Rod storage on a jon boat is tricky. For the longest time, I just laid my rods across the floor, but they always got stepped on or tangled. Finally, I found the best rod storage idea I’ve tried so far: a PVC rod rack mounted to the side of my boat. I built it with 2-inch PVC … Read more

I used to wear old sneakers on the boat, but they were a terrible choice. Wet aluminum floors turn into an ice rink, and I slipped more than once. After one particularly close call, I decided it was time to invest in real non-slip shoes. I ended up trying a pair of water-resistant deck shoes … Read more

Fog can sneak up fast, especially on rivers and lakes early in the morning. I’ve been caught in it a few times, and visibility can drop to just a few boat lengths. The first time it happened, I realized quickly that my little jon boat wasn’t very visible at all. After that, I made a … Read more

I’ll be honest — when I first saw the red kill switch lanyard dangling from my outboard, I thought it was more of a nuisance than anything. But one rough day on the river changed my mind. I was cruising upstream when I hit a submerged log. The boat jolted hard, and I nearly lost … Read more

When I first started taking my jon boat out, I had a bad habit of just tossing gear wherever it fit. A cooler here, a tackle box there, maybe a spare anchor rolling around in the corner. It didn’t take long before I realized that was a recipe for accidents. One day while running across … Read more

When I first added navigation lights to my jon boat, I went with the cheapest set I could find. They worked… sort of. The bulbs burned out quickly, they drained my battery faster than I liked, and honestly, they weren’t very bright. After a season of frustration, I upgraded to LED navigation lights, and I’ll … Read more

I’ll admit — when I first started boating, I was guilty of just backing the trailer down, tossing my gear in, and hitting the water. But after a couple of close calls, I developed a pre-launch routine that I follow every single time. It only takes a few minutes, and it’s saved me more than … Read more

When I first got into boating, I honestly didn’t think a fire extinguisher was necessary on my little jon boat. I mean, it’s aluminum, there’s no cabin, and I wasn’t exactly carrying around gallons of fuel inside the boat. But the more time I spent on the water, the more I realized how fast accidents … Read more

I’ll admit it — I’m a little paranoid about being seen on the water at night. Navigation lights help a lot, but I wanted an extra layer of visibility. That’s when I decided to add reflective tape to my jon boat. I bought a roll of marine-grade reflective tape (the same type used on trailers … Read more

One of the first upgrades I made to my jon boat was adding non-slip flooring. After a few trips with wet boots, slime on the deck, and rods scattered everywhere, I realized my bare aluminum floor was an accident waiting to happen. I researched a few options: carpet, vinyl, foam mats, and even specialized marine … Read more