For the serious angler, a fishing boat is combination car, office, and rec room. Even a touch of the kitchen may be needed for those who fish far more than the standard 4-hour excursion. So you want things that work right, look right, and are placed in logical and accessible fashion.

That’s a tall order if you think about it. The first task is engineering a hull and planning an interior layout to accommodate all the necessities, plus lots of accessories. Angler interests and wants vary, thus the incredible array of boats on the market today.

Once you acquire a boat, though, the work’s just begun. A boat hull and motor represent the skin, skeleton, and heart of the craft. Rigging adds the sensory system, plus the arteries and veins—stuff not to be trifled with.

So I recommend using a professional rigger to put the finishing touches on your boat. Some anglers have gotten quite good at rigging, even proficient. But it’s only through experience (big time mistakes) that the many intricacies of placement and wiring are learned. Most folks would prefer not to practice on their new boat, but leave the job to professionals who have (hopefully) made their errors years ago on someone else’s boat.

Rigging entails mounting and wiring trolling motors and sonar, plus the other 12-volt appliances that make fishing more fun and more efficient. Setting up the outboard and properly propping it also fall into the rigging task, though motors may be mounted at the factory. But jackplates and other performance items usually are added later.

Rigging involves mounting sonar brackets, rod holders, and easily a dozen other items that make your boat faster, safer, more convenient, or more tidy. Consider these categories when working with your rigging professional to set up your boat in the best possible fashion. Our intent is not to dwell on specific rigging techniques, but to outline topics to consider and mention products we’re familiar with that have proven helpful.

Trolling Motors

The bowmount electric motor has been a fixture on bass boats for over 30 years, and its value has been recognized by anglers who target walleyes, muskies, pike, and panfish. The power of electrics has escalated, stemming from a long-standing competition between MotorGuide and MinnKota to produce motors with the highest thrust rating.

The MotorGuide HyperDrive boasts 107 pounds of thrust, while MinnKota’s maxxum offers up to 101 pounds. Pinpoint’s positioning technology and integrated sonar units (now owned by MotorGuide) have attracted many converts. So, too, OMC motors continue with a strong market share, thanks to new features, dealer packages, and loyal customers.

Always choose a stronger trolling motor than you think you need, because they operate far more efficiently in terms of battery life when set at less than 70 percent of maximum output. Also, opt for a 24- or 36-volt system if boat size and weight warrant it, since battery life (reserve capacity) as well a maximum power increase.

Wiring a motor to multiple batteries and connecting other electrical accessories to batteries and circuit breakers is best left to experienced riggers. Otherwise, that tangle of colored spaghetti in your bilge will make you gnash your teeth should one or more features fail to function at the flick of a toggle switch.

MotorGuide and MinnKota trolling motors offer options in props, too, so carry a selection designed for either dense vegetation (3 or 4 short blades with low pitch), speed in open water (higher pitch and two long blades), or a compromise design. A custom prop called the Weedless Woodley prop, sold by Carolina Fish and Fur, uses metal blades to slice through vegetation.

MotorGuide’s Power Gator offers a welcome boost by automatically raising and lowering the trolling motor, and holding it at intermediate positions. Hit the button and the motor is in the water by the time you reach the bow. It’s a blessing for those with back problems, but aids even the fittest anglers while moving across shallow flats when standard motors must be held partly out of the water by hand.

Bowmount trolling motor users remain divided between advocates of foot-control models and those who prefer hand-control units. While foot controls are ready for use, hand models often benefit from additions. Many anglers like handle extensions that eliminate bending. Pro-Kon-Troll offers a unique aluminum steering handle with an elbow bend for easy use from any angle. T-H Marine offers The Extender, an extension handle that installs on any shaft and is adjustable from 1 to 30 inches long. For anglers who like to power their bowmount hand-control motor with remote foot switches, which allows one to fish from many positions, T-H Marine has Foot Control Switches with an optional locking device to keep them depressed.

Outboard Performance

From my earliest experiences in bass tournaments, I recall participants who were more concerned with their boat’s performance than their own performance at weigh-in time. That’s still true to an extent today, and nearly all bass anglers who run high-performance boats want them to run as fast and smoothly as practically possible.

Thumbing through an issue of Bass & Walleye Boats magazine will give you plenty of ideas as well as specific recommendations in your quest for a smoother and speedier ride. Bass & Walleye Boats also offers an “Outboard Performance Directory” with dealer listings of parts manufacturers and shops that specialize in tweaking rigs to wring the last mile per hour from the setup.

These folks are experts at adding features like nose cones and low water pickups that allow you to mount a motor higher on the transom for increased speed. Some modifications are easier, like adding hydrofoils, those winglike attachments on the cavitation plate that reduce hopping and give a smoother hole shot. Hydrofoils provide the most benefit on outboards under 150hp. Contact Doelcher, SystemSport, and Attwood for specifics.

