Best Hybrid Bay Boats for Inshore and Offshore Fishing

Center console boats designed to deliver performance in bays and on the ocean.

Bay boats exploded in popularity during the last decade, as many anglers sought to fish the middle zones between blue water and emerald flats. But more and more often bay anglers coveted bluebird days when they could creep offshore. They longed for a do-it-all fishing machine — something that felt more at home in rough seas yet still allowed them to plink around docks and grass flats.

Enter the hybrid bay boat. A few boat manufacturers stretched their models to 25 feet, and then 27 and now, at least one bay boat on the market tapes out at almost 28 feet LOA, and several can be powered by twin outboards. But it’s not just length that sets this breed apart. Some hybrid bay boats offer a full transom while preserving a forward casting deck; some builders have added interior gunwale height, still others have opted for full-height helm enclosures.

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https://www.sportfishingmag.com/story/boats/hybrid-bay-boats-for-inshore-and-offshore-fishing/