12 Foot Tracker Jon Boats For Sale

The Tracker 1236, also sold as the 12T Jon boat, is a 12-foot welded aluminum hull built for small-water fishing on lakes and quiet inland spots. The model number breaks down directly: the 12 is the 12-foot length and the 36 is the 36-inch bottom width. Tracker offers the same family in three sizes — a 10T, the 12T, and a 14T — so the 12-foot version sits in the middle as a practical single-angler or light two-person rig for bluegill, bass and pike. It is commonly sold as a package through Bass Pro Shop, which pairs the hull with a Mercury outboard.

The defining build feature is fully welded aluminum construction with no pop rivets anywhere in the hull. That matters for buyers replacing an older riveted boat, where seams tend to weep water through the rivets after years of use and need repeated repair. The welded hull eliminates those leak points, which is the main reason owners step up from a decades-old riveted rowboat to this model.

The 1236 carries a 36-inch bottom but a wider beam of 4 feet 4 inches at the rails, and that taper is what drives its stability. Because the bottom is the narrowest part of the hull and the boat flares wider toward the gunwales, added weight pushes more of the hull into the water and effectively widens the waterline stance. Loaded with batteries — roughly 60 to 70 pounds each — distributed evenly port and starboard, the boat sits level and resists rocking even when an angler shifts hard to one side. Weight that is unbalanced, such as a single battery at one stern corner, lists the boat to that side, so spreading the load across both sides and adding a third battery forward keeps the hull flat.

Power options are modest and flexible. A small portable outboard such as a 2.5 hp Yamaha is enough to move the 12T on a small lake, and the package versions come fitted with a Mercury. Some owners run electric trolling motors instead, using setups in the range of a 55-pound-thrust unit on the bow and an 80-pound-thrust motor on the stern. The portable outboard includes a kill-clip safety lanyard that shuts the engine off if the operator goes overboard, which suits anglers fishing alone.

For carrying gear, the open layout holds oars, several fishing rods and a tackle box, plus the throwable flotation and life jacket required by state law. Two common add-ons worth budgeting for are a trailer jack, which makes hooking the trailer to a tow vehicle and maneuvering it in a garage easier, and a spare tire and wheel for longer hauls away from home. New buyers should also account for registration; the hull needs state registration numbers and decals applied to the bow.

When shopping for a 12-foot Tracker Jon boat for sale, confirm whether the listing is a bare hull or a Bass Pro package with the Mercury and trailer, and check which outboard or trolling motor setup is included. The welded hull, 36-inch bottom and 52-inch beam are the core specs that define this size, and they make the 12T a stable, low-maintenance platform for shallow freshwater fishing.