Pontoon boats are wonderful for fishing, but if you’re passionate about your catch, customizing and changing the plan yourself might pay off. It could make a significant impact on the success of your fish trip.
However, because each angler has his or her own favorite method of fishing, many consumer pontoon manufacturing layouts will not be ideal for what you wish to perform.
It is important that you know several important aspects of the setup of your pontoon when catching catfish.
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Rod Holder Setup
Without something you’ve built and thoroughly customized, no pontoon boat catfishing setup would be adequate. Rod holders are extremely personal, and many of the ones available for purchase online simply don’t do justice to how you wish to fish.
In these cases, you can choose to build your own custom rod holder setup. On the internet, you can find many ideas and ways to do this.
At this point, it’s important to consider rod storage. When you are designing and preparing the setup, storing rods in your pontoon is essential to keep your rods well distributed in a specific place and ready for when you need them.
Make space for either several racks on the panels’ side or a storage place beneath the seats. One of the best options for this is to use cases and racks in both vertical and horizontal configurations.
Rather than Carpet, Choose Vinyl Flooring
When catfishing, vinyl flooring is far superior to a carpet setup, owing to the quantity of water and debris that could be brought aboard the deck throughout the day. It will also last lengthier and be much easier to wash.
It’s vital to remember that vinyl flooring might be slippery, although there are some vinyl flooring kits that include grooves and grips. If you’re planning on tearing up your existing carpet as part of your enhanced pontoon catfishing boat setup project, you’ll need to do some research on the best ways to get the glue off the deck.
Basically, you can use two methods for this: one that includes the use of a floor sander tool, while for the other, you only need to use an adhesive glue remover.
Shade is Important
It’s critical to have adequate shade to safeguard yourself if you’re going to be out in the sun for several hours. It’s all too easy to ignore how strong UV rays could be, especially if you are very focused on catching a big fish.
Fishermen who spend hours in the sun, on the other hand, are most at risk, considering the high cancer rates that there are in the world. At the very least, you should wear a hat and apply sunscreen.
However, adding a Bimini top to your pontoon boat fishing setup is the greatest method to be protected from the sun. It’s a canvas top with an exposed front for the boat’s cockpit, generally supported by a metal structure.
Install a Livewell Seat
For a good fishing excursion, you’ll need adequate space aboard your boat to walk around and get into the most suitable positions. Many pontoon boats may eliminate some of the current seating and replace it with a Livewell seat to make additional space.
It eliminates the need for a separate seat and Livewell, allowing anglers to maximize deck space while keeping fish or live bait near you. You can even use it as a refrigerator and fill it with ice-cold beverages.
There are certain Livewell seats on the market that will provide you with more space and efficiency for your pontoon setup.
Now, it is important to keep in mind that this is not mandatory since, in the end, everything will depend on the personal tastes of each fisherman. Some may not like having the Livewell and seat together.
In that case, you could have them separated as long as you have them close to each other since it is the most recommended and efficient. This will save you time and effort when looking for bait.
In the event that you are a fisherman who loves to fish in the most relaxed and comfortable way possible with a beer or any other drink by your side, then it is important that you install some cup holders in the seats or on the rails.
A Leaning Post for Your Pontoon Would Be Great
If it feels more natural for you to be always standing when fishing, then a marine leaning post could quickly become one of your most valued pontoon fishing accessories. But be prepared to spend, as these things don’t come cheap.
A leaning post is a structure that stands upright behind the helm of a boat, although you can also place it in a strategic place to fish. Obviously, it is used by many fishermen who have a boat, but it is also used by the captain for support while operating the boat.
Use a Fishfinder
A fishfinder is a tool that boaters use to detect fish in the water. In terms of design and installation, the transducer should be mounted on the bottom of the base of one of your pontoon tubes on the starboard backside, but not too high or too low. It is essential to know that the transducer should be parallel to the water.
The fishfinder monitor should be mounted on top of the cockpit console above the equipment. You may experience issues if your battery is poor or too tiny. You’ll probably get better performance if you attach a separate source of power and wire it individually on the fuse panel.
Suitable Trolling Motor
Many anglers with little knowledge tend to install the wrong size trolling motors on their pontoon boats. Don’t make the error of putting a trolling motor on your pontoon that isn’t the right size.
You must put it on the bow using a removable mount, and if you buy a trolling motor with remote control, you could run it from wherever on your pontoon.
The fact that it is removable is very important since that will allow us to remove it in case we need more space. By using this remote-controlled motor, we have the advantage of trolling at several miles per hour easily and with a drink in hand.
Install a Rail-Mounted Grill
We all know that going fishing in the sea or anywhere in the sun can be a bit exhausting. It is true that we can bring prepared food to our fishing trip, but one of the best experiences of going fishing in our pontoon is cooking our own food on a grill.
This is one of the things that every pontoon must-have. However, we must bear in mind that this can take up unnecessary space on the deck. Therefore, it is best to install it on the rail. It should be noted that you must install it on a side rail and in a position that will not get in the way of your fishing rod.
Enough Space for Casting and Netting
Another great setup and fishing arrangement advice is to have a pontoon that allows you to wander beyond the back fencing. In that way, you may cast and net from the back of the boat.
Naturally, your current pontoon boat may not have the structure in place to achieve this. Otherwise, make the most of it by removing any barriers like anchor ledges, boarding ladders, and other items.