Jerry Cahalan

When many people think of saltwater angling, they often think of open-ocean fishing from large vessels. They think of 1,000-pound tuna being heaved out of the water by salty skippers. They think of crashing waves rocking massive boats will deep hulls. But not all saltwater fishing is deep-water fishing. Like freshwater, some of the best saltwater fishing is actually done in shallow areas. A shallow water fishing boat is essential for anyone who wants to catch feisty freshwater fish or active saltwater species. With the right vessel, you can be more successful every time you leave the docks.

Let’s take a look at what you should consider when buying one of these crafts and some of the best models that are currently available.

SHALLOW HULL

In order to reach your shallow fishing destination, you need a boat that can cruise over a few feet of water. With a shallow water fishing boat from Scout, you’ll have a vessel that is made for cruising through the shallows while staying steady and smooth. Some crafts sacrifice ride comfort for access to shallow depth, but this is not the case with Scout!

PLENTY OF FISHING FEATURES

Obviously it couldn’t be called a shallow water fishing boat if it doesn’t have the best features for anglers. Your craft should not only be able to reach the shallow honey holes, it should also allow you to fish with enhanced convenience. The vessel should have plenty of rod storage, convenient access to the water, and an aerated live well for your baits and your catch.

Scout’s Best Shallow Water Fishing Boats

175 SPORTFISH

If you are looking for a craft that can reach shallow fishing locations, the 175 Sportfish is your best option. At only 17.5 feet in length, the boat is nimble enough to traverse thin river channels and intertidal rocks. The draft, which measures the depth of the hull, is only 10 inches. With the motor up, you can cruise over areas in as little as a foot of water! If you are considering fishing the flats, the 175 Sportfish is the single best boat you could have.

Don’t let the small size fool you, however. This craft comes loaded to the brim with convenience, including an Igloo 72-quart cooler, a swim platform, and comfortable captain’s chairs.

195 SPORTFISH

If you feel you need a little more space, the 195 Sportfish offers slightly greater size and room for one more person compared to the 175 Sportfish. With a draft of 13 inches, it still has the nimble profile you need for fishing shallow areas.

It comes with all the fishing features that make for an outstanding vessel, and it also has stern jump seats, a leaning back post, and Bay Star hydraulic steering.

Build Your Boat Today!

Use our Build Your Scout feature to create the right craft for all of your fishing adventures.

Bay fishing boats like the Scout 251 XS and 231 XS are highly-functional vessels that allow you to cruise through deeper water while fishing in shallow, tighter areas. In most cases, a bay boat will have a relatively deep hull and provide a smooth, consistent ride across the water. They have a dry ride yet allow anglers to easily access the water and usually have a casting deck for more convenient, accessible fishing. So what should you look for when buying bay fishing boats? You can start by keeping an eye out for these important features…

PLENTY OF ROD STORAGE

When buying bay fishing boats, you’ll want to ensure you have enough storage for all of your rods and reels, as well as your fishing tackle. Fortunately, a Scout bay boat will have all the equipment storage you need. The 231 XS bay boat, for example, has vertical console rod storage, lockable storage boxes, and a total of six flush mount rod holders. These features allow you to do more fishing with the perfect equipment for the fish of your choice.

CAPABLE OF DEEP AND SHALLOW WATER

Bay boats may not be designed for lengthy offshore adventures, but they should be able to handle occasional chop and waves. If you’re considering buying a bay boat, you’ll need to be aware of how it will handle a range of conditions. Bays can have some intense weather, so your boat needs to be able to handle this with smooth, reliable safety. At Scout, all of our hulls are designed specifically to fit the size of your boat, allowing you to maintain a quality ride even in rougher waters. Thanks to a shallow depth, our bay boats can also reach remote fishing areas that are unavailable to larger vessels.

PASSENGER CAPACITY

How many people will be joining you on your bay fishing boat? Is it a large group or one fishing buddy? When buying bay fishing boats, look for one that has the right capacity for your needs. You’ll be much happier with your purchase.

