Before prepping a boat for big water, it’s important to
understand one fundamental concept: The bow of a bass
boat undergoes significantly more stress than the stern
(see sidebar on page 39 for more details). This isn’t to say
that safeguards aren’t necessary for the rear, but the bow –
particularly near the trolling motor – is prone to being dam-
aged if not rigged correctly.
For this reason, it’s important to start by moving all heavy
and potentially dangerous items to the rear compartments
of the boat. Anchors, spare props, hub kits, chargers, all bat-
teries and even tackle boxes weighed down with heavy lead
and tungsten weights should go to the back.
Back at an age when I didn’t know any better, I experi-
enced the consequences of not paying enough attention to
what was up front. I rigged an extra battery in the bow of my
hand-me-down bass boat. When I returned to weigh-in after
a rough ride, I found the battery had broken through the
floor of the compartment and slid to the rear of the hull,
wedging in an inaccessible area. Things were seconds away
from getting really ugly.
The Bow
The Trolling Motor
When fishing big water with the trolling motor in use, it’s
imperative that its lower unit stay in the water at all times.
Trolling motors work on the principles of inertia and momen-
tum, and all momentum is lost each time the motor breaks
the water’s surface when the boat rises up on a wave. For
that reason, a “long shaft” – typically in the 50-inch range –
should be used for big-water bass boats.
The trolling motor should be mounted with a minimum of
six heavy-duty bolts connected with large fender washers
and locking nuts. Rigging two tie-down straps, rather than the
standard single strap, cuts down on the trolling motor flop-
ping when it’s stowed.
OUTFIT YOURSELF
Consider not just how you outfit your boat, but how
you outfit yourself when fishing big water. Even on
warm days, the open waters of the North are often
cold, and an angler is subject to getting doused by rain
or boat spray. Layer a light nylon rain suit under a
more extreme outer layer for the best performance.
Also, a helmet is a valuable piece of big-water
apparel. Good, waterproof headgear with a full face-
mask (a snowmobile version works great) allows a driv-
er the ability to run in the heaviest seas without getting
soaked to the core, or worrying about a hood and
drawstring. ■
An additional safeguard should be used to
reduce stress on the mount and secure the motor
to the boat deck near the head. T-H Marine makes
a unique product for this called the Troll-Tamer
Trolling Motor Stabilizer Lock.
Another method for accomplishing the same
thing is to screw a stainless-steel eyebolt into the
boat’s front deck directly beneath the top of the
trolling motor shaft when it’s in the stowed posi-
tion. A drop of epoxy helps to hold the bolt perma-
nently. Wrap a bungee around the upper shaft or
motor mount, and secure it to the eyebolt. Problem
solved for four dollars.
The Midsection
The Troll-Tamer by T-H Marine secures the trolling motor for running in rough water.
JULY 2017 I FLWFISHING.COM
In the boat’s midsection, items stored beneath the
deck – specifically, rods and reels – are prone to take
a pounding. Most rod lockers in modern bass boats
feature rod tubes made from hard plastic that can
damage rod guides significantly during rough rides.
Protective rod sleeves help guard against damage.
Reels, particularly spinning reels, should also be
covered as they often bang around when hung in
yoke-style rod racks. While many padded cases are
available, any simple drawstring pouch works just
as well.
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