gigger has his/her favorite jon boat for gigging but I'll add mine to your list for consideration. I'm a 71 year old codger and have been gigging for most of that time. It is the only fishing I do since Florida restricted the Reds and Trout so much. Not that I disagree with the restrictions its just not worth the time and expense for what you can take home. Been doing it in NE Fl for the last 35 years and I love it.
In reference to the jon boat the best one I've ever used personally was a 14' FisherMarine. I have a 16' Fisher now but long for my old 14 footer. The 14 handled so much easier, especially when I'm gigging alone. The 16' has a double bottom, side console (which I love) and I run a 50 Johnson on it. The 14' sat a little higher in the water and could get into places I can't quite reach without extra effort. I would definitely NOT recommend an 18 footer as it will probably work you to death. If you plan to use over a 20-25 horse motor I would really recommend it be equipped with power tilt and trim as you will be raising and lowering it each time you reach and leave a gigging bank. I see where there is some talk about the type of lights to use. I've tried just about everything and whatever you choose make it underwater lights. Any light placed above the water will reflect back into your eyes rather than penetrate the surface, especially if the water is a little choppy. I can't believe folks are paying the kind of money for generators and high dollar lights (that get in your way) when the solution only costs less than $100 dollars. Anyway, congrats on your graduation and good luck to you in your gigging endeavor.I can relate with some of the points that you brought up such as the tilt/trim motor that is a must and that a 14' is easier to maneuver if you are fishing alone. But I have a 14' now and drafts nearly a 12" of water because of the fact that I do not have enough room to spread out all of my equipment evenly. Where as a 16' would be good but an 18' would be even better. The more boat you have in contact with the surface of the water the shallower it is gonna float. Not trying to insult anyones intelligence but I have learned this through trial and error through the last 3 setups I have had and I am still not satisfied. As far as the lights go I am going to have to respectfully disagree. The headache of having to worry about hitting something or dead batteries is well worth the money for a good AC setup as many others on here can probably attest. Don't get me wrong we used the DC bulbs for years and got a lot of fish and lots of people still use these systems. I will admit that there is some reflection when using halos but with HPS bulbs it is almost eliminated. All in all I guess its just a matter of personal preference and the way it is these days the only limit is the depth of your check book!!! 
"SHARP GIGS AND TIGHT RIGS"
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Sailfish
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Trigger
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| The bigger the surface area the shallower you will float. I will recomend any quality hull with sponsoons to offset the outboard weight. I am having a new turn key Texas style rig being made right now and hope to take delivery of it in about 2 weeks or less...don't ask how much! I plan to get very shallow, I'm talking/hoping to draft in 8-10 inches and plan to achieve this in a fully outfitted boat with up to 3 men becaue the boat will be a Allweld 1876 with a 70 inch transome with sponsoons and a tunnel hull. With the outboard tilted up and no troller, the fan will push and steer me effortlessly all night. I realize in Fl that the water is clearer so you can gig deeper so a boat with super shallow draft is not so important but I wonder what a shallow draft boat would be like in Fl. Heres a link to a picture showing a approximation of what my finshed rig should resemble. 
Galveston Bay, Tx. Appex Predator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBLbrJxGtro
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Grouper
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2112 (8/22/2008)
The bigger the surface area the shallower you will float. I will recomend any quality hull with sponsoons to offset the outboard weight. I am having a new turn key Texas style rig being made right now and hope to take delivery of it in about 2 weeks or less...don't ask how much! I plan to get very shallow, I'm talking/hoping to draft in 8-10 inches and plan to achieve this in a fully outfitted boat with up to 3 men becaue the boat will be a Allweld 1876 with a 70 inch transome with sponsoons and a tunnel hull. With the outboard tilted up and no troller, the fan will push and steer me effortlessly all night. I realize in Fl that the water is clearer so you can gig deeper so a boat with super shallow draft is not so important but I wonder what a shallow draft boat would be like in Fl. Heres a link to a picture showing a approximation of what my finshed rig should resemble.
Thats a mighty fine lookin' rig. I fully agree with you on the 18 foot boat you can never have enough room. As far as I am concerned the shallower the draft the better off you are no matter where you are located.
"SHARP GIGS AND TIGHT RIGS"
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Pin Fish
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Last Login: 4/8/2009 9:39:50 PM
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I agree wit' ya jaxtiger... under the water. 100 W is what we use.. Cheap and works great and we pole (no generators). You can't hear the wippawhils (the birds)! Hardly ever, bust a bulb. Of course everybody has there preference. And have the set up on a Carolina Skift. Can go as shallow as I need to see!
To all my PFF friends........ known as Kritzzzas we get older, we forget our username, password, and email address..... Then ya just got to start over with the "mopbucket" 
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