For Nels Benda, the ProNav™ Angler is the perfect product to use while fishing with the kids. Nels, a dedicated father of 5, also happens to be one of the co-founders of ProNav Marine. Nels’ role at ProNav includes leading the development of electronic hardware and new technologies. He takes pride in developing simple, robust designs, and working on the ProNav Angler has given him the opportunity to apply his electrical engineering skills to a product that is beneficial to anglers like himself.
“While my youngest kids still love fishing from the dock for sunfish and bluegill, nothing is more exciting than to get out on the boat, where we can target the gamefish that can be found near dropoffs, ledges, rockpiles and structures that are not accessible from shore.” However, fishing from a boat with young children can be a challenge. Lines will tangle and break, and inevitably underwater logs and rocks will be snagged. For many parents, boat control is just another added difficulty when boat fishing with youngsters, but Nels makes boat control the easy part of fishing by using the ProNav Angler on his trolling motor.
When asked about how he uses the Angler, Nels commented that, “Prior to using ProNav, the method of boat control was at best throwing an anchor overboard, or simply drifting on a calm day.” Unfortunately, this method is not as useful on days when the conditions are less than ideal. For Nels, less than ideal conditions simply meant that the majority of his effort was spent on boat control, adding that “even then, if a line got tangled, or a fish was caught, the boat control would be left to the elements, potentially blowing us into hazards, risking losing the catch, and bringing the disappointment of the one that got away.” This is why the Anchor feature is one of Nels’ favorite features. It provides spot-on anchoring, holding your boat on an anchor point, regardless of wind, waves, or current. With the Spot-On Anchoring feature, it is easy to adjust your anchor point in a specific direction and distance.
In addition to using the ProNav Angler Anchor feature, Nels also uses the ProNav mobile application, available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, to hone in on the fish. “With the ProNav, I can now set a casting route for smallmouth bass, lock on a rock pile or deadfalls for crappie, and troll for those elusive walleyes.” The ProNav Angler allows you to create unlimited routes on your favorite bodies of water. These routes are easy to modify on or off the water from your mobile device or computer, and the map view makes it easy to select points along your desired route.
Although, having a 3-year-old on board still requires patience and time spent untangling lines, Nels excitedly commented that, “Without the burden of boat control, I may even get a line in the water, setting up an awesome day of bonding with my kids and doing something I love and want to pass down to them.”
If you are interested in keeping your boat on course with Total Boat Control from your smartphone or tablet, click here to learn more about the ProNav Angler or purchase one of your own online.
