Fishing Boat advice

[Aridhol]

Gaff, cannon ball holders, gunnel mounted rod holders, dock bumpers, rear steering and separate throttle control for kicker.

I forgot to say the boat comes with rod holders in the gunnel or do you mean top of the gunnel while fishing? I was going to use the ones that come with the scotty 1106's.
I'm not sure what exactly I'll do regarding the kicker, that's another 5 grand all in so might be a couple months...


I'll add:
Dock bumpers
Gaff
Ball holders

 

[dmurph]

Definitely want to upgrade your kicker, this will be the motor you use most your time on the water trolling for salmon. The kicker is also a safety feature as back up power. I would focus on getting a new kicker and a way to steer it ie tied into the main via tie bar.

Electric riggers would be next on the list for me. Keep your eyes peeled for used ones. If your fishing every weekend you want good riggers.

A good mounted radio would be a good addition. I would try to get these things right away, maybe worked into the price of the new rig. Wash down pump if your really want it is something you could maybe work into the package also but they are exiensive and a bucket with a rope works pretty good. Is the new boat self bailing? Otherwise I wouldn't bother with a wash down. I would maybe stick with your raymarine 5 inch if it works fine and get some of the other things on the list. Most of the other stuff can be aqquired over time and second hand and what not. I would recommend diawa m1 if you need new reels as they are the cheapest and I find them quite good actually.

 

[ericl]

I never net a fish I am going to release. Down here in WA it is illegal to take them out of the water.
I would get a hand operated bilge pump & make sure you have an electric one as well.

Research proper electrical bonding on an AL hulled boat. Stray electric currents can repel fish & cause excessive corrosion.

Down rigger ball eight sorta depends on how deep & fast you fish, diameter/strength of cable, & the type of gear you fish with (Flashers add more drag, plugs need to be fished faster. If you use the manual DR's, I'd put on 150LB braid & see if 10lb does the job. If you use a light ball but put out more cable to get deep, you will have more line from your reel out & if it is mono (i fish with braid) the extra slack in the line will result in more lost fish right after hook-up.

I'd see how the Suzuki trolls before mounting/rigging a kicker. FYI there is an optional troll system for this motor that allows you to adjust RPM in 50 RPM increments.

Electric Downriggers used to be illegal unless you had a MD's note. They are nice, but if you always have 3+ people, 1 to fight the fish, 1 to crank down riggers, & 1 to handle the boat. The gear cranker can net the fish.

Just as in TV's, larger screens are mo better; especially if you have GPS & Sonar going. The new CHIRP sounders are a game changer. It's the first sounder in over 30 years of fishing that i have confidence will detect Salmon reliably. If you troll around for 30 minutes, see/catch nothing, & the tide is in the correct phase, it's time to move. I like fishing, but the wife likes to eat fish.

 

[Aridhol]

Definitely want to upgrade your kicker, this will be the motor you use most your time on the water trolling for salmon. The kicker is also a safety feature as back up power. I would focus on getting a new kicker and a way to steer it ie tied into the main via tie bar.

Electric riggers would be next on the list for me. Keep your eyes peeled for used ones. If your fishing every weekend you want good riggers.

A good mounted radio would be a good addition. I would try to get these things right away, maybe worked into the price of the new rig. Wash down pump if your really want it is something you could maybe work into the package also but they are exiensive and a bucket with a rope works pretty good. Is the new boat self bailing? Otherwise I wouldn't bother with a wash down. I would maybe stick with your raymarine 5 inch if it works fine and get some of the other things on the list. Most of the other stuff can be aqquired over time and second hand and what not. I would recommend diawa m1 if you need new reels as they are the cheapest and I find them quite good actually.

Thanks dmurph

My current kicker does work and has never let me down. It's just old as hell and a 2-stroke. I will be upgrading it but I'm not sure what to choose.
Lots out there saying the Yamaha's are quieter and very reliable and have a HT option. A matching suzuki has fuel injection but no HT option.


I am definitely going to get the radio going asap and a bucket and a rope sounds fine to me for now I didn't even think of that.
I can certainly get by with my Raymarine finder/gps for now as well, I guess I spent too much time in front of the electronics drooling
Any place on the south island sell the M-one for under $100? I got quoted $125 both places I went. I should have grabbed the $99 GT4000 Trotac had on for the sale :/

 

[Aridhol]

I never net a fish I am going to release. Down here in WA it is illegal to take them out of the water.
I would get a hand operated bilge pump & make sure you have an electric one as well.

Research proper electrical bonding on an AL hulled boat. Stray electric currents can repel fish & cause excessive corrosion.

Down rigger ball eight sorta depends on how deep & fast you fish, diameter/strength of cable, & the type of gear you fish with (Flashers add more drag, plugs need to be fished faster. If you use the manual DR's, I'd put on 150LB braid & see if 10lb does the job. If you use a light ball but put out more cable to get deep, you will have more line from your reel out & if it is mono (i fish with braid) the extra slack in the line will result in more lost fish right after hook-up.

I'd see how the Suzuki trolls before mounting/rigging a kicker. FYI there is an optional troll system for this motor that allows you to adjust RPM in 50 RPM increments.

Electric Downriggers used to be illegal unless you had a MD's note. They are nice, but if you always have 3+ people, 1 to fight the fish, 1 to crank down riggers, & 1 to handle the boat. The gear cranker can net the fish.