PLANING AND RIDE QUALITY

When a boat accelerates, the front automatically goes upward, limiting visibility while reducing speed and efficiency. A quality bay fishing boat will quickly get to plane, meaning it will level out right away and move forward smoothly. When cruising at higher speeds, you also want a boat that cuts through the water and doesn’t bounce and bump with every wave.

A QUALITY ENGINE

The best hull design in the world won’t matter if you don’t have a quality engine backing it up. Scout bay fishing boats use powerful and reliable Yamaha engines to ensure you have the finest boating experience possible. These engines deliver speed and efficiency, and they are the perfect choice when buying bay fishing boats.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMFORT FEATURES

When you are looking to buy a top-quality bay boat, you’re likely going to want something that has plenty of family-friendly features. Features like a swim platform, wave gate, stain-resistant vinyls, and cell phone chargers make the boat more enjoyable for the entire group.

Buying Bay Fishing Boats? Build Yours Today!

Use our Build Your Scout feature to create the exact bay fishing boat to fit your unique needs.

When you are looking for a world class fishing boat, you can’t get any better than Scout. While other boats will simply get you on the water, our crafts will ensure a superior boating experience. Here are a few reasons Scout Boats blow the competition out of the water.

FINISHED BILGES AND LIDS

The inside of our bilge areas are finished off with smooth fiberglass, creating a visually-pleasing finish and making them easy to clean. The lids are also finished with fiberglass, further enhancing the overall quality of a Scout. This is a small touch that you will only notice when you open the bilge hatch, but it’s one of the many fine details that make our crafts world class fishing boats.

PLUSH SEATING MATERIALS

A world class fishing boat will have premium features that you can see and feel. Perhaps the most obvious example of a Scout’s quality is the vinyl seating material, which is both visually impressive yet rugged and durable. Our vinyl seating resists fading from the sun, staining from food and drink, and damage caused by mold.

HULL DESIGNS FOR EACH SIZE CATEGORY

Many boat designers use the same hull design across their entire lineup, scaling the single hull up or down to fit boats of all sizes. At Scout Boats, we feel this is a mistake, because hull design is not a one-size-fits-all prospect. We recognize that each size category needs a different hull, so we currently utilize three different hull designs to ensure better performance, handling, and efficiency for each of our world class fishing boat models.

FEATURES YOU CAN’T SEE

Sometime the true quality of a product can’t be seen. While features like the hull design and seating materials clearly enhance the boating experience of a Scout, there are many innovations hiding just under the surface. These hidden features include whale board backing plates for holding screws tight and multidirectional fiberglass for a more durable hull. From the drainage system to the watertight tabbing, there are many unseen but important features that make Scout Boats world class!

QUALITY CONTROL

To ensure that only world class fishing boats come out of our manufacturing facility, we implement a meticulous quality control (QC) process. This process includes final inspections from a QC expert who examines the boat for any blemishes or imperfections they can find. If they spot an issue, the boat is given the attention it needs before it is made available for sale.

WORLD CLASS DEALER NETWORK

Part of what makes a vessel a world class fishing boat is the strength of the dealership network. You should seek out a get great boat that meets all of your needs for efficiency and performance, and you should have a simple, enjoyable, and clear buying experience.

We take pride in having one of the best dealer networks in the industry, with several dealers in the boating industry’s top 100 list. We meticulously grade and evaluate our dealers to make sure you are getting a superior buying experience. Only the dealerships that meet our high standards for service are allowed to sell our world class fishing boats.

GET A WORLD CLASS FISHING BOAT FROM SCOUT

Build your Scout boat today for a truly world class experience on the water.

Choosing a properly sized boat might seem like a challenge. There are so many options available today that finding the perfect craft for maneuverability and group comfort can seem daunting. One of the most popular sizes is a 19’ boat. At 19’, a boat can handle shallow and narrow channels while still being able to board larger groups.

Take a look at the 195 Sportfish, one of Scout’s best 19’ boats, as an example. This center console craft has all the fishing features you need for a successful outing, along with the comfort you need for entertaining your group.

