LePera's Ice Cold Perspectives: Rigging for Rough Water

By Jonathan LePera

There are three kinds of rough water anglers: those who can, those who won’t and those who must.

I’ve fished the Eastern basin of Lake Erie for over 20 years and I’ve seen all of her personalities. I’ve been in the middle of the lake on a gorgeous sunny summer day only to feel the air temperature decrease rapidly and by the time I was halfway to the ramp be caught in 6-foot waves. Accordingly, I rig my boat for freshwater war, otherwise, it will come back in pieces.

Here are my recommendations for a safe and relatively stress-free day on the water.

Invest in Boat US

There is no greater protection for your vessel, trailer, and life than Boat US/TowBoat US (a boat-towing service). Rough water can wreak havoc capable of cracking hulls and swamping motors making vessels un-navigable. If it becomes necessary for you to be towed, the weight of your boat can weigh a smaller boat’s back end down, possibly resulting in the motor getting swamped and damaged. Don’t burden another angler and put them at risk by towing you in unless absolutely necessary. Let the professionals help.

Don’t Be Cheap

Use stainless steel screws, bolts, washers and nuts because over the course of time, weather will corrode, degrade, and break inferior components and fasteners. Most importantly, use Nylock nuts on all of your bolts to prevent them from loosening which can occur considering the g-force of travelling in rough water.

Fasten Your Trolling Motor Bracket

Check out the service trailers during each big water tournament and you’ll see a line of boats with broken trolling motor bolts, brackets and other evidence of rough water carnage. Use quality bolts that best fit the mount and support each screw with a large stainless-steel washer and Nylock nut. Mounting a 3/8-inch stainless steel plate on the underside of where you mount the trolling motor bracket will help to support the fibreglass. Additionally, be sure to use some type of a support mount, often provided by the manufacturer, to absorb the constant pounding that it will take.

Know Your Wiring

I run a 2005 Ranger Fisherman 621 with an ’05 Evinrude E-TEC. I’d purchased the boat from a gentleman in Oklahoma and had it delivered to me to save me the 34-hour roundtrip drive. That said, the moment I got it home, a good buddy and I ripped all the wiring out of that boat and ran new marine-grade coated wire. Every inline fuse was replaced and those that needed to be added were with waterproof casing. Should I experience an electrical issue on the water, I know where to start looking and how to fix it.

Bilge Pumps

It’s unfathomable to me why fisherman have the best boats, rigged with the best of electronics, but only one run bilge pump. If that pump dies, your boat is going to flood or sink. If not the latter, it’ll be an insurance claim once your motor gets swamped. I recommend always running a pair of high output bilge pumps off two different fuses pumping out of two different hoses. You’d be surprised how many anglers cheap out. Some tournament veterans even keep a spare pump and hose in a storage compartment with alligator clips so that they can quickly hook up to a battery and dump water out of their boat in a hurry if need be.

Lock Up Your Electronics

DuraSafe Locks can be used on most electronics in place of their traditional knobs and locked with a key. They are heavy duty in construction and won’t back off when the boat is absorbing some serious pounding on big water. These knobs also protect your units from theft if you keep them mounted on your boat at all times.

Be Ready for Bad

A heavier boat handles rough water better and a full tank of gas will never leave you stranded. Always leave the dock with a full tank of gas. Remember, driving rough water and climbing up and down waves will burn more fuel.

Keep a waterproof duffle bag in your boat filled with spare clothes that reflect the seasonal water temps you are fishing, a towel and some first aid. I fell out of my boat in the fall twenty years ago. I was leaning over my console and a rogue wave knocked me off balance and into a frigid fall-time Lake Erie. I had a Mustang Survival Suit on and if it weren’t for my friend using the trim on my outboard to help drag me back into the boat, hypothermia surely would have set in. I got the suit off quickly, stripped down and dried off, changed my clothes, and we headed for the ramp. That could have gone really bad. Quality foul weather gear is imperative.

Keep a waterproof case or bag for storing your phone, truck keys, wallet, and a spare phone or USB charger on board. There’s nothing worse than needing to call for help and being unable to because your phone is wet or dead.

Keep A Tool Kit and Supplies Handy

Keep a watertight box filled with fuses, connectors, electrical supplies, zip ties and electrical tape. In another waterproof box, keep a box of essential tools that include side-cutters, crimping pliers, a multi-bit screwdriver, test light, Allen keys, a ratchet set and a voltmeter. When things go south on the water, scrambling to complete a makeshift repair without the proper tools is a recipe for disaster.

Don’t Fish Alone

I get it. It’s your day off or you have to pre-fish or you haven’t had a day off in weeks, but there’s no one to fish with. If you must fish alone, always leave a flight plan with your family or friends. So much can go wrong in rough water and fishing solo is not a wise choice.

Invest In a 4- or 5-Blade Prop

A three-blade prop has no place in rough water. To be able to climb waves and slide down into the trough of the next one, you must have a - or even a 5-blade prop. This is no time for speed. Take your time, trim your motor to keep the nose of your boat high and slowly climb up and down each wave. This mainly applies to waves over 4-feet. Longer boats can get on top of 3-foot waves but there’s no guarantee that you won’t beat the brakes off your boat and bring it back in pieces. There is no need to rush or take chances.

Sure they’re expensive but it’s also a good idea to keep a spare prop on board. Sometimes you’ll throw an ear off your prop or crack one. A spare hub isn’t a bad idea either.

Be Tactical

When navigating rough water, do your best to quarter the waves. Sometimes it is better to head off course of your return destination to be able to ride the predominant winds/waves home with less of a pounding. Other times, you may need to climb waves slowly making your way back to safety. If you are uncomfortable navigating rough water, take a boating course or have someone properly teach you.

Wear Your PFD All Day

Wearing an inflatable personal flotation device all day when fishing isn’t a bad idea. Be sure to check that your air cartridge expiration is up to date. During the colder months, wearing a full body flotation suit offers superior flotation and warmth.

The Mounting Concern for Electronics

While modern electronics are better built, I suggest investing in a quality mount that keeps your units mounted securely during the bumpiest of rides. When possible, bolt them to the deck for maximum security. If that is not a possibility, heavy duty screws coated with silicone should work.

Seat Suspension

For angler who are consistently running rough water and not running a bass boat, investing in a seat suspension system is imperative. I can speak on this because I’ve consistently had back issues. After receiving a pair of Smooth Moves to evaluate, I couldn’t believe my ability to withstand bumpy rides and difficult waters without being laid up the next day. There are several credible manufactures, do your homework to find the best suspension system for you, your budget, and the floor plan of your boat.

While I’m not advising you break the bank to upgrade your boat, I hope you’ll give your vessel a thorough evaluation. It could mean the difference between coming home, and coming home alive.