1648 CONVERSION TO CATFISH-ONLY RIG--CONSOLE FORWARD

[alumacrafty]

I watched for a jon boat bargain for a long time. Finally saw a 2007 1648 Alumacraft with a 2002 25 HP Johnson short shaft tiller for way less than $2K. It came with a rough trailer, an anchor, one gas tank and two cheap life jackets. It runs and performs great!
Problem? I really wanted a console unit but I couldn't pass this one up.
So now I've added foam between the ribs and a flat floor and a friend gave me two OMC gas tanks and two pretty good boat seats which I attached to the benches. My son gave me a 40 lb. thrust MinnKota transom trolling motor.
Now I'm thinking of cutting a pass through in the middle bench seat. (I hate climbing over the middle bench when I fish alone). I would tie the remnants of the bench together with angle iron or aluminum to maintain a stringer connection from one side to another (I'm worried that I will weaken the boat when I disconnect the two sides). This work I can do on my own with my skillset.
Now it gets complicated and I have questions for you other members of this forum.

Can the 25 Johnson be converted to remote steer? Anyone know how expensive this is? I'm not very mechanical. If possible I would like a very small side console placed ahead of the middle bench so that the rear of the boat is available for two pedestals--either side-by-side or slightly offset fore-to-aft.
We only fish on the channelized Missouri river and the current is always fast so we only fish out of the back of the boat. It's hard to fish out the back from the driver's bench. I want equal opportunity for two fishermen to fish over the transom. I DO NOT want a bass boat-type elevated deck. I think a person is supposed to be IN THE BOAT not on the boat. (I can't swim and the Missouri River is unforgiving and yes, I did buy good life jackets and wear mine).
OR, should I just try to make a little money on this boat and shop for a console-steer? It took me two years to find this bargain and most console units have elevated decks, which I don't want.
I'm really looking for opinions from river-type catfishermen on a good boat layout.
I like the forum and am looking forward to other ideas/opinions. Thanks

 

[JMichael]

If expense is critical or tight, you might want to look at possibly converting to stick steer instead of console. As for converting the motor, I'd be surprised if you can't get a conversion kit from a dealer.

 

[alumacrafty]

I've seen stick steers online but never in person. Does the control always have to be in the middle of the boat? I could imagine one in my boat if it was forward and starboard. Don't want to eat up the space in the middle. Every one I've seen also seems to have only two seats, both centered. What's the deal with that?

Thanks for replying.

 

[JMichael]

Stick steer setups that I've been around have always been attached to one side of the boat or the other, never in the middle. As for seating, you could have the seating any way you wanted as long as balance didn't become an issue. Based on my experiences, stick steering is most commonly found on boats set up for panfish and that's why they've been centered like you've seen.

 

[ifish4redd]

love my stick steer,with seat in middle you can turn 360and you see everything in the water

 

[jasper60103]

ifish4redd » Today, 9:28 am[/url]"]love my stick steer,with seat in middle you can turn 360and you see everything in the water

Hi, ifish4redd.
I took a look at your thread. Nice mod.
Would you happen to have any pics of your stick steer setup?
edit: If so, post them in your thread as I don't want to hijack this one.
jasper

 

[BigTerp]

I like my stick steer setup as well. Advantage for me is the ability to see out in front of the boat better when running hairy spots. Also, this makes the weight distribution almost perfect for my setup.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Here's how I rigged my 1448 for catfishing off the back. Might give you an idea on setup.




My rod holders slide forward (towards the middle seat) for fishing. That way you don't have to reach very far to get to the rods. I fish with 7ft rods.

 

[alumacrafty]

Jonah--Your setup is getting close to what I'm going to try for. I LIKE IT! I'm really interested in your sliding rod holder. It's hard to tell but it looks like it's split to slide around the motor. Is it made of aluminum? Are your seats mounted on the middle bench? Or did you take it out? Can't really make it out.
I don't personally know an aluminum fabricator but I could find one to get a rig like that built.
I bought a bunch of the flush mount rod holders at Cabelas and could probably adapt those somehow.
You must fish a river, right?
Fishing on the Missouri River, even using 5-oz. no-roll sinkers, the current always sweeps the hook, line and sinker to the back of the boat. I want "to go with the flow".

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

I dreamed that rail system up trying to save space in 1448. It's two separate racks instead of a bar all the way across the boat so that the motor can tilt up, you can operate the motor (tiller) and you can still get to the back of the boat with them slid forward in the "fishing" position. I wanted them to be able to slide so that I didn't have to take the rods out of the holders when it was time to move to another hole. Just slide them to the rear and fire up the motor. I do not like having to reach and do a lot of moving to get to my rods.

My seats are mounted on pedestal bases on the middle seat with enough room so that they can spin 360 degrees. They are removable of course. The seats in the picture are also oversized and are larger than the standard sized fishing seat, plus the added armrests. I also mad sure that there was enough room to step between the seats without tripping.

I mostly fish the shallow tributary rivers of Kerr Lake in Virginia (home of world record blue cat). Finding a hole over 8-10ft is a deep hole in the water I fish, that is unless the rivers are in flood stage. When catfishing, I target big flatheads. I have fished the James River (former home of the world record blue cat) here, which is comparable to the waters you fish. There we use 10oz weights for the strong current.

 

[alumacrafty]

Jonah, I went back to some of your original posts from 2010 to find the drawings of your sliding rail system. I now understand it better and, with the drawings, could take it to a fabricator, yet unknown.
I was going to PM you but I'm new to this and I'm not sure I know how.
So, here is my next question: Is it possible you could post or PM me some closeup pictures of how the rail system mounts to your boat and how the rod holders (what brand?) are mounted to the sliders? Also some specs on the tubing you used would be useful. I don't want the sliders to snap if/when I ever catch the big one. (I do know a guy who could build this for me with steel tubing for the price of the material).
I love the symmetry of your system but I'm thinking of offsetting the rails so that one is further forward than the rear one so that one fisherman could sit ahead of the middle seat.
I sort of enjoy rednecking my boat but your rail system is topnotch and that is one feature I hope to make first class. It will be the first of its kind up here in NW Iowa.

Thanks again

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

I can tell that I spent a hell of a lot more money fabbing these than I would ever admit too. But, they were just a concept idea and they are all aluminum. You could save a lot of money going with steal or just playing around with the idea to come up with something that does the same thing in a more economical way. I caught fish in the 40+lb range and it didn't tell this set up jack.

Here's how attached them to the 1448:

For the front, just welded a tab to the gunnel and bolted on. The holders had to be inside the rail so they did not hang stuff when I was bowfishing.


Back was just screwed down using self tappers. I'll see if I have any of the screws used laying around and take a pic of them.


I've seen had them reworked and so they would fit my new boat. Here you can see that I had the fabricator add a brace to the front part. On my new boat, I just used the same self tappers. With the added brace, the rails are even stronger. I use them to climb in and out of the boat and they don't budge.


My preference for catfising are Driftmaster Flatline 250-H. These are the heavy duty 25 degree holders that they make.

 

[alumacrafty]

Okay, thanks for now Jonah. I'll try to leave you alone for a few months. It's about 10 degrees up here and my boat is in storage so I've just been scheming up improvements for spring. (I don't fish hard water).

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

LOL! Right on, friend. This is a great site and people are always willing to share. Sounds like of time to pretend fish from your boat so you can plan out exactly how you want customize it.

Take care,