Do any of you have experience fishing from or owning a Twin Troller Bass boat? I am considering buying one. They are quite pricey! What are your thoughts on this particular boat?

That is it in a nutshell. I just got off the phone with a Factory Representative from Lund Boats and he said the only available Lund jonboats were in the northeast...none in MO or AR. He agreed that it could take 8 months to get one on order.

Welcome to the long-lasting aftereffects of the worldwide Covid shutdown. I too am unsuccessfully looking for a jonboat! Most jonboat brands price themselves in a similar fashion. There is not a dramatic difference in price between the major, reputable brands. Some brands no longer sell the basic jonboat...i/e Bass Pro no longer offers the "topper" jonboat. Did you know that? You have to upgrade to the Grizzly with a $5000 plus pricetag. Ouch! Here is the deal...I have done extensive research on Lowe, Lund and Alumacraft and unless you are lucky enough to find one of these in stock somewhere, you will be forced to place an order with money down and wait at least 8 months to receive delivery. Order now and receive the boat in February! It is rediculous! So, those who have old, unwanted, rusty, delapidated jonboats sitting in the woods behind their houses are cashing in on the predicament and charging extremely unrealistic prices for their boats on Craigslist and Marketplace. My advice is stay with a major brand jonboat. Purchase a well known, recognizable brand with a good reputation. I have decided to purchase a new or nearly new jonboat and avoid the one like pictured here. Constantly watch the ads on Craigslist and Marketplace, etc. for something to suddenly surface, and with cash in hand, rush to buy it before the next guy gets there. Or be patient and wait until next February. Frustrated in Branson...

I highly recommend the Kastking Blackhawk 2, available for purchase through Amazon. I own three of these and absolutely love them. There right at $50 apiece.

I looked Gastons up on the internet and it is located in Arkansas...I am in Missouri...It is quite a ways away. I have certainly checked with other fishermen...they are all pretty helpful, but most of their help is not really that helpful to me, if you know what I mean. I used to own a 20' Bass Boat that nearly put me in the poor farm...the bass boat changed everything. I could go where I wanted with no effort and I had electronics to help me locate structure and fish. Now I am a kyack fisherman, restricted to fishing pretty close to where I put in the water.

Thank you for responding to my question...that was really kind of you. I will continue to seek out an answer from local marinas and fishermen.

I am a kyack fisherman who fishes Taneycomo and Bull Shoals at Branson, MO, on a weekly basis. I do not have a fish finder on my kyack. I mainly fish for largemouth bass but am also interested in Crappie or even panfish. This question does not concern Taneycomo trout. Many of my fishing excursions end with my being skunked. I would really like to regularly catch some fish that I could fry and eat, so I need some advice. I am not a novice angler. I have good equipment and the ability to use it effectively. I hardly ever use live bait, but I am willing if it is deemed necessary. As you know, Bull Shoals is once again terribly flooded ...so how do I catch bass or crappie on Bull Shoals? I can launch into Bull Shoals at K-Dock. How do I go about catching Largemouth Bass on Taneycomo launching either at Rockaway Beach or Powersite Dam. Remember, I am a kyack fisherman without electronics, so the distance I can cover is limited. Any advice from local anglers will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Beavertooth

Native wisdom says that the way to go for beginners is a Spinning Combo. There is basically no learning curve, just flip the bail and cast. Baitcast reels on the other hand can become frustrating when learning how to adjust your reel perfectly for the bait you are casting to avoid the dreaded "backlash". So unless you are really interested in getting into Baitcast fishing (personally...Baitcast is my #1 choice, but I have been using them for decades!), I would recommend you go with a Spinning set up...and to be honest, there is nothing wrong with a good Spincast push-button reel as well...I have a buddy that catches more bass than anyone I know, and he uses Spincast exclusively. Go figure! I have recommended this before, but if you do not want to spend allot of money, then go to Walmart and pick yourself up a nice combo that feels good in your hand. Walmart offers some nice gear from major brands that I believe you will be happy with for a while, then later you can update when you become more discerning. You do not have to spend allot of money to enjoy yourself when fishing. If you have $100 to spend, you can pick yourself up an ultra-light and a medium combo for a $100 bill at a good Walmart store. This advice is coming from a regular guy who kyack fishes for enjoyment and loves to have a good ole fish fry. And by the way, please know...if you have your own private pond, then you are truly "blessed!" Can I be your friend? I think it is time to go drown a worm!

