Little big bear: Kodiak's V178SC offers the performance and ride of a much bigger boat at a fraction of the cost.

At first blush, the tan and scarlet craft looked like just another "tin" boat tugging at its dock tether, a little out of place as it bobbed in the wakes of the flashier fiberglass fishing and pleasure craft that came and went through the busy Gulf-front marina.

While I awaited my test partner to arrive, I grabbed the spec sheet for the new Polar Kraft and sat down at a table next to the slip to give it a quick read. I noted the boat was a Kodiak model, a line designed by the Indiana-based boat manufacturer specifically for my kind of fishing: chasing walleye, bass and the occasional pike and muskie in areas that require you to cross--if not fish in--open waters on large Midwest impoundments.

Having tested several Polar Kraft models in the past--and knowing that my home-state walleye pro, PWT champ Mark Brumbaugh, had just jumped ship from a major player in the fishing boat business to pilot a Polar Kraft during the 2005 tournament season--I was curious to see what the 17-foot Kodiak could do.

Once my buddy arrived, I stepped aboard and tucked myself behind the boat's single-side console, noting the boat's stability as I did so. With 92 inches of beam, the boat barely dipped to starboard when I stepped on the flat, aluminum-topped gunwale. Once settled in and after I'd adjusted the standard sliding helm seat, I found I had decent legroom under the console and could easily see all the gauges and switches. The former especially were apparent, since the test boat was rigged with Yamaha's new Command Link that combines several functions at once and offers huge digital readouts of selected information.

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ACCOLADES ABOARD

Most apparent, however, was the sensation of being "in" rather than "on" the boat. The Kodiak has a high freeboard for a 17-foot freshwater fishing craft, making the cockpit seem low with everything. It is also surrounded by an extra degree of protection due to the exaggerated height of the gunwales. That's especially apparent on the bow, where even in position on the forward casting deck, which is elevated, the front angler is flanked by walls that rise more than 17 inches above the surface of the carpeted deck.