A Boat Rigged Right Is A Joy Forever

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.