Our 2026 Catfish Guide Boat

People ask about the catfish guide boat before they book a trip. How big is it? Is there room for kids or a group? What electronics do we run? Can we fish shallow water and still cover deeper structure when the fish move?

I have guided full-time for channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish in North Texas for 29 years. This page covers the boat I fish from today—the layout, power, positioning tools and Garmin electronics that help me find fish and keep customers comfortable on Dallas–Fort Worth lakes.

Updated September 2026 by Chad Ferguson, owner of North Texas Catfish Guide Service.

The Short Answer: What We Run in 2026

I currently guide from a 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide powered by a Suzuki Marine DF250A Stealth outboard.

The boat is set up specifically for North Texas catfishing:

• Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor for precise boat control
• Power-Pole Blade shallow-water anchors
• Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 12-inch and 16-inch displays
• Garmin LiveScope Plus with LVS34 transducer
• Cornfield Fishing Gear mounts for the electronics
• Pro-Guide lithium batteries for the trolling motor and electronics
• SmackDown Catfishing rod holders around the fishing area

We also run other well-maintained guide boats in the operation when groups or schedules require it. Every boat we use is large, dry and built for a full day of fishing—not a weekend recreational setup dressed up for charter work.

Rods, reels, line and terminal tackle are covered on our catfish gear and tackle page. This page owns the boat and electronics story.

Why the Guide Boat Matters

A catfish guide boat is not just transportation. It is the platform that determines how many rods we can fish, how quietly we can hold on a spot, how accurately we can follow a channel edge and how comfortable customers stay through heat, wind or a winter front.

On a typical North Texas trip we may:

• Spread multiple cut-bait or punch-bait rods around the boat
• Slide along a ledge or creek channel with the trolling motor
• Stop on shallow flats or shoreline cover
• Move quickly when the fish relocate
• Fight and land fish without climbing over each other

That is why I chose a 26-foot purpose-built aluminum guide boat and outfitted it for daily commercial use. The goal is simple: spend more time fishing productively and less time fighting the boat, the weather, or poorly placed equipment.

2026 26-Foot SeaArk Pro Guide

The heart of the setup is a 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide.

SeaArk has long built boats around real catfishing, not bass-boat compromises. The Pro Guide gives me the space, stability and open fishing layout I need for full-time guide service on North Texas reservoirs.

Room to Fish, Not Just Ride

Catfishing often means anglers standing at different corners of the boat, watching rod tips, moving to fight a fish and stepping aside so someone else can land one. A cramped deck turns that into a hazard.

The 26-foot Pro Guide has enough floor and deck space for customers to stretch out, change positions and fish without standing on top of one another. That matters for families, first-time anglers, older customers and anyone who is not comfortable in a smaller aluminum boat.

We routinely fish groups of six comfortably. Larger parties can be accommodated when the schedule and boat assignment allow—ask when you book a trip if you are bringing a bigger group.

Built for Guide Use

The welded aluminum hull is practical for the work we do. Catfish slime, shad scales, cut bait and constant boarding and landing are part of every trip. A purpose-built aluminum fishing boat handles that better than a carpeted recreational boat.

The open layout also lets me change the fishing arrangement for different techniques—drift or slow-troll presentations one day, a more stationary spread the next—without rebuilding the boat every morning.

Comfort features (quality seating, shade and weather protection, organized bait and tackle stations) are there so customers can focus on fishing. A guide boat that is miserable to sit in for six hours is a bad guide boat, no matter how many electronics it carries.

Suzuki Marine DF250A Stealth Outboard

The Pro Guide is powered by a Suzuki Marine DF250A Stealth four-stroke outboard.

A 26-foot guide boat does not run light. It carries customers, fuel, batteries, tackle, bait, safety gear and the electronics package. The 250-horsepower Suzuki moves that load and lets me cover water efficiently when we need to relocate.

Reliability is non-negotiable. Customers book a day of fishing, not a day of waiting on a tow. The Stealth outboard is there to get us on the water, reach productive areas and adjust when weather, boat traffic or fish movement force a change of plan.

Quiet, dependable power also matters when we idle into an area or set up near other boats. I do not need the loudest motor on the lake—I need one that starts, runs and keeps working trip after trip.

Minn Kota Ulterra Trolling Motor

Boat positioning is one of the most important—and most overlooked—parts of catching catfish consistently.

A few feet off a ledge, channel edge, school of bait or piece of structure can be the difference between a slow morning and a stacked rod tip. The Minn Kota Ulterra handles boat control and speed so I can hold or move the boat where the fish actually are.

The Ulterra’s automatic stow and deploy system matters on a guide boat. I can put the motor in the water or bring it up without constantly leaving customers, walking over rods or interrupting the fishing to wrestle a manual mount.

