With a hull draft of just 11” (27.9 cm) there are very few areas that the 23 Bay can’t reach.

Built for Shallows

With a deadrise of only 15-degrees, the 23 Bay is about as flat as you’ll want to get while still being able to handle light chop in protected water. True, if it gets nasty, the ride will likely start getting wet, but that’s not the type of water this boat is made for. Deep draft, rough water boats will never be able to reach the shallow areas this boat can, so if this is your type of fishing, you need the right tool.



Notice the large casting deck. Livewells are to the sides and pump access is in the center compartment. The reverse transom adds to the rakish styling. Pro-Line also recognized the need for midships cleats.

Basic Features with Options

Pro-Line knows that you don’t want to break the bank, and that’s why they equipped the 23 Bay with the basic necessities of skinny water fishing. They also know that you will have specific needs and therefore offer a long list of options to let you build a custom boat to your liking.

For example, the base boat comes with a single 38 gallon (143.8 L) livewell in the port side of the aft casting platform. That will serve you fine if you are only interested in one type of fishing. But if you want to vary your style and catch different targets, then you’ll need different bait. The 23 Bay offers two additional livewells, a second 38 gallon (143.8 L) unit in the starboard side of the aft deck, and a third 10 gallon (37.8 L) livewell ahead of the console. All three are aerated, only the two larger ones are lit. The raw water washdown shares the same pump as the standard livewell on the port side and the optional livewell at the bow, so if you decide to clean up, shut off the livewells first.



Steering is hydraulic, and we’d like to see the addition of a steering knob. That empty real estate will allow for mounting a variety of electronics, some offered as options from Pro-Line.



Take a look at that huge casting deck. All hardware is stainless and flush mounted in case you like to fish barefoot.

And where do we put all of our fish? The in-deck 98 gallon (371 L) fish locker should do nicely. Go ahead and load it up with ice, as it’s macerated, so all the debris will be ground up and discharged in short order.

Trolling Anyone?

The 23 Bay doesn’t come with a trolling motor, or even pre-rigged for one, again to save bucks. However, rigging is not a challenge as a pull wire is in place to allow you to run your wiring harness with ease. Pro-Line offers two different motors as options, a 36-volt Great White SW109 with a 3-bank charger, and a 24-volt Great White SW82 with a 2-bank charger. The foredeck caprails are large enough to accommodate either motor without dangling off the sides, and you can also mount to either side of the bow.



We love the step up to the huge casting deck. Notice the stainless handrail around the windshield.

Additional Options

Again, to customize your 23 Bay, options abound. If you're heading into skinny water, you’ll likely want a hydraulic jack plate. This allows you to lift the engine straight up 6” (15.2 cm), thereby decreasing your draft without altering your trim. Being able to do this on the fly is a great feature. Anchoring in shallow water is time consuming and not necessary if you have the optional power pole installed.



Some cooler seats prevent you from easily walking through. Pro-Line seems to have found a match of seating comfort and walkthrough space with the rounded corners on the seat.

Plenty of room between the leaning post and the helm will keep you from getting squeezed. Vertical rod holders allow for storage without taking up valuable space.

I wouldn’t leave the dock without either the Bimini top, or more likely, the T-top installed. With the T-top, you also have the option of spreader lights, but we’d also like to see rocket launchers. These are easily acquired after-market though.

Electronics

That empty space in the panel isn’t just for looks. You’ll want to add electronics, and Pro-Line offers three packages to start you off.

Package One consists of…

• Garmin GPS Map 440s

• VHF Radio -Icom

Package Two

• Adds a Garmin 400c fishfinder

Package Three changes it up slightly…

• Garmin GPS MAP 4208

• Icom VHF

• XM weather

Then there’s the favored Tournament Package. It consists of…

• The two optional baitwells

• Battery switch for dual batteries

• 1 pair of rod holders

• Aluminum leaning post w/rod holders, storage & cooler

• Trim tabs with indicators

You can opt to power your 23 Bay with engines ranging from 200 E-TECs to 300 four-strokes, which Pro-Line tells us can propel the boat upwards of 57 mph. Even the stock boat comes ready to roll right out of the box, even if you don’t want to add a single option. That makes the 23 Bay a great deal. Customizing it to your liking just adds frosting to the cake, and won’t leave you wanting seconds.