Catfish Gear #52

The SeaArk ProGuide provides plenty of room for larger groups of anglers. Tommy Vaughn says the ProGuide has changed the way he guides and opens new possibilities for his No Wake Guide Service.

The ProGuide—A Boat For All Seasons

Tommy Vaughn uses the versatile SeaArk ProGuide for catfish, paddlefish, and other species.

The SeaArk ProGuide boat was highly anticipated in various user circles, including the catfish community. The ProGuide is a roomy boat at 26 feet long and charter captains have taken a liking to the features this boat offers.

From its self-draining bow deck to the huge 100-gallon livewell on the back deck, this boat is made for fishing. In between those great features are a 25-gallon bow livewell with rounded corners, dual aluminum side consoles, a ProCat walk-thru windshield, two lockable 8-foot 6-inch rod boxes, and a 59-gallon aluminum belly fuel tank.

For those anglers wanting to add a bait tank, there is a designated area with tie-down eyes to accommodate it. The ProGuide comes in four standard colors with custom options available too.

Anglers will also have a 12-volt accessory outlet with USB port, LED courtesy light, prewired 6 gauge trolling motor wiring, LED removable navigation lights, an engine specific speedometer, fuel gauge, automatic bilge pump, three battery trays, covered and floored area for battery storage, a transducer bracket, bow tilt-trim switch, 1600 gallon per hour freshwater aerator, livewell recirculation pump, oxygenator, auto pump-out switch, wash down pump and hose, litter box livewell system, and hydraulic steering.

The boat comes standard with four captain’s chairs, but two more can be added to carry six anglers safely and comfortably. The versatility of the ProGuide allows the captain to create the seating arrangements that fit the day.

Oklahoma resident, Tommy Vaughn, uses his ProGuide to chase trophy blues but also for putting clients on prehistoric paddlefish, the oldest surviving animal species in North America.

His Grove, Oklahoma-based No Wake Guide Service (918-314-3923) was voted Grand Lake’s Best of the Best 2 years in a row. He also has a SeaArk ProCat 240 which he outfitted with a custom-designed deck to add versatility. The custom deck allows him to offer bow fishing and other charters for his clients. He says he can use the 240 for about anything, but the ProGuide has changed what his operations.

“The ProGuide has changed how I guide,” stated Vaughn. “Twice in the past month, for example, we had a family wanting to fish together but had a family member in a wheelchair chair. The ProGuide worked perfectly. We left 4 of the 6 chairs in the boat and still had tons of room for the wheelchair to move around while catching and landing paddlefish.”

The SeaArk ProGuide is a great choice for charter captains in a variety of applications or for any angler who likes fishing in bigger groups. With a rated capacity of 13 people or 1801 pounds, it fills the bill for any application where roominess is essential. Vaughn explained why he is convinced.

“After running more than 100 guide trips in the ProGuide my customers always have the same comment,” offered Vaughn. “We love the room and stability of this boat!”