Review: Jonny 100 Kayak | Building the Fishing Motor Kayak
- Randy Reek, The Great Out There
- Jun 12
- 8 min read
Transforming the Jonny “Bass 100” into a versatile, comfortable, and stable big water fishing motor kayak!
If you are looking for a VERY reasonably priced fishing boat, I can highly recommend the Jonny 100 for its stability and versatility. Just overlook the “Bass 100” on the side if you are a multi-species angler like me. Combined with my Harbor Freight flatbed trailer, I can now fish the expansive lakes in my area, along with the many smaller “electric-only” lakes in my area.
This article describes WHY I selected the "Jonny Bass 100" and how I outfitted it for my style of fishing with an electric motor.
If you follow any kayak fishing channels or discussion groups, there are TWO repetitive questions:
Which kayak is stable for standing AND/OR stable for big guys?
Can I add a motor to this kayak?
These two questions reflect the FACTS about the average American sportsman, First, the average fisherman is PLUS sized. In addition, they tend to be overloaded with gear. The LAST thing you want to do is exceed the weight limit of a kayak.
Second, the average fisherman is out of shape. They like the idea silently paddling across a still lake. But the reality is that the lake is seldom calm, and the best fishing is never within 100 yards of the landing. After 10 minutes of kayaking against the wind they want a MOTOR!
But now you compound the first problem. Now you need to add the weight of a gas outboard and fuel tank or electric motor and battery.
Adding a motor to a traditional paddle kayak with a pointed bow and stern DESTROYS its stability.
Kayaks designed to be paddled (and most pedal-drive models) have pointed ends to efficiently slip through the water with the least resistance. The bow or stern is the WORST place to add weight due to minimal water displacement.
Paddle and pedal kayaks are NOT designed for motors!
Adding weight above the bow or stern of a kayak upsets the balance, which is supposed to be at the waterline, centered in the kayak. There are hundreds of FAIL videos that demonstrate how an otherwise stable kayak becomes instantly unstable the second you concentrate the weight at the bow or stern – like this:
And I am not even discussing the inherent weakness of soft, rotomolded plastic when you bolt a motor to a kayak and add thrust at the end of the overloaded boat…
Thankfully, a few brands have developed models that are specifically DESIGNED to accommodate plus-sized anglers with lots of gear who prefer a fishing kayak with a motor over paddles (or pedals.)
Feel Free has introduced the “Jonny Bass 100” to satisfy this market for motorized fishing kayaks. This short 10-foot boat is 35.5-inches wide and has a total weight capacity of 400-pounds!
I recently took delivery of a new Jonny boat and began the transformation into a fishing machine.
My goal was to build a rig that could handle big rivers and windswept lakes WITH a motor. In more than 50 years of angling, I have owned and fished out of dozens of paddle kayaks, pedal kayaks, and canoes. The Jonny 100 was purchased specifically for an electric motor for extended range and plus slow trolling presentations.
I selected the Jonny 100 because it is DESIGNED with a wide, square transom which is engineered to support the added weight of a motor. It also features a tri-hull that evenly supports the weight and adds secondary stability even when standing.
Note that the Jonny 100 can be ordered with a drop-in electric motor “pod”. I did not select this option because one of my preferred fishing methods is slow back-trolling, which uses the transom-mounted motor to precisely follow contours and navigate rocks and trees in reverse. Besides, the transom mounted trolling motor is half the price!
Without the center motor pod, the Jonny 100 is supplied with a drop-in storage compartment. This is incredibly useful, and the storage is easily accessible from the seat. Heavy items can be placed on the bottom, at the waterline for added stability. To the top of the pod lid, I glued on a small steel disk which then holds a magnetic tray that collects fishing lures and hooks during the day.
The Jonny 100 can be outfitted with small gas outboards up to 2.5 hp. The added weight and torque require the addition of a reinforced steel transom plate. DON’T think about adding a gas outboard to the soft and slippery stock plastic transom!
I wouldn’t trust an electric trolling motor on the plastic transom, either!
I planned to install a 55-pound electric motor. Instead of the steel bracket, I added a reinforcement to the plastic transom that I cut out of half-inch HDPE plastic. This provided a much stiffer surface to attach the trolling motor and securely tighten the mounting bolts.
For the trolling motor, I chose the brushless Haswing 12-volt motor with an energy-saving current regulator to maximize the battery life
For the best weight distribution, I planned to mount the 12-volt battery at the bow, in front of the storage pod. I ordered a 100-amp hour lithium battery that was housed in a protective case, ready for use in a boat. But to protect the valuable battery, I used the packing foam to create a cushion on the top and bottom. Then I installed flat loops for a tie-down strap on both sides of the battery case using threaded inserts into the hull.
The next task was running the connecting wiring from the front battery to the rear motor.
I drilled access holes at the bow and stern and fished the wires through the hollow hull. Then I fabricated small plates for the wires and sealed the openings with silicone. The wiring process was completed with the addition of an inline circuit breaker and heavy-duty Anderson connectors. This makes both the motor and battery detachable from the kayak for transport or storage.
