Finding the best fishing boats for your needs is no small task — even if you limit your search specifically to the best offshore fishing boats, only. Truth be told there are always a number of trade-offs to make with any boat. Design a deeper V in the hull and you may improve ride characteristics, but you’ll likely reduce stability. Make a lighter boat and it’ll be more fuel efficient, but also get tossed around a bit more by the waves. The list goes on and on, and the best offshore fishing boats are those that attain a measure of balance in both critical and peripheral elements.
That said, some features are more important than others and we can boil down the most important to the following main characteristics:
- Hull design
- Deck layout
- Power system
- Fishability
- Comfort
Considering these among the most important attributes an offshore angler is likely to consider, our top contenders for best offshore fishing boats of 2023 (ranked alphabetically) include:
- 2023 Boston Whaler 360 Outrage
- 2023 Caymas 34 CT
- 2023 Dusky 33 Open Fisherman
- 2023 Grady-White Canyon 336
- 2023 Invincible 46 Pilothouse
- 2023 Sea Fox 368 Commander
- 2023 Solace 30 HCS
- 2023 Sportsman open 352
- 2023 Valhalla V-55
- 2023 World Cat 235
Boston Whaler 360 Outrage
For the 2023 model year Boston Whaler introduced its newest offshore center console, the 360 Outrage. This will be the boat of choice for family anglers who enjoy fishing hardcore-style one day, and taking out the kids for more mellow angling the next. It has a full complement of comfort features alongside the fishing goodies, including tons of cushy seating, USB ports in multiple convenient areas, a jamming audio system, and a large berth inside the console. Powered by a pair of Mercury V12 600-hp Verado outboards, the 360 cruises at around 30 mph and tops out in the upper 40s. Fishing-wise it lacks nothing: there’s a 55-gallon transom livewell, 14 flush-mount gunwale rodholders, and a bait prep station plus tackle stowage in the leaning post. Best of all, like all Whalers this is an unsinkable boat built with Boston Whaler’s unique glass-foam-glass sandwich construction. For all the details see our full review, Boston Whaler 360 Outrage: Unsinkable Attitude.
See Boston Whaler 360 Outrage boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Boston Whaler for more information.
Caymas 34 CT
New for 2023, the Caymas 34 CT is the first power catamaran model from this builder and it rides on twin semi-asymmetrical hulls with twin steps and aggressive 50/55-degree entries. Standout features include an immense bow cockpit, a 70-gallon pressurized and lighted livewell (with the option to plumb another 170 gallons between four more compartments), over 30 rodholders, and gobs of integrated tackle stowage in the leaning post. Performance is also a highlight, with cruising speeds in the 40s and a top end of around 60 mph. Hardcore anglers looking to find an offshore-capable cat that isn’t huge but has all the features and performance of one of those massive multimillion-dollar cats will want to check this one out.
See our full review, Caymas 34 Catamaran: Lethal Weapon to get the complete scoop.
See Caymas 34 CT boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Caymas Boats for more information.
Dusky 33 Open Fisherman
Dusky has long offered a 33 foot center console, but for 2023 the 33 Open Fisherman is a very different boat from those of yesteryear. As a rule of thumb Dusky boats are relatively simple, straightforward craft which exclude many of the fancy accouterments found on other boats and as a result, cost significantly less than the competition. This is still true to a degree, but this latest model has highlights like a twin-stepped hull, twin Simrad touchscreen MFDs at the helm, and optional Optimus joystick control. Fishing features are all present and accounted for, with a slew of rodholders ringing the gunwales and sprouting from the leaning post, and an available rocket launcher post in the bow. Added bonus: with a pair of Suzuki DF350APX outboards on the transom, this is a 60-mph rig.
See our full review and video, Dusky 33 Open Fisherman Center Console Boat Review.
See Dusky boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Dusky for more information.
Grady-White Canyon 326
It was a bit surprising when Grady-White introduced the Canyon 326 a few years back, since the builder already had another model very close in size, the 336. However, that boat is just large and heavy enough that it needs a pair of Yamaha F425 outboards or triple engines to perform up to Grady-White’s standards. By shaving off a bit of size and weight, the 326 is able to run quite well with a pair of 4.2-liter Yamaha F300s and comes close to 50-mph at top-end — yet gets 1.6-mpg at a 30-mph cruise. That makes it a superb value for its size in the world of offshore fishing boats and in 2023 it retains its spot on our list of top picks. Plus, as is true of all Grady-Whites, it checks the fishability box and scores high for comfort. The clincher: The 72-gallon fishbox in the transom is literally big enough to climb inside of.
See listings for the Grady-White Canyon 326 on Boat Trader.
Visit the official Grady-White website for more information.
Invincible 46 Pilothouse
Unveiled at the 2022 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for the 2023 model year, the Invincible 46 Pilothouse is a rare beast. It rides on twin-stepped twin hulls and the helm offers full protection, yet the boat maintains 360-degree fishability thanks to side-decks ringing the house. Inside, you’ll find four pedestal seats and U-shaped seating aft, a small galley, plus a forward berth and head compartment. If you intend on running offshore in inclement weather you can do so in complete comfort on this fishing machine. You’ll do it quickly, too. Boasting quadruple Mercury Marine 450R outboards cruising speed pushes 50 and the top-end eclipses the 70-mph mark.