19’ Center Console Design for Better Fishing
One of the top features that makes the 195 Sportfish one of our best 19’ boats is the center console design. While other deck layouts have their advantages, having a center console fishing boat allows for complete access to the water from all sides. These boats give you more space to cast and better versatility when it comes time to haul in a large, hard-fighting trophy. The intelligent center console design creates one of our best 19’ boats.

Superior Hull Design Creates Efficiency & Performance
Every top-quality boat needs an excellent hull design. That goes for any vessel from massive battleships to luxury fishing boats. Further amplifying its status as one of our best 19’ boats, Air-Assist design of the 195 Sportfish to creates a smoother, more efficient ride. This three-piece hull decreases the time and effort it takes for the boat to reach a plane and improves handling and ride stability. This is the hull that started the Scout Boats company, and it’s still used today on many of our crafts.

Wide Beam with Narrow Surface Contact
The “beam” is a nautical term for the width of a boat. On the 195 Sportfish, you’ll enjoy a beam of 8’ 6”, which gives you enough space for all of your boating activities. While you might assume that the wide beam would mean a large contact surface with the water, which would cause more drag, the hull design allows for minimal contact space, reducing drag and enhancing efficiency and performance to yet again make this model one of our best 19’ boats.

Wealth of Standard and Available Features
You can pick and choose from the finest features on our best 19’ boats, and all of our boats for that matter. You’ll automatically have luxury appointments like flush-mount rod holders, an aerated bait well, and Bay Star hydraulic steering, plus the option of choosing many available features. This not only includes specific hull colors, but can include trim tabs, troll motor plugs, T-top enclosure, and more.

Comfortable Seating for Seven
This 19’ boat is one of the smaller crafts in our lineup, but it still has room to comfortably seat seven people. You and six of your friends and family members can enjoy a full day of skiing and pleasure boating. You can visit shore side taverns and restaurants or find a beach for swimming and sun bathing. The choice is yours when you take home the 195 Sportfish!

YOUR 195 SPORTFISH IS WAITING

Use our Build Your Scout feature to create the best 19’ boat to match your needs.

Whether you’re looking for a luxurious ride or want one of the best 19’ boats on the water, the 195 Sportfish is sure to please!

If you’ve decided to purchase a luxury boat, congratulations are in order. You’ve made a decision that will enhance your lifestyle, help you bond with family, and give you a hobby that you’ll enjoy for years. Deciding to buy a boat is easy. Deciding on what type of boat, however, is the hard part. When it comes to buying a sport fishing boat, the question is usually a matter of a dual console vs center console boats.

Two types of boats, the dual console and the center console sport fishing boats, are very popular with boaters all over the country. Each has its unique advantages and each can be built to your specific needs. So how can you decide between the two? It all comes down to what you will be doing with your new boat.

Dual Console vs Center Console Boats

ADVANTAGES OF A DUAL CONSOLE BOAT

Most dual console boats are made for lounging, cruising, and relaxing. They often have more room for lounging near the front of the boat, allowing people to lay out and relax in the summer sun. For casual days on the water, a dual console boat offers the comfort and space many boaters desire. Dual console boats also offer better weather protection, as the cockpit covers the entire width of the boat, allowing passengers to find shelter during a rain shower or windy weather.

If you are looking for a versatile boat for pleasure cruising, skiing, and general boating, then a dual console boat will suit your needs.

DISADVANTAGES OF A DUAL CONSOLE BOAT

Dual console boats have a few disadvantages. For starters, they have less room on the deck floor, as more space is needed for seating. They can also be less convenient for fishing.

Dual Console vs Center Console Boats

ADVANTAGES OF A CENTER CONSOLE SPORT FISHING BOAT

Center console sport fishing boats are generally made for one purpose; you guessed it, fishing. With a center console sport fishing boat, an angler has access to all sides of the vessel, so they can cast off the front, back, and sides with ease. This is especially handy if an angler hooks a large fish, as they can work the trophy from front to back with fewer obstructions along the rail. While the cockpit area is smaller, the helm can be bigger (because there’s only one console at the center) allowing for more features, such as controls, convenience, and entertainment equipment.

