What kind of fishing boat for lakes near Tulsa?

[nemesis]

I'm assuming there are fish in Fort Gibson Lake, Skiatook Lake, and Oolagah Lake?

12 foot jon boat with 8 horse motor? Or a larger motor on a larger boat that has a keel?

I'd likely have a max of three people, including myself.

 

[dennishoddy]

If you stay in a cove, the Jon boat is fine, but it would be easy to swamp trying to cross open water in high winds.
Overall, you would be much safer in a boat with a V bow. 14' minimum length.


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[LBnM]

If you stay in a cove, the Jon boat is fine, but it would be easy to swamp trying to cross open water in high winds.Overall, you would be much safer in a boat with a V bow. 14' minimum length. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This! There are good fish in each of those lakes. They (and most others) can get very bad, very quick. I have a 17 1/2 v hull with a 90 and have seen times it was rough enough for me. Years ago I had a 14 1/2 v hull with a 25hp and it was fine (as long as I could pick and choose when to get on the water.) For three people I would surely stay away from the 12 foot jon boat.

 

[Glocktogo]

As stated, Oklahoma winds can be unpredictable and there's a lot of lake surface area to swamp a 12' flat bottom boat pretty easily. With that rig I'd never leave a protected cove, which in many cases would require carrying the boat to the water. I'm with IkenI on this one, 14-15' v hull for select times and 16'+ with more motor to be less picky about which days to fish.

 

[n423]

Agree with all the above, stay away from small jon boat in big water. Maybe in a cove....

 

[Perplexed]

The borrowed kind.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Order yourself a Gheenoe. They're pretty fantastic

 

[Model 70]

Order yourself a Gheenoe. They're pretty fantastic

Gheenoes are great for smooth water but sometimes don't play well with other boats.......or choppy water.


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[montesa]

As stated, Oklahoma winds can be unpredictable and there's a lot of lake surface area to swamp a 12' flat bottom boat pretty easily. With that rig I'd never leave a protected cove, which in many cases would require carrying the boat to the water. I'm with IkenI on this one, 14-15' v hull for select times and 16'+ with more motor to be less picky about which days to fish.

This is true. I've taken a 12' flat bottom out on texoma in medium winds. It was really fun. We took everything out of it and kept our life jackets on in the summer. Never swamped but the boat felt like it was completely on its side sometimes. After having that 12' jon, I probably wouldn't ever plan to take one out on a lake again unless I was ready to swim. We stayed in coves and that was fun. Just too limited.

 

[okie362]

I fish Texoma and have a 17ft Bass Tracker. Don't go out if it's too rough mainly because it's just not any fun to try to fish and fight the wind and waves at the same time.

I'm happy with the boat as it's big enough to take on open water yet compact enough that I can also kick it off in the river from a sandbar if I want to.