Yes sir, they are not cheap. However, I keep comparing them to an entry-level bass boat that cost about $15,000. The twin troller will cost me about $5500 after I outfit it with a 2.5 hp outboard motor. I already have a trailer from Harbor freight that I plan to use. I have done extensive research and have decided to go with the twin troller because it meets my needs and will allow me to fish with another person from my household. I have yet to find a negative review on the boat anywhere on UTUBE. It seems that everyone who owns a twin troller really likes them. This will not be an extra boat for me. This will be my only boat.

I used to own a 20 foot bass boat with a 200 horse outboard motor. Unfortunately the boat was old and cost us a ton of money in repairs and renovations. My wife finally got tired of the expense and “strongly urged” me to sell it. In so doing, I no longer needed my Ford Expedition tow vehicle, so it was sold as well. I then went to Walmart and bought a cheap kayak and I’m now in my third year of fishing from a kayak and feeling extremely limited in what I can do on the water, especially when there’s any kind of wind. Wind is my enemy and has kept me off the water on many occasions. The twin troller appears to be excellent in wind and it is so stable that two guys can stand on the gunnels and the boat won’t tip over. I’m sold! I’m buying one as soon as I can get the money put together so that I can pay cash. I might have to wait until next year. But, at least then I will be starting fresh with a brand new boat. Until then, I remain a kayak fisherman…Using a paddle, not a motor.

That’s amazing! Congratulations!

There is a very simple answer to your question… Go to a Walmart store that keeps stock of kayaks and purchase the Lifetime Tamarack 100. You can get it for around $300 during this time of year. You can then go to YouTube and watch scores of videos on how to outfit a tamarack 100 into a decent little fishing machine. I’m in my third year of using a Tamerack 100 as I continue to save for the purchase of a Twin Troller mini-boat.

Budget I know...If you’re wanting inexpensive, then I would suggest you go to Walmart and purchase a Lew’s Speed Stick ultralight. It’s the Lazer HS IM6 ($30.00). I just bought one and paired it with a Kastking 500 Spinning Reel from Amazon ($25.00). I like it a lot, but I am not prone to purchase expensive fishing equipment, so this suits my needs perfectly.

I also purchased a Shakespeare micro series rod in a 7 foot LIGHT action version. I also really like it with the Kastking Reel mentioned earlier spooled with 4 lbs. mono. I would NOT suggest you purchase the Shakespeare 7 foot ultralight version because it is simply too whippie, but the light version is very nice and it cost only $16. You can afford to use it for a season and then give it to a friend.

It looks great! Assume it is locally made and manufactured? Looks like a great alternative to a johnboat.

Check out the Twin Troller X10!

Good point!

There is an incredible amount of information on UTUBE, on how to rig a lifetime tamarack 100. You will grow weary of watching the videos…there are so many.

The first thing you want to do is to purchase a stadium seat off Amazon because the store but seat in the lifetime tamarack 100 is garbage. Everyone on YouTube agrees with this. I purchased an extra wide fold up stadium seat from Amazon. I then placed a flotation cushion on the bottom part of the seat and a lower back cushion in order to make it comfortable enough for me. I’m 70 years old and have a few aches and pains.

You will then want to purchase a good crate and install some rod holders and a warning flag. If you’re going to fish, then you will have to have an anchor because the slightest breeze will push you so that you’ll barely get in one cast and retrieve before you have to maneuver the kayak once again. UTUBE will explain easy ways to rig out an anchor. I bought my anchor off Amazon as well… It is 3 pounds.

Fishing out of your kayak will not be the easiest experience you’ve ever had. You will probably spend 50% of your time maneuvering your kayak, leaving you the other 50% for fishing. It’s just the way it is. If you were like me, you will probably eventually become frustrated with how difficult it is to fish from a kayak when there’s even the slightest amount of wind. Then you’ll be looking to upgrade to a motorized kayak that you can stand up in. At least that is where I find myself at the moment after three years of fishing out of my lifetime tamarack 100. I certainly wish you the best. My intent was not to discourage you. Being on the water is far better than being in your house. I hope you catch a ton of fish!