Customizing your fishing boat with modern electronics will optimize your time on the water.
Whether you have a brand-new fishing machine or a new-to-you boat, think of this fiberglass as your blank canvas to paint your masterpiece. Now, every angler has their own unique style of fishing, so bear in mind what will work best for you to make the most of your angling adventures. I recently had the opportunity to visit Stuart, FL, to fish with local guides Capt. Sam Zyak and Capt. George LaBonte whose boats were outfitted with the latest technology from Minn Kota and Humminbird. Since these products were designed to integrate with the One-Boat Network they can be controlled right from the console, remote control, or mobile app. Let us dive into how and why you will benefit from customizing your boat with technology such as this.
Bow Power
Over the past few years, I have spent countless days fishing aboard FishTalk Magazine angler in chief Lenny Rudow’s Caymas 26 hybrid bay boat. Seldom is there an outing where we do not utilize the Minn Kota Riptide Terrova mounted on the bow. I can testify to the huge advantage that the Spot-Lock open water anchor system provides. Once we have located suspended fish or structure using sonar, side, or down imaging, Lenny will call out to drop it and a crew member will move to the bow to depress the foot pedal and manually lower the motor shaft into the water. We are now stationary in place over “Area 51” or the “Hank Spot” (if you know, you know) and we are regularly getting multiple hook ups on striped bass. Another day we targeted the Rte. 50 Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and Lenny used the Terrova to maneuver us into position and lock us in place to strategically drop our jigs into the recesses of the east side spider pilings where the rockfish were suspended.
We had the opportunity to fish aboard Capt. Zyak’s Kenner 22 bay boat outfitted with the all-new Minn Kota Riptide Instinct QUEST. The standout feature of this unit is that it is a completely redesigned automatic stow and deploy system. This means that the trolling motor can be set by the captain from the helm utilizing their Humminbird MFD, remote, or all new mobile app without having to shuffle up the deck to manually engage. Capt. Zyak states, “Being able to deploy it and stow it from the tower is game changing.” He set the boat on a controlled drift with remote control in hand navigating our course with Instinct Quest. We hooked up with a few sailfish which both came unbuttoned when they breached the surface.
Aside from the hands-free deployment, there is much more to this new unit. The Instinct Quest also features an integrated heading sensor that communicates directly with your Humminbird One-Boat Network. The shaft, which is available in lengths up to 100 inches, is carbon-fused for maximum strength and durability in the harshest conditions. The upper- and lower-unit housing are independently sealed to mitigate saltwater intrusion. Above all that, the QUEST series features a quieter brushless motor that will give you more run time and about 50 percent more torque.
Johnson Outdoors has stepped up the integration between Humminbird and Minn Kota to give you even more features. The all-new drift mode enables you to maintain your speed by automatically engaging the advanced autopilot and cruise control. This functionality gives you the ability to present bait by moving over bottom contours on your desired course with your bow pointed windward regardless of the impact of breeze or heavy current. Another feature is the jog function which moves your boat several feet laterally at the press of a button.
Sound To Be Found
Sonar is at the bare minimum the most essential piece of equipment necessary for your fishing boat. Observing basic data like water depth and temperature is critical. If your new boat does not come outfitted with a fish finder, there are numerous options to choose from ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand depending on your budget. If your used boat has an older unit installed, you are going to want to consider an upgrade.
Humminbird was the frontrunner with side scan sonar, first unveiling this modern technology way back in 2005. Today, they offer their latest in MEGA imaging in their lineup of Helix, Solix, and Apex fish finders. I recently purchased the Humminbird Helix 7 SI G4 and installed it on my Carolina Skiff J16. Previously using a Helix 5 G2, I immediately realized what I was missing. The high-definition MEGA side imaging has enabled me to find schools of fish in open water and identify bottom structure. This unit also gives me GPS navigational maps and with the addition of the CoastMaster SD card I have detailed depth charts at the tip of my fingers.
While the Helix is packed with many features, it is the budget friendly push button model. Apex and Solix are equipped with touchscreen interfaces which gives them a huge advantage in adding waypoints and pinpointing Spot-Lock. They also have much more networking capability when pairing with other Humminbird units aboard the boat as well as manipulating Minn Kota motors or the Raptor anchor system. The biggest advantage of the Apex over the Solix is that it comes in larger display sizes and has full HD resolution.
On our first day fishing in Florida, we hopped aboard Capt. Sam Zyak’s Kenner 22 bay boat outfitted with the Apex 13. We started our trip by heading offshore and scanning the coast with the Apex 13 2D CHIRP sonar and down imaging to scour for weed beds and bait. Once we located the marks, we dropped a sabiki rig and loaded up on threadfin herring and repeated until the livewell was full. Capt. Sam located a wreck on down imaging and Hannah wrangled in a monster amberjack live lining a threadfin.
The next day we went out with Capt. George LaBonte who has fished in Florida for over 40 years and is very familiar with the fishing grounds off of Jupiter, FL. He stated that the Humminbird Solix’s ability to reveal the bottom in 3D shaded relief detail has “really painted it in a different new light” and the ability to effectively mark bait and rock piles gives you the ability to drop lines and catch fish you otherwise would not have known were there. We battled rough conditions most of the morning with impending storms, and on the way in Capt. Labonte marked bait on a rockpile and circled back. We dropped rigged sardines and soon hooked up with a massive kingfish and barracuda. Had this not been revealed on screen, we may not have found these fish.
Stick It
While in Florida we did not focus much on shallow water fishing, but I was impressed with the capability of the Minn Kota Raptor anchor system. Capt. Sam pulled up to the dock at River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp and lowered the Raptor, locking us in place without using dock lines. Whether throwing topwater in the shallows of the Upper Chesapeake at daybreak or the grass flats on the lower Eastern Shore, being able to anchor up with the press of a button swiftly and silently is certainly a major advantage. The Raptor comes in various models ranging from 8 to 15 feet.
(Note: If you are a recreational angler and love visiting dock bars, sand bars, or shallow water raft ups, you will surely be pleased with the capability of these systems.)
Consider these options when you are building your dream fishing machine. I should also remind you that while you are out fishing, be conscious of your environment. Stay aware of your own senses and do not find yourself glued to your screen more than half of the time. Electronics can do many things, but they cannot see breaking fish, nervous bait bubbling on the surface, or angry birds diving a mile away. Understand how to use these tools to enhance your fishing experience and you will soon find out for yourself how this technology can maximize your boat’s fishability.
By Zach Ditmars