Becoming a Fishing Boat Owner

The most important moment in any angler’s fishing career is getting yourself a nice fishing boat. The transition from a shore angler to a boat angler massively increases the options one will have. You become your own captain, never having to rely on the generosity of others to take you fishing.

At the same time, boats do come with their own headaches. As excited I was to be a boat owner, I also felt very hesitant about the purchase. I spent an entire summer’s worth of earnings to get decent used fishing boat. The night I got my first boat was basically sleepless. Over time I found that my boat was not as perfect as I would have liked but since I was stuck with this boat, I had to make it work.

This is a topic that has been discussed very thoroughly by many authors yet there are no answers that work for everyone. Here I will explain my thought processes and experiences that I encountered during boat ownership.

The Prerequisites

Boat ownership is daunting and it would help if you can prepare yourself ahead of time.

If someone else has a boat who is willing to take you fishing, that is a good opportunity to learn about boat ownership. Ask as many questions as you can and actively take part in the loading and setup process. Practical experience will greatly prepare yourself for ownership. When buying a boat yourself, having someone experienced as a consultant will help a lot as they will see things that are not apparent to you.

For myself, I became a fishing guide for a season just so I could learn how to captain and manage a boat. That was an extremely valuable time as I learned lots about boat control and fishing techniques. This is also how I learned how to back up a trailer. It was that summer that gave me the confidence to become a boat owner.

Your budget is something to consider. As much as we may love fishing, boats are not essential and you must ensure that you have the financial capabilities to manage one. In the current boat market, boats tend to depreciate slowly so it will not be too painful to sell if you regret your decision.

Fulfilling your Fishing Needs

Size

Where you live and what you fish for will dictate your needs. If you want to fish big lakes you want a big boat that can handle waves. Often quality fishing will come from big lakes. True you can get away with a 16′ tinner on Lake Winnipeg when it’s calm. However if I’m travelling to northern Manitoba after driving for hours, I actually want to be able to fish everyday rather than staying on shore waiting for the wind to die down. However if all you fish are small lakes, a smaller boat will be fine. Personally as an adventurous person, having the bigger boat has really opened up the options.

I went with an 18′ boat and I’m very glad about the options that were afforded to me. The disadvantage is that sometimes larger boats can be harder to store. I store my boat on the driveway so don’t need to fit it in a garage.

Tiller vs Console Steering

This can basically be an article of it’s own but it’s definitely worth bringing up when getting a boat. Whether it was working at remote fishing lodges or watching too much Uncut Angling, I went the tiller route as I felt it worked well for me.

Having worked at fishing camps, I learned how to use tillers for precise boat control when it comes to drifting and backtrolling. Usually I’m too lazy to deploy my trolling motor to spotlock so I prefer to backtroll against the waves to position myself over structure, especially for vertical jigging. In general tiller boats are the most versatile when it comes to the variety of fishing you can do. I have the option of fishing either the back or front for different species.

The drawback of tillers are that they typically are underpowered considering the hull of the boat. When driving through rain or snow, it can be very uncomfortable. I love fishing Lake of the Woods but I do wish that my boat was faster when making 20km runs. These are not big drawbacks for me but it’s something to consider.

It’s OK to Start Small

Not everyone can start with their dream rig and that is totally fine. Sometimes the budget won’t allow it. Sometimes you’re not sure about how much of a plunge you want to take down the boat ownership path.

Having a boat will vastly open up the options that one will have regardless of the size. A small boat may not be comfortable and may not have all the features you would like. However it gets you on the water which is the most important thing. By actually spending time on the water, you will eventually learn to understand what you want in your dream rig. Still beats fishing from shore any day.

Sometimes you can put work into a small boat and make it fancier. Some people add casting decks and carpeted floors, making their fishing experience a lot better. It is a lot of work but if you’re resourceful you can squeeze a lot of value out of your boat.

Ownership Hassles and Expenses

Storage

Having a good place to store your boat is very important part of ownership. It would be great to keep the boat in the garage but it’s not a viable option for everyone. For me, mine stays on the driveway. The only disadvantage is that theft is a lot easier. Anything that can’t be locked up has to go inside my garage. If there is an incline there is the danger of collecting water. I have damaged a trolling motor battery due to not having a proper waterproof cover. A heavy storm filled my hull with water and it could not be drained due to the incline of my driveway. If you ever keep a boat outside, investing in a quality cover is necessary.