Propellers: These certainly are the most talked about item in boat performance, and for good reason. Matching the proper prop for your boat, motor, and fishing style is tantamount to good boating performance. But dozens of styles exist, in addition to standard props available from outboard manufacturers. Custom designs and special cups also are options, including variable-pitch props. Pitch and number of blades are critical, but those variables must be matched with the style of the wheel and the operating characteristics you want. For example, maximum top-end speed is usually incompatible with a blistering hole shot or tight cornering. Mercury Marine offers Everything You Need To Know About Propellers, an excellent guide on the subject.

Jackplates: These rigging accessories have gone from a speed option to standard issue on some boats. Hydraulic jackplates allow the driver to raise and lower the outboard with a switch. Adjustments allow for idling into extremely shallow water, getting out of the hole in shallow water with the motor jacked up, and a stable ride in heavy seas when set deep. Intermediate adjustments as the boat reaches full plane keep it running at maximum efficiency and speed. The motor can be raised for trailering.

Manual jackplates allow the boater to adjust the height of the motor while the boat’s on the trailer, by using large wrenches. It also sets the motor back to improve hole shot, speed, and handling. Matching motor height to hull weight and configuration and also transom height can achieve the best all-around ride, though on-the-fly adjustments can’t be made.

Choosing the right setback also requires research, quizzing boat manufacturers and dealers, as well as jackplate makers. Choosing the wrong setup can prove a costly headache. Performance shops like Bob’s Machine Shop in Florida and Land & Sea in New Hampshire can provide telephone advice, and they offer a broad line of products. For more contacts, obtain the “Outboard Performance Directory” from Bass & Walleye Boats magazine.

Foot Throttle: This is a feature for everyone, but particularly valuable on high-performance boats. Driving the boat like a car lets you keep both hands on the wheel for safer handling at high speeds or in rough seas.

Easily installed, a foot throttle adds the safety feature that the boat immediately slows to idle if the driver is thrown from the boat or is otherwise incapacitated. A kill switch kills the motor if pulled, but most bass anglers don’t use this feature except in tournaments where it’s required. I’ve used a T-H Marine “Hot Foot” for four years with no problem. Land & Sea and other makers of performance accessories have similar models.

Remote Trim: In conjunction with a foot pedal, a remote trim switch allows the driver to trim the motor with his hands on the wheel, as it’s awkward to reach the trim switch on the throttle while driving. The old units had telephone-type wire twisted around the wheel. I like TH-Marine’s model, which mounts on the wheel for easy manipulation as you grip the wheel. Teleflex offers a similar unit.

Mounting Electronics

Give plenty of thought to placement of sonar units, GPS units and receivers, VHF radio, stereo system, and other electronics. Experienced riggers will consult with you about your fishing preferences and offer suggestions, based on their knowledge of mounting brackets, boat construction, and the boat’s electrical system. Try to plan for future expansion of your electronics needs. If bases must be removed, inserts are available to fill holes and prevent leaks.

RAM and Tite-Lok mounts, some with elbows and extensions to enable mounting today’s large and weighty units, can be placed almost anywhere to allow clear viewing and easy adjustment. Quick-release features on these mounts allow easy removal to prevent theft.

Seats

Most bass boats come from the factory with seats and pedestals installed. Many anglers like the versatility of power-rise seats that adjust the height on seats. Swivel-Eze offers several types of power pedestals to match different types of bases and mounts. Their offset post seats also are popular with anglers who frequently fish at the bow from a sitting position.

Attwood offers a line of Tournament Seats for replacement or installation on a smaller boat. They also manufacture three-position seat mounts for anglers who prefer different angles.

Livewells

Production bass boats generally come equipped with livewells complete with fill and recirculation pumps. Most systems work quite well, though the capacity of some wells is too small. Plenty of room should be available for a pair or 15-gallon wells in a 19- or 20-foot boat, but some manufacturers skimp in this area.

To supplement a boat’s aeration system, add a unit like Live Bait Technologies’ Floater, an aeration unit that floats in a livewell and adds oxygen with the company’s KeepAlive Oxygen Infuser system. They also offer portable livewells equipped with the Oxygen Infusers, suitable for smaller boats or as bait tanks. G-Lox, Todd Marine Products, and Marine Metal Products also offer separate aerators, aeration systems, and portable livewells.

Rod Storage

This has become a big issue, as we routinely tote from 8 to 15 rods rigged for specific bassin’ applications. When checking a new body of water or beginning the prefishing process, keep an open mind in terms of presentation. Today’s rod lockers are more spacious than ever, providing more room for all those poles to tangle unless precautions are made.

