As life moves on, time becomes more and more valuable to all of us. When in our youth, there seemed to be plenty of time for everything we wanted to get accomplished, but that’s before careers and other full-time responsibilities started absorbing our days.
Most anglers—regardless of how many days a year they spend on the water—would argue they could always use more time fishing. For Shem Johnson, if he didn’t make fishing with his father a priority, it might not ever happen. At a young age, Shem lived for those one-on-one outings on the water with his father Henry.
“Fishing with my father was something I started doing at a very young age,” recalls Shem. “I remember going night fishing with him around the age of 7. I never lasted long, but spending that time with my Pops was always a good time simply because he loved being outdoors and made it an experience.”
Growing up and having this time together gave Shem an opportunity to learn about his father and the many things he enjoyed as well as how he enjoyed them. Always being close to his father is something he looks back on today, which makes him appreciate even more the trips they continue to take together to the lake. Now as an adult with a 16-year-old son Marcus, fishing continues to be a common bond for Shem and his own family, thanks to his Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX.
“I enjoy pontoons for their easy use and manageability,” explains Shem. “Because they are easy to maneuver they can be used by the most seasoned boater or newcomer on the water. There’s really no real better water craft to have if you’re a bit of a lounger on the water like me.”
Shem admits he would rather lay back and float around the majority of the time on the water, versus running at wide open throttle type speeds. Plus he enjoys the company of taking others with him when he goes.
“Pontoons allow you to bring a lot of people with you without walking all over one another in tight quarters,” says Shem.
Living in Missouri where a lot of different pontoon manufacturers call home, Shem had plenty of options to choose from when it came to buying a pontoon boat. After hours of research and talking with several different dealers in his area, the Sun Tracker just made the most sense to him.
“Tracker makes a very good water craft,” says Shem. “What I found was their boats are not only affordable, but once you have one they are considerably simple to work and to operate. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first boat or one of many that you have tried, the Party Barge is one that you can and will always be able to depend on.”
Because of those fond memories fishing with his father as a kid, Shem was determined to pass along those experiences to the next generation with his own son. While it’s still a challenge to create time on the water with Marcus, it’s something Shem continues to push for.
“The time we spend fishing is a bit more far and between due to his busy teenage schedule,” explains Shem. “Understanding that our time is a bit more restricted, I do make sure we make the most of our quality time together regardless of whether the outing is a prosperous one or not.”
Shem finds himself teaching the exact same techniques his father taught him growing up to his own son.
“I passed on to Marcus everything from how to tie a hook or lure to understanding how to spot the good fishing holes,” explains Shem.
Whether it’s fishing with his father or going out with his own teenage son, the Party Barge continues to be the common thread that keeps the generations of Johnsons tied together. And when all three of them can go out fishing, it’s always a good time on the Sun Tracker.
Equipped with a Mercury 90hp four-stroke, the versatility of the trailerable pontoon allows Shem to boat on any of the lakes in his area, but with Table Rock located around 30 miles from his Missouri home, it continues to be one of his favorites.
“I live about 15 miles from my father so we’ve been able to stay close over the years,” says Shem. “All it takes is a quick phone call and we can be heading to Table Rock with the boat in tow.”
Looking back, Shem feels the experiences he learned through being around his father are actually quite simple.
“These were ‘manly’ types of outings that I had with my Pops and as a kid this was just one of the things that guys do and to be a ‘real guy’ you have to do them,” says Shem. “Not only that, the outings were fun. Now as a grown man and having my own teenage son, I acknowledge there was more to it than that. It was a chance to get to know one another in a manner that wasn’t too invasive or embarrassing, but at the same time share a bond that most young men don’t or won’t get the chance to be a part of.”
The older Shem got, the more his father gave him the freedom to discover his own way of doing things through trial and error, but he admits that in the end he usually discovered his father’s way was the best.
“I take that same art of allowing my son to figure out situations on his own while fishing or in life and guide his hand along the way,” explains Shem.
Fishing today with his father always reminds him of the days when he used to fish for perch. They were easy to catch and always readily available so the constant action kept him interested in fishing when he was starting out. He also enjoyed digging for worms as he would prepare for an upcoming fishing trip.
“As I got older, fishing for catfish became a fun ordeal over time, either by way of trout lines or standard bottom fishing,” says Shem. “Now days it’s all about bass fishing.
The summer is the best time for me to get down and fish. I usually incorporate it into part of my leisure time on the water, which consist of boating, water skiing and tubing.”
And with his versatile Sun Tracker pontoon, all of that is possible on the 22 DLX. There’s no telling what the future will bring or how much time any of us have on this earth, which makes the moments Shem and his father Henry share on the Sun Tracker pontoon that much more meaningful.
Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX
LOA 22’ 2”
Beam 8’ 6”
Dry Weight 1,785 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 32 gal.
Max Power 90hp
Engine Mercury 90
Cylinder Configuration I-4
Displacement 1.7L
Engine Weight 399 lbs.
Gear Ratio 2.33:1
Prop Diameter/Pitch 13 1/4 X 15 Spitfire
Maximum Speed 27.9 mph
Wild Ponies 90hp
0-10 MPH 3.9 seconds
RPM vs. MPH vs GPH
800 2.4 0.3
1000 2.9 0.4
1500 4.4 0.7
2000 6.2 1.1
2500 7.6 1.6
3000 9.7 2.3
3500 14.2 2.7
4000 16.2 3.9
4500 19.3 5.5
5000 21.1 6.9
5600 27.9 8.3
For more information visit www.suntrackerboats.com.
