I've been fishing since before I can truly remember, as there are pictures of me holding a fishing rod while I was still in diapers. And I still go fishing. A lot. But now I take my children with me for a semi-relaxing (depending on the day and their moods) day on the water or hiking along river banks, the latter as I learn how to be a better fly-fisherman.
Still, my core memories of fishing are of being out on the water, fishing from boats and PWCs. Getting far from the shore, fishing lily pad forests, downed logs, and deep waters. And I still love doing that whenever I can, though it's been lacking as of late.
But maybe Yamaha's new PWC, one to celebrate the brand's 40th year within the space, and one designed with the fisherman solely in mind, could change that.
Say hello to the brand-spankin'-new Yamaha WaveRunner CrossWave, the coolest fishing-focused PWC on the market right now. And one I desperately need to try out in short order. Have fly and spinning rods, Yamaha, will travel and catch fish.
From the outset, you can just visually see that the new WaveRunner CrossWave is a different beast altogether, as it features a full wrap-around deck, allowing folks to fish off every single side and have ample footing. According to the brand, that deck was designed for "riders [to] move freely around the craft with 360-degree access, oversized footwells for secure footing, and an inviting platform to load gear, fish from, or simply stretch out under the sun." Likewise, it "puts boarding ease front and center, removing typical limitations and opening the door to fresh water experiences."
The 13-foot, four-seater PWC is powered by a 1,898cc high-output inline four-cylinder engine, which Yamaha boasts is the largest displacement of any PWC on the market. It's supposedly good for around 200 horsepower, too. There's also a large-capacity 26.4-gallon fuel tank, which allows the rider to spend all day on the water without worrying about stopping and refueling when you're in the fish. And when you are in the fish, there's 82 gallons of storage space throughout the machine.
Likewise, the CrossWave comes with both a Dual 7-inch Connext and Simrad display, and comes "pre-wired for a Group 24 deep cycle marine battery for dependable, long-lasting power," which means you can run all your external electronics from the battery without fear of its draining whenever you turn on the sonar to find some big ones. That includes a trolling motor, too.
Yamaha also pointed out that the company solved for a maintenance issue that many complain about in their PWCs, and that's a factory-installed clean-out port, which allows you to clear any debris from the impeller without getting into the water. Furthermore, each CrossWave will come with a trailer and a cooler that's baked into the price.
According to Yamaha, the CrossWave is "Built for lifestyle, distance, and total freedom, it’s not just a new model—it’s a new category."
The new Yamaha WaveRunner CrossWave will begin hitting dealerships in Spring of 2026, but as of right now, no price has been listed for the new PWC. That said, given its specs, its features, and the amount of tech and thoughtfulness baked into this fishing PWC, I'd expect it to not be cheap. This is a model for serious fisher-folks, and these people take this stuff incredibly seriously and are prepared to pay through the nose to get the best of the best. And this seems to be.
At least from what I can glean from Yamaha's release. Lemme try it.