Just as in TV's, larger screens are mo better; especially if you have GPS & Sonar going. The new CHIRP sounders are a game changer. It's the first sounder in over 30 years of fishing that i have confidence will detect Salmon reliably. If you troll around for 30 minutes, see/catch nothing, & the tide is in the correct phase, it's time to move. I like fishing, but the wife likes to eat fish.

I usually net it and hang it in the water for a quick ID & if necessary remove the lure. My current net is an old scotty with just knotted string and can't be good for the fish.
I do have an electric bilge pump and I forgot I had a manual in my old boat (never used). It's one of those $20 things I got from westmarine a long time ago.
My Raymarine is a Chirp sounder and is only about 10 months old. Only "problem" with it was the screen size Though I just remembered there is the "Wi-Fish" technology so I can use a big tablet as a screen too

 

[dmurph]

Ericl had a good point regarding trolling off your main If it is design to do so. This could save you a bundle. Keep the weight down on the boat also. Would put lots of hours on main though and have no back up power. I would definitely get rid of the noisy stinky old two stroke and get into a high thrust 9.9 if you do deside to get a kicker though.
I haven't price checked in awhile, but last I saw m1 were always under 100. Things may have changed now with the exchange rate effecting the market.

 

[Aridhol]

Ericl had a good point regarding trolling off your main If it is design to do so. This could save you a bundle. Keep the weight down on the boat also. Would put lots of hours on main though and have no back up power. I would definitely get rid of the noisy stinky old two stroke and get into a high thrust 9.9 if you do deside to get a kicker though.
I haven't price checked in awhile, but last I saw m1 were always under 100. Things may have changed now with the exchange rate effecting the market.

Ah right, maybe that's why I was thinking $125 is high. I was looking before the dollar took a dive.
I definitely do want to get a new kicker but part of the deal of getting a new boat was some house reno's the wife needs done so no more money in the piggy bank for boat stuff at the moment

Ericl is right the motor has a trolling mode which should work well and be pretty economical, I just don't like only having one source of power so I might mount the old kicker as just an emergency backup.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Same thoughts as the other guys here as far as the kicker goes. Sell the kicker with your current boat. It will be next to useless for you in the future for anything but backup power. When you buy electric Downriggers you'll need a a good charge going into the batteries constantly as you'll be draining a lot of power. It also bears mentioning that some of the electric start kickers come with a skimpy output in amps. It is worth getting the highest output charging system available for the model you are buying, even if you have to pay extra.

You also don't want to have to carry around a separate gas tank that has mixed gas. You can run a 4 stroke kicker off your main gas tank. Or if you do want to carry the extra tank it can be a reserve tank for the main. That could come in handy if you get low on fuel, or get some bad gas at a fuel barge.

Best of luck on the purchase

 

[Highliner]

Not mine, but this might help you. http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/Brand-new-Daiwa-m-one-with-trophy-xl-rod_27212354

 

[Aridhol]

That looks like a decent deal

 

[ericl]

Good point by TheBigGuy on needing battery charging with Electric Downriggers. As to having a kicker for backup, I see & understand the point.

 

[Aridhol]

Thanks guys, do you think 6Amp is enough? seems that 6amp is normal but some have 12amp.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

The four stoke kicker is the way to go , highest amp charging system you can get , if you are going with a suzi main maybe best to have a look at kicker too, pretty sure the new suzi kickers are the first to come out with fuel injection. Oh n make sure to get some oars I disn't see them on the list ..

 

[Aridhol]

I do have oars already When I was 14 I had to paddle back with my uncle when our 50 merc wouldn't start. I'd never forget them
I looked at the Suzuki EFI kicker with power tilt (I think 12amp) and it's $3800 I might have to pinch some pennies it sounds like.

Re: the old boat, I may be able to sell it but my brother in law has equal claim to it and he's thinking about whether to keep it or sell it on (he doesn't have his own).

 

[JAC]

Suzuki are a great engine good choice. They also have a low gear ratio which is nice

 

[Aridhol]

Thanks everyone for the advice and info, I got the boat out on the water yesterday and everything worked as it should.
Got 1 spring in to "Christen" it which was nice.

The Good:

• It's very roomy compared to the previous and quite stable.
• Plenty of storage so we had room to move about.
• The Engine worked perfectly and we went through the break in line by line by the manual which actually took us out to sooke from Esquimalt anglers
• Fuel economy was nice. About 7 hours fishing, 2 of which were at 3/4 throttle non stop consumed just under half a tank, which was pretty good.
• Downriggers worked perfectly and my arm wasn't ready to fall of when we got in.
• Fishfinder worked
• It's a dream to launch and retrieve. I could easily manage solo.

The not good:

• Was pretty windy and choppy out there and she sure does pound @20mph (we had to keep it at 4000rpm for the break in). I think I came back 3 inches shorter.
• I got my finder electrical done at 11:30 the night before and jury rigged a wooden block mount so I could try out positions to mount it. This didn't work at all and I got hit in the face multiple times by a jumping finder and block of wood. Note to self: properly mount electronics before going out.
• Wind is more of a factor with the higher sides and lighter boat. We got blown around pretty good. The good news is I don't normally fish if it's fairly windy so not a big deal. A little more weight in the boat may help as well (bare bones and 2 guys yesterday).
• I have an urge to go out every day!
• No net holder or vertical rod storage (have to get this fabbed up).

Overall I love it and I can see it being a great boat for fishing off the coast and in the lake with the kids pulling tubes.


I'll post some pictures soon.