By Crestliner Pro Angler, Jason Mitchell
Deep V boats like the Crestliner Fish Hawks and Pro Tillers are great multi-species fishing platforms and more specifically… these boats are designed with walleye in mind. Boat control is everything with walleye fishing and these hulls are designed for control in strong wind and big water. Whether you own a Crestliner that is several years old (we still see a lot of the older Tournament Series and Fish Hawk Series boats on the water that are twenty years old or older!) or if you are rigging a brand-new boat, one of the most fun aspects of owning a boat is making the boat your own. Customizing the boat for your specific needs and fishing style. When it comes to rigging boats, perhaps the biggest change is electronics and trolling motors along with lithium battery power sources. We will review some of my absolute favorite accessories and additional tools that I personally like to have on the boat or installed. We will also review tools which we can personally vouch for in regard to performance and function.
Lowrance Recon Trolling Motor
The Recon was built with walleye fishing in mind. The best trolling motor I have ever had on a boat. Extremely lightweight yet fast. The remote and foot pedal are very responsive and packs a lot of useful features. The remote has a joystick which makes one handed steering extremely easy. The remote has a LCD that shows; mode, ground speed, propulsion thrust percentage, battery life and more. This remote runs off Double A batteries and also has a button for course heading and anchor mode. There are also two programable keys on the back of the remote that give you options for programming the range on your forward-facing sonar, waypoints and more. The foot pedal features many of the same basic features as the remote with more programable keys. The feature I love about the foot pedal the most is the fact that the foot pedal is cordless. Interfaced with Lowrance HDS Pro units, you can also follow contours, jog on spot lock and drive to waypoint. This trolling motor does everything you need for the ultimate boat control.
Lowrance HDS Pro and Active Target 2
I have long been a huge fan of Lowrance Electronics because I feel very confident in the 2D sonar and because of the speed of orientation on the chart. When I see a fish on a Lowrance, I know what kind of fish I am looking at and I can often guess the size within an inch. The side-imaging is also crisp and the Active Target 2 has exceptional range and offers a very detailed view for distinguishing fish species. I find that the C Map is also a very good map on most bodies of water. While I feel like other brands of marine electronics might have a strength, what separates Lowrance is the entire system. Every feature on a Lowrance is good or great.
Rig Rite Tail Tamer
Good high-speed readings are important and can sometimes be difficult to achieve on aluminum hulls because you cannot shoot through the hull. I always recommend using an Atwood Boat Transducer Mounting Plate, so you don’t have to drill unnecessary holes in the boat trying to adjust your transducer. The key to getting high speed readings especially with larger 3 and 1 transducers is to get the transducer somewhat level where it doesn’t perfectly follow the chime on the bottom of the hull and to also get the transducer below the hull. This placement however can cause turbulence that affects high speed readings. The answer is a Tail Tamer that knocks down the turbulence and allows the transducer to read at high speeds.
Lithium Battery Power Sources
With forward facing sonar and side imaging in particular, a very beneficial trend with newer electronics is using a stand-alone lithium battery specific to marine electronics. Forward facing sonar in particular will draw a lot of power. I find that with three HDS Pro 16-inch screen units, I can run all my electronics with bright displays for over 12 hours with one Norsk 16-volt 105 AH Battery. I am a big fan of the Norsk Lithium Batteries for performance and run life. I also use a Norsk Lithium 12-volt 105 AH for the cranking battery and a 36-volt 60 AH Norsk Lithium specifically for the trolling motor. High quality lithium batteries offer superior performance and longevity on the water and also dramatically cut down on weight.
Sonar Mounts and Brackets
Both the new Crestliner Fish Hawk and the Pro Tiller have ample room for big screen sonar units. The Fish Hawk has a flat dash design specifically for providing space and room for multiple units on the dash. The Pro Tiller features an electronics locker with a door and sliding tray that will house a unit with a 16-inch screen. On the dash or in the electronics locker, I often mount the gimble bracket flush or flat to the dash or tray. On the bow however, I like to elevate my electronics and lock them in place, so they don’t move or loosen. The Boat EFX Locking Dual Graph Mounts enables me to stack multiple units and raise the units so I can reach them easier and also see them easier. Especially when using forward facing sonar, I like to have my screen as high as possible from a comfort aspect.
Trailer Steps
If you are older, have any physical limitations or launch your boat alone, trailer steps can make loading and unloading your boat much easier. Boat EFX also has another product I like called the AlumaSTEP Series and Booma Step. You can get these steps specifically designed and engineered for Crestliner Trailers.
Splash Guards
Walleye anglers in particular are often fishing in wind. Whether you choose to back troll or need to launch your boat on a boat ramp that is in the wind, wave guards can cut down on spray and waves coming over the splash well. If you need precise boat control in wind where you have to creep up or down structure at slow speeds, nothing beats back trolling with a drift sock. My favorite splash guards are the Walleye Master Splash Guards because they are high and have more flex which allows you to back troll in some of the nastiest conditions without breaking a splash guard.
Bonus Fishing Boat Accessories
The above are items I personally like to rig into my boat but there are several miscellaneous tools every walleye angler should have in the boat. Besides the obvious like an oar, fire extinguisher, net and life jackets, some additional tools include line clippers, hook out pliers and jaw spreaders, extra fuses and double A batteries, basic tools like a Phillips screwdriver and some basic sockets, Allen wrenches and electrical tape. I also like to have a few assorted lengths of rope, a drift sock and bumpers or boat cushions for tying off on docks. Because of fairly new invasive species regulations prohibiting the transport of live bait in lake water, we also use bait coolers like Flop Boxes to keep minnows and leeches alive and fresh. Small coolers for snacks and bait are also often needed along with dry bags for rain gear. I also like to always carry a small set of jumper cables.
One of the greatest features of all the Crestliner Boats is usable space inside the boat. Because of the weld design and engineering, there is so much more room and storage because there is no wide gunnels that waste room and space to strengthen the hull. That means your storage compartments and deck space go all the way to the hull. Have fun filling that space and making the boat your own.
Start building your perfect fishing boat today, or visit your local Crestliner boat dealership to learn more.