Been turning wrenches on boats down here in South Florida for the better part of two decades, and while I see plenty of high-dollar sportfishers, I’ve got a real soft spot for a jon boat. They’re the workhorses of the water. Simple, tough, and you can get them into skinny water where the big boats can’t go. But that simplicity? It’s also a blank canvas.
I see guys all the time at the ramps near the Everglades or heading out into the backcountry, and they’re fighting their own boat—tripping over tackle boxes, rods getting stepped on, nowhere to sit comfortably. It drives me nuts. Your boat should work for you, not against you. Upgrading a jon boat isn’t about making it fancy; it’s about making it a more efficient fishing machine. It’s about spending less time fumbling and more time with a line in the water.
This ain’t gonna be some glossy magazine article. This is just me, a mechanic, telling you what works and what doesn’t based on what I’ve seen and fixed. We’ll talk about making your boat more comfortable, getting your gear organized, and a few tricks to actually help you find and catch more fish. We’ll even get into the engine side of things.
So, let’s get that jon boat dialed in. First things first, let’s talk about making it a more comfortable place to spend the day.
Table of Contents
Comfort and Safety: The Foundation You Can’t Skip
Before you even think about fish finders or casting decks, you need to make your boat comfortable and safe. If you’re miserable after two hours, you’re not going to fish effectively. And if it’s not safe, well, nothing else matters.
Ditch the Carpet, Save Your Back
That old, worn-out carpet a lot of jon boats have? Get rid of it. It holds moisture, gets moldy, and gets hotter than the devil’s forge in the Florida sun. The best move you can make is to lay down some marine-grade foam decking. That stuff is gold. It’s softer on your feet, it’s non-slip even when it’s wet, and you can just hose it off at the end of the day. A long day of standing on aluminum is brutal on your back and knees; this foam makes a huge difference.
Get a Real Seat
Those flat aluminum benches are fine for a quick trip, but for a full day of fishing, they’re torture. Upgrading your seating is a game-changer. You don’t have to get crazy.
- Simple clamp-on swivel seats let you turn to cast without twisting your back.
- A pedestal seat mounted on a solid base gives you better height and support.
- Make sure whatever you get is rated for marine use. The sun and salt will destroy anything else.
A buddy of mine, Ray, who fishes the flats down in the Keys, put a proper pedestal seat in his G3, and he swears it added two hours to his fishing day just by saving his back.
Sun and Safety Gear
You need a bimini top. Period. Down here, the sun will cook you in a few hours. A bimini gives you a patch of shade to retreat to, letting you stay out longer and safer. And don’t forget your navigation lights. It’s not just the law for fishing early or late; it’s common sense. Get a decent clamp-on set so you’re always legal and visible. Finally, put a bilge pump in it. Even a small manual one. A leaky rivet or a wave over the side can put a surprising amount of water in the boat, and a bucket is a poor excuse for a pump when you really need one.
Getting Organized: A Place for Everything
A cluttered boat is an unsafe and inefficient boat. You trip over stuff, you can’t find the lure you need when the fish are biting, and you end up breaking expensive gear. Let’s fix that.
The space in a jon boat is limited, so you have to be smart. Think vertically and use the dead spaces. Installing vertical rod holders along the gunwales is the easiest way to keep your rods safe and out from under your feet. I’ve seen more rods broken by being stepped on than by fish. For a cheap DIY solution, you can make fantastic holders out of PVC pipe.
For your tackle, rain gear, and life jackets, you need dry, secure storage. That space under the benches or under a new casting deck is prime real estate. Building a simple hatch with some marine-grade plywood and stainless steel hinges gives you a dedicated spot to keep things dry and organized. No more digging through a giant duffel bag to find what you need. A clean deck is a safe deck.
Upgrades That Actually Help You Catch Fish
Now we’re getting to the fun stuff. These are the mods that give you a real tactical advantage on the water.
Build a Raised Casting Deck
If you do one “major” upgrade, make it this. A raised casting deck at the bow completely changes how you fish. It gives you a higher vantage point, so you can see down into the water better and spot fish. It provides a stable, flat platform to cast from and makes mounting a trolling motor way easier.
Plus, all that space underneath becomes a huge storage area. You can build a frame out of aluminum or treated wood and top it with marine-grade plywood. But here’s a critical mechanic’s tip: if your build involves removing one of the boat’s original cross-benches, you must reinforce the hull. Those benches are part of the boat’s structure. If you cut one out without adding back support (like aluminum ribs), your hull will flex and you’ll eventually pop rivets or crack welds. I’ve seen it happen.
