 We walked past banks of sophisticated equipment -- the tools of the
trade, all in the capable hands of experts trained for specialized
procedures. They each busied themselves with different deliveries
for other expectant fishermen who were waiting patiently.Then we
came to the bay where my baby lay. And boy, oh boy, was she a big
one! She stretched the tape at a whopping 20 feet, 8 inches and
tipped the scales at 1,915 pounds. Every trait a proud papa could
ask for was there, too. Wide, I mean really wide, at a full 98
inches. And strong? Holy cow! Like she had the strength of 250
horses with an extra 15 thrown in for good measure.
Everything worked perfectly, too. Fit as a fiddle inside and out.
Flawless skin, a lightning-fast nervous system, impeccable
"plumbing" and intelligence that was off the charts. You could tell
that just by looking at her.
We were able to take the baby home right away, and it was only a
matter of minutes before she was running. Running fast! She
immediately had the agility of an NFL running back. She'd plow
through anything you put in front of her, and here's the best part:
She always stays dry!
Right from the start she loved fishing. Was born to do it, you
could say. She had an almost intuitive sense of where the fish were,
and I've never seen anything have the ability to stay on top of
those fish like she does.
Everyone in my home welcomed the new addition to our family with
open arms. We love her so much. Her name? It's Trophy. Well,
Alumacraft Trophy 205 to be more specific. But we just call her
Trophy.
Yes, there is a new boat in the Winkelman garage, and we couldn't
be happier. And everything I said earlier about picking her up after
getting it rigged is true.
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In addition, the boat has some other neat things that you should
really consider if you're thinking about a new fishing boat for
yourself. For starters, it has wonderfully big storage compartments,
which is a must for holding and organizing all your tackle and gear.
The rod lockers are just what the doctor ordered, too, because they
accept rods up to 8 feet long.
An aerated livewell is critical in a boat, particularly if you're
fishing tournaments or keeping fish for the frying pan. This boat
has two big ones, both wired in with timers. On the transom, an
Evinrude E-TEC 250 delivers speed and power to spare. And my 15
horsepower "kicker" is great for trolling crankbaits, backtrolling
with Lindy Rigs and for general boat control.
Everyone's picture of their ideal boat is different. Some want
glass; others prefer aluminum. Some want a bass boat; others a
multi-species rig. Still others want a do-all boat that keeps the
whole family happy by being versatile enough to pull tubes as well
as crankbaits. For those, the Trophy 205 is perfect. With plenty of
seating, including rear jump seats, you can take a big crew out and
enjoy everything the water has to offer.
Hey, look for us on the water with our new baby this year, and on
upcoming episodes of "Good Fishing." Until then, good luck to you on
all your fishing trips!
Good fishing.
[By BABE WINKELMAN]
Babe Winkelman hosts "Good Fishing" and
"Outdoor Secrets," the most-watched fishing and hunting programs on
television. Tune in on NBC Sports Network, Destination America,
Velocity, Time Warner Sports Texas & New York, and many local
broadcast channels. Visit
Winkelman.com for air times and more information.
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