Osprey Products’ Quickdraw Rod Rack, designed by bass guide Buck Bauernfeind, is custom fit to match the rod locker of at least 30 different bass boats. Rod butts rest on a treelike rack, coated to hold them snugly while the tips slide into tubes tucked up under the deck of the boat. Rods are held safe and separate, with additional floor space for thin items. Coverlay’s new Reel Rack can be temperarily placed in the locker or mounted.

Placing rods in Stor’s It Rod Covers also protects them in the rod locker and prevents tangles. The leather-grain vinyl sheaths fit rods to 71⁄2 feet long, with widths to accommodate spinning or casting models. A rubber thong fits around the reel to secure the cover.

Keeping several rods on the deck at the ready also demands a bit of rigging, as several types of rod straps and buckles exist to keep them out of the way while fishing, and secure while running. Some boats are factory equipped with rubber straps that can be stretched across the deck to hold down rods, but most don’t last through several years of regular use. And velcro fasteners lose their bite after a year or two.

Indiana Marine’s Rodbuckle is a retractable rod hold-down system that includes a PVC coated web that resists hook penetration and doesn’t hang fishing lines. The positive lock-down catch is secure, and the strap extends to 24 inches to accommodate many rods. Standard on some boats, it’s an after-market addition mounted in several possible ways. T-H Marine offers a Rod Hold-Down of hook-resistant black poly that mounts on the gunnel, where the strap retracts when not in use.

The Pro Pocket from TLS Concepts & Mfg. is the neatest device we’ve seen for keeping pliers and scissors easily accessible, but safe. Small rounded units strap to the the seat pole, and flat-back ones attach to flat surfaces. Alternatively, strap a pliers or a multitool in its sheath to the pedestal for safe but accessible storage.

Taking care of old line, bits of plastic baits, cans and food wrappers, and other items that accumulate rapidly in the boat is another task. In-Fisherman Co-founder Ron Lindner, a master of the custom-rigging trade, keeps a small plastic trash can mounted around his front pedestal seat. For those preferring the out-of-sight, out-of-mind concept, Coverlay offer a plastic 24-inch Trash Tube that keeps junk compacted in a storage compartment.

Damage Control

As bits of flotsam in a raging sea, boats are subject to severe damage when seas get rough or when docking situations are poor, or when you try to drive over extreme shallows. As long as bassers pursue their quarry to the ends of the water, they’ll continue to get into trouble, usually making their boat pay for their mistakes. To protect the keel when you must beach the boat, try Hamby’s Protector Beaching Bumpers, an 8-inch urethane strip epoxied onto the hull and that covers the keel for about 6 feet. Less expensive but long-lasting models are available from Keel Shield and MegaWave.

To prevent prop damage in rocky rivers, Mac’s Prop Savers offers a ring-style guard and also a plate device that guards the prop and skeg. These additions usually reduce boat performance. The Skeggard, however, is a stainless steel skeg protector that doesn’t affect performance.

If you’re prone to forgetting the drain plug, the Drain Plug Alarm from B-4-PLAY Boat Safety Innovations is designed to jar your memory. I know more than one angler who could use this item, though they’ll all deny it. Marine Priority Start is another electronic check that monitors battery drain and shuts off auxiliary power if your main power source is approaching discharge, to avoid losing cranking ability.

Water Safety

Features that make your boat run better also can be considered safety features. But other add-ons provide purely an extra dose of the boater’s motto, “Be Prepared.” By the way, for a book that brings boating safety to life, check Heavy Weather Boating Emergencies by Chuck and Jean Luttrell, published by Marlor Press. Chuck Luttrell is a search and rescue specialist and certified instructor in motorboat operation with over 14 years of experience as a boat patrol ranger in Kentucky, Texas, and Lake Mead, Nevada. His tales are harrowing but instructive.

GPS units are nifty and the infamous Selective Availability rarely foils navigation enough to matter. But if you suffer power failure, the satellites do you no good, and it’s back to the good old compass. Make sure you have a unit mounted securely. Ritchie and Johnson Worldwide Associates offer many models.

Again, a foot throttle is a safety item that works almost like a kill switch. If an older boat lacks a kill switch, install an after-market model like T-H Marine’s Saf-T-Stop with lanyard, which mounts in a 11⁄2-inch-diameter hole.

Boat preparation involves stocking a first-aid kit. Signaling devices such as flares and mirrors also can be important on large waters. Orion and Skyblazer offer a broad line of flares and other survival equipment, including first-aid kits, lights, fire-starting aids, signals, and thermal blankets. Aero Company offers a variety of first-aid kits. And if you’re stranded, a water purifier like PUR’s Scout ensures potable water.

Particularly on big waters like the Great Lakes, a VHF radio helps keep you in touch with potential rescuers. Contact Raytheon for a large selection of models. Cell phones also work for this purpose, and 12-volt plug-ins allow them to run off the boat’s electrical system.

