Are You Ready To Fly Across The Water?
Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Editorial Staff Nicole Richens, Heather Magda Serrano, Roy Sparks, Annie Carbutt, Bradley Sallee
Editorial Correspondents
Dan Armitage, Sky Smith
Advertising Director
Greg Larsen, glarsen@pdbmagazine.com
Advertising Executives
Robin Witbeck, rwitbeck@pdbmagazine.com
Administrative Assistant Robin Witbeck
Marketing Director Cameron Bischoff
Circulation Director Chuck Harris
Lead Designer Chloe Adelizzi
Production Jim Donovan
www.harrispublishing.com/pontoon-deck-boat
Publisher Greg Larsen
Executive Editor Brady L. Kay
Production Manager Janet Chase
Circulation Manager Chuck Harris
Controller Clayton Ward
Production Janet Chase
Founder Darryl W. Harris
President Jason Harris
Vice President Chuck Harris
Vice President Ryan Harris
Vice President Greg Larsen
Treasurer Clayton Ward
Secretary Janet Chase
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Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
Resale value aside, I am a big believer in customizing your new pontoon or deck boat in whatever color scheme you personally feel best represents you and your family regardless of what others might think. When picking out the colors for your beloved pontoon or deck boat, it really does come down to personal preferences. Boats are more than just vehicles that carry us around in water. Our boats are an extension of our personalities and a means of expression.
y love of fishing started when my dad bought me a Barbie fishing pole at seven. I was in love with the idea of catching a fish to keep as a pet. Though we didn’t catch anything on my first fishing outing, I still look back on that day fondly, remembering it as the time I first got hooked on fishing.
The following anglers all know what I’m talking about. Check out the stories from our readers describing how they first discovered and fell in love with the sport of fishing.
Starting Young
Jeff Kozo’s 10-year-old son Jayce is absolutely obsessed with fishing. He loves it so much that he and Jeff built a 14-foot fishing boat from the ground up this year. With Jayce’s never-ending love for the sport, they now own more fishing gear than you can imagine.
Departments | No Wake Zone
NO WAKE ZONE | PLACES, FACES, VIEWS, NEWS, PRODUCTS & MORE
Where’s The Paddle?
A paddle is hiding inside each issue of PDB and the names of the first readers to find it are printed in an upcoming magazine! In our January Buyer’s Guide issue the paddle is on page 19 (shown in the photo on the left) hidden on the side of the boat in the photo in the top right corner. Here are the readers who spotted it first:
Tracey Parm, Bethel, Ohio
Jim Greenwald, Little Rock, Ark.
Frank Gunther, Lawrenceville, Ga.
John Merrill, Coldwater, Mich.
Ron Raymond, Williston, N.D.
Mike Gilly, Pascagoula, Miss.
Lori De La Franier, Portbay, N.Y.
Bill Parker, New Bern, Nev.
Simply put, if it can be tested and it applies to our favorite type of boating, you’ll find it in this section. And the one thing each review has in common is they were all tested and evaluated by one or more of our qualified PDB staff members.
Simply put, if it can be tested and it applies to our favorite type of boating, you’ll find it in this section. And the one thing each review has in common is they were all tested and evaluated by one or more of our qualified PDB staff members.
t’s common for a manufacturer to redesign its boats each year to keep up with trends and refresh the brand. Some yearly redesigns are more significant than others, but for the 2021 model year Misty Harbor went all in. Last year was monumental for the pontoon builder as it discontinued its popular models such as SKYE, Biscayne Bay, Adventure, etc., and opted to move in a new direction. When finalized, the redesign was so extensive a new name was needed to represent the beautiful line, and thus the Viaggio brand was born.
The Italian word for journey is ‘Viaggio’ and immediately the V-shape styling with its hard-angled lines used across the board makes a direct connection to the name. Using your best Italian accent, it’s hard not to say the Viaggio name out loud without making some type of an Italian hand gesture, but it’s even better to explore when you step on board. We recently had a chance to test the Lago 22S and all of its unique features and were equally impressed by the added value and what you get in return for a standard boat that retails for under $40K, with a standard 60hp engine.
ith years of experience behind the helm of more pontoon boats that I could possibly count, I’m not often surprised by the way a boat performs like I was with this one. Heading into my test with Hydrofin founder Jason Minor and his Super Fly hydrofoil system, I thought I already had a pretty good idea of how it would handle. However, I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to experience.
I had talked with Minor several times on the phone, but I met him for the first time at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) in Tampa, Fla., last fall. After putting the throttle down and opening up in the Hillsborough Bay, I was truly amazed by the lift as I played around with the trim until I found the “sweet spot” like I’ve never experienced before. It almost felt like we had taken flight and we were no longer in the water but above it as we glided across the bay with big smiles on our faces. Similar to the way wings provide lift to an airplane, the Hydrofin hydrofoils lift the pontoon boat to reduce drag and increase performance.
very boater dreams of finding a boat that has it all—functionality, deluxe features, performance capabilities, and let’s not forget the look. No one wants to sacrifice aesthetics and comfort for the sake of durability or practicality.
Well, we’ve found a boat that really does have it all. With the Hurricane SunDeck 235-OB, you don’t have to sacrifice anything on your dream list. We were immediately impressed with the high-end vibe of this boat.
The PDB staff tested the SunDeck 235-OB this fall and we weren’t disappointed. Truthfully, you wouldn’t be either if you took this for a ride.
here’s no doubt where Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake got its name: the 2,038-foot namesake literally looms over much of the reservoir’s southeast shore, beckoning boaters to enjoy a broad stretch of wild scenery, tiny islands and quiet coves.
