Wired2fish’s McKeon Roberts loves fishing small and inaccessible waters from the shore or out of his kayak but recently purchased a boat to expand his fishing to new waters and different bites. After a year of fishing out of the setup, he provides a thorough and experienced-based walk-through review, covering down on the boat and key accessories and why he chose each product. *Full product listing below.
Affordability, small waters accessibility, and sized to fit into his garage directed Roberts toward a 16-foot aluminum fishing boat. While the featured 1650 Lund Angler comes in a single (SS) and full windshield (Sport) model, Roberts chose a tiller for maximum boat control and usable floor and storage space. Despite its modest size, the v-hull design mated with a 60hp FourStroke engine makes the boat plenty capable of running bigger waters.
Roberts put much of his budget toward boat control equipment and fish finders. He discusses how he uses transom and bow-mount trolling motors and his single shallow water anchor. Three Humminbird HELIX fish finders (networked) provide sonar and mapping capabilities typically found in bigger boats, making this setup an understated fish-catching machine.
With all these accessories comes the need for power. Roberts upgraded the boat to a 24v trolling motor configuration, which requires two 12-volt batteries rigged in series. He chose lithium-ion batteries for the space and weight savings; significantly less weight equates to more hull lift and better boat performance. A single group 27 lead-acid battery powers the rest.
Lastly, Roberts discusses some optimization accessories. A T-H Marine KVD Kong Electronics Mount provides a solid and rigid solution for the sizeable bow fish finder with the flexibility to raise it for enhanced visibility. And he upgraded his stock 3-blade aluminum prop to a 4-blade stainless steel model for faster hole shots, better bow lift, and overall boat control.
BOAT AND MOTOR
- BOAT – Lund 1650 Rebel XL Tiller, Gunmetal Grey
- ENGINE – Mercury FourStroke 60hp Command Thrust Tiller
- PROP – Mercury Elite Series SpitFire X7 Propeller
- TILLER HANDLE – Mercury Tiller Handle 40-115hp
BOAT CONTROL (TROLLING MOTORS AND SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR)
- BOW MOUNT TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex 80/MSI/IP Trolling Motor w/i-Pilot Link Bluetooth – 24v-80lb
- TRANSOM TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Traxxis, 24v-70lb
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Minn Kota Talon, 8-foot
FISH FINDERS
- ELECTRONICS – Humminbird HELIX 10 MEGA SI+ CHIRP GPS G4N
- MAPPING – LakeMaster Plus
- MOUNT – T-H Marine KVD Kong Electronics Mount
BATTERIES AND CHARGER
- BATTERIES – Dakota Lithium 12v-54Ah Deep Cycle
- ONBOARD CHARGER – Minn Kota MK-345PC Precision On-Board Charger 3 Bank 15 Amps
OTHER GEAR
- HITCH – B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Trailer Ball Mount
- SWEATSHIRT – Grundens Dillingham Tech Hoodie
- WATCH – Garmin Instinct Solar
- CUP HOLDER – T-H Marine Folding Drink Holder
- FIRST AID KIT – Angler Aid 53 Item First Aid Kit