CB radios, like models from Cobra have fans, too. Increasingly popular are walkie-talkie units that allow communication over a mile or more, enough power on smaller waters when two or more parties want to keep in touch. Motorola and Cobra offer several models for recreational use. For closer-range communication, don’t forget a whistle and air horn.

Dual bilge pumps provide a margin of safety. Consider installing high-capacity units in larger bass boats. They don’t draw any extra power when not in use and can prevent swamping in high seas. Attwood and Rule offer a large line of pumps and accessories. some anglers like automatic bilge pumps, particularly if the boat may be left in the water uncovered.

In case of electrical failure, though, carry a bailing can. Beckson Marine offers the Thirsty Mate, a hand bilge that pumps over 13 gallons per minute. And find room for a tool box with wrenches, screw drivers, extra nuts and bolts, fuses, shear pins, and other sometimes essential items.

A fire extinguisher is mandatory on midsize and larger boats, and should be mounted on all motorized craft. Ensure that it’s in working condition. Fiberglass and gasoline make a mighty flammable package. A random spark from an electrical connection can create quick disaster.

Batteries and Charging

Batteries supply your boat’s lifeblood. Trolling motors with 24-volt systems require two large-capacity deep-cycle batteries, plus a cranking battery, while 36-volt systems must have an added deep cycle. In bigger bass boats that might warrant a 36-volt motor, an additional 60 to 75 pounds for a battery makes little difference, and the bilge area should be large enough.

Deep-cycle batteries have thicker lead plates and denser lead-oxide chemical mixtures in their cells, along with alloys that provide longer life under regular charge-discharge cycles. Deep-cycles batteries also provide power over longer periods, but offer less initial power than cranking batteries, due to denser composition of the lead oxide and resulting electrical resistance.

While battery manufacturers claim ever better batteries, most anglers know otherwise. Short-lived batteries are a plague that’s especially prevalent in the North Country where boats are stored for extended periods. In general, you get what you pay for, since the manufacturing process and lead content affect cost.

In some top-line products like Rolls batteries from Southeast Marine Services, new plate designs contribute extra weight but are built to withstand over 800 recharging cycles. But no matter the brand, leaving a battery discharged in a cold climate is asking for cell failure. Attach a trickle charger to your charging system to keep batteries topped off all winter, admittedly at some cost in electricity.

Or remove the batteries and store them inside, recharging every month or so when charge levels fall. Be sure to carefully mark all wires for reattachment in spring. In lead-acid batteries, check the fluid level before installing, adding distilled water if needed.

Also check that battery cases and straps are intact and firmly attached. A loose battery can cause incredible damage to interior fixtures and also is a fire hazard.

Chargers mounted in the bilge area make charging a breeze, as you need only attach an extension cord to a Marinco plug, with a neat cap to ward off dampness, mounted near the stern or by the console. These units can charge two or three batteries simultaneously, using electronic sensors to reduce the charging level as the batteries near full charge to prevent excess sulfation or “boiling.” This type of charger has been labeled the “smart” charger and you’re dumb not to get one. Check with Guest Company, Professional Mariner, Dual Pro, and Deltona for information on their models.

To check battery charge levels, mount Goldeneye gauges that monitor one, two, or three batteries with the flick of a switch. A portable tester is available to test batteries on smaller boats.

Accessories

The more you fish, the more you need extra items. Traveling around the country, I see how folks in various regions fish differently and need different equipment for bass fishing. When you frequently fish for species other than black bass, you may need more accessories.

Rod Holders: Rod holders are handy, even essential when fishing for catfish and sturgeon, and nearly necessary for trolling for walleyes, striped bass, crappies, and muskies. Four Mermaid offers holders that can be mounted quickly and removed from the transom rail found on most fiberglass bass rigs. For aluminum rigs, Down-East and Tite-Lok offer models that can be clamped on the gunnels or transom with clamps. Many others are available for permanent mounting, but most avid bassers don’t want obstacles to get in the way of bassin’ applications.

Night Lights: All anglers should have portable spotlights on board that fit 12-volt systems, since flashlights with batteries are prone to failure in moist environments. Optronics and Lectro Science, Inc. offer a range of styles and powers in lights that plug into cigarette-lighter outlets, connect to a battery, or can be recharged. Lectro Science has unveled a 2 million candle power spotlight. In addition to required navigation lights, interior courtesy lights or illuminated rod lockers and storage boxes are nice. For serious night fishing, blacklights are needed as they as they allow night-time line watching.

Optronics, Bass Pro Shops, and Zorro Bait offer several models of black lights that mount along gunnels with clamps or suction cups, or fit into sockets. In addition to the black light that makes fluorescent line glow, most lights offer a white light.

Anchors: Anchoring is at the core of several bass techniques not often used by today’s bassers. But an anchor can be a great aid in rivers or for targeting a small structure with worms or livebait. In that case, double-anchoring can provide the most precise boat placement, allowing for the best presentations.