In most cases, center console sport fishing boats are for dedicated anglers who live in areas that don’t require as much weather protection.

DISADVANTAGES OF A CENTER CONSOLE SPORT FISHING BOAT

Before you buy a center console sport fishing boat, you should be aware of their disadvantages. Unlike a dual console, finding protection from the weather can be more difficult in a center console boat. This is because the cockpits, while canopied, are not usually covered on all sides.

Dual Console vs Center Console Boats: What’s Right For You?

You deserve a high-quality boat that is efficient, enjoyable, and luxurious. You deserve a Scout!

Build your dual console or center console boat today starting from our complete lineup of luxury fishing boats! From bay cruisers to offshore crafts, you’ll find the right vessel for you and your family.

Any boat will get you out on the water and give you a chance to fish. A luxury fishing boat, however, does so much more. With a luxury fishing boat, your angling is enhanced, giving you more chances to have a successful day on the water. You’ll get to a fishing spot quickly, have everything you need for high-performance angling, and spend more time on every outing.

There’s no doubt about it. A luxury fishing boat will enhance your angling, with…

PLENTY OF STORAGE FOR FISHING RODS AND EQUIPMENT

The more rods you have on your boat, the greater your chances of catching fish. With a luxury fishing boat from Scout, you’ll have plenty of rod holders all throughout the boat, allowing you to pack heavy rods for deep sea fishing, light rods for lakes and rivers, and even fly rods for fishing the shallow flats. You can take all of your equipment with you thanks to the spacious, intuitively-designed storage compartments that are found throughout Scout’s luxury fishing boats.

AERATED WELLS FOR STORING BAIT AND YOUR CATCH

Offshore fishing usually calls for live bait, and having active, swimming live bait on the end of your line can make a big difference when attracting predators. To ensure high-quality bait, you need a boat with a bait well that allows you to keep fish healthy. On a luxury fishing boat, the wells are aerated, keeping the water oxygenated and the bait lively. The live wells on our luxury fishing boats are also great for storing your catch while you head back to the docks.

EFFICIENT DESIGN FOR LONGER FISHING ADVENTURES

Thanks to the intelligent hull designs that were crafted by the engineers at Scout, our luxury fishing boats are more efficient, allowing you to get more fishing from every tank of gas. Scout luxury fishing boats cut through the water like a fillet knife through a salmon, reducing drag and keeping you on the water for a longer period of time.

ACCESS TO THE WATER FOR ALL ANGLERS ABOARD

When you have a luxury fishing boat, especially a center console fishing boat, you’ll have better access to the water from all angles. This serves two purposes. First, you can cast to nearly any place on the water, and second, you can reel hard fishing fish from any side, increasing the chance of a successful landing.

COMFORT FOR WHEN YOU NEED A BREAK

Let’s not forget, sometimes even the heartiest of anglers need a break. With a luxury fishing boat, you can sit back and relax, enjoying the fine vinyl material, amenities and intelligent layout that allows you to unwind. Rest up, because when you have a luxury fishing boat, you’re going to spend whole days on the water!

THE 225 XSF: LUXURY FISHING AT ITS FINEST

If you’re in the market for a luxury fishing boat, the Scout 225 XSF is the perfect choice. At 22 feet, 5 inches in length, the boat is large enough to handle offshore chop but sleek enough to reach narrow fishing hotspots. With all the fishing features you need, the 225 XSF is a wonderful craft that’s sure to meet your needs.

BUILD YOUR LUXURY FISHING BOAT TODAY

Use our Build Your Scout feature to create a world-class luxury fishing boat that meets your specific needs.

Whether you are looking for a small boat for cruising intertidal areas or a large boat for offshore fishing, you’ll find it all with Scout Boats!

