Fly Fishing BS thread

Very nice!

 

@The Taco Bear and @koditten - 40(+) pics JUST for you guys!

Also, if you haven't found it already: tinboats.net is like TW for Jon Boats. Look at builds, get ideas, and ask me questions. Seriously, I'll help you out with anything you need.

Because you're going to ask... That top layer is actually a sheet of HD camouflage neoprene cut to fit each panel. It's soft, water resistant, camo (ducks see really well) and doesn't burn your feet in the summer. One problem. I tried to order some more and had a really hard time finding it. If you need help, I'll help you find some. I think I have a couple of ideas on where to get it.

Sorry for the crappy pics. I told you there was a kayak on top of the boat so the pics aren't great, but you'll get the general idea. I should have that kayak off of there by this time next week, so I can get some more pics of the electrical in that back deck and the smaller storage behind the front deck for you.

Pic Dump!!!!!!

Here you go:

This will give you an idea of how the front looks and how the blind fits on the front with the rod holders at the "Honey Hole":






















Front Dry Storage Box that I can't lift up because of the kayak...


Custom Mounts for the Yeti Cooler "tower"




Front Deck






Custom grab bar that fits into the holders welded to the middle "seat"




This is the middle "seat". My dad put's a dry box on it and sits on that for the ride. It works perfect for him, but most of my friends just sit down on it- younger guys (30's not 60's) problem...


Custom Switch Panel complete with backlit switches


Voltmeter and 12V outlet for spot lights and/or cell phones




LED strips (both sides) so if you drop something in middle of the night/morning you'll be able to find it and won't blind everyone with a headlamp








Dual Bilge Pumps... Remember, it's not IF you get wet, it's WHEN you get wet...






This bag of decoys and a jerk rig fit PERFECT on the front of the deck with my dog sitting right behind them on the ride to the "Honey Hole"


Rod Holders line the entire left side (as you're facing the front) so the blind just slides right into these when we get to the boat ramp. Remember, I was the Army... NOT the NAVY...


Flush Mount Locking handles so you can store guns/jackets/ammo/coffee anytime and it won't get stolen. Just caulk the inside and they'll be VERY water resistant.




I use two of those poles as my anchoring system when we get to the "Honey Hole" (that's what everybody calls it because you have to have a boat to get there and we SMOKE birds.


I took this pic with the stadium seat on it so you can see how two people can hunt out of this in deeper water. At the "Honey Hole" we sometimes stand- especially with 3 people (have to make 2 trips in the boat)- but when my dog and I hunt by ourselves (mostly during the weekdays) then I use one of these seats and just sit right on the side.


Blind front that fits into the rod holders on left side

 

tinboats.net is like TW for Jon Boats... Check that out.

 

Ive been meaning to make some grab bars for my Jon boat.

 

will check out that site. Is there a similar site for drift boats?

 

Man, I'm not sure... Drift boats are pretty much out of my area because we don't use those down here in TX... I wish I could help you more, but frankly, I've only ever spent a few hours in one my whole life.

 

Seeing all those pics has made me feel guilty that I haven't made any progress on my boat. On the other side of the coin, I have been stuck at work for most of the spring. We had a team member retire, so the position is covered with overtime.

I have been listening to others suggestion and keeping a list.

 

Its fine. In all honesty, the Jon boat gets way more use. It is just more useful.

I just wanted to build a boat, so I did.

 

Roscoe, NY!?!

We used to sneak out as much as we could, borrow a car, hitchhike and do whatever we could to get there when I was at school in NY during trout season! That's awesome! I haven't thought about that place in about 10 years!

We also had the "in" to fish on the Connetquet [sp] river when it was still fishable and the state didn't screw it up... It wasn't uncommon to catch 60 fish in 3 hours there. Literally, I've had trout smoke a wolly bugger before on the top before it even got water logged and sank!

 

Man, its hopping in here.

 

I am genuinely super jealous of your metal working skills. I'd give anything to be able to do that kind of stuff. It's all about just committing to it and getting it done, honestly. I take a LOT of time to plan through everything I can and make sure I cover everything I can possibly think of before I jump into something, but that's awesome you're doing that. Mad props for metal working skills.

I also don't sleep a whole lot, so for me working late into the night and doing it for weeks on end isn't un-common for me. When I commit to something, I just see it through and get it done as best I can as fast as I can.

 

Thinking to go lake trout fishing next week. Chironomids, to be specific. And looking at the calendar it is also a full moon. Any opinion on the full moon impact on fishing? Is it really that bad as I think it is?

 

I've been skunked on full moons and caught fish on them... still on the water With the steady weather coming for us in BC I would be out over the next few weeks for sure. Sheridan Lake tomorrow for me for the weekend and Roche Lake at the end of the month.

 

Just the Tunqwa for me. Going to get warm early next week and I will go after the long weekend crase is over

 

Where are you hunting the pheasants?

 

MUPPETS!

 

@Ryan_3TacosIn That helps so much. I'm going to take a look. I figured with my bumper lights and other toys coming in. Probably should start fixing up something else rather than the truck. I'll keep y'all updated if I get anything going.

 

Haha. Yeah, I know what you mean. My wife said last night- "Doesn't it feel good to know you only have a few more bolts on the truck and you'll be done?" Well... Haha. Yeah, I totally know what you mean.

Seriously though, look at Craigslist if you're looking for something good/cheap/used. You can find some super cheap and you can also find some that are already done up with big price ranges. When I lived in LA (the state) you could find boats in the $150 range. That's kind of a risk, but usually people were pretty honest or didn't have any ideas on the questions I'd ask them. The hull of my boat was actually given to me by my grandfather. I was up at our lake house one day and asked him if I could could buy it from him, and he of course just ended up giving it to me. The crazy thing is, that little boat is titled!

Do you know what kind of set-up you're looking for? Center console, side console? What size you're looking for? Anything like that? Do you have kids and/or how many other people do you want to take?

I'm happy to help you out with anything like that.

 

I'm trying to find some in nashville. I'm trying to get a boat and trailer type of deal. Looking for an engine separately.

I would love any type of console. I don't have kids yet..... or any that I know of.... But probably like a 14ft side, maybe 1-2 additional people including myself would be great with maybe a low type platform. on the back end. i'll use the yeti up from for a casting tower.

 

I know what you mean. Here's what I did on the trailer... I used my "credit card points" and saved them up until I had enough "points" to get enough in gift cards to a sporting goods store (Academy) and bought my trailer that way. You'll want to get one with large enough tires to be good for over the road (I think 12" minimum tire size), and the 16' trailer fit the bill for that for me. That's what I did...

I think a side console wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for you. I know some guys have called around to some of their local boat repair places and have asked if they had any consoles lying around and what they would charge for them- if they didn't "fab" it them themselves. If you don't duck hunt, I think either a center console or a side console would work perfect for you. If you're going to go the center console route, I think you would need to look at creating a false bottom so the console wouldn't bend the bottom and cause leaks in the boat over time. Plus you can add some more insulation and make it more "floaty."

By the way, I think I have a few more of those custom Yeti Casting Platform brackets in the garage when you're ready for them...