A Bay Boat helps Tate Dunkel Find a better home
for South FLorida's displaced Lizard population

By Jennifer Chesak photos by Mike Calabro

The 1901 Bay Pro creeps through the narrow Dania Cut-Off Canal right up next to the tangled mangrove roots and mossy rocks. With it's sneaky ability to get into the nooks and crannies, it maneuvers much like what we're trying to catch. We're after a genus that has gotten a bad rap in South Florida, a creature that often causes shrieks of terror from those it surprises and grunts of anger from those whose expensive landscaping it mistakes for a fine salad.

"I've got my lizard master chair," says Tate Dunkel, a professional iguana trapper. He perches himself on the forward casting seat, as we head out from Harbor One Marina with Captain David XXXX at the helm. Tate shades his eyes with one hand and holds a telescoping fishing pole and 80-pound monofilament in the other. "This boat is awesome for catching reptiles."

Tate, who distributes non-native and feral iguanas to wholesalers or zoos to help combat the over population running rampant in South Florida, found that having a boat made all the difference in his work. "Their normal approach is to jump in the water if you try to catch them from land," he says. "When you approach them from water, they just kind of sit there and stare at you. Once I learned how to catch them from water, it was all iguanas all the time."

Despite their abundance in the region, Iguanas are non-native to Florida. Through the exotic pet trade, they've been imported to the state and many have escaped or have been released. They've thrived in Central and South Florida's subtropical climate and have reproduced at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, the scaly creatures have caused numerous problems for homeowners as they often cool off by lounging in attics or backyard pools. They also destroy landscapes by eating valuable plants and burrowing under sidewalks, foundations and seawalls. Iguanas also commonly carry salmonella bacteria. While they generally stay away from humans, they can bite and scratch and will deliver a powerful slap with their large tails in defense if cornered by a pet or person.

Many people don't mind having a small iguana or two on their land, but increasingly, folks in Florida are trying to control the over-population issue. Enter Tate. "There's one!" he shouts. I scan the shoreline but only see masses of mangroves. "I don't see him, either," says photographer Mike Calabro, "but Tate's got the crazy eye."

Mike's right about Tate-not only from an ocular standpoint, but from a mental standpoint, as well. "I know this thing works," he says, gesturing to his catching contraption which consists of a noose created with monofilament and the telescoping fishing pole. "I was noosing people's beers out of their hands at the bar last night."

Having spotted the monster himself, David nudges the bow of the Bay Boat right up to the mangrove roots, which look like bony fingers gripping the shoreline. Tate takes a steady stance on the forward casting platform and maneuvers the monofilament over the iguana's head. The green beast spirals into the water, and Tate starts pulling it to the boat. The noose slips off, but that doesn't stop Tate. He jumps into the canal and grabs it with his hands, gently holding its back legs and tail so as not to get clawed or whipped. Having demonstrated his method, Tate releases the creature into the mangrove roots to climb back to dry land.

Tate's initial on-water reptile-catching efforts involved a kayak. Having to balance the watercraft and perform the catch in tandem was perhaps akin to eating three maki rolls, pounding a beer and flirting with a waitress, a trifecta of simultaneous feats I actually watched Tate perform the night before. It takes a good multi-tasker to master the skills of reptile catching, but it sure helps to have the right boat to stalk the prey. "To be able to stand on the bow is great," Tate says. "You can go really shallow. And I wouldn't have been able to get into the water that easily on any other kind of boat."

Tate's sentiments are similar to other Trophy fishermen who've fished off the 1901 Bay Pro, which until recently has been the sole bay boat of the Trophy line. They've found it to be a great casting platform, have lauded its dedicated cast-net storage and have enjoyed chasing after species that like to hide in skinny waters or inland bays. Trophy has heard the calls of these fisherman and is expanding it's Bay Boat line. Model-year 2008 will offer a new 19- 21- and 24-foot Bay Pro model.

Tate, who is also an avid angler, is stoked. In addition to catching reptiles he enjoys fishing just about anywhere, anytime, and Trophy's bay boat style is perfect for the at-a-moment's-notice adventures he likes to embark on to any nearby fisheries. Of course, when he thinks about Trophy's new Bay Boat line, Tate can't help but wonder about perfecting his iguana catching skills. "I want to put an outrigger next to a fishing pole," says Tate, "Once an iguana goes into the water, I can reel him in, because sometimes they fight."

As if to prove his point, his next catch, a green creature sitting on a seawall, puts up a serious tantrum in the canal's clear water. Tate goes belly down onto the forward casting platform. I step back, giving Tate full sprawl room to pull the behemoth onboard. A flash of green comes over the bow. "You've got 'em!" I say. But really, it's the iguana that has Tate. A massive tail thwacks him in the face, not once, but twice, before it's secured on deck.

"You have to have thick line for two reasons," explains Tate a little out of breath from taking such a lizard smack-down. "One, so it doesn't cut into the iguana and hurt it, and two, because iguanas have sharp claws and could easily cut the line." When Tate hands it to me to hold, I notice its skin is drier than a desert, even though it just took a bath in the canal. It sticks out its tongue showing its sharp teeth, which are meant for sawing through hibiscus plants, certainly not me. But I can see how it could frighten an unsuspecting soul just taking a stroll on his or her lawn.

It's large and looks like a creature from another era. Though I certainly am not blessed with Tate's "crazy eye" I can spot them much easier now and notice the whole canal is crawling with reptiles. "My kids call this place, "The Forgotten Land," says David. We maneuver downstream, away from the nearby boatyard and release our green friend in a mangrove to go find its dinner. We've got to do the same, or at least go noose a cold one at the bar to ice Tate's face.

Inside Angle
Invasion of the Bay Boats!
The Bay Boats are Coming! The Bay Boats are Coming!
Trophy's all new Bay Boat models debut in 2008, taking their place among Trophy's hardcore fishing machine lineup. Stay tuned to your dealer for more info on models ranging from 19-24 feet.

Sidebar
Wannna Bay Boat?
You know where the fish hide and you're not afraid to hunt them down. You're not afraid to hunt down a good deal either. Trophy's new line of Bay Boats will be available in 2008, but the 1901 Bay Pro is still in stores now, and dealers need to move them fast to make room for the new models. Contact your Trophy dealer for more information. The spry hull of the 1901 Bay Pro jumps on plane for shallow water starts, and can run where most boats dare not. An efficient layout-with dedicated cast-net storage, lockable rod storage, two baitwells and lower gunnels for easy fish handling-makes the Bay Pro perfect for hitting the backcountry. Plan your attack!