Bass Catcher

I need a bass boat; and that's why I've spent quite a bit of time riding in boats of various brands, figuring out what I really want. I wish I could afford a top-of-the-line boat powered by a 200-horsepower go-fast outboard, but I couldn't afford the divorce, much less the boat. I can dream about such a boat, but that's all.

Instead, I have been investigating less-expensive options, such as the GIII Pro series aluminum boats. What I've found is that, for bass fishermen who are more interested in fishing than tournaments or speed, there are some great boat packages on the market that can fit just about every pocketbook. One such boat is the GIII Pro 185. This package offers nearly everything a fisherman would want, from a stable, dry-riding hull to rod lockers, livewells and speed. In fact, this boat, when equipped with a C90 Yamaha outboard, will do just about everything a fiberglass boat will — but at one-third the price. That difference pays for a lot of fishing trips.

Such a boat is also a great platform for the guy who enjoys fishing in club tourneys, as it offers enough speed to keep you in the hunt.

The Boat

One of the arguments I hear frequently concerning aluminum boats is that they have a bad, wet ride. It's true that in the past there has been a marked difference between the performance of fiberglass and aluminum hulls, but with the welding and forming technologies now employed, the gap between the two is narrowing.

The GIII Pro 185 is a good example of how some simple changes have made a difference in the ride of aluminum boats. First of all, this boat is built with three running surfaces, and all three are longitudinal pads. This design allows greater speed because as the lift increases with speed and the boat runs on fewer pads, the wetted surface of the boat is reduced. This reduces drag and friction.

There is also a slightly reversed chine, which gives greater pop on holeshot and helps the boat track on turns. There is also a deadrise of between five and six degrees in the modified-V hull. What all this means is that while the GIII Pro 185 looks a lot like a tricked-out jon boat, it is something more.

The boat does have the attributes that make jon boats very good choices for many kinds of fishing situations. For instance, the overhead profile shows a boat that has loads of room from stern to squared bow. There is no loss of casting-deck room when the bow pinches down. The rear deck, too, has plenty of room. It makes a good fishing platform and provides covered spaces for a huge livewell, a good-sized utility locker with room for a pair of trolling motor batteries, and the oil reservoir and cranking battery.

The helm was a surprise for me. Not only was it laid out with a fisherman in mind, but it has plenty of legroom. I put my 34-inch-inseam legs at full extension without hitting the forward bulkhead. There was also plenty of room for folks with big feet. My size 12s felt dwarfed by the space. I believe I could easily arrange my cold-weather packs under the dash without difficulty. However, getting my legs and feet under the dash might not be so easy with heavy winter gear.

There is no dash top on which to mount electronics because a curved, swept-back windshield occupies the space. Instead, electronics are mounted off to the starboard side on an extension of the plastic dash. There is room to mount a large liquid crystal unit, but there might not be enough room to add a large GPS unit. If GPS is a must where you fish, then you'll need to look at one of the combo units. The GIII Pro 185 comes rigged with a Humminbird Wide 128.

Other construction features are not so obvious. First, the deck is constructed of Duraboard, a waterproof composite that is guaranteed for life. In fact, the only wood used in the hull is a composite in the transom. Also, the rivets used above the waterline (below waterline, the boat is welded) are special flush aircraft rivets that are nearly invisible.

The Test

The test took place at sea level in the middle of Florida. Unfortunately, it didn't involve fishing, just boat running and putting the hull into as many different fishing situations as possible to see if the boat would work. Not only did I not go fishing, the test conditions themselves were pretty bad, which is a good thing if you're interested in how the boat runs in 18-inch chop with a wind of about 20 mph. Both temperature and humidity were high, in the 90s at least, so performance wasn't all that it would be in slightly cooler temperatures.

The really good thing about the test was that it gave me a chance to run the boat in what I think of as near-fishing conditions. Running around in fair-sized waves with a stiff crosswind let me test the ride and dryness of the boat (something I seem to do on just about every bass trip I've made lately).

I was amazed. One of the really big negatives in most boaters' minds when they think of aluminum is the ride. Older metal boats earned a reputation for pounding and dousing their occupants. That is not a concern in the GIII Pro 185. The ride was dry and as smooth as that of a fiberglass boat. I should have gotten wet in the crosswind but didn't. I should have felt the waves. While it was obvious that we were going through waves, the experience was pleasant, not tooth-jarring. As far as I am concerned, this hull performs as well as many fiberglass boats and even better than others.

From the standpoint of performance, holeshot was good. The boat planed almost immediately and didn't seem at all sluggish. Top speed at 40.6 mph was about what I would expect from this package, considering we were running in waves and the boat and engine weren't fine-tuned for performance. Running in flat water and cooler temperatures would add a couple of miles per hour, if not more. The boat wasn't equipped with a jackplate, but I'm not sure that it would help the performance all that much.

Raising the engine on the transom until it is at optimum would help. Adding the right stainless prop would add even more. (A stainless prop is a must, I think, because in my area rocks and logs are real hazards to aluminum props. I would put one on my boat regardless.) I would guess you could get another four to six miles per hour easily. Raising the motor just makes sense because it gives you better mileage, a result of increased speed. Any other changes would be more for fun than real benefit. In a fishing boat, I am not a proponent of trying to squeak the last little bit of power out of a package; however, if you can improve the efficiency of any boat with minor changes, I feel that it is worth doing.

I know that the Pro 185 would be a blast as far as fishing goes. First, it will launch at shallow ramps with the right trailer or glide pads put on the trailer bunks. That would open up a lot of water unavailable to guys fishing 20-footers with 300-horsepower engines on the back.

Second, the boat is a stable platform for its size. It was stable enough that I could stand on the bow cap (not the casting deck) and not feel unbalanced. I could also walk all over the boat without feeling that it was going to pitch me off. I could fish out of it without having to worry about balance, an obvious plus.

Third, all the basics were there: a huge livewell, rod lockers, dry storage, wiring for a trolling motor (and a trolling motor as part of the package), running lights and a full set of gauges. The only thing you might need to add is a depthfinder on the trolling motor.

Evaluation

The more I see of this style of super-modified jon boats with the new-generation modified-V hulls, the more I like them. As a class, they perform well and would be good multi-species boats and top-notch bass boats.

The GIII Pro 185 stands out. It has the quality of construction and attention to design that should make it a popular choice with bass fishermen. Given that it is packaged with a Yamaha outboard, trailer, trolling motor and depthfinder — all at an attractive price — it should be the first stop when bass fishermen start looking for a new boat. It might also be the last.

GIII Pro 185 Specifications

Major Options: Spare tire, wheel; galvanized trailer; welded, painted 0.100-gauge hull (0.80-gauge is standard)

Performance Data

Manufacturer
GIII Boats
Dept. B&WB
901 Cowan Dr.
Lebanon, MO 65536
(877) 877-4348