It doesn’t matter what your reason for looking for Sun Dolphin pro 120 for sale is, our review on the complete Sun Dolphin Pro 120 package will help you make the smart choice.
This is no doubt the Rolls Royce of small fishing boats and we’d prove that to you soon! In fact, our Sun Dolphin Pro 120 review reveals that this unit is every small water angler’s dream boat.
It’s the closest 2 man fishing boat available to any real bass boat yet it’s portable, plastic, and low maintenance.
While I and my friend lobe to fish from it, it does exhibit a few major setbacks that probably keep most people from buying. Here we’ll cover all the nitty-gritty of its awesomeness and a few reasons as to why it might not be for you.
Sun Dolphin Pro 120 For Sale Specs Comparison
Length: 11.3 ft
Width: 62″
Height: 24″
Capacity: 532 lbs
Weight: 238 lbs
Material: High density polythylene
Horsepower Rating: 10HP
Max Thrust Trolling Motor: 40lbs
How does this compare to other boats?
The Sun Dolphin Pro 120 is basically the largest of the small fishing boats. Compared to two most well-known pontoon boats – the Pelican Bass Raider 10e and the Sun Dolphin Sportsman 10 – it’s about 1ft longer and almost 2ft wider!
While this wider profile pretty much offers more comfort on the water, it’s also a potential deal breaker for this great boat. Why?
It’s too big to fit in the back of your pickup truck!
If want you desire is throwing your boat in the back of your truck an heading to the lake then this is not the boat for you. You’re going to need a small trailer to haul this boat around.
The great news is that the boat has a flat bottom so you need not necessarily get a boat trailer. You can basically slide it onto a small utility trailer like this.
As far as weight capacity is concerned, the Sun Dolphin Pro 12 is around the same as the Sportsman 10 but still lesser than the 600lb max capacity of the Bass Raider 10e. I find that a bit hard difficult to understand seeing as the Pro 120 is such a bigger boat than the Bass Raider..
If you plan on pulling your boat down to the water’s edge you might not like this next part but you probably saw it coming. The 238 lb boat weight is much higher than the Bass Raider and Sportsman 10 at 146 lbs and 138 lbs.
And bear in mind that that’s the weight of the boat with nothing in it!
By the time you load it up with a battery, trolling motor, and all your gear you’re going to want to drag this thing anywhere.
One BIG advantage this boat has over the first two is the horsepower rating. You can have up to a 10 horsepower motor compared to a 3.5 horsepower motor on the other two comparison boats.
So looking at the specs alone on this Sun Dolphin Pro 120 review, we already know the following:
- If you desire a boat that will fit in your truck bed this isn’t the one for you. Plan on buying a small trailer with this boat.
- You’re most likely would want to use a boat ramp or at least back that trailer right up to the waters edge rather than drag this boat around.
- If you plan on fishing a large(r) body of water and want a bigger motor, this might be the boat for you.
Sun Dolphin Pro 120 Review
There are a couple of features that makes this mini bass boat stand out above its peers and that’s what we’ll cover here.
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Carpeted Casting Decks
This is a huge biggie to me.
When fishing, I like to stand many a time, especially if I’m flipping or pitching boat docks and heavy vegetation. Suurrree – if I’m throwing a chatterbait or swimbait I’ll take a seat and wind ’em in.
Having a real cool casting deck to stand on is probably my most loved feature of this small fishing boat and it’s a bonus that there’s a second deck in the back for my fishing partner!
How cool is that?
The decks also provide great storage on the boat which I’m a huge fan of. There are three storage compartments in the front deck and a battery compartment in the back pre-wired to connect to a trolling motor of your choice at the front.
Having these many compartments and a dedicated place for your battery keeps the boat organized and provides you with more room to move about.
My pelican Bass Raider has exactly “0” storage and therefore every single thing you bring with you including your battery is taking up valuable floor space.
The Sun Dolphin Pro 120 is really the only small fishing boat with storage like this.
