Explore the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy with jet-ski fishing pioneer Andrew Hill

Andrew Hill has been enjoying fishing off a jet ski for over 15 years now. In that time, personal watercraft (PWCs) - jet skis - have come a long way.

In this feature and video, Aaron Mortimer of Mariner catches up with Andrew to get a full rundown on the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy - the flagship model of the Sea-Doo range. 

A brief intro to Andrew Hill - the original Kiwi jet ski fishing innovator

It's no exaggeration to say that Andrew Hill was one of the original innovators in Jet Ski fishing. After experimenting with fishing from a jet ski while on a holiday in Waihi in 2007, Andrew found it to be a highly capable fishing platform. However, the experience highlighted a few challenges: 

"We were using the traditional fishing method of bait and it wasn't long before we were catching some of the local fish life, with smiles all round... The biggest difficulty was finding somewhere to hold the rods while retrieving the fish and next was, where to store the fish?"

This led him to develop the Ultimate Rod Holder, a product for use with any Sea-Doo, Kawasaki, or Yamaha. Over the years, this has become the leading PWC fishing kit on the market and is now sold globally. It also led to a range of additional accessories.

As Andrew explains:

"With the kit completed, many other accessories were soon developed which made my fishing experience a whole lot easier with the ease of use and practicality of each of these innovative products."

Operating out of Buckland's Beach under the umbrella brand Adventure Fishing, Andrew literally turned his passion into a highly successful dedicated PWC jet-ski fishing business.  

"The most enjoyable part is that I now enjoy the fishing even more as it has become my job, writing fishing adventures and managing a website community, seeing many others enjoy the same fun I do with Jet-ski fishing."

To this end, Andrew's jet-ski fishing videos have now been viewed over 3.5m times, and his Youtube channel boasts thousands of subscribers. 

Offering more experience in the sport than pretty much anyone in NZ, his Buckland Beach store has become a 'must visit' one-stop-shop for anyone needing advice, accessories or tackle.

Offering all the accessories needed to adapt a new or used PWC to fishing, they also boast one of the best fishing tackle ranges in Auckland. If you are considering getting started in the sport, we recommend a drop-in. 

The benefits of PWC Fishing - Affordable, efficient and convenient

Andrew's joy for jet-ski fishing is well-founded. Jet skis are affordable, require less preparation to get out on the water, and are quick to wash down on return. Importantly, they offer a great platform for fishing. Safe and easy to operate, you can easily launch and land even without a crew in tow. They are quick on the water, stable, and efficient.

As Andrew points out

"Being low to the water, you are in touch with nature and enjoy the whole experience with every trip being a new adventure." 

Exploring the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy

As well as his business and media interests, Andrew is an ambassador for Sea-Doo and was heavily involved in the development of the Fish Pro series. This made him the ideal candidate to give Aaron Mortimer, Mariner's founder and managing director, a run down on the 2023 model Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy.

Check our video above for the full overview. 

15 years on from Andrew's first jet-ski fishing adventure in Waihi, PWCs have come a long way. The Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy is the brand's flagship fishing craft.

Among other features, Andrew highlights the ST3 Hull, offering an extended rear deck; significant additional storage options; an elevated seat attachment with a backrest for greater fishing comfort; and even a built in 7" touch screen Garmin fish finder.

With a top speed of about 90 km/h, and a 70-litre fuel tank giving a range of around 160km, this is the class leader for PWC fishing.

For more information on the latest Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy, visit Sea-Doo's website.

And of course, we recommend you drop into Adventure Fishing for everything jet-ski fishing - either online or in person.