The New Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170 model is versatile, simple, and well thought out
By Patrick Campeau
To me, teasing fish is one of the most beautiful outdoor activities. Its relaxing, fun, and you can do it on your own, with your family, or with friends. Each season, fishing allows us to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature, escape our hectic everyday life, and experience the challenges of chasing specific targeted species of fish.
Did you know, in Canada there are more fishing enthusiasts than there are hockey players and golfers combined? I think fishing should replace hockey and become our national sport!
Passion
I have been in love fishing from a very young age. I made this passion into a full-time career, and I have been in this profession for 34 years now. During the past few decades, I earned 3 Quebec Championships, I vaulted to the top 7 on seven occasions in different Canadian Championships, and I was inducted into the Canadian Fishing Hall of Fame.
For two decades, I have been using both large and small boats from the Lund Boats Company. These incredibly sturdy boats, which are designed specifically for the needs of serious fishermen, respond marvellously to your needs, and allows you to navigate confidently on all bodies of water. In my eyes, there is nothing better!
For Testing
Two years ago, Marc Lacroix from Sea-Doo contacted me and explained to me how BRP developed a revolutionary fishing watercraft: The Fish Pro 170 model. I have known Marc for an exceptionally long time, and he let me use one of these models for a few weeks so I could give him with my sincere opinion.
I was hesitant at first. I live on the shores of a rocky and shallow body of water (the Mille-Iles River), and I had an extremely limited experience with this type of craft. However, I accepted and went on several fishing excursions with her.
Motorization
The 170 horsepower Rotax 1630 is extremely powerful and versatile. You can reach spikes of 86km/h in speed, which is incredible for this type of watercraft. The trolling fishing application, with its diverse speeds, is truly remarkable. You can easily pursue several species according to their level of aggressiveness and their seasonal migrations.
While moving between fishing spots, it is a pleasant and smooth drive with the Eco mode, or for more sporty rides and lightning accelerations via the Sport mode. Its 70-liter gas tank assures peace-of-mind.
Design
This PWC is incredibly stable and inspires a high level of confidence even for novice watercraft drivers like me.
The seat is very comfortable for excursions, and the ergonomics are very well thought out for different postures. When I tried out the angular ledge footrests, I was pleasantly surprised with their comfort. They are very practical within waves or when you cross other boats.
The extended platform offers tons of interesting possibilities for fishing in a stand-up fashion, and the boarding ladder is very handy for climbing back on board after swimming. There is also lots of upfront storage which is very convenient.
Equipment
The LinQ attachment accessory system is remarkable and incredibly solid. Sea-Doo offers a wide and diversified range for all tastes.
When it comes to depth sounder/GPS, my go to is Garmin. The addition of the ECHOMAP Plus 62cv Fish Finder with integrated depth sounder makes it very simple. At the time, I had always thought it would be innovative to be able to add more detailed bathymetric mapping with maps like the G3 or others. Luckily, we can now download navigation maps with the new model.
Standard rod holders deserve a mention as well. The 51-liter cooler with a built-in work surface is perfect, and the rubberized netting to store a tackle box is well thought out and convenient.
Fishability (invented word that I often use)
This high-performance craft allows you to traverse areas where several other types of motorized boats would have hard time accessing. It allows you to explore new spots and pursue fish that have experienced less pressure.
It is more than satisfying. However, when it is windy or there is current, it would be great to have a small support electric motor to assist in staying on the course.
New
For 2021, the biggest innovation for the Fish Pro is the Intelligent Debris-Free pump system (IDF) which unclogs the watercraft’s intake. You can go fishing in shallow areas where the fish are hiding, without having to worry about the accumulation of different types of weeds.
Summary
The Fish Pro from Sea-Doo boasts versatility, maneuverability, accessibility, simplicity and is a well thought out fishing machine.
This product is available in green or yellow, and there is now a new blue color added to the range as well.
For more information: https://www.sea-doo.com/ca/en/