See our full review, Invincible 46 Pilothouse: Dream Big.
See Invincible 46 Pilothouse boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Invincible Boats for more information.
Sea Fox 368 Commander
When you think of 36-foot triple-engine center consoles you probably don’t think of Sea Fox boats. At least, you wouldn’t have a few years ago, because Sea Fox didn’t have any offerings in that range. But now they do, and for 2023 this model is better than ever with a shockingly long list of features that Sea Fox has made standard. In fact, so many items and accessories come stock that the options list is limited mostly to cosmetic items, power choices, and comfort packages. Not only that, but when we got a ride on their 368 Commander we liked what we saw. Serious fishing cred is instantly established with a huge tackle station in the back of the leaning post, a pair of 40-gallon pressurized transom livewells, and an aft-facing hard-top MFD. Comfort gets a boost with an extending aft sunshade and a huge forward console lounger. The clincher: 27 rodholders ring the boat, line the hard top, and grace the transom.
See Sea Fox 368 Commander boats for sale on Boat Trader
Visit Sea Fox for more information.
Solace 30 HCS
For anglers who fish inshore as well as offshore it will be tough to top the Solace 30 HCS, an all-new model for 2023 that redefines what a hybrid bay boat is capable of. That it’s bigger and beefier than other hybrids is obvious, but beyond that this boat is more than capable of fishing the blue water with regularity thanks to deeper than usual cockpits both fore and aft, a full complement of rodholders, a pair of 30-gallon livewells, a rigging station with sink and tackle stowage in the leaning post, and a double berth in the console compartment. Where the Solace really shines, however, is in its construction. The boat is built with epoxy-infused carbon fiber and Innegra, dampening vibration and boosting impact resistance. Top speed is a blistering 63-mph even with a full load of fuel and three people aboard and cruising speeds are in the mid-40s. For more details see our full review, Solace 30 HCS: Going High Tech. This boat tops the charts for the 2023 model year in many ways, and also appears on our list of the Best Center Console Boats of 2023.
See Solace 30 HCS boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Solace Boats for more information.
Sportsman Open 352 Center Console
The Sportsman Open 352 Center Console made our list last year and merits ranking again for 2023. It has that wide-open center console deck layout we anglers love, spiffy performance including a top-end of over 58-mph, and all the fishing features one could want including a pair of pressurized 30-gallon livewells, a 22-inch Garmin MFD and CHIRP transducer, and a pair of macerated in-deck fishboxes. Where we get wowed, however, is when it comes to pricing. Bottom line: not everyone can drop half a mil on a 35-foot center console, and while many competitors run this much, the Sportsman starts at under $400K.
Even more impressive is that piling on features causes the price to build about half as fast as it does with some other boats. The clincher: Comfort is through the roof thanks to a surprisingly large console cabin, which has a berth and dinette, a head, and a huge light-providing side window. And, did we mention how much we love the luxurious forward console lounger?
See Sportsman Open 352 boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit the Sportsman Boats for more information.
Valhalla V-55
What happens when yacht builder Viking decides to build a no-holds-barred center console fishing machine? You get the Valhalla V-41, which was sitting in this spot in 2022. But, what happens when they decide to go bigger and better and create one of the most massive and luxurious center consoles on the face of the planet? You get the 2023 V-55. The console in this boat is so huge it houses a private stateroom forward, a guest stateroom aft, a separate head and shower, and a salon with a galley. On deck the boat seems more like a sportfish than a center console, with a huge cockpit, twin aquarium-style 65-gallon livewells, and a mezzanine seat. It’s easy to argue that this is the hands-down king of the center console world. Check out our full review, Vahalla Boatworks V-55: Apex Predator.
See Valhalla V-55 boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit Valhalla Boatworks for more information.
World Cat 235 CC
The World Cat 235 CC has the honor of being the smallest boat we’d qualify as offshore-capable in this round-up, which gives it a number of big advantages: it costs far less than the other boats we’ve included here, it costs less to run and maintain (a pair of 115-hp outboard give it a cruise of around 26 mph, it gets about 2.9 mpg at that speed, and it can break 40 mph wide-open), it can be fished with a minimal crew, and you can easily trailer it from port to port and launch it wherever you’d like. Fishability is up to snuff with a 30-gallon livewell in the transom, a pair of 150-quart fishboxes, four gunwale holders, and eight rocket launchers on the T-top and leaning post. The clincher: the boat’s diminutive nature should mean comfort levels take a big hit, but the catamaran hull design runs much smoother than almost all monohulls in its class. If you’re unfamiliar with powercats and the differences between them and monohulls, be sure to see our Boat Types and Hulls Guide and our Catamarans Guide.
See World Cat 235 CC