Scout Boats is a luxury boat manufacturer with a strong history of excellence and innovation. Since its initial founding by Steve Potts in the 1980s, Scout Boats has made continually evolved to keep up with demands and to better serve the boating community. The guiding principle of Scout’s refined, unwavering excellence, however, has remained unchanged. It’s the principle that launched the company, and a principle that still holds solid today.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Like nearly every great business or company, the history of Scout Boats started with the passion and drive of a single person. For us, it was the passion of Steve Potts that launched this luxury boat manufacturer. Steve has been involved in the boat-building industry since he was 14 years old. He worked a wide variety of jobs in the boat-building industry, but with his intense passion for excellent crafts, he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he created his own successful boat brand.

With $50,000 in savings, he created a small manufacturing team and built a new craft, a 14-foot fishing boat that he called the Scout. It was a high-end fishing boat with an extremely meticulous fit and finish. By tailoring the boat to various dealers, he was eventually able to turn his passion into a successful brand and a profitable business.

In 1989, Steve’s small brick building that he used for boat construction was leveled by Hurricane Hugo. Once again, Steve’s drive and passion kicked in, and with the help of his family, he was able to salvage what he could and rebuild at a new location. By the end of 1990, Steve’s luxury boat manufacturing business was back to full strength and getting stronger with each new design.

A HISTORY OF INNOVATIONS

Perhaps the greatest key to Scout’s success has been the unending commitment to innovation. One of the key innovations that Steve implemented is the reverse shoebox hull and deck design. This creative design provides a stronger boat structure. But Steve didn’t stop there. He also removed all wood from the boat, manufacturing luxury fishing boats with rot-free materials, so Scout owners can enjoy a longer-lasting, more reliable craft. Other innovations include the NuV3 hull design, strata-mount engine mounting system, and a patented T-top glass enclosure, among more.

AN EVOLVING COMPANY WITH UNWAVERING PASSION

Scout Boats is a luxury boat manufacturer on the move. As our history shows, we have always been creating new innovations, updating our boat technology, and making sure our vessels are at the very cutting edge of technology. We are constantly reinventing ourselves, but one thing never changes: our commitment to excellence.

This is seen in our styling: every Scout is recognizable on the water, even before you see the Scout logo. This is seen in our materials: Scout uses the finest upholstery fabrics to ensure comfort as well as long-lasting quality. This is seen in our technology: we implement the finest electronics to create convenience, comfort, and luxury on the water.

LUXURY FISHING & BAY BOATS TO MEET YOUR NEEDS

You can have a great boat from one of the world’s leading luxury boat manufacturers.

Contact Scout Boats today, and you’ll be able to find the perfect fishing or bay boat for your needs.

We take pride in building only top-quality boats. As a leader in boat design and construction, Scout Boats has a complete lineup of excellent crafts, including world-class center-console sport fishing boats. While every boat we create is exceptional, we’d like to give you a closer look at a few of our best center-console sport fishing boats.

WHAT MAKES A CENTER-CONSOLE BOAT EXCEPTIONAL?

Before we dive into our best center-console sport fishing boats, let’s take the time to examine why the center-console design is a top choice for fishing boats. Boats with a center console generally have better balance, as the helm is located in the middle of the boat. They often have better visibility as well. For anglers, having the helm at the center, and not along one side, allows for better fishing angles and greater casting and reeling options.

231 XS

Sleek and lean, the 231 XS is a fast yet comfortable center-console fishing boat that is great for bays and lakes. The stepped hull provides a smooth and efficient ride, while the center console makes the boat a top choice for both shallow and deep-water fishing.

Standard features found on the 231 XS include Sea Star Hydraulic steering, Fusion Bluetooth stereo, and a Yeti 45-quart cooler. All of these features and more combine to make one of the best center-console fishing boats available today.

If you want to increase the style, performance, or luxury of your boat, you’ll have plenty of options. You can choose from items like a three-piece Deckadence forward bow pad, LED trim indicator switch, and a fiberglass powerpole bracket mount. You’ll be able to create a truly wonderful fishing experience with this incredible center-console design.

