Thread: Boat Setup

I was asked to do a thread on how I set up my boat. First off, everybody's situation will be different, but I hope that this will help to get you started off right. I am disabled, I had a tree fall on me and broke my back in three places, but you can't let a little thing like that keep you from fishing. I had a bass boat that I no longer could handle so I sold it and before I bought a new boat I was looking for something that I would not have to move around alot to fish in. After looking around at what was out there I bought a 16' pan fisher because once I get in the boat everything I need is at reach, and I can drive the boat from the same seat. After sitting in the boat I thought about where I would need the rod holders, depth finder, tackle, minnow bucket and also how the person fishing in the back would be set up to fish. After two years of adding to the boat this is what I ended up with. The live well is between the two seats so each person can reach it with no problem, it sits in the middle of the boat with walking room on each side. So with some help I built a box that would fit between the live well and the side of the boat, the live well is 36'' so I made it 36'' and put in three sections with three tops. I went and bought container's that would slide into the openings. Put four coats of oil base paint to water seal the plywood the box was built out of. The center opening I use for a small ice chest, it will hold eight can's and the two end's are minnow buckets, one for front and back, installed one air pump out side the box on the front and run air lines to both buckets. Since there was no storage I replaced the seat pedestal's with 16'' x 16'' boxes with a hinge on the front lid so I could store the life jackets and lake maps. The reason the hinges are on the front of the box is so when I'm going down the lake you don't fall backwards as the box top would tend to open under force. The front bow had a ice chest so I removed it and ordered a hatch to fit the opening (Cabela's) It gave me alot of storage for tackle and other things. For the rod holders on the front, I wanted four across the front so I built a spreader out of 1/2'' pipe, drilled four holes on top and welded nuts over the holes so the rod holders would screw down into the pipe. Then I bought six mounting plates so I could place three on each side of the boat, spaced so they would be easy to reach. So that gave me up to 10 rod holders on the front of the boat. ( Driftmaster ) On the back I built two spreaders and placed one on each side of the moter, on them I placed two rod holders ( Red Tenders ) I used these because they are ajustable sideways and up and down. Bought four mounting plates and placed two on each side of the boat, that gave 8 rod holders for the person fishing in the back of the boat. I also installed a depth finder on the back (an old one I had) it's only purpose is when the fish are not biting it gives something to keep the wife or kids busey watching. To handle the rods when moving or rigging my lines, I used 2'' pvc pipe, cut them 12'' long, notched the top so the reel will slide in and mounted them on the sides. For the front depth finder I bought a Humminbird 787c2i gps, I ordered a two way switch, when traveling down the lake I use the back transducer then when I drop the trolling motor I switch to a transducer on the trolling motor. (you don't have to spend this much on a unit, there are unit's for around $200 that will show you what's under the water) Since I mostly spider rig I don't anchor much but for night fishing and sometimes you will find a place that you want to fish anchor I installed a anchor mate (Bass Pro Shop) on the front and back. I don't have to pull out anchor's just turn a nob and let the anchors go to the bottom, then when I get ready to move I just crank them up. To finish off I added tray's to hold pliers and odd's and in's and a couple of horizontal rod holders that you can strap rods in for going down the road. I hope this will help with some questions on how to set up your boat. Before adding alot of things to your boat, stop and think about what kinds of fish and how you plan to fish for them. Add a little at a time and soon your boat will be a tool to help you catch fish. Good luck and be safe.

What a great lookiing boat Stumphunter! Nicely done! Looks well thought out and a fish catching machine.