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Transport and Weight
In terms of transport, the Sun Dolphin Pro 120 is light weight and this makes it easy to transport on some cars as well as most SUV’s. If you have a full size pick-up! I have also seen one slide into the truck bed.
It weighs a little over 200lbs and can be shifted, lifted, and moved with ease with 2-3 people. I went for a trailer as I drive a small SUV, this still allows me to get this boat into many back areas and lakes in which larger vehicles and boats have a harder time getting into.
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Aerated Livewell
Again, this is a feature that we discovered only the Sun Dolphin Pro 120 has while conducting our Sun Dolphin Pro 120 review.
If you want a livewell for the Pelican Bass Raider or the Sun Dolphin Sportsman you’re going to have to make one yourself out of a cooler (which is simple to do) but it’s going to use up precious floor space.
I’ve read that crabbers use this boat majorly for the livewell but if it were mine it would just be used for the occasional big bass competition with friends or something like that.
The Pro 120 comes with navigation lights at the bow and a detachable stern light.
While this may not look exciting or cool, it is something that other competing plastic fishing boats do not offer. It just might be a deciding factor for your boat purchase when looking for Sun Dolphin Pro 120 for sale.
You should check with your state’s regulations on boat lighting to be certain the Sun Dolphin Pro 120 meets the requirements for you.
Sun Dolphin Pro 120 Accessories
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Trolling Motor
The first item you’ll need for any small fishing boat is a trolling motor. The Pro 120 has a flat mount area next to the pre-wired electrical outlet.
This will accommodate your common hand controlled trolling motor, transom mount style etc.
I would advise you go with a 55 lb thrust Minn Kota C2 Endura if you’re looking for a reliable hand controlled trolling motor.
If you’re anything like me, this just won’t do.
I prefer to opt for a foot controlled trolling motor so that I can keep both my hands on the rod while steering.
I formerly recommended the MotorGuide Bulldog trolling motors until they were discontinued. These were the only transom mount motors that had a foot pedal on the market that I’m aware of. Too bad…
But there’s still hope!
The S-Dolphin Pro 120 can be modified to work with a foot controlled trolling motor!
All you require is to build a small wood box to mount the motor to. I would recommend the Minn Kota Edge.
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Anchor
If you’ve never fished from one of these small plastic fishing boats before, you should be prepared to deal with the wind.
Fishing on a windy day can prove pretty challenging, especially if you are using a hand controlled trolling motor. You’ll be repositioning after every cast and possibly during your retrieve.
It’s ANNOYING!
I always recommend using a shallow water anchor pole which is basically a long pole you can stick in the mud and tie off to.
There are many options to pick from but I would not recommend going with anything shorter than 8ft as at least 1ft is going into the mud and you would ideally want it to stick out of the water at least a foot.
The SuperStick has always been a favorite.
If you’ve got the money to spend – the Power-Pole Micro Anchor is as good as it gets. Silent and remote operated just like the real power poles made for bass boats.
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Boat Cover
While conducting our Sun Dolphin Pro 120 review, we concluded that it would be a great idea to keep your boat covered if it’s going to spend time outside. The Sun Dolphin makes a cover specifically for the Pro 120 so you know it will be a perfect fit.
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Pricing
It is no news that the Pro 120 is hugely available both online and offline, the price tag is up there. It’s generally falls between the range of $$$$-$$$$.
Amazon marketplace would be my first choice to buy it from. Other online sellers look lower but may add extra $350 for freight and your back to even.
This is a pretty high price to pay for a 2 man plastic fishing boat. If it’s too expensive for you, consider the Pelican Bass Raider 10e or even the Sun Dolphin Sportsman that sells between $500 – $700.
If you still cannot afford the new one and still have your heart set on this boat, you should try searching for a used Sun Dolphin Pro 120 for sale on craigslist or local fishing forums as they are typically available.
At the beginning of this Sun Dolphin Pro 120 review article! I called it the Rolls Royce of small fishing boats – and it’s got the price tag to prove it!
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