225 XSF

With space for comfortable cruising and all of the features you need for a fishing adventure, the 225 XSF is one of best center-console fishing boats in our lineup. It has forward seating to provide comfort and relaxation for passengers, and the Nu-V3 hull design is excellent for cutting through the chop with minimal bounce.

Standard options alone are enough to make this one of our greatest crafts in our line-up, while opulent features like S.S. recessed side rails, under-gunnel rod storage, and an aerated leaning-post bait well create one of the most luxurious and convenient fishing experiences possible.

Of course, you don’t have to settle for the exceptional standard features when you can fully-customize your 225 XSF center-console boat with dozens of optional features. For example, you can choose your favorite hull color, including classic black, Rascal Blue, Shark Gray, or Aristo Blue. You can also get enhanced plumbing and electrical features like a battery charger or a fresh-water wash down. There are plenty of choices that allow you to enhance one of our best center-console sport fishing boats!

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE CENTER-CONSOLE FISHING BOAT

Visit Scout Boats today to learn more about our full lineup of exceptional fishing boats.

You can even use our Build Your Scout feature to create the perfect vessel for you and your family.

Scout Boats does not use the term “world-class fishing boats” lightly or vaguely. Everything we do, from design to manufacturing to sales, keeps us among the best in the world and promotes a standard of excellence. To prove this point, let’s take a look at five luxury fishing boats from Scout Boats and what makes them world-class.

420 LXF

The 420 LXF (pictured above) is one of the most impressive luxury bay boats in the Scout lineup. At 42-feet in length, this is the ultimate luxury boat for anyone who wants a stunning vessel with countless convenience and comfort features.

What makes the 420 LFX a world-class fishing boat?

The gorgeous design and vast array of luxury appointments make this a world-class boat for the ages. The standard features on this boat are stunning and include a queen bed, LED accent lighting, and a Fusion stereo system.

300 LXF

This 30-foot center console boat is a perfect example of the high level of engineering and design that goes into every Scout Boat. This exceptional craft is great for an evening of fine waterfront dining or an afternoon chasing your favorite trophy fish.

What makes the 300 LFX a world-class fishing boat?

This is the only 30-foot boat in its class that features a console berth down below and an available air conditioning feature. With the optional air conditioning, you can escape the heat without leaving one of the most luxurious boats on the water.

245 DORADO

Scout takes dual-console fishing boats to a higher standard, and no boat displays this better than the 245 Dorado. The dual console layout on the deck provides comfort, seating, and storage, while the hull creates a smooth, efficient ride.

What makes the 245 Dorado a world-class fishing boat?

Scout’s NuV3 hull design, which is used on the 245 Dorado, helps the boat maintain excellent performance, but perhaps the best features on this craft are the interior appointments. Standard features include fully-cushioned bow seating, LED lights, and deluxe back captain’s chairs with arm rests.

210 XSF

With a nimble size yet spacious deck, the 210 XSF is a great luxury fishing boat for intertidal areas, lakes, and even rivers. It will be your best fishing boat for a day of casual cruising or no-nonsense fishing.

What makes the 210 XSF a world-class fishing boat?

There are numerous features that make this boat world class, but one of the features that make it especially exceptional is the large amount of fishing amenities onboard a relatively smaller boat. It may only be 21 feet, but thanks to our meticulous designs, the 210 XSF has nine total rod holders, tackle storage, and an aerated bait well.

177 WINYAH

If you want a world-class luxury fishing boat for your near-shore and shallow-water adventures, the 177 Winyah is a top choice. You’ll be able to target intertidal areas with a small group while still enjoying luxury and convenience.

What makes the 177 Winyah a world-class fishing boat?

It may be small, but with a fantastic hull design, the boat still has a dry, comfortable, and smooth ride, even at high speeds. This model is perfect for anyone who wants a versatile boat that can handle both fishing adventures and cruising to the shoreside restaurant.

TAKE A WORLD-CLASS FISHING BOAT HOME TODAY

Contact Scout Boats to learn more about our world-class fishing boats!

With a full lineup of exceptional luxury fishing boats, we have the right craft for your specific needs.