6 weeks have passed.

[RickZieger 0]

We will have to get together sometime.

Rick 

[DWSmith 0]

Sounds good! 

 

[DWSmith 0]

Feeling recovered from my surgery  enough to try some time on the pond this afternoon for the first time this year to see how it goes. Didn't fish even once last year.

Pressure washed the Jon boat Friday night then got it down to the pond yesterday.  Pushed it through the cattails enough so I can slide it onto the water.

I'm taking my better fly fishing outfit for panfish and my heavier (but not very heavy) spinning outfit to try to catch some channel catfish.

I'm psyched!  Wish me luck.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Cool, glad you are feeling well/recovered enough to start getting out and doing things. And just in time for summer 👍

[DWSmith 0]

Almost a total failure but I did catch 1 fish.  I'll try the boat again in another month.  Until then I'll fish from the bank while sitting in a chair using a spinning outfit.

Now a bass boat with higher seating would have worked great but I don't have access to one.  It's a good thing you guys talked me out of a kayak a while back.

Sitting in a chair on a dock with no one around would work better for fly fishing.

It was worth a try ... sort of.

[Poopdeck 0]

Now you know to try a different approach next time.

[niveker 0]

Now you know where the goalposts are. You'll get there, you have a good attitude. 

What did you catch?

[DWSmith 0]

8 hours ago, niveker said:

Now you know where the goalposts are. You'll get there, you have a good attitude. 

What did you catch?

An 8" bluegill but not on the fly rod unfortunately.

I think my main problem with the Jon boat is the lack of flexibility in my hip joints.  I had absolutely no issues 2 seasons ago but now they're too tight so I'll have to do some stretching to see if that loosens them up again.  Simply sitting on the seat is literally a pain because it's so low to the floor of the boat.  I'll get there!

[Steeldrifter 0]

Have you considered mounting a seat on a riser on the built in seat of the jon boat?

They make these which clamps right onto the built in factory jon boat seat https://www.amazon.com/Attwood-15700-3-Adjusts-Powder-Coated-Aluminum/dp/B001O0DE8A/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=jon%2Bboat%2Bseat%2Bmount&qid=1684756804&sr=8-15&th=1

Then you could get a riser to mount to the above mount https://www.amazon.com/attwood-90720-Economy-Pedestal-7-Inch/dp/B001O0DFQ6/ref=sr_1_23?keywords=jon+boat+seat+mount&qid=1684756932&sr=8-23

Then just mount a seat to that. With the riser as well as the seat itself, that would probably raise you up a good 12"-14" or more which might make it a lot more comfortable on your back/hips/legs.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

In years past I’ve had one or two anglers that needed to be in a deck chair (as well as one or two in their own wheelchairs) once we managed to get them on board my 17’ skiff.  During the trip I did my best to position the skiff to allow them to toss lures or flies where the fish were holding… and we succeeded mostly…

Don’t know whether there’s enough space for a small folding lawn chair on that Jon boat, but you might want to check it out.  We usually faced the chair to one side or the other of my skiff depending on whether they were right or left handed.  Just having good back support will improve the day for anyone with medical issues…

Hope this helps 

[DWSmith 0]

This morning I started wondering about using a seat to raise me up a bit. I think both of you have good ideas.

I'll work from that angle.

Thanks guys! 

[Poopdeck 0]

I’d skip the clamp on seat base. I had one clamped to a bench seat and it would pop right off if I leaned back in the chair. Couldn’t get it tight enough to prevent it from popping off. I replaced it with one that bolted directly to the bench seat. 

[DWSmith 0]

Thanks!