Ice fishing... from a boat.

[JayDeHay]

Looking for some input. I've been toying with the idea of taking a smaller jon boat and rigging up some jigging holes, similar to that Dave Genze boat. I know a good certified welder willing to do the job, so that's a non-issue here. My thought was that it would serve as a good sled for winter fishing, and I'd rig up a canvas top to shield from the wind.

Well recently I was browsing Craigs list to see what there were for smaller jon boats available, and my search brought me across several small RIB boats. For those not in the know: A RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) is the type that has the inflated tube around the perimeter, and either a soft or wood/fiberglass floor. The floors don't provide any buoyancy, so a person could punch as many holes in the floor as they wanted without risking a dip in the pond. This would serve the added benefit of not needing to attach a 'snorkel' to get above the waterline to keep water from rushing in, so I'd barely be off the ice. Also, the rubber construction of the RIB wouldn't be nearly as chilly as the aluminum jon boat.

Which do you guys think is the preferable way to go? Remember, this will be a 4 season vessel.

[leech~~]

They already make them. It's called a Wilcraft!

[JayDeHay]

They already make them. It's called a Wilcraft!

"For people with more dollars than sense" lol Yeah, those were part of my inspiration, but I don't have the $10k+ to shell out for a toy like that.

[leech~~]

Well, when ever you get it built. Here is how you can power it around the lake!