Setting Up A Boat For Striper Fishing

[therockfishchef]

Just bought a 17.5 ft center console and was hoping for some pics of how you all set up your boats for fishing. The boat is a hyda-sport interceptor. I'm sure some of you guys have some great set-ups with some custom ideas to make fishing easier and more productive. The boat has what looks like a live well under the front seat but it just has a drain hole that goes into the bilge with a cigarette lighter plug in side. I am not familiar with live wells but am dying to try live bait as we have all kinds of bait fish here where i fish do i just put one of those areators in and plug it in? and dont they need to have a constant flow of seawater? any help would be great. One of these days (hopefully) i'll stop asking for help and start offering advice of my own to someone....anyways thanks a lot

[Striperjim]

Theres some great stuff here and somewhere there is pictures.
Heres a quote from one of roccus posts on organization
of gear and some info from another thread

Originally Posted by Roccus

The boat: under the console I keep a large plano "guides box" it has cases of all the style hooks I use, I keep balloons, elastic bands, dental floss, electrical tape, sinkers, leader material, knives, spring scale,pliers, sabiki rigs, mackerel jigs, pogie snatchers, tied sliding hook rigs and and assortment of snaps and swivels, as well as a small lighter, an assortment of rod tip tops and tip top cement.

On the console, I have an index card holder, I store up to 3 dozen pre tied leaders, individually stored in zip lock bags, a small package of eel hooks ( I buy in bulk 1000 at a time and repackage) as well as a pair of head lamps and a small flash light, to the left of that sits the bug spray, to the right a spare eel rag.
In front of the console is a action packer, in it is a half dozen cases containing, plugs, soft plastics and jigs, the compartment is sectioned off, on the starboard side, I have several spools of various sizes of leader material and another "master" bag of hooks, I also keep a spare fuel filter, more bug spray, spare rags, lime scented hand soap and paper towels , charts and log,, batteries for my lights and life vests and a mustang survival suit in here as well.

[Wingnutt]

Unfortunately, a 17 1/2 footer doesn't give you a lot of room for larger items. A lot of the folks I fish with who have a C.C. mount their bait tanks directly in front of the console. Most have a hard top to which they attach an electronics box where they put their finder, GPS, and VHF radio. Under the console and seat are the preferred locations for tackle and other junk. Hope this helps.

[Reel Force]

I highly recommend these rod holders - I personally use the RAM Rod 2000 Rod Holder flush mount ...

http://www.ram-mount.com/fishing_rod...od_holders.htm