Today’s makers of fishing boats and gear suffer from iPhone syndrome: They want to make the on-water experience as seamless and fun as playing with a new app. And in many ways, they’re succeeding.

The new Mercury Marine ­joystick control for a single outboard puts throttle, shifting and steering control in the palm of your hand. Many captains will find that the joystick makes it easier to ...

How is steering downwind different from steering upwind? It takes more latent ability to steer a boat well on reaches and, especially, on runs. You’ll see a greater number of good helmsmen upwind than ...