See What’s Underneath with a Fish Finder
Fishing without a fish finder is like driving with your eyes closed. You’re just guessing. Even a basic unit will show you depth, water temperature, and bottom structure. You’ll be able to find drop-offs, submerged logs, and weed lines where fish hang out. Mounting one is pretty straightforward. The transducer usually goes on the transom, and you can mount the display screen on a small console or a RAM mount. It will absolutely, 100% help you find more fish.
Light Up the Night
For guys who like to fish at night or go bowfishing, LED lights have changed the game. You used to have to run a loud, smelly generator to power halogen lights. Now, you can run incredibly bright LED light bars right off your 12-volt battery system. Mount them on removable brackets so you can take them off when you don’t need them.
Power and Performance Tweaks
Let’s talk about the back of the boat. A few smart adjustments here can make your jon boat handle better, get on plane faster, and run in shallower water.
The Advantage of a Jack Plate
A jack plate is a device that lets you move your outboard motor up and down vertically on the transom. Why does that matter? It lets you dial in the perfect engine height. If you’re running in skinny water, you can raise the engine up to avoid hitting bottom. For the best top speed, you can find that sweet spot where the propeller has maximum bite with minimum drag. For a jon boat that’s been loaded down with decks and gear, it helps you get a better hole shot and get on plane quicker. It’s a more advanced upgrade, but for performance, it’s a big one.
Don’t Forget the Propeller
Your propeller is what connects your engine’s power to the water. Having the wrong one is like trying to run a race in flip-flops. An expert at a prop shop can help you find the right propeller for your specific boat, engine, and load. A good prop can:
- Improve your acceleration (hole shot)
- Increase your top speed
- Improve fuel economy
- Allow the engine to operate in its ideal RPM range
It’s one of the most overlooked but impactful performance upgrades you can make.
Smart Upgrades: A Quick Comparison
Not all upgrades are created equal. Here’s a quick table to help you decide where to put your money and effort first, based on my experience.
| Upgrade | Estimated DIY Cost | Difficulty | Biggest Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam Decking | $150 – $300 | Easy | All-day comfort, non-slip safety |
| Pedestal Seat | $100 – $250 | Easy | Reduces back fatigue, better casting |
| Rod Holders | $20 – $100 | Very Easy | Protects expensive gear, declutters deck |
| Casting Deck | $200 – $500 | Medium | Fishing visibility, huge storage gain |
| Fish Finder | $150 – $600+ | Easy-Medium | Finding fish and structure |
| Jack Plate | $200 – $700 | Hard | Shallow water performance, speed |
My Final Two Cents
Your jon boat is a tool, and these upgrades are about making that tool better for the job. You don’t have to do it all at once. Pick one thing that annoys you the most about your current setup and fix it. Is it the uncomfortable seating? Start there. Tired of tripping over rods? Add some holders.
Don’t get carried away and “overbuild” it. Remember the beauty of a jon boat is its simplicity. Keep your upgrades practical, respect the boat’s structural integrity, and you’ll build a fishing machine that’s perfectly tailored to you. Now stop reading and get to work—the fish are waiting.
FAQ: Questions I Hear at the Ramp
What’s the very first upgrade I should make to my new jon boat?
Before you do anything else, get a comfortable seat and a good set of rod holders. Being comfortable keeps you on the water longer, and protecting your rods from getting stepped on saves you money and heartache. Those two things give you the most bang for your buck right out of the gate.
Do I really need to reinforce the hull if I remove a bench seat?
Yes. Absolutely, one hundred percent. I can’t stress this enough. Those benches are structural supports that prevent the hull from flexing. If you cut one out, you must replace that support with aluminum ribs or a similar frame. If you don’t, you’re risking popped rivets, cracks in the hull, and a boat that is fundamentally unsafe.
Is “marine-grade” plywood really that different from the regular stuff at the hardware store?
It’s a night and day difference. Marine-grade plywood uses waterproof glue and has no voids inside the layers. Regular exterior plywood will absorb water, delaminate, and rot in a marine environment, even if you paint it. Spend the extra money on marine-grade materials. It’s the classic “do it right or do it twice” scenario.
Will a jack plate really help on my small 14-foot jon boat with a 15hp motor?
It can, especially if you fish a lot of shallow water. It will give you that extra few inches of clearance to get over sandbars or submerged logs. It might not drastically increase your top speed with a smaller motor, but the ability to fine-tune your engine height for different conditions is a real advantage.
What’s a better investment for finding fish: a basic fish finder or polarized sunglasses?
That’s a good one. If I had to pick one, I’d say start with the fish finder. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is essential for sight-fishing in clear, shallow water, but a fish finder tells you what’s going on in any depth and any water clarity. It shows you the structure you can’t see. Get the fish finder first, then save up for a quality pair of glasses. Use both, and you’ll be a much more effective angler.
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