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Trying to find the best boat for trout fishing/scalloping but can also go offshore and hit some grouper holes. Any suggestions on what works best for you.

SeaHunt BR 22 or 24

Any good bay boat will get the job done. I'd go at least 22". Yellowfin, Contender, pathfinder, Parker, scout, sea hunt( as mentioned) and blazer bay are a few that come to mind. Or you could get an offshore boat that will work for your inshore needs. Cape Horn makes a nice hull that doesn't draft as much as some. Good luck

I'd suggest Islamorada Boatworks. Their 24 Morada model is an excellent choice.

Drafts a little more than a foot, so you can still get relatively skinny, but still solid enough to make those runs offshore...
I mean, it IS a bay boat!

It comes standard with a 300 Verado, but I'd upgrade to the 400 Merc R to ensure you can outrun any of those summertime pop-up storms.

galantnole wrote:I'd suggest Islamorada Boatworks. Their 24 Morada model is an excellent choice.

Drafts a little more than a foot, so you can still get relatively skinny, but still solid enough to make those runs offshore...
I mean, it IS a bay boat!

It comes standard with a 300 Verado, but I'd upgrade to the 400 Merc R to ensure you can outrun any of those summertime pop-up storms.

lol... and its a deal at about 120000.00 base ?

galantnole wrote:I'd suggest Islamorada Boatworks. Their 24 Morada model is an excellent choice.

Drafts a little more than a foot, so you can still get relatively skinny, but still solid enough to make those runs offshore...
I mean, it IS a bay boat!

It comes standard with a 300 Verado, but I'd upgrade to the 400 Merc R to ensure you can outrun any of those summertime pop-up storms.

Yeah. If I could afford the Islamorada I wouldn't be living around here. I'd be living much further south.........say Marathon.

Thanks for the input! Real hard trying to find the perfect boat that fits all your needs.

gaboy1985 wrote:Thanks for the input! Real hard trying to find the perfect boat that fits all your needs.

A bay boat is it.....inshore/nearshore/offshore

I mean... they didn't give a budget!

No such thing as a boat that does both well. Bay boats will be excellent inshore, but if you get offshore in a strong chop, you will find the ride uncomfortable.

The closest design used for both the world over is a panga. They have a big flared bow for offshore and a lower rear for fishing. They draft relatively shallow.

I agree with Muducker, I went the "good for both" route last time around. Just hard to really find THAT boat. This time around I have one of each. Try to determine how much you will be doing each type of boating and lean toward a boat that will fill THAT need.

You could go with the Barker 26 Calibouge Bay. It can handle both duties.

And it's only $160K base, with a year-long waiting list to build your own.


The panga recommendation was a good one. Very seaworthy, fuel efficient and requires less power due to the hull design. I've seen commercial handline fishermen 40 miles offshore in them and they'll also do quite well on the shallow flats.

Andros Boatworks is the creme of the crop, but there are other builders out there.

MudDucker wrote:No such thing as a boat that does both well. Bay boats will be excellent inshore, but if you get offshore in a strong chop, you will find the ride uncomfortable.

The closest design used for both the world over is a panga. They have a big flared bow for offshore and a lower rear for fishing. They draft relatively shallow.

My buddy has a 22" panga w a tower. He went w me in my pathfinder in some 2' chop 2 weeks ago. After about 2 miles into a 15 mile trip, he said he would have had to turn back in his boat. Way more wet, way less storage, doesn't get any shallower, incredibly tippy and more difficult to mount an i pilot ( which you will want), than on a bay boat. I know some will disagree, and that's why they make chocolate and vanilla. Try to ride in the boats you are considering in some sloppy chop, and make a decision for yourself. They all do well when it's flat.

I have to agree with SaltyGator. Iv been in several bay boats. In regards to a pathfinder, they are the best riding and dryest bay boat out there. They will absolutely own 2 foot chop for breakfast. In addition, they have a shallow draft, tons of space, and a lot of storage. With that said, they'll also cost ya a pretty penny. Iv only been on one panga, but from what I can remember, they are very wet and tippy boats. Also, a major downside to the panga is the minimal storage. We had to put the dam anchor in a milk crate carton (no anchor locker). With that said, im sure they cost far less than a pathfinder or other high end bay boats. A few other quality bay boats Iv been on and would recommend would be the scout, sailfish, nauticatar, and lake and bay. Good luck with your purchase!

Salty Gator wrote:

MudDucker wrote:No such thing as a boat that does both well.

Try to ride in the boats you are considering in some sloppy chop, and make a decision for yourself. They all do well when it's flat.

Pirate wrote: Try to determine how much you will be doing each type of boating and lean toward a boat that will fill THAT need.

/thread

This is as close to the truth as you'll find about boating. And don't let a "great deal" sway your decision. You may come across that great 26' deep V boat that you can see yourself running from tower to tower on for a price that just cannot be beat... but how many days a year are you going to be offshore making those runs? Can you afford the fuel costs? Do you already have the equipment for it?

Or maybe you find that super skinny 18' redfish slayer that drafts 5" and can be poled around all day... there will maybe be a handful of days a year you can take that deeper than 6-8' of water without getting soaked / filling the boat with water.

Can you afford both? Get them. Are you wanting to fish or mix use with family/friends out to the sand bar some days? Where is your main area of fishing? Aucilla? PSJ/MB?

So many questions to guide your path...finder 24 TRS would be a great choices