Since related queries often come up when someone is having a new skiff built or outfitting a pre-owned one, I thought a consolidation of preferred accessories may be helpful.
What are your Top 5 Essential Accessories? The list will vary, obviously, depending on the location and style of fishing.
I’ll get it started:
Push pole (light, workable length and holder on platform)
GPS plotter/sonar combo
Jackplate
Anchor system (hydraulic, electric or hand spike)
Trolling motor (Blasphemy or essential for beach/creeks?)
A roto-molded cooler that doubles as a casting platform would be six on my list.
Things that technical poling skiffs should NOT have:
Stereo/speakers
Adding electrical wiring, speakers and control head, is extra crap, it will corrode, and who listens to music while fishing in a poling skiff? If you want music carry a speaker for your sandbar and keep your skiff simple.
Live wells
Unless you are a bait guy off course, it’s easy to put a small portable bait well for when you need it. Most bait wells go unused in a skiff, added plumbing and valves, you will have to maintain.
Tall consoles (Flush mounted Nav system)
A Poling skiff doesn’t need a tall console, you need one just high enough to put you controls and externally mount your nav system. Big tall consoles with flush mounted nav systems are in the way.
Cupholders
Mounted in a console means you have to have water drains piped down to you bilge, just use a sea sucker exactly where you need it. Mine are on the floor (seasucker mount) in front of the seat bulkhead over the drain, out of the way and accessible.
AGM TM battery and charger
When my TM AGM Battery needs replacement, I will remove my charger, and battery and put a nice light Lithium TM battery system on board.
Un-Baffled Tank
A must to have a baffled tank, it minimizes sloshing noise to zero!
For an F70 or similar powered skiff, the Tank capacity should be 18gal minimum. Mine has a 14 usable capacity and it is range restricted to 7miles per gallon or 80 total miles of running with 2.5 reserves.
I would argue a live well is more useful than the TM. We use ours for trash and sometimes keeping snapper. Scoop some ice in there and threw them in so my cooler doesn’t get rank.
The more I go out the less I want a trolling motor.
For me here on the Nature Coast I like to have:
(1) trolling motor, the currents can rip through these islands on a tide change and can make poling difficult plus since having a tumor followed by brain surgery my balance just isn’t great anymore!
(2) I like a livewell myself, makes for a nice sink when the sharks are hanging under the boat like they are known to do here!
(3) I fish fly, artificial, and live bait even so a plotter is pretty important to locate pinfish traps that hopefully weren’t stolen but that’s a whole other topic!
(4) Cooler is a must have, I dehydrate fast these days and my baby girl even faster!
(5)1st aid kit with all the goodies plus a 5th of grain alcohol for emergency purposes!
Poling Platform
Love poling from the platform and sight casting Fish from it. Absolute must have.
Trolling Motor
When fishing with my young kids, wife, novice fisherman I leave the push pole at home and use the trolling motor. It Makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. We’re also usually fishing dock lines if that’s the case.
Clean storage/organization system
My last skiff was a Skimmer Skiff 14’6. It actually had a descent amount of storage but very little dry storage. I found a couple of tubs that fit down the open rear bulk head sides and one that fit in the front bulkhead opening. It gave me a place to keep all my tackle, and the larger one for us to put a few personal items ie: jacket/other clothing when weather permitted.
Cooler
Something just large enough to not be in the way and be able to hold water and some snacks.
Anchor System
I prefer a stik-it style stake out pole
@JimmySmith True, and I do use my phone for unfamiliar, or areas with lots of obstructions. I have the navionics app on it, and use Apple Maps Sat view as well, but I make it a habit to not rely on it.