In the winter, consider having a place to keep your boat as oftentimes you need your driveway or garage for parking. I keep my boat on a rural property during the winter. Many places offer rentals as well though make sure they are well protected. Theft from storage lots is pretty common. If your boat is expensive, insuring is highly recommended.

In cold climates, winterizing is necessary to prevent damage to the motor and plumbing. In general there is always some regular maintenance no matter what you get. Either learn how to do the annual maintenance or take it to be serviced by a dealer. I get mine serviced at the dealer but it is expensive plus you may have to sacrifice more weeks of your season as they take a while to winterize your boat. I am considering doing my own winterization next season.

Investing in Equipment

This can be a beefy topic but it’s very much worth mentioning. When you get your first boat, it may or may not be properly equipped with the gear you need. This has to factored when making the purchase. Hundreds of dollars may be needed to even put the boat on the water.

In general safety equipment like life jackets, fire extinguishers, hazard lights and paddles are necessary. You might need to invest in seats for your passengers. An anchor will be useful if you need to stay in place. There might even need some repairs that need to be done depending on the condition of the boat.

Then you might want to invest in electronics that will make your day on the water better. A GPS and sonar unit make navigation a lot better, especially on big lakes where it is easy to get lost. A bow mounted trolling motor will make boat control a lot easier. A spot lock trolling motor is really handy as there is no need to deploy a heavy anchor.

One thing that surprises new boat owners is how many rods you need. With so many fishing options available to you, technique specific rods are increasingly required. Within walleye fishing alone, I now have a lindy rig, jigging, bottom bouncing and cranking setups. Don’t get me started on bass, musky or catfish. Obviously you don’t need to acquire so many rods at once but you will find that the few shore setups you once owned are becoming increasingly inadequate.

Gas

After investing in a ton of equipment, make sure you actually have enough funds left for fuel. As a new boat owner, this definitely surprised me and it took a while to accept.

Not only is driving the boat expensive, towing is expensive as well. Your fuel economy will be greatly impacted by the weight of the boat. It’s important to learn what your fuel economy is like when towing. When making long distance trips, you may have to fuel up earlier in order to avoid being stranded. Bringing along jerry cans can help too.

Luckily if you bring along fishing partners, you can split gas expenses with them. As a boat owner, it won’t be too hard to attract a fishing partner.

Installations, Repairs and Maintenance

In general, boat ownership is all about being handy. Relying on technicians and the dealer for every little thing is costly and time consuming which is why being self-sufficient is important.

You may not know how to do everything at first and that’s fine. You have the internet to teach you how to do things. Sometimes if you can get a mechanically inclined friend that would be very useful. I will say boat ownership has been a good thing for me as it has given me the confidence to do things that I have never done before. When my livewell pump failed, I figured out how to install one by myself. When I got Active Target for my boat, I mapped out the wiring diagram and figured out an ethernet system for graphs at the front and back. Research and patience will get you pretty far. Sometimes you need to find creative solutions that will fit your needs.

Now keep in mind, this is pretty time consuming. I’ve spent some late nights in the dark trying to install things in the boat. Many trips to the store were needed to get hardware and if you don’t plan things accordingly, you’ll be making multiple trips. Though over time you will become more handy and things will get easier.

Final Words

While I might have made boat ownership sound rough, it is rewarding when you manage to make it work.

As much as it seems like work to do maintenance and installations, it can be therapeutic and even fun at times. Keeping yourself busy with a hobby is a great way to stave off stress, loneliness and depression which is something that we will all encounter at some point. It feels great when you figure out a solution to a problem all by yourself. Plus you will gain so many valuable skills from doing work on your boat.

As captain of your boat, you will be able to go wherever you want and fish wherever you want (provided the conditions allow you to do so). In general it just feels great to fish in a boat. If the fish don’t bite, you move or try a different technique. There is so much more control compared to being on shore that you almost never want to go back to shore fishing. Plus it’s easier to get away from the crowds by finding more places to fish.

It’s definitely not going to be a light decision to make but if done correctly your fishing experiences will be way better. My journey as a boat owner is far from over and new challenges will always appear.