Even during 'fun' fishing tournaments with no money at stake, the
competitive spirit causes anglers to push the envelope and do things they might otherwise avoid.
For example: crossing the legendary pass at Boca Grande with four people in a Pro-Line 22-foot Bay
Boat with a raging outgoing tide and 25-mph winds. Just before making the run, the crew watches as
a flats boat in front of them attempts to cross the whitewater flocked pass, but quickly decides to
boomerang back into the relative calm of Pine Island Sound, north of Fort Myers, Florida.
With local guide Capt. Mike Wise (941/475-2687) at the helm, the threesome of anglers gives
a semi-enthusiastic consensus of resigned shrugs, indicating that they are willing to give it a go,
because they know that on the other side, redfish are waiting to be caught.
The rules of the all-release tournament are simple: Each fish caught (of a targeted species)
equals one point, and so far the designated angler has three points and is tied for the lead in the
redfish division. Conditions are tough because of the wind and rain that has swept southwest
Florida in the last few days. If they can just catch one more red, they should score a win in the
division. Wise pushes the throttle forward on the 150-hp Mercury, puts the Pro-Line 22 Bay on
plane, and enters the churning pass.
But as any
accountant can attest, numbers can be misleading. Case in point: The Pro-Line 22 Bay has a deadrise
that measures only 13 degrees at the stern, and anyone who knows anything about boat building knows
that this shallow amount of deadrise will give a boat certain characteristics. Common sense says
that a boat with this hull shouldn't be able to slice through seas like this without pounding the
riders like veal scaloppini, but it does. Despite never having run this boat before, Wise quickly
finds the 'magic speed' through the slop that allows the bow to recover after cresting the angry
two- to three-footers that he takes at a 45-degree angle.
Using the optional trim tabs, he keeps the 22 Bay on plane and under control, despite the
slow, mid-teens speed. Skilled boat handlers like Wise have learned how to get the best out of a
hull design by running at the proper speed and trim ' allowing the 22 Bay to make a safe, dry and
surprisingly comfortable crossing.
The deluxe
leaning post is one of the keys to passenger comfort. The riders at the helm take advantage of the
firmly padded cushion that curves downward to provide excellent back-of-the-thigh comfort. The
co-pilot has a grab rail on the side that swoops up in back to give those riding shotgun a secure
handhold that isn't too low. Pro-Line resisted the temptation to put rod holders on the back of the
leaning post, since they tend to get in the way for passengers standing behind.
Probably the least surprised member of the foursome on board is Dan Atwood, the founder of
Pro-Line Boats. In 1968, he built a 24-foot boat that became a favorite for fishing guides plying
the shallow waters of Florida's central west coast. His goal was to produce a seaworthy fishing
boat that could run in the shoal-infested area waters and give anglers plenty of fishing room. Some
things never change.
Wise's route takes the 22 Bay out of the wind and into the mangrove-lined creeks and bays on
the far side of Boca Grande Pass. Running in water less than two feet deep doesn't challenge the
capabilities of this shallow-running hull, which can traverse skinny water without the aid of a
jackplate. Wise decides to try a spot before continuing on to his 'ace in the honey hole.' Heading
to the uncluttered front casting deck, he extracts the Danforth anchor from its cradle within the
well-integrated bow locker with rode notch that allows captains to take out only as much line as
needed. After lowering the hook, Wise ties the rode off to the 4 1/2-inch pull-up stainless-steel
cleat, and the anchor gently grabs the muddy bottom.
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The anglers each select a light spinning rod from the
nine standing at attention in the vertical holders, located on either side of the center console,
and prepare for battle. Wise heads to the stern, lifts the port hatch, selects three handpicked
rusty-colored shrimp from the standard 50-quart baitwell, and tosses a flipping crustacean to each
angler. Live bait aficionados who pack the baitwell to the same density as an oversold U2 concert
will probably opt for the available recirculating system that comes with a battery-saving timer. On
the opposite side of the boat, anglers will be pleased to find a 15-gallon livewell, as well as a
standard raw-water washdown for easy cleanup. Hooking the shrimp beneath the horn, the anglers cast
the freelined baits toward the mangrove shoreline. It isn't long before Atwood's shrimp is engulfed
by a nice trout, which gives a headshake at the surface before being gently lead to the boat prior
to being released. Soon, Gary Walker of Penn Reels hooks and lands a chunky redfish, much to the
envy of the third angler, who has only managed to firmly hook an oyster on the sea bottom.
Patiently, Wise heads to the built-in tackle storage box on the console and attaches a fresh hook.
The action slows, and the anglers take the opportunity to grab a cold soda from the 54-quart Igloo cooler located beneath the leaning post. Firmly held into place by plastic stops in each corner and further secured by bungee cords, the cooler doesn't take up valuable cockpit space. Unlike some, the lid can be opened enough to grab a drink without having to slide the entire cooler out. With a pair of cleverly designed cupholders on the console that fold up when not in use, and another two up front, all four on board have a place to stow their beverages. The wide, 8-foot-6-inch beam and console-forward design give the anglers plenty of fishing room. There's also loads of storage for gear in a pair of lockable dry storage compartments with flip-up lids in front of the console, which also provide additional seating. There's stowage for more stuff underneath the bow casting platform as well as the console compartment, which also houses a pair of deep-cycle batteries. The 22 Bay can come pre-wired for a trolling motor, and there are optional bassin'-style pedestal seats fore and aft for additional comfort. With just a couple of hours of fishing time left, Wise decides to make his move to the spot where the group caught several redfish the day before. To avoid pounding directly into head seas in the pass, he takes the back way. With the trim down, Wise negotiates the twisting creeks quickly and safely because of the 22 Bay's excellent tracking and nimble handling. Reaching an exposed bay, he slows down and gets into position upwind of a huge oyster bar. Letting out a lot of extra rode helps to minimize the chance of a large wave dipping the bow when the anchor line yanks the front down. Pro-Line fills every possible cavity between the deck and hull with closed-cell foam to provide maximum flotation and to reduce vibration and noise. The tide isn't quite right yet, and only a few catfish keep the anglers busy while they wait for conditions to improve. The day before in the same spot, a massive fish was hooked that ripped half the line off the reel before breaking the line, so they don't get too complacent. Unfortu-nately, by the time the tide starts moving, the 'lines-in' call is announced on the radio, and the tournament angler reels in, thinking he has lost. Or has he? As it turns out, some well-intended misinformation misled the angler into thinking he was behind, when in fact he was leading, causing a very surprised angler to be called up on the dais to accept a beautiful trophy for winning the redfish division. It's a shame they aren't handing out boat trophies, because Pro-Line would be collecting some crystal for the 22 Bay. With a base price of $27,107, anglers get a boat that can handle a variety of conditions with ease, and gives fishermen a stable platform to fish in comfort for many different species. Pro-Line gives buyers a well-equipped boat with standard features such as hydraulic steering, compass, deluxe leaning post and split bow rails. But what you don't see may be even more impressive, starting with a 10-year transferable hull warranty. Pro-Line's ultimate feature is peace of mind, and every boat comes with a five-year transferable Pro-Care warranty that covers virtually everything on the boat from factory-installed electronics right down to the engine ' and all warranty issues are handled by Pro-Line. That means when your bucks stop here, the buck stops here. |