[SamSteele]

Jon boat has a flat bottom. Good for small ponds with no real waves. Stable in those waters and nice to stand in if you are fly casting. Downside is that it is extremely rough riding in any waves as the bottom smacks the waves instead of pushing through them.

If you are considering Cold Lake you either want something decent in size or you want to pick your days carefully. For that size of water I would choose something with a deep v hull (not all “v” hull are deep. Some are still fairly shallow which gives you the feeling of a wider boat but not a deep enough v for a smooth ride in rough water) in 17’ length or more. Try to get max rated horsepower for the hull so you can get off the lake in a hurry if a storm rolls in.

Pay attention to the structural details on any boat you consider. People get caught up in the stylish features (console, paint schemes, etc) and forget that why matters is the quality of the aluminum, amount of bracing inside, floor and transom materials, rigging tubes, etc. It’s pretty easy to make a cheap boat look expensive with a fancy dash, nice seats, and plush carpet but what you want is one that will last you.