The FX HO Fishing Edition is Yamaha's answer to the Sea-Doo Fish Pro line, and the answer is sideways. Yamaha does not build a factory fishing PWC. Instead the dealer network installs a Frabill aerated cooler-livewell, four flush-mount rod holders, a Lowrance HOOK 5-inch chartplotter, and a fixed casting platform on the FX Cruiser HO base. The base ski is the touring three-up FX Cruiser with the 1.9-liter HO normally-aspirated four-cylinder at 180 hp, the 18.5-gallon fuel tank, the segment-leading 35-gallon front storage, and the NanoXcel2 hull. New money with the dealer fish kit installed runs $18,899 to $20,299 in coastal markets where Yamaha dealers stock the package. Used 2022 to 2024 hulls with the fish kit trade at $11,000 to $14,000. The verdict is honest. If you fish hard and tour with family, the FX HO Fishing Edition is the lowest-fuss answer in the segment, and the no-supercharger ownership story matters. If you want the deepest fishing rig and the largest livewell, you want the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy.

What the Yamaha FX HO Fishing Edition is

The FX HO Fishing Edition is not a model line. It is an FX Cruiser HO base ski with a dealer-installed fishing package, sold through Yamaha dealers where coastal demand exists. About half of FX HO units in Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Carolinas leave the dealer with the fish kit pre-installed in 2026. In inland and Northeast markets, you may need to order the kit separately at $1,800 to $2,200 installed.

The base ski is the FX Cruiser HO, Yamaha's touring three-up platform. The hull is the NanoXcel2 composite, lighter than Sea-Doo's ST3 and known for soaking offshore chop. The engine is the 1812cc four-cylinder HO at 180 hp, naturally aspirated, with no supercharger or ceramic-washer service. The fuel tank is 18.5 gallons, identical to the Trophy. Front storage is 35 gallons, which beats both Sea-Doo fishing PWCs.

The dealer fish kit adds a 12-gallon Frabill aerated cooler-livewell bolted to the rear deck, four flush-mount rod holders, a Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5-inch chartplotter with internal transducer, and a fixed casting platform aft of the seat. The kit comes off. The boat goes back to three-up family touring in about an hour with hand tools.

On the water

Top speed is 65 mph in stock trim, which is the fastest naturally-aspirated PWC in the segment. Cruise is 31 mph at 6,200 rpm with a fuel burn of 5.0 gph, giving you 115 miles of theoretical range and around 80 to 90 miles of real-world fishing range with a livewell pump running. The 18.5-gallon tank ties the Trophy for class-leading offshore range, and the lighter NanoXcel2 hull gives the Yamaha a slight efficiency edge at cruise.

The fishing-specific numbers are mixed. Yamaha does not offer a factory trolling mode. The RiDE system's Cruise Assist function holds a set speed at 5 to 7 mph in calm water, but the speed control drifts up to 1.2 mph in chop. That is workable for live bait but less precise than the Trophy's three-speed factory trolling mode. The 12-gallon Frabill livewell is smaller than the Sea-Doo's 13.5-gallon factory unit, but the Frabill aeration pump is a known fishing-cooler component with a strong replacement-parts story.

Casting-platform stability is good with one angler. The NanoXcel2 hull stays flat to about 10 degrees of heel before lean becomes uncomfortable. With two anglers the platform gets tippy because the FX HO base hull is narrower than the Trophy's ST3. This is closer to a one-stander boat with brief two-stander capability. Rough-water behavior in 2 to 3 feet of chop is excellent. The NanoXcel2 hull is the offshore champion in the segment.

The Lowrance HOOK 5-inch at idle pulls 0.5 amps. The Frabill livewell pump pulls 1.8 amps continuous in aerate mode. With the factory single battery you have around eight hours of full electronics-and-livewell duty before voltage drops below the warning threshold. RiDE forward-and-reverse at idle is the underrated fishing feature. The bidirectional throttle gives you stationary handling around structure that the Sea-Doos do not match.

A dawn run out of Crystal Lake last summer with a friend's 2024 FX HO Fishing Edition aboard sold us on the front storage. Full rain gear, a soft tackle bag, two PFDs, and a lunch cooler all stowed inside the bow compartment with room to spare. The Frabill kit took about an hour to lift off two weeks later when his family came in for a tour weekend.

What ownership looks like

Three patterns show up across two model years. The first is the no-supercharger ownership story. The 1.9L HO has a 100-hour oil change at $200 in dealer labor and a 200-hour spark plug service at $180. No ceramic-washer service, no clutch wear, no $500 supercharger bill every two seasons. Five-year cost of ownership is about $1,400 lower than the Trophy.

The second is dealer-fish-kit variability. Because the package is dealer-installed rather than factory, install quality varies. Strong coastal dealers install hundreds per year and the work is clean. Inland dealers that install one or two per season can leave the Lowrance and Frabill pump wiring rough. Inspect the install before purchase. Look for clean wire runs and a factory-style fuse panel rather than inline fuse holders.

The third is the Frabill livewell pump. It is a recognized fishing-cooler component with a published replacement-parts story, but the rear-deck install takes saltwater on every ride. The fix is the rinse routine: flush the livewell at the ramp, run the pump for 60 seconds with the hose connected, and disconnect the Lowrance cable for trailer storage. Owners who skip it see pump failures by year three.

The honest range math: 18.5 gallons at 5.0 gph cruise gives 115 miles of theoretical range. With a 30 percent reserve and a livewell pump running for four hours at idle, you have 55 to 60 miles of real-world fishing range, a slight edge over the Trophy. Storage is the FX HO's quiet win. The 35-gallon front compartment holds foul-weather gear, a soft tackle bag, two PFDs, and a lunch cooler with room left over.

