Gear

Inside Elite Boats: Chad Pipkens

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Michigan angler Chad Pipkens joined the B.A.S.S. tour in 2010 and qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2013. He won the 2014 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open and has twice fished the Bassmaster Classic.
Michigan angler Chad Pipkens joined the B.A.S.S. tour in 2010 and qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2013. He won the 2014 Bass Pro Shops Northern Open and has twice fished the Bassmaster Classic.
Pipkens is a skilled offshore angler who likes to hone in on Great Lakes smallmouth. His boat is rigged for the action. Come on aboard and take a tour of his Bass Cat Cougar FTD, which stands for Full Team Deck. At 20' 4' and with a beam of 94
Pipkens is a skilled offshore angler who likes to hone in on Great Lakes smallmouth. His boat is rigged for the action. Come on aboard and take a tour of his Bass Cat Cougar FTD, which stands for Full Team Deck. At 20′ 4′ and with a beam of 94″ it’s packed with the features he needs to be competitive.
At the bow is a powerful Minn Kota Ultrex i-Pilot Trolling Motor. It features electronic assist steering and integrated GPS technology.
At the bow is a powerful Minn Kota Ultrex i-Pilot Trolling Motor. It features electronic assist steering and integrated GPS technology.
Pipkens added this Transducer Shield & Saver to his Ultrex and next to that is the transducer for his Hydrowave.
Pipkens added this Transducer Shield & Saver to his Ultrex and next to that is the transducer for his Hydrowave.
“This really comes in handy in rough, open water.” It’s the TH Marine Troll-Tamer Trolling Motor Stablizer Lock that is designed to securely hold the trolling motor in place to prevent damage to the unit and the boat. “It naturally locks into place and is great for running in rough water.”
“This really comes in handy in rough, open water.” It’s the TH Marine Troll-Tamer Trolling Motor Stablizer Lock that is designed to securely hold the trolling motor in place to prevent damage to the unit and the boat. “It naturally locks into place and is great for running in rough water.”
Pipkens is a believer in the Hydrowave H2 Electronic Feeding Stimulator. “At a tournament on Oneida Lake it drew fish up off the bottom in 30 feet of water.” The unit features 16 sound patterns for added versatility, the new H2 also now offers five pre-programmed delay options ranging from 15 to 120 seconds. 
Pipkens is a believer in the Hydrowave H2 Electronic Feeding Stimulator. “At a tournament on Oneida Lake it drew fish up off the bottom in 30 feet of water.” The unit features 16 sound patterns for added versatility, the new H2 also now offers five pre-programmed delay options ranging from 15 to 120 seconds. 
“The Humminbird 360 Imaging is a game changer,” he said. “Before it came out, you thought you were hitting targets but really were not.” The technology allows full 360 degree viewing up to 150 feet around the boat. “The days of blind casting to find an underwater target are over.”
“The Humminbird 360 Imaging is a game changer,” he said. “Before it came out, you thought you were hitting targets but really were not.” The technology allows full 360 degree viewing up to 150 feet around the boat. “The days of blind casting to find an underwater target are over.”
At the bow is mission control of Pipkens’ underwater eyes. There are two Humminbird Helix 10 units and a Helix 7. “The big ones are linked and the most forward unit has full 360 imaging to pick things apart,” he said. “The Helix 7 is hardwired to a back transducer.” Pipkens said it’s remarkable how many fish he catches using this setup. “When the fish are out there suspended I have twice the chance to see if it swims under the boat to the back.”
At the bow is mission control of Pipkens’ underwater eyes. There are two Humminbird Helix 10 units and a Helix 7. “The big ones are linked and the most forward unit has full 360 imaging to pick things apart,” he said. “The Helix 7 is hardwired to a back transducer.” Pipkens said it’s remarkable how many fish he catches using this setup. “When the fish are out there suspended I have twice the chance to see if it swims under the boat to the back.”
Pipkens has Humminbird AS GPS HS GPS receiver pucks at the front and back of the boat. “It enables me to get a more accurate reading at the front, and from 20 feet at the back of the boat,” he said. “I am just so much more efficient with my casts and presentations.”
Pipkens has Humminbird AS GPS HS GPS receiver pucks at the front and back of the boat. “It enables me to get a more accurate reading at the front, and from 20 feet at the back of the boat,” he said. “I am just so much more efficient with my casts and presentations.”
Pipkens uses these TH Kong Mounts for the bow units. “I don’t have to remove the graphs for running in rough water,” he said. “They are adjustable, sturdy and take up less floor space than hard mounting the entire bracket.”
Pipkens uses these TH Kong Mounts for the bow units. “I don’t have to remove the graphs for running in rough water,” he said. “They are adjustable, sturdy and take up less floor space than hard mounting the entire bracket.”
What Pipkens really likes about the interior layout of his Bass Cat are the abundant storage compartments, that are all in reach for easy access on the front deck.
What Pipkens really likes about the interior layout of his Bass Cat are the abundant storage compartments, that are all in reach for easy access on the front deck.
The center storage is reserved for line and terminal tackle.
The center storage is reserved for line and terminal tackle.
“It’s always here for making leaders and for the occasional mess up when casting in the wind,” he mused.
“It’s always here for making leaders and for the occasional mess up when casting in the wind,” he mused.
“These trays are for tackle that I might swap out, and not my day-to-day gear that I might be using all day,” he said. “They are handy and make it easy to find things.”
