With a 8’6” beam, the Polar 2100 presents a stable fishing platform. It doesn’t ride like a Regulator, but it felt solid under us in some choppy conditions.

Ever notice the proliferation of small, center console fishing boats? Every time you turn around, there’s another brand on the market. And with their similar names—most have a “sea” or a “pro” or a “fish” in their monikers—the consumer faces a dizzying array of choices. A pack of center consoles at a boat show is like a herd of zebra—it’s hard to differentiate one from the other.

Powerboat Reports can’t cover them all, but we can target the most-talked-about boats, or the boats we deem up-and-comers based on boat show chatter and reader feedback. …