If you're looking for the perfect fishing boat for inshore angling, accessorizing your boat can help you catch more fish. Here are some modifications to make to your fishing boat if your angling adventures are mostly inshore.

Going Stealth Mode

Inshore fisheries can be very tide-dependent and require anglers to sneak up on fish in very shallow water. Accessorizing your fishing boat to go stealth mode can help you successfully stalk big fish this summer.

Poling Down

Adding a hydraulic anchor system is critical when fishing inshore waters. When adding a hydraulic anchor system, it's important to consider the size of your watercraft, the average depth of your favorite fishing spots, and the type of places you fish. For instance, if your boat is 12 feet, having a hydraulic anchor that exceeds the length of your boat can create stability issues. Also, if the average depth of your favorite fishing locations is under 8 feet, you probably won't need a hydraulic anchor that's longer than 10 feet. If your inshore fishing locations have a hard bottom (like rocks or a reef) a hydraulic anchor system will not be able to pierce the bottom to hold you in place.

Poling Around: in addition to using a hydraulic anchor system to "pole down," you should also add a poling platform and poling staff. Not only will the poling platform give you a vantage point to locate fish around your boat, but it will also give you more leverage when using a wading staff. Similar to the advice above, your wading staff should not exceed the length of your boat. Also, having a wading platform that is higher than your boat is wide can create potential stability issues.

Going Full-Tech

The latest innovations in fishing technology can allow you to catch more fish consistently. Although not all technological gadgets are suited for inshore fishing, there are a few tech upgrades you might want to consider.

Syncing Up

Having an integrated tech system on your inshore fishing boat can make a huge difference. For instance, having a fish finder, navigation system, and trolling motor that can be synced up can keep your boat locked on the most productive spots. When looking at integrated tech systems, it's important to look for a system that works for your fishing boat. Most fishing boat dealers will allow you to test-drive these systems until you find something that works for you. You might also want to consider upgrading your batteries to marine-grade lithium-ion units, which deliver more power and last longer than conventional lead/acid batteries.