The final accessories were the addition of several rod holders in the center “cockpit” and on the rear tracks. I also added a dual RAM mount on the center rail to mount my Garmin Striker Plus 4 locator and the arm for the transducer. Please be aware that Feel Free has their own track design that REQUIRES slightly wider plates on all T-track accessories. Click HERE for the link for these adapters.
I added a pair of wires with an SAE connector to the battery which powers my locator. Lastly, I installed an anchor trolley along the left side of the hull.
Now it was time for the Maiden Voyage in the Jonny 100 fishing motor kayak!
(I am NOT a bass fisherman – so this is my “Jonny Walleye-Crappie-Catfish 100”). See also the related article that details the design and assembly of the new Harbor Freight flatbed trailer for transporting the Jonny boat – Click HERE.
As expected, I found the short and wide Jonny boat to be incredibly stable. With all my gear, the trolling motor and battery I estimate that I was under 300 pounds of combined weight.
The Jonny includes a strap that attaches at the base of the front storage pod to assist you when standing – but I didn’t need it and quickly removed it. The seat has both high and low mounting options and I found that it was easy to stand. The floor of the boat includes wide anti-slip EVA-foam pads. While standing, I could rock back and forth, and the wide tri-hull felt secure.
When ordering the Jonny boat, I also purchased the optional standing handrail – but I have yet to find a reason to install it. (This is probably a bass fishing accessory.)
Sitting in the low mesh seat, I paddled the Jonny boat for a short distance. Yes – you CAN paddle the Jonny boat – if necessary.
Even with a motor, you should always carry a paddle for emergencies. (A short emergency paddle is better than NONE!) But the short, wide Jonny boat is clearly designed for a motor. Except for short paddles around docks or trees, I’m sure the average angler will use a motor 99% of the time.
On my first outing, I was slowly trolling along a riprap bank searching for crappies and walleyes. The 55-pound thrust electric motor only needed to be engaged at the LOWEST setting to maintain a speed of 1.0 to 1.5 mph. Ramping up to 1.75 to 2.0 mph for trolling crankbaits increased the throttle to less than one-third of the full speed.
The Jonny boat hull tracks nicely yet turns easily under power. The motor height was clamped about midway on the shaft with the prop fully submerged. This positioned the extended handle conveniently above my crate in the rear storage well.
I liked everything about the Jonny 100 - but the seating position was terrible!
The expensive, flat mesh seat supplied with the Jonny boat might be great with the center-mounted electric motor – but NOT for a transom motor! Likewise, you might enjoy a rear gas motor with the optional remote throttle and steering options – but NOT if you try to operate the transom outboard with a tiller handle while facing forward.
I had ordered a jointed extension handle for the trolling motor. But this only made things worse and was detached after only a few minutes. The trolling motor had an extendable tiller handle, but it was simply uncomfortable being forced into a forward-facing seat while trying to operate a motor behind you. Even worse, the square, high back seat forces you to twist and wrench your shoulder continuously.
If you are only running a rear motor for a few minutes, and then fishing while anchored or drifting, you MIGHT find the low, flat stock seat acceptable. But if you want to troll for HOURS, you will need a new HIGHER SWIVEL seat!
If my readers request it, I may publish a detailed plan for the seat that is pictured below. But for now, I am only going to describe the advantages of the raised swivel seat that I built for the Jonny Walleye-Crappie-Catfish 100.
You can see from the photos that this combination uses a padded fishing seat. I constructed a base using PVC with internal hardwood dowls for added strength. Then I mounted the seat to the base with a 360-degree swivel. The pipe base fits the molded mounting points in the Jonny boat and is held in place with the same web strap used with the stock seat. When folded down, I trailer the Jonny boat without removing the seat – or the trolling motor or battery.
Now, after many hours of motor operation, I can testify that this is the seat design that Feel Free needs to offer for electric or gas rear transom-mounted motors! This video shows the “Before” and After” with the raised swivel seat:
Not only do you sit higher, but you can turn about 45 degrees and comfortably reach the tiller handle of the motor. The Jonny boat is wide enough to allow turning without disrupting the stability. Indeed, if you didn’t have a crate in the rear well, you could spin 180-dgrees and operate the motor facing backwards. (And I intend to do just that in some precise backtrolling situations, particularly in rough water.)
I have been very satisfied with how little thrust is required to propel the Jonny boat with the electric motor. And the brushless trolling motor can easily run intermittently for a full day on the 100 Amp-hour battery.
There is ample storage room in the Jonny boat – but not too much open space to encourage overloading. I find that my bait pack fits easily behind the seat and one or two tackle trays slide under the raised seat frame. The other gear in my crate would easily fit in the storage pod – but I still use the crate to switch back and forth with my other pedal fishing kayak.
If you are looking for a VERY reasonably priced fishing boat, I can highly recommend the Jonny Motor Fishing Kayak for its stability and versatility. Just overlook the “Bass 100” on the side if you are a multi-species angler like me. Combined with the HF flatbed trailer, I can travel to open water or the many, smaller “electric-only” lakes in my area.
Keep your eye out for the orange GreatOutThere.online “Jonny Walleye-Crappie-Catfish 100” if you are on the water in central or northern Wisconsin!
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