Rigging a Pontoon Boat for Fishing

A pontoon boat is a low-slung fishing platform in disguise. Inherently stable because of its small-waterplane-area twin-hull design, it gives the fisherman the ideal platform from which to pursue his prey. Like any fishing expedition, rigging the pontoon boat for fishing involves planning. If you begin the rigging work at the center of the deck and work outward, you won't encounter any problems. With a few universal additions that every fishing boat needs, the pontoon boat becomes a comfortable place in which to conduct the serious business of recreational fishing.

Things You'll Need

  • Pedestal seats
  • Free-standing rod rack
  • Adhesive marine caulk
  • 1-inch wood screws
  • Screwdriver
  • Downriggers
  • Surface-mount fishing rod holders
  • Side-mount fishing rod holders
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Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect the boat's "Capacities" plate, a yellow and black plate or label located at the inside rear of the passenger compartment. Note the number of people allowed on the boat.

    • 2

      Dip the threads of 1-inch wood screws into adhesive marine caulk. Attach a free-standing rod rack to the deck in the center of the boat using the 1-inch wood screws and a screwdriver. Locate the stringers -- the deck's support beams -- using a stud finder. Mark the location of the two stringers nearest each side of the boat, using a pencil.

    • 3

      Divide the number of people allowed on the boat by two. This is the number of pedestal seats required. Place the seat bases, evenly divided along the sides of the boat, so that two of the screw holes in the base are located over the stringer. Secure the seat bases to the deck with the screws provided with the seats, ensuring that at least two screws on each seat base go into the stringer below.

    • 4

      Place the surface-mount fishing rod holders evenly spaced on the gunwales -- the top surface of the sides of the boat. Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole through the mounting holes on the base of the rod holder. There should be one rod holder on each side of the boat for each person permitted by the capacities plate. Repeat for each rod holder. Attach the rod holders to the gunwales using the screws supplied with the fishing rod holders.

    • 5

      Place one of the downriggers on one side of the rear of the boat. Drill through the holes in, using the mounting bracket, just as you did with the rod holders, and secure the downrigger in place with the screws provided. Repeat, on the other side of the rear of the boat.