My boat set up for fishing.

[Hoosiercamper]

I spent a few weeks in Fort Myers Fl over Christmas and had a chance to really test out my fishing hoop and rod holders, thought I would share.
I have a Bimini that hooks into the oar locks when we would go out pleasure boating, but it is not on there in this photo.

That cooler worked well as a storage box/ fish well and casting deck if I needed to see down into the shallows a bit better. I still want to get a "Pin anchor" set up so I don't need to mess with rope at all, just push it into the sand/mud to keep me in position like you would a Kayak.

Anyway, the hoop is made from simple conduit and attaches with the same pins that hold the wheel kit in place, I think I might explore making some wheel struts that also act as rod holders so I can keep both on at the same time.

 

[trey22]

What model/size boat? Motor? Speed on water?

How do two fit fishing all day?

 

[Hoosiercamper]

It's a Mercury 340 air deck with a 15hp 2 stroke on the back. 19mph with me and the wife outfitted as shown in these pictures. Perfect flats boat for 2 adults sitting. I like to sit on the cooler while she drives me around from spot to spot, then I can stand with my legs against the cooler for stability and cast, or even stand on it if its calm water. We have been out a few miles on calm days.

 

[Sea Rider]

Nice fishing set-up, just inflate air deck to 10-12 PSI with a hand pump for best floor rigidity, those air floors loses pressure throughout the boating day, so a hand pump is a must carry..

Happy Boating

 

[Hoosiercamper]

I have never lost air in my floor, a side tube once when a fish hook snagged it. If anything on a warm day pressure can go up due to the sun causing expansion. I never carry a pump on board, (Just fast patch tools) if the floor starts to drop pressure it would be due to a valve failure or a hole, neither I could remedy with a hand pump away from camp. If that should happen I would need to head back at displacement speed as the inflatable keel would lack the support needed to get up on plane.

 

[Sea Rider]

The only way to know if air deck has lost pressure throughout a whole boating day is with a pressure gauge. Whatever pessure it was inflated to in the morning will not remain same during the day, worse in the afternoon when the sun has stopped doing its homework right.

Down issue with an air deck is being very uncomfy to reinflate it not rock hard while standing on top for that purpose. It all depends if like running an inflatable air topped for top planing at speed or a much defleated one used as a fishing platform in which max rigidity is not needed.

Happy Boating

 

[Bo4tz]

That's a nice fishing setup you have there