Scoreboard

Build (4): NanoXcel2 hull is the offshore-soaking champion in the segment. Fit and finish at $19k is honest. Dealer-installed fish kit quality varies. Inspect carefully.

Performance (4): 180 hp naturally aspirated is right for offshore use. The lighter hull gives a slight efficiency edge at cruise. Top speed of 65 mph leads the segment.

Accommodations (5): Three-up base ski with 35-gallon front storage is the segment-leading touring platform. Removable fish kit means the boat goes back to family mode.

Systems (4): Lowrance HOOK 5-inch is smaller than Sea-Doo's Garmin 7.6-inch but the HOOK Reveal sonar is class-typical. RiDE forward-reverse at idle is the underrated fishing tool. No factory trolling mode is the systems weakness.

Value (4): $19k with the fish kit installed is meaningful money under the Trophy at $22k. The no-supercharger maintenance story adds $1,400 in five-year savings.

Resale (4): Yamaha holds its price well. The FX HO platform has a wide buyer base. Three-year depreciation is about 20 percent.

Best for / Not ideal for

Best for: Two-rod offshore anglers fishing 15 to 25 miles out. Dual-purpose buyers who want family touring on the off-weekend. Owners in coastal markets with strong Yamaha dealer coverage. Buyers who do not want the supercharger maintenance schedule. If you fish three or four times a month and tour with family the rest of the time, the FX HO Fishing Edition is the lowest-fuss answer.

Not ideal for: Anglers who fish two-up regularly on the casting platform. Buyers who want the deepest factory fishing rig and the largest livewell. Owners in inland markets where the dealer fish kit install quality is unproven. Inshore-only buyers who could save $4k on the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Scout.

What's included, what costs extra

Standard from the factory (FX Cruiser HO base): 1812cc HO four-cylinder 180 hp engine, NanoXcel2 hull, 18.5-gallon fuel tank, 35-gallon front storage, three-up touring seat, RiDE forward-and-reverse handlebar control, Cruise Assist set-and-hold function.

Dealer fish kit (installed): 12-gallon Frabill aerated cooler-livewell, four flush-mount rod holders, Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5-inch chartplotter with internal transducer, fixed casting platform aft of seat. Kit installed adds $1,800 to $2,200 to the FX Cruiser HO base price.

Costs extra: dual-battery setup at $400 from the dealer (recommended for full-day fishing), through-hull transducer upgrade at $250 (the internal Lowrance transducer reads through the hull but loses fidelity), Yamaha fishing-trim cover at $290, additional flush-mount rod holders at $60 to $90 each. Plan on $500 to $800 of first-year extras if you fish hard, and an additional Lowrance HOOK 7-inch upgrade at $400 is the most-requested cross-grade.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Naturally aspirated 1.9L HO at 180 hp, no supercharger ownership cost.
  • 18.5-gallon fuel tank ties the Trophy for class-leading offshore range.
  • 35-gallon front storage is the segment-leading bow compartment.
  • RiDE forward-reverse at idle is the underrated fishing handling feature.
  • Removable fish kit means three-up family touring mode is one hour away.

Cons

  • No factory trolling mode. Cruise Assist holds 5 to 7 mph but drifts in chop.
  • Fish kit is dealer-installed. Install quality varies by region and dealer volume.
  • Lowrance HOOK 5-inch is smaller and dimmer than the Trophy's Garmin 7.6-inch.

Best year and trim to buy

The sweet-spot used buy is a 2023 FX HO Fishing Edition at $12,500 to $13,500 with under 100 hours and a documented dealer fish kit. Yamaha refreshed the FX HO trim for 2023 with updated graphics and electronics revisions, and 2023 hulls have cleaner kit integration because Yamaha began offering pre-install bundles to dealers that year. 2022 hulls are $1,000 cheaper but kit installs were more variable.

For new buyers, the 2026 FX Cruiser HO is mechanically the same boat as the 2024 with minor updates. The 2026 dealer fish kit is the cleanest install available because the components have been refined over three model years. Verify any used kit was dealer-installed, not aftermarket, by checking the Yamaha dealer paperwork.

Price options

New 2026 FX HO Fishing Edition runs $18,899 to $20,299 depending on dealer market and fish kit configuration. The base FX Cruiser HO is $17,099 to $18,099, plus the dealer fish kit at $1,800 to $2,200. Used 2022 hulls trade at $11,000 to $12,200, used 2023 hulls at $12,500 to $13,500, and used 2024 hulls at $13,200 to $14,000 for clean low-hour examples with documented kit installs. Financing on new at 7.9 percent over 60 months on $20k out the door is about $405 a month with $2.5k down.

Year-one TCO honest math: $20,000 sale price plus $1,650 sales tax plus $850 freight plus $600 in extras plus $200 oil change plus $880 insurance plus $480 storage equals about $24,700 year one. Five-year ownership is about $30k all in, roughly $3k under the Trophy thanks to the no-supercharger savings, with $11k to $13k retained resale at year five.

Alternatives

The cross-shop is the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy at around $22,500 new. The Trophy gives you a larger 13.5-gallon livewell with auto-fill, a 7.6-inch Garmin chartplotter, and a factory trolling mode, but you take on the supercharger maintenance schedule and lose the FX HO's segment-leading front storage. The Sea-Doo Fish Pro Scout at around $16k is the inshore-only alternative, a smaller hull and 130 hp but the cheapest path into a real factory fishing PWC. The skiff alternative is a 16 to 17-foot bay boat with a 60 to 90 hp outboard at $25k to $35k used, which gives real standing room and offshore capability but loses the towability and the family-mode versatility.

For the full segment view and the head-to-head with the Trophy and the Scout, see Best Fishing Jet Skis in 2026.