What you should have on a fishing boat?

Question
Hello Dan, thanks for your help on a previous question. I just bought a Alumacraft fishing boat and was wondering what should I have on it? I have 2 Lowrance fish finders(one of them is a GPS), a Minnkota trolling motor, it is equipped with 115hp Johnson outboard, and 9.9hp kicker motor. I was wondering what other accessories should I have? (example: Aqua-Vu)

Answer
Hi Efrain,
Glad I was able to help with the last question.

You seem to be on the right track on rigging your boat.   Hopefully one of those depthfinders is a trolling motor mount.  That can pin point things for you when vertically jigging, such as we do in Bull Shoals Lake with jigging spoons.  It is also good for setting directly over a brush pile or ledge for crappie.

An Aqua Vu is a good tool, but I've found them best for ice fishing.

One item, which can be very important, is a marine radio with weather.  If not the full marine radio, then by all means have a weather radio with an alert feature.  There is also a new device, which I hope to get my hands on, called a lightening tracker.  It will tell you when there is a storm with lightening several miles away, and track it, giving estimated times of when it will hit in your area.  Sounds great, and I hope to learn more about this product.

If you have rod locker lids, be sure to have some rod tie downs.  These are very helpful to have the rods out and ready, but not bouncing overboard when on the run.

On the trailer, I would suggest the Indiana Marine transom tie down ratchets.  These are great time savers.  I've had many comments on mine.

If you are going to back troll, as it sounds you may with your 9.9, then consider splash shields.

Sometimes there are problems with getting on plane.  If this occurs, then look at the possible use of a hydrofoil on the outboard.

Don't forget to have all of the Coast Guard, state DNR and Corp of Engineers required equipment.  There is nothing worse than thinking you are ready to have a good day of fishing, and one of these groups spoils the day with a ticket.  I saw this happen to an angler in a bass tournament as he came into the weigh-in with a sack full of fish.  He had just picked up the boat the evening before, and it was the first time out in it.

This should give you a little extra to consider.  If I think of anything else I'll let you know.  I was trying to think of what I have on my Ranger 362 that would be of interest, but as for the basics you are already there.

Best of fishing,
Dan