The Boat
Room to Fish - Room to Relax
You'll be fishing from a 2020 NauticStar 227 Bay powered by a Yamaha 150—an inshore bay boat with the room, stability and capability to spend a comfortable day fishing the Upper Laguna Madre.
One of the things I like most about this boat is the higher gunwales. Some boats are built extremely low to the water. This one gives you more boat around you, which can make a big difference when you're moving around, fighting a fish or bringing kids along.
The deck stays as open and uncluttered as possible, giving everyone room to cast, move around and fish without constantly stepping over coolers and gear.
There's shade when you want a break from the South Texas sun, built-in cooler space for drinks and snacks, and a separate place for the fish you're keeping.
It's not just a boat that gets us to the fishing spot. It's where you're going to spend your day, so having some room to fish—and some room to relax—matters.
Equipped to Fish
The Right Tools Help Us Spend More Time Fishing
Finding fish is one thing. Staying with them is another. That's where having the right equipment on the boat really starts to pay off.
Lowrance GPS, chartplotting and fish-finding electronics help me navigate the Upper Laguna Madre, watch the water beneath us and work areas where fish are holding. When we find a good bite, the goal is simple—keep you fishing.
The trolling motor's Spot-Lock can hold us right where we want to be while everybody keeps casting. Move into skinny water and the Power-Pole can quietly pin the boat in place without the noise and hassle of dropping an anchor.
The hydraulic jack plate gives me another advantage in the shallow water the Laguna Madre is known for, letting me adjust the motor as conditions and water depth change.
Put it all together and we can move, search, stop, reposition and stay with the fish without turning your charter into a bunch of waiting around while I mess with the boat.
You don't need to understand any of this stuff. That's my job.
Your job is a lot more fun—grab a rod, make another cast and be ready when something pulls back.