“These trays are for tackle that I might swap out, and not my day-to-day gear that I might be using all day,” he said. “They are handy and make it easy to find things.”
“This is for buffs and sunglasses for different light conditions,” he said.
“This is for buffs and sunglasses for different light conditions,” he said.
“This is my day-to-day tackle, things that I will use every tournament like the basics that I will use in every tournament. I call it my meat box.”
“This is my day-to-day tackle, things that I will use every tournament like the basics that I will use in every tournament. I call it my meat box.”
This is other “meat box.” Pipkens layers rods in this cavernous storage compartment. “What I’m not using in a given tournament I put on the bottom, then stack the active combos on the top.”
This is other “meat box.” Pipkens layers rods in this cavernous storage compartment. “What I’m not using in a given tournament I put on the bottom, then stack the active combos on the top.”
“In this box I store raingear, life jackets and extra clothes. There’s an emergency kit in there, a first-aid kit, spare SD cards, things like that.”
“In this box I store raingear, life jackets and extra clothes. There’s an emergency kit in there, a first-aid kit, spare SD cards, things like that.”
This is the TH Marine Tackle Titan, featuring a magnetic lure and fishing tool holder. “I just put them everywhere, because you can keep things off the floor but nearby, and not lose it.”
This is the TH Marine Tackle Titan, featuring a magnetic lure and fishing tool holder. “I just put them everywhere, because you can keep things off the floor but nearby, and not lose it.”
“This is the snack drawer and it’s usually full, and I need to reload it for the tournament,” he said. Pipkens keeps sandwiches, fruits, apple sauce and everything he needs to refuel his body during long days on the water.
“This is the snack drawer and it’s usually full, and I need to reload it for the tournament,” he said. Pipkens keeps sandwiches, fruits, apple sauce and everything he needs to refuel his body during long days on the water.
This is the center seat cooler. “I usually drink a dozen or more drinks during a tournament, and this cooler allows me to have quick access to them.”
This is the center seat cooler. “I usually drink a dozen or more drinks during a tournament, and this cooler allows me to have quick access to them.”
“Everywhere that you look in this boat is storage space,” he said, of the beneath-seat storage on the passenger side. “In this one I’ve got jumper cables, toilet paper for those crazy days,” he said.
“Everywhere that you look in this boat is storage space,” he said, of the beneath-seat storage on the passenger side. “In this one I’ve got jumper cables, toilet paper for those crazy days,” he said.
On the driver side is a spare prop, wrench and related parts.
On the driver side is a spare prop, wrench and related parts.
And more Helix 10 units on the dashboard. “Everything serves a different purpose,” he said. “For the one on the right I keep my hard waypoints, or structure that doesn’t change, like rocks and brushpiles.” On the front unit, because we got to a lot of the same places, I want those hard waypoints, but I don’t want to get cluttered with old data, so I can mark on the front one with a different icon.” For the left unit he might use full 360 or GPS.
And more Helix 10 units on the dashboard. “Everything serves a different purpose,” he said. “For the one on the right I keep my hard waypoints, or structure that doesn’t change, like rocks and brushpiles.” On the front unit, because we got to a lot of the same places, I want those hard waypoints, but I don’t want to get cluttered with old data, so I can mark on the front one with a different icon.” For the left unit he might use full 360 or GPS.
“This keeps real-time monitoring of all the boat’s system, and it’s constantly communicating with my Suzuki Outboard,” he said. “The engine temperature feature is key in places like Florida where the vegetation can be a problem.”
“This keeps real-time monitoring of all the boat’s system, and it’s constantly communicating with my Suzuki Outboard,” he said. “The engine temperature feature is key in places like Florida where the vegetation can be a problem.”
“I like the design of these livewell lids, because the shape makes it difficult for a large fish to jump out,” he said.
“I like the design of these livewell lids, because the shape makes it difficult for a large fish to jump out,” he said.
Culling and tagging gear is easily accessed in this compartment located near the livewell.
Culling and tagging gear is easily accessed in this compartment located near the livewell.
There is more than what meets the eyes with these twin Minn Kota 10-foot Shallow Water Anchors. “What I like about them is that other anglers cannot tell when you are poled down, which can give away your location,” he said. “People pay attention to stuff like that, and the way the deploy prevents anyone from seeing that.”
There is more than what meets the eyes with these twin Minn Kota 10-foot Shallow Water Anchors. “What I like about them is that other anglers cannot tell when you are poled down, which can give away your location,” he said. “People pay attention to stuff like that, and the way the deploy prevents anyone from seeing that.”
Pipkens really likes this feature. It’s the Flow-Rite Remote Drain Plug System. Inside the boat is the switch. “You never worry about forgetting your drain plug again, and you can remove it with a turn of this switch.”
Pipkens really likes this feature. It’s the Flow-Rite Remote Drain Plug System. Inside the boat is the switch. “You never worry about forgetting your drain plug again, and you can remove it with a turn of this switch.”
When turned it opens or closes the plug.
When turned it opens or closes the plug.
And the tour is a wrap. <p> Thanks for the tour, Chad!
And the tour is a wrap.

Thanks for the tour, Chad!

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