I use the trolling motor to:

• Hold on a spot while we fish a bait spread
• Ease along contour lines and channel edges
• Control drift speed in wind
• Reposition quietly when fish slide or a pattern changes

Outboard power gets us across the lake. The Ulterra is what keeps us fishing in the right water once we arrive.

Power-Pole Blade Shallow-Water Anchors

The boat carries Power-Pole Blade shallow-water anchors.

Traditional anchors work, but dropping and retrieving them repeatedly is slow and noisy—especially when we are fishing shallow flats, shoreline cover or other skinny-water spots where catfish push up to feed.

Power-Poles let me stop and hold the boat quickly, then pull up and move when the fish relocate or a spot goes quiet. That speed matters on a guided trip. We are not locked into one cast for an hour because someone does not want to deal with the anchor again.

They are especially useful when:

• Fish are relating to shallow structure or cover
• We need a quiet stop without dragging chain
• Wind is pushing the boat off a productive edge
• We want to reset the spread a short distance away

Deep-water work still relies on the trolling motor, electronics and how we present bait. The Power-Poles expand what we can do when the bite is shallow.

Garmin Marine Electronics

This is where a modern catfish guide boat earns its keep. I run a full Garmin electronics package:

• Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 12-inch display
• Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 16-inch display
• Garmin LiveScope Plus with LVS34 transducer

I use those screens to:

• Locate shad and other baitfish
• Identify fish near structure
• Follow creek and river channels
• Find ledges, humps, points and drop-offs
• Read bottom composition
• Locate submerged timber and brush
• Monitor depth while we move
• Follow saved tracks and waypoints
• Keep the boat in productive water

Sonar does not make catfish bite. Seeing an arch or a LiveScope return on the screen is not a guarantee. Electronics help me eliminate dead water and understand what is under and around the boat so experience, bait and presentation can do the rest.

Dual ECHOMAP Ultra 2 Displays

Running both a 12-inch and a 16-inch ECHOMAP Ultra 2 gives me room to keep map, traditional sonar and related views available without constantly flipping pages during a trip.

On a guide boat I need information at a glance while also watching customers, rod tips and boat traffic. Larger, clear displays reduce the time spent hunched over a small screen and increase the time spent fishing.

I use mapping and 2D sonar heavily for:

• Navigating North Texas reservoirs safely
• Returning to productive edges and waypoints
• Reading depth changes that concentrate bait and catfish
• Confirming whether we are on hard bottom, soft bottom or cover

Garmin LiveScope Plus with LVS34

Garmin LiveScope Plus with the LVS34 transducer adds a real-time look at fish, bait and structure around the boat.

Traditional sonar shows what is more or less beneath the transducer. LiveScope helps me see how fish are positioned relative to the boat, how bait is stacked or scattered and whether activity is developing off to the side of a spot we are already fishing.

I use LiveScope to:

• Confirm whether fish are present before we burn time on a dead stretch
• Watch how fish react as we approach or hold
• Monitor bait schools that often key the blue catfish bite
• Adjust boat position based on where the fish actually sit relative to structure

It is still a tool—not a substitute for knowing seasonal patterns, water temperature, wind, current, bait movement and how North Texas catfish behave month to month. The screen shows what is there. Experience decides what to do about it.

Cornfield Fishing Gear Mounts

The Garmin displays and LiveScope equipment are installed on Cornfield Fishing Gear mounts.

On a recreational boat, a mount just has to look clean at the dock. On a full-time guide boat, mounts have to stay solid through rough water, constant vibration and daily use while still letting me put screens and the LiveScope transducer where they are actually useful.

Good mounts mean:

• Screens stay readable and secure
• I can adjust viewing angles for glare and seating position
• The LiveScope transducer can be positioned for the way we fish
• Equipment survives the abuse of commercial guide work

Cheap mounts that loosen, vibrate or block walkways cost more time than they save.

Pro-Guide Lithium Batteries

The trolling motor and electronics run on Pro-Guide lithium batteries.

A modern guide boat draws power all day. The Ulterra, dual Garmin displays, LiveScope and other accessories may run from launch to load. If the electrical system is marginal, I end up managing batteries instead of fishing.

Lithium capacity and dependable output let me run the positioning and electronics package hard without making power the focus of the trip. Customers should never hear “we need to shut the electronics down to save the trolling motor.”

SmackDown Catfishing Rod Holders

The fishing deck is lined with SmackDown Catfishing rod holders.

Rod holders are not a luxury on a catfish guide boat. They are how we fish multiple baits, keep rods secure when a big blue loads up and let customers watch tips instead of holding a rod the entire trip.

