Hydra-Sports’ new 171 walleye edition is worth serious consideration. It’s a nice touch.Ĭonsole legroom is excellent, and the padded seats, newly designed throughout the Hydra-Sports line for ’95, offer plenty of cushioning and back support. Livewell controls are located at the console, not on a separate switch display to the driver’s right as is common with most fiberglass rigs. The gauge display is no-nonsense, with all instruments instantly The console is virtually identical to the one used on Hydra-Sports’ Lightning Series high-performance bass boats. Running between fishing areas is pleasurable from the driver’s standpoint. The gunwales are wide and flat, permitting easy mounting of down riggers, another popular walleye tool. There’s a handy power plug on the transom for the OMC 12/24 volt trolling motor. The boat was extraordinarily stable when casting, although we didn’t get a chance to test itsįishability in rough water. Overall, fit and finish are on par with higher-end fiberglass models carpeting and upholstery are of good quality and well-installed. There’s a 38-gallon horizontal livewell under the rear deck, capable of handling a big walleye or lunker bass (yes, many big-bass anglers and guides are finding walleye boats better suited to trophy-class large mouths than are traditional bass boats).Īn aerated baitwell sits behind the driver’s seat, and some additional storage is located beneath the seats. A roomy storage box is located in the bow, ahead of the fuel tank, and a small insulated cooler sits ahead of the console. On the port side, there’s a large horizontal chest-type rod locker capable of handling more than a dozen sticks. The interior layout, with the exception of the fixed rear casting deck, rates a 7. But, as with all high-sided boats, expect this one to blow around a bit on windy days. Anglers who occasionally bring small children along, and anyone fishing in heavy seas, will appreciate the added security provided by the 171’s 28-inch depth. On a positive note, the interior is deeper than in other OMC walleye models. With the exiting rear-deck option, the boat is fine for lure casting or drifting live bait, but not for trolling. Having the option of putting the rear deck in or leaving it out as fishing conditions warrant would greatly increase the boat’s utility and make it a true multispecies fishing machine. Hydra-Sports should rethink this permanently affixed rear platform and make it a slide-in unit like the one on the Stratos 219. The biggest annoyance on the boat we tested was the permanently installed rear deck, a $225 option, which hampers access to auxiliary motors and makes trolling with a tiller-steer gas kicker or back trolling with an electric unit almost impossible. Unfortunately, the 171’s interior layout failed to live up to its performance – at least in the version we tested.
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