That’s not the case with much of the balance of the 40-mile-long lake located southeast of Roanoke in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, offering 500-plus miles of serpentine shoreline boasting everything from multi-million dollar mansions and marinas from modest to full-service. Mixed in is an assortment of resorts and rental properties catering to families seeking a waterfront vacation destination with an emphasis on boating and the lakefront living lifestyle.
This boat is for the hard-core angler. This isn’t just a boat with fishing features; this is fishing features galore with a high-quality boat. Anyone who steps aboard the new Pro Troll 8524 and doesn’t say “Wow” must simply be speechless with awe. Add the Deluxe Package and you can’t help but be thoroughly impressed, to say the least.
This already-loaded boat has some exciting new upgrades for 2022, starting with a powder-coated finish on the sturdy, 1.25-inch railings which helps prevent scratches from day-to-day angling and gives the Pro Troll a unique, custom look. Also worth appreciating is the new 8-foot 6-inch footprint—wider than any previously made Angler Qwest—which really sets this rig up to troll big water. Also new are the 25-inch chambered tubes that offer extra security to keep the pontoon afloat in the event that one chamber is punctured.
very July the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) convenes in Orlando, Fla., to showcase the new tackle and gear available for anglers the following season – and beyond if the products perform well. As an outdoor writer I’m invited to attend and vote, along with credentialed fishing tackle buyers, on the best new products. The 2021 version of ICAST, presented by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), saw 686 new product entries entered by 218 companies for the 2022 fishing season. Here are the winners in categories that I think are of special interest to folks who fish from deck and pontoon boats:
very July the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) convenes in Orlando, Fla., to showcase the new tackle and gear available for anglers the following season – and beyond if the products perform well. As an outdoor writer I’m invited to attend and vote, along with credentialed fishing tackle buyers, on the best new products. The 2021 version of ICAST, presented by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), saw 686 new product entries entered by 218 companies for the 2022 fishing season. Here are the winners in categories that I think are of special interest to folks who fish from deck and pontoon boats:
Product: Frabill Ultralight Conservation Net
www.planomolding.com
Unusual Angling Around The World
By Dan Armitage
ost of us fish with a rod and reel. However, there are other methods for putting a fish on the stringer, some going back centuries and still practiced in diverse fisheries around the world.
Close to home, there are those who “noodle” or “hand fish” for catfish. I featured the technique in the June issue of PDB, explaining how folks use their feet and hands to feel around the bottom and banks of lakes and rivers searching for big catfish that have holed-up in undercut banks, under rocks and ledges, or in barrels sunk and strategically placed for the purpose. Some cats frequent these holes for protection and as ambush points; other lay their eggs there and the catfish hover over the nest guarding the eggs. A hand with wiggling fingers (hence the term “noodling”) presented in the face of a sedentary catfish often results in its clamping down on the hand, allowing the noodler to grab the bottom jaw and lift the fish from the water and flop it on the deck of a boat or the bank. And yes, noodling is dangerous and forbidden in most states.
hile I was fishing through my list of possible column topics, I stopped at one of my normal ones for this time of year, spring preparations. I’ve covered this before and probably will again. As you can tell, I typically do the work myself. Some of you might have the marina do the mechanical stuff, like oil changes, tune ups, etc., and that’s fine. You don’t need to be a do it yourselfer to own a pontoon.
But there’s a lot more to do than you might think to get ready for the spring season. Tasks such as washing, waxing and polishing should be on your list. This is also a good time to enlist the help of the rest of the family and that especially means the kids.
Having children help with the maintenance and service is a great way for them to learn what it is like to own a vehicle (car, boat, plane, etc.). I think it’s good they learn true ownership is more than just filling up the gas tank. When old enough, using the boat can be a reward for helping to maintain it.
I always start the project and make sure to remind kids of a few things that I am sure they forgot over the winter (although they say they already know everything). A little thing, such as washing the dirt and grime off the boat with fresh water before you begin, is an important reminder. Any loose dust, dirt or buildup that is on the boat needs to be removed with water before the brushes and sponges contact any surface. If the grit is not removed it will be ground in and scratch the surface, making things worse.
Boating Tips & Observations with
Sky Smith
Sky Smith
hile I was fishing through my list of possible column topics, I stopped at one of my normal ones for this time of year, spring preparations. I’ve covered this before and probably will again. As you can tell, I typically do the work myself. Some of you might have the marina do the mechanical stuff, like oil changes, tune ups, etc., and that’s fine. You don’t need to be a do it yourselfer to own a pontoon.
But there’s a lot more to do than you might think to get ready for the spring season. Tasks such as washing, waxing and polishing should be on your list. This is also a good time to enlist the help of the rest of the family and that especially means the kids.
Having children help with the maintenance and service is a great way for them to learn what it is like to own a vehicle (car, boat, plane, etc.). I think it’s good they learn true ownership is more than just filling up the gas tank. When old enough, using the boat can be a reward for helping to maintain it.
I always start the project and make sure to remind kids of a few things that I am sure they forgot over the winter (although they say they already know everything). A little thing, such as washing the dirt and grime off the boat with fresh water before you begin, is an important reminder. Any loose dust, dirt or buildup that is on the boat needs to be removed with water before the brushes and sponges contact any surface. If the grit is not removed it will be ground in and scratch the surface, making things worse.