I use rod holders to:

• Spread baits across different positions and depths
• Lock rods down during strong strikes
• Set rod angles for the presentation
• Spot subtle bites on the tip
• Change the layout for drift, slow-troll or stationary fishing
• Keep walkways clearer when several people are fishing

Metal, purpose-built catfish holders matter when we are fishing heavy sinkers, large cut baits and powerful fish. The holder has to keep the rod in the boat and still let a customer pull it free quickly when a fish takes off.

Comfort, Capacity and Safety

The 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide is built so customers can fish all day without feeling packed into a skiff.

Expect:

• Room to move between fishing positions
• Seating that holds up for a full trip
• Organized space for bait and tackle
• A layout that works for beginners and experienced anglers
• A stable platform for families and mixed-age groups

All required safety equipment is aboard, including personal flotation devices. Before we fish, I cover the basics—where gear is stored, how to move around the boat and what to do when a fish is hooked—so nobody is guessing in the middle of a fight.

We fish Dallas–Fort Worth area lakes and related North Texas water. Conditions change with wind, season and lake level. A larger, well-equipped guide boat gives us more options when the day does not go exactly as planned.

Rods, Reels and Tackle (Separate Page)

This page is about the boat and electronics. For the exact rods, reels, line, hooks and terminal tackle I run on trips—including my cut-bait and punch-bait setups—see:

Best catfish gear and tackle: what you actually need

All rods, reels, bait and tackle are provided on guided trips. Customers need a valid Texas fishing license, weather-appropriate clothing and any food or drinks they want to bring.

Fish From the 2026 Guide Boat

If you want to see how this setup works on the water—SeaArk Pro Guide, Suzuki power, Ulterra positioning, Power-Poles, Garmin mapping and LiveScope—check availability and book a guided catfish trip.

I will handle the boat, electronics, bait and tackle. You show up ready to fish.

Catfish Guide Boat FAQ

What boat do you guide from in 2026?

I guide from a 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide powered by a Suzuki Marine DF250A Stealth outboard. It is equipped with a Minn Kota Ulterra, Power-Pole Blade shallow-water anchors, Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 12-inch and 16-inch displays, Garmin LiveScope Plus with an LVS34 transducer, Cornfield Fishing Gear mounts, Pro-Guide lithium batteries and SmackDown Catfishing rod holders.

How many people can fish on the guide boat?

We comfortably fish groups of six. Larger groups can often be arranged depending on the boat assignment and schedule—mention your party size when you book.

Do you still run the older SeaArk ProCat 240?

The primary boat detailed on this page is the 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide. Older references to a 2015 SeaArk ProCat 240 and earlier electronics described a previous setup. Current trips are based on the 2026 Pro Guide package listed above.

What electronics do you use to find catfish?

I run Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 12-inch and 16-inch displays plus Garmin LiveScope Plus with an LVS34 transducer. Mapping and traditional sonar help me navigate structure and depth. LiveScope gives a real-time view of bait, fish and cover around the boat. Electronics help locate fish; bait, presentation and experience still catch them.

Can you fish shallow water in this boat?

Yes. The Pro Guide is an aluminum fishing boat suited to the mix of shallow flats and deeper structure we see on North Texas lakes. Power-Pole Blade anchors help us stop and hold in skinny water without constantly deploying a traditional anchor. The Minn Kota Ulterra handles precise positioning when we need to stay on an edge or move quietly.

Is the boat comfortable for beginners and families?

That is a big reason for the 26-foot layout. There is room to move, solid seating and a stable platform that is easier for first-time anglers, kids and mixed groups than a smaller, crowded boat. I provide the tackle and explain how we fish before we start.

Do I need to bring my own rods and reels?

No. Rods, reels, bait and tackle are provided. Details on the setups I use are on the catfish gear page. Bring your license, clothing for the weather and anything you want to eat or drink.

Where do you fish?

North Texas Catfish Guide Service fishes Dallas–Fort Worth area lakes and related North Texas waters for channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. Specific lake choice depends on conditions, season and what we are targeting that day. Eagle Mountain lake is our “home lake” where we always operate.

How do I book a trip on this boat?

View current availability and book online at txcatfishguide.com/book, or call 817-522-3804. Mention your group size and whether you prefer a morning or other schedule when you reach out.

About This Setup

I am Chad Ferguson, owner of North Texas Catfish Guide Service. I have worked as a full-time professional catfish guide in the Dallas–Fort Worth area for 29 years. The boat and electronics on this page are what I actually run for customers—not a brochure list assembled from product pages.

For rods, reels and terminal tackle, use the gear guide. To get on the water, book a trip.

North Texas Catfish Guide Service
6600 Peden Road
Fort Worth, TX 76179
Phone: 817-522-3804

Last updated: September 2026