I haul a 12' boat in my crew cabs 5 1/2 ft bed all the time. Im looking at 10-12ft jon boats and hopefully will be getting one soon. The only issue is that I don't want to get a trailer because I could very easily fit it into my pickup bed, now the issue is, how hard is it to lift a 175 lb. I used two rachet straps, one across the back and through the handles of the boat. You really don't need much holding the jon boat in the bed of your truck. A jon boat (or johnboat) is a flat-bottomed boat constructed of aluminum, fiberglass, or wood with one, two, or three bench seats. The other across the middle of the boat next to the tailgate. They are suitable for fishing and hunting. A flat bottom boat to provide better stability with hardened heavy duty kneels and oversized spray rails for smooth riding prop up the skills of a fisherman. I finally got a flat bed utility trailer that worked well as a boat trailer. I fish alone sometimes because not many people around here enjoy waking up around 4 am. I would back it into the water till the transom was in the water and then push it off the trailer. The Forum is a free service, and much like the "free" content on Public Radio, we hope you will support WoodenBoat by subscribing to this fabulous magazine. You could grab the boat and shake it and the whole truck would shake. You really don't need much holding the jon boat in the bed of your truck. I have carried my boat thousands of miles this way. I used to have a 92 Toyota 4 cyl. Like others have said, put the transom tight against the back of the bed and use good ratchet tie downs. We sell flat bottom jon boats in both modified v and standard flat bow. It is MUCH more sturdy and spacious, and it is MUCH heavier. I did a check at home with a spotter by slowly jack-knifing the truck and trailer, clearance was never an issue. A small modern jon boat in the bed of a pickup truck. Hey, I'm looking to buy a 10' Pelican Jon Boat that I could get for a very reasonable price. To retrieve I backed the trailer as far as I could and grabbed the bow handle and heaved it up on the trailer. Put the boat in transom first and if you are using a trolling motor put the battery in the rear of the boat and then use some type of strap to secure the boat to the bed of your truck. Lowe was founded in 1971 to build high value aluminum boats and canoes to fit a family's boating needs. The only issue is that I don't want to get a trailer because I could very easily fit it into my pickup bed, now the issue is, how hard is it to lift a 175 lb. Ok, one reservoir near me that I fish more then any other place, has a rule that you cannot bring a boat in on a trailer. No way that thing was ever coming … The plan is to put a small mud motor on it and use it for duck hunting small rivers and marshes, as well as for fishing.