2024 Boating Accessories

2024 Boating Accessories

By Todd Reed

Boat: a device that allows a person to float on water. That is a simple definition of a boat, and one that I do not think of when speaking about boats. Depending on the day I may think of a boat as a shiny, fast moving bass boat, and on other days it is a small jon boat floating on a small river. We all have our picture of what a boat is, and it is very different from one angler to another. What some anglers deem as necessary on their boat would not be anything at all what someone else would want on their boat. We all fish different places and fish for different species. Therefore, our boats become a signature of who we are on the water. Some people keep it very simple, while others trick out their boats with all the latest gadgets. We add things to our craft bit by bit to make it fit our fishing needs. Here are a few of those items that anglers love to accessorize their boats with, beginning with the highest priced items down to some items that only cost $20. No matter what you spend on your boat this winter, adding some of these accessories will make it a better fish catching machine next spring.

Trolling Motors
The first major accessory to add to any boat is a trolling motor. There are many kinds of trolling motors out there to fit every type of fishing style. Minn Kota has the largest selection of trolling motors, specializing in bass fishing, walleye fishing and panfishing. Trolling motors are an essential part of a boat, if you do not have one, you need one. They allow you to quietly move into your fishing location as well as search the lake or river you are fishing quietly. Each type of motor has its advantages, depending on what you want to use it for. A huge option on these trolling motors is the spot-lock feature. This feature uses GPS coordinates to “lock” your boat into a specific GPS location. This is ideal for fishing offshore and when you want your boat to stay in the same location. This option is not on all motors, if you are looking for this upgrade, it will cost you an additional $600-$1000 dollars more than a traditional push-button on/off trolling motor. Trolling motors have a lot of options and sizes and can range from $350-$3000. Do your research to find the best fit for your boat, and the fishing you like to do.

Must-Have Electronics
We cannot talk in this day and age about fishing and not find the conversation going towards electronics. Fish finders have been around for over sixty years, and they just keep getting better and better. Like the trolling motors, fish finders have many options as well. This topic is very broad, so I will try and keep it simple. If you do not have sonars on your boat, you are missing out. The information they give us is vital to finding patterns of fish that day and for future trips. Water temperature, depth, GPS location and bottom contours are all basics that can help us in the boat today and for future trips. These basic options can be had for around $250 on your boat depending on the screen size you want. Other options include side scanning with Lowrance, Garmin, Humminbird and 360 degree scanning by Humminbird. These pictures allow us to see what is to the side of our boat and what is all around us. Seeing fish on these takes a good eye and a lot of practice, more importantly these help us see weeds, brushpiles, lay down logs and drop offs. This technology will begin with a $1000 price tag. The next step up in electronics are the Forward Facing Sonars (FFS). This technology is the latest and greatest in sonars. It allows you to manually control the transducer on a pole or your trolling motor shaft and pan around to look for fish. This sonar was developed to look straight forward, thus its name. This will show you weeds, brushpiles, laydowns and any fish in “close to real time”. Yes, you can actually see the fish swimming, it is pretty amazing. The transducer is the only part that you need to buy, Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird all have their versions and they all cost around $1,500. You will also need a screen that is compatible with the technology, typically nine inches or larger to get the best viewing possible, the screen can range from $800-$3,000. Like most electronics, the more you spend, the more options you can access to find your favorite fish.

Anchoring Systems
Next up for your boat is an anchoring system if you do not have one. Dropping a twenty-five pound mushroom anchor over the side of the boat and tying it off each time you move can become a hassle. Also, what do you do with all that wet rope and anchor after you pull it back in the boat? It isn’t a great system, but it does work. Minn Kota offers a battery powered anchoring system, a simple toggle switch drops and lowers your anchor quietly into and out of the water. This is a great addition to anglers that fish alone or have issues with lifting heavy things. They start around $200 and go up to about $400 for larger anchors. These are very easy to install and hook directly up to a 12-volt battery. If you own a larger/heavier boat an anchor system mentioned above won’t do you much good. There are other anchors on the market specialized for larger boats, both aluminum and fiberglass. Talons, Raptors and Power Poles all work on the same basic idea, they are poles made with aluminum and a fiberglass rod that are connected to your transom and go down into the water with a push of a button. Depth ranges are 6 feet up to 15 feet. These will cost about $2,000 each with all the mounting gear. This is quite an accessory to add to your boat, so make sure it is really something that you will use a lot when you are fishing. They work well, even in strong winds.

Accessories Under $100
The above mentioned items are definitely big investments to your boat, however there are some nice accessories to make your time out fishing more enjoyable for far less money too. Top on the list of items under $100 is an on-board charger. These small chargers fit inside boat compartments to allow for an easy charge no matter where you park your boat. These units are always connected to your battery, or numerous batteries, and can be plugged in to allow charging in just a few seconds. These start well under $100 for single chargers and if you have multiple batteries for your trolling motors the price goes up a bit. Minn Kota, the same company that sells the most popular trolling motor in the country, also makes top-notch battery chargers. A charger that can charge three batteries will cost you around $250. These chargers are fantastic, come with a three-year warranty and will have your batteries charged up ready for the next day after a few hours of charge. If you do not have an on-board charger for your batteries, make this a priority.

Next up are a few smaller items to make your boat feel more like home. Tools are an important part of fishing, needle nose pliers, line clippers, scissors are just a few things that are used each time on the water. Rapala makes a great tool caddy that adheres to any boat with 3M tape. I have one of these in each of my boats, they make your time more efficient and safer on the water. They hold up to three different tools and are magnetic to hold your tools securely. They cost around $25 and are worth every penny. Another great addition to add to your boat is a USB port. These ports are hooked up to your battery just like in your vehicle. They can power your phone, speaker device and minnow bucket. These are very inexpensive and easy to install. When thinking about powering items on your boat, a control panel is another great addition to any boat. A control panel keeps all your switches and power sources in one place and allows you to run one lead wire connecting everything to your battery. This really cleans up your boat wiring situation and keeps the power on and off when you need it, best part, these only cost about $30. Lastly, if you fish in the early morning or in the evening you will want to take the time and wire in some LED lights. These lights can be purchased for around $5 each, are very easy to install, and take very little power away from your battery. There are also LED navigation light kits for the front of your boat to add as well. The Green/Red lights must be used around sunrise and sunset as well as night fishing. Wiring them to the control panel makes for easy installation and easy on/off when you need them.

My boats are a huge part of my life and I have incorporated these things on them to make my time on the water as hassle-free as possible. Winter is not only just for ice fishing, but also a great time to add accessories to your boat as well. These accessories make great winter projects to get your boat ready for the spring, even the smallest upgrades will make your future fishing trips more enjoyable.