For every boat I test, I take the same approach. I first study it from afar and then move to the interior walk-through. During the latter, I try to imagine myself as an owner in that boat and what I would do with it. So, it’s not surprising that I imagine myself fishing when testing a fishing boat.

Well, when I was looking through the Polar Kraft Kodiak V 188 TC, picturing myself reeling in the big one, I said aloud, “Oh ya, I could totally see myself in this boat.”

From bow to stern, this is a boat that keeps in mind every fisherman’s needs. The first thing that really caught my eye was the extra wide beam – 101 inches to be exact. There is nothing worse than being crammed into a boat with a bunch of guys for hours on end without room to move. In the 188 TC, there was more than enough space, even with the four seats in the aft cockpit. Like many multi-species boats, those seats can be placed throughout on either the bow or stern casting deck. And whether you’re at the bow or stern, there’s a livewell for you, not to mention plenty of storage.

Did I say storage? It was everywhere – in the gunwales, the floor and the dash, along with storage for all your rods. All those surfaces were covered in vinyl so you can get it dirty without any hesitation.

The performance was just as impressive. It took a mere eight and a half seconds to get from zero to 30 thanks to the 130-hp Evinrude E-TEC, which also had no problem pushing this 18-foot, 8-inch boat to a top speed of 42 mph at 5600 rpm.

In turns, the deep-V hull carved tightly, holding its line and coming around while keeping water flowing to the prop, and sliced through the waves, keeping the water away from everyone on board.

The Polar Kraft Kodiak V 188 TC is a boat built for fishermen. And when you get a chance to take a look at it, I’m sure you’ll have no problems picturing yourself reeling in the big one either.