Canoes are far more versatile and portable than jon boats (I like both of them, so I'm not biased).
Canoes have been used for thousands of years for all types of purposes. They are easy to transport, store and take care of. Their only drawback is stability, but that can be easily solved with a small pair of outriggers.

forget both go with a pirogue

I maybe a bit biased, as I use a canoe on a regular basis. there models out there with squared off tails that allow you to mount a trolling motor or even a small gasoline engine but there are still easy to portage with. I have a Radisson squareback or cartopper, and have had it for 9yrs and it'sstood up well. It's been portaged a mile into pond for some fishing used it to paddle into camping sites and gets into spots I haven't seen another boat go.

depending on the price range i would go with the Jon boat much more stable for hunting or fishing and if you get a small model can be car topped.

Canoe's more versatile in every area except the size of the power plant, the load capacity and platform stability. Make a list of your needs in these areas; if you're not needing/planning for an outboard except occasionally, if you mostly haul a couple hundred pounds or less, and if you don't usually need to stand up to cast a fly then a canoe might be the ticket. If you're planning to portage, poke around in narrow, shallow water or doing moving water regularly, a canoe's pretty much it for you.

Canoe, but go with a square stern for the trolling motor or small gas.

I would have to say that the jon boat is more stable, but the canoe is more versatile as far as rivers and stumps go. Both have their merits and downfalls, to choose one, I would have to go with a 15' canoe with a 40" beam, and if available, a square stern.

My voet is a jon boat, but not any jon boat. a wood jonboat.
I grew up on the rivers of the Ozarks with a canoe, loved'm. They got me to all the fishing spots held what gear i thought i needed and easily trasportable. Then...I made a wooden 20ft jonboat. I'll never go back. Now canoes have their place but if you plan to hunt, fish, camp, sightsee, photography, take kids out, or just let you wife sunbathe in the front while you fish then my longboat takes the cake.

Check it out at www.longboatoutfitters.com

Now it does need a trailer but this boat draws less water that a kayak and holds over 1000lbs of gear while it can still be steared by one paddle in the stearn. It is super stable and I can stand on the gunnel loaded with gear and it only leans a bit. Mount a troller to it for limblines or just float with the current. Now this is strictly a designed as a river boat, maybe a small pond or lake boat. The sides are only 12inches high. This makes it also much better in the wind than a canoe. Total weight about 180lbs so two men can carry it.

Come take a ride in it and if you want one I'll build one to your specifications.

Have a good one.

Kyle Kosovich

The Jon boat is a better choice in my opinion. For hunting they are much more stable and have plenty of room. I know the price is a little more but I think its worth spending a little more.

I like my canoe when i want a quiet day on the water on a small lake or stream. Also while in canada they are great to explore small lake chains. I guess the simplicity of me, paddle, and canoe, no motors, no batteries. I do enjoy a jon boat for lets say cat fishing at night or something that requires more stuff than say bass fishing or panfishing. Both have their place.

If you ever tried to steer a jon boat down a river then you should know the answer to this question.

for me in the south it is Jon Boat. Stable, and can carry a load with light power.

Depends mainly on how many people and how much gear you carry. A john boat will haul much more plus a motor but if it is just you then a canoe would be much more easy to manuver and tip over, did I mention it depends on your level of experience? I'd go with a john boat.

canoes allow more space and versatility and can go in shallower depths without scaring fish so much as a john boat would.

I would recomend a jon boat because it has more room for your hunting needs and can be hooked up with a trolling motor or some other kind of motor if you like. Jon boats are also a lot more stable and can even stand up in without worrying about tipping over. The only downside about the jon boat is the manuverability... if your going against a strong current, it could get pretty difficult.

I say a scaled down drift boat

Kyak easier to manuver and easy to use alone.

i would definately go with a john boat because you can move around more without worrying about it tipping and losing all of your expensive gear

I own both, I prefer the Jon Boat. It can hold more stuff and is still maneuverable through the swamp. But I still like my canoe, just don't use it all that much.

Jon Boat anyday.