Performance mods for a 97 225 carb

[Okboatman]

I'm a rookie when it comes to performance mods. That said I just purchased a 97 225 hp, carb, 3.0L Merc and was wondering what could be done to get more power out of it without sacrificing too much reliability. I'm not looking to race, just want the most bang for the buck on the back of my Champion bass boat ( I know it's not a performance hull but it's what I've got to work with lol ). It is an offshore model, but I plan to replace the midsection, driveshaft and shift linkage to 20".