Boat modifications and accessories are getting extremely cheap and very easy to do. In addition, it’s so much fun to modify your boat to your exact specifications. I own a 10’ plastic pontoon boat. My Pond Prowler is decked the heck out, baby! Here’s my short list of the top 5 small boat accessories under $50.
1. Fish ruler - $9.99
Hands down this is the cheapest mod, as well as one of the most essential. Not only does it look great anywhere you stick it, it’s completely functional and dare I say, an absolute necessity for anyone who fishes!
If you’re bringing in fish, you’ll want to know how big they are. Especially when reeling in a fatty! Pictures are awesome but from my experience, you’ll get this response when you show someone your trophy catch. “Dang! How big was it?”.
Also, this cheap stick-on fish ruler is a great way to keep you out of jail! The FWC is extremely serious here in Florida about taking illegal fish. If you catch a fish and plan on taking it home (which I do weekly to keep a full freezer) you MUST understand the laws around fish sizes. Your catch has to be in the “slot”.
People have literally been arrested, fined, escorted off piers and much more for keeping an over or under slot fish. This ruler won’t help you if you take home the wrong species. The ruler also won’t help you identify the species to determine if it's in season either. However, you can download a free app called Fish Rules that I use almost everytime we hit the water, just to double check. I am not affiliated with Fish Rules. Just a friendly suggestion because I don’t want you to be sending me comments from jail!!
2. Shallow Water Anchor Spike - $35.99
The shallow water spike is similar to a stick-it anchor. However, usually those are 6-12 feet long. This is only a couple feet and is PERFECT for my little boat. It takes up no room and is extremely easy to use.
Use this shallow water anchor spike if you’re looking to take your family to the beach via boat but don’t want to actually beach it. Keep your boat in the water where it’s comfortable, safe and where it's supposed to be. Hop out, stab it into the sand and tie a line from the top of the spike and onto a cleat over the bow of your boat. Your boat is now safely anchored in shallow water, without dealing with a super heavy anchor and 30 feet of line!
I fish flats several times a week and you better believe once I find that honey hole I am quietly sticking my water spike into the sand or mud so I won’t move an inch. Quick, easy and stealthy. Absolutely perfect for fishing flats in 0-4 feet of water.
This is much better than dropping anchor at a 3:1 ratio and hoping it doesn’t scare fish. Plus tying to the cleats over the bow takes enough time that you could have had 1 or 2 casts with potential keepers on the line. I only use my traditional anchor for water over 4 feet.
Fisherman or not, a shallow water spike will be your best friend if you spend any time in the shallows or by the beach. Catch more fish, protect your boat and get yourself the best shallow water anchor spike on the market.
3. Foam EVA Boat Decking - $24.95 + (depending on how many sqft you need)
This is hands down the most popular feature of my boat that everyone online and at the boat ramp is curious about. It looks so good, makes your boat quieter and provides a non-skid surface that is much easier on the feet than simply standing on the hard fiberglass of boats.
It’s extremely affordable and anyone can install it! This foam EVA boat decking can turn an old crappy boat into a brand new beautiful vessel. It turned my old plastic mold of a boat into a micro skiff that could be sold on a showroom floor!
This foam decking also reduces vibrations in the boat if you drop stuff like lures, pliers, phones, sunscreen, whatever. It'll be quieter for you, your passengers but more importantly, the fish that you are trying to sneak up on! Fish are extremely sensitive to vibrations in the water so minimizing that is in all our best interests.
4. Trolling Motor Rudder - $24.99
Keep in mind, this is the top 5 SMALL boat accessories under $50 and a LOT of people, more than you might think, including myself ONLY run a trolling motor as their main method of propulsion. If you use a trolling motor on your boat, you might realize very quickly that trolling motors are not the best at tracking. Especially if you are dealing with wind, current, tidal movement, wake, chop, etc.
Adding a trolling motor rudder has been hands down the cheapest yet most functional upgrade I've made and it was so stupidly easy I can’t believe I didn't do this earlier! Adding a rudder to the shaft of my trolling motor lets me track in a straight line instead of snaking all around the bay. Before, I would zig-zag, causing me to get to my fishing spots slower as well as using more energy from my battery. What a waste!
Also, adding a rudder makes the reverse actually maneuverable. Going in reserve with a trolling motor SUCKS because you have to over correct like crazy until you start building momentum. When fishing ultra-tight to structure, bobbing in and out of marsh systems and approaching the boat ramp, you’ll want the most amount of control as possible out of your vessel. Installing this rudder has totally changed how my boat handles!
The BIG thing for me was being able to control my drift. I do a ton of drift fishing on the flats more than anything else, probably. I use the wind to carry me down the flats without needing to turn on the trolling motor. The rudder is what keeps my boat from constantly spinning out of position. You can literally steer with the boat off, that’s HUGE for energy savings AND spooking fish! Turning your trolling motor on and off is one of the easiest ways to spook fish. Correct less and fish more with this trolling motor rudder!
5. Manual Bilge Pump - $29.99
Honestly, I should keep this one in the boat but it sits on my shelf for some reason. This is a MUST for any boat that has the potential to take on water, capsize and sink. Luckily, my little plastic and foam Pond Prowler won't ever sink. However, that doesn’t mean I should not bring it with me!
This manual bilge pump can be the difference between taking on water via rain, wake or rogue waves and sinking OR getting rid of the water quickly and going on with your day! Get swamped? No problem. Stick the tip of the pump under the water and get pumping! Just make sure everyone knows what you're doing and don’t turn your back to the nice family enjoying the beach….
It’s extremely cheap, easy to use and pumps out an incredible amount of water. I have some footage of me using it on my YouTube channel. You can check that out here.
My next boat build, later this year, will be a 14’ aluminum Jon Boat-Skiff. You bet your butt I will absolutely have the possibility to fill up and sink quickly, especially on the ocean. I’ll have this exact bilge pump on board at all times. Although, they do make electric bilge pumps as well!
I have many more accessories on my boat that are less than $50. I will be making part 2 here soon. Stay tuned here on the blog, or on my YouTube channel! If you have any suggestions or think I left something essential/ obvious out, let me know in the comments below!