As I have written about previously, I bought a new to me boat this year. It is a great improvement on what I had before but there were some small changes that I wanted to have made, to it to make it mine. We all operate or fish from a boat differently and by customizing it we can make it easier to operate, more effective to fish from and more comfortable. There are several manufacturers of White River Jon Boats locally and they all will customize your boat when you purchase it or after you have had it for a while.
You can get oar locks, trolling motors, pedestal seats, cup holders, dry storage lockers, live wells (with or with or without aerators), bilge pumps, built in rod storage lockers, fly rod tubes, jet transom, hatch locks, bait trays, stainless steel side rails, paddle holder, navigation lights and a Dierks anchor system (like those used in a drift boat). As I have a Supreme I took my boat to Supreme Boats and had Rob Williams do the custom work. He will work on any make of boat and does a great job. A lot of my fellow guides have had work done there and they were all pleased.
I passed on the live wells because I am a no kill guide and the navigation lights because I don’t plan, on being, on the river, in a boat at night. I don’t need a jet transom because I use a propeller and I already have bait trays, stainless steel rails, and dry storage. I also passed on the paddle holder and the Dierks anchor system because my trolling motor could hold me in position. I didn’t opt for a rod locker or fly rod tubes because I do a fair amount of wade trips. As a result, I carry my client rods in a rod loft in my Suburban. That way they are always with me, even if I am not trailering my boat.
I went with a trolling motor in lieu of oars. There has been a major technological change in trolling motors. They are now available with a wireless remote control and GPS. The wireless remote (which you wear around your neck on a lanyard) will lower the motor into the water with the push of a button and raise or lower it in the water, steer to the right or left and increase or decrease speed. You can do this from anywhere in the boat. You can record a given track. You can then return to the starting point and put it on autopilot and it will follow the same track again. If you want to hold in a given area you can push a button and use spot lock and there is cruise control. The oars are too much work and you cannot fish, if you are rowing.
I also had pedestal seats installed. I had the classic spider chairs but did not like them. The legs stick out from the seat and I was afraid that I would trip over them as I was moving around the boat. I also don’t care for the spider chairs because my clients move them around and depending on where they are moved can affect the trim of the boat. I specified square fiberglass pedestals that featured a storage compartment in the bottom. You cannot have too much storage!
I had four cup holders installed in the boat. I know that this sounds a little foo foo but there is a good reason to have them. Either I or my clients are often drinking a soft drink or water (particularly on a hot day). If there is no place to put them while you are drinking or after you are finished, they invariably end up on the deck. This is an invitation to slip and fall on them. I also had lockable latches put on the front and rear lockers to protect any valuables I might be carrying.
The work was done in record time. Rob only had the boat for about thirty hours. He goes out of his way to accommodate guides because of our hectic schedules and we appreciate it.
I now have a boat that suits my fishing style and I am taking it out tomorrow for a day on the water with my wife, Lori. Life is good!
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