Pro-Line 23 Sport Review

The Pro-Line 23 Sport is a serious 23-foot, center console fishing boat made for big water and big fish – and available with big power if you want it.

For years the 23-foot center console fishing boat has been the standard among serious offshore anglers. And, for good reason – it’s big enough to handle rough water, yet small enough to be easily trailerable, while delivering great performance on a single engine. Being affordable doesn’t exactly hurt either.

Although there are now dozens of 23-foot center consoles available, many have begun to stray from their fishing roots, incorporating more family-friendly features in a bid to make them more versatile. For those looking for a pure fishing machine, the Pro-Line 23 Sport would be a great place to start.

The Pro-Line’s 20-degree deadrise hull is aggressive enough to gobble up swells, while offering a full 25 inches of cockpit depth.

Although it comes with standard bow cushions to provide seating up front, and a fold-down transom seat is available as an option, the Pro-Line 23 Sport is still very much a straight-line fishing boat. Remove the seat cushions and the bow reverts to the expected raised casting deck — complete with a stainless steel railing that’s an ideal height for a fishing boat, being tall enough for security yet low enough to not get in the way of fishing. Lift the hatches in the deck surface and you’ll find a pair of 60-gallon fish boxes, each with overboard drains.

The open bow includes a raised casting deck that accommodates two large fish boxes.

The main cockpit area is open, with wide catwalks and a generous 25-inch cockpit depth for extra security out on the big water. The Pro-Line’s 20-degree deadrise hull is deep enough to gobble up swells, yet draws only 17 inches of water, allowing this boat to sneak into some surprisingly shallow water when called to – a feature any fisherman will appreciate.

The non-nonsense helm offers plenty of space for mounting large multi-function displays.

The gracefully formed main console houses a large head console with a standard Porta-potti, which is not something seen on a lot of 23-foot fishing boats. The helm is straightforward, with standard hydraulic steering with tilt function, an AM/FM Bluetooth stereo, stainless drink holders, a compass and plenty of space for mounting aftermarket electronics, including large multi-function displays flush in the dash. An aluminum leaning post with back rests and integrated rod holders is standard, but the available fiberglass T-top is not – that’s an approximately $5,000 upgrade.

An available transom fold-down seat is a popular option.

The aft cockpit is open for fishing as expected, with wide gunnels and space for gear. There’s an 18-gallon illuminated bait well built into the port side of the transom, with a clear transom door to the starboard end. In between, there’s space for an optional fold-down bench seat. In-floor storage accommodates bulky gear, while an integrated dive platform with a boarding ladder out back make mid-day swims a lot more inviting.

An aluminum leaning post with back rests and integrated rod holders is standard.

The Pro-Line 23 Sport is rated to handle outboards of up to 300 horsepower with engine options from Evinrude, Mercury and Suzuki, but the efficiency of its hull design allows this boat to provide a thrilling ride with less than maximum power. While the boat will approach top speeds in the 50 mph range with a 300 on the transom, a lightweight 200 will still run at over 40 mph wide open, while allowing better fuel economy and a lower boat payment.

With even base power the Pro-Line 23 Sport is a fast boat, running at over 40 mph at wide open throttle.

The Pro-Line 23 Sport is offered with a long list of standard features that make this model an incredible value. But the company still offers some tasty options that allow owners to personalize their boat, including a cockpit shower with a 10-gallon water tank, and a variety of electronics packages.

For those in search of a hard-core 23-foot center console fishing boat, the Pro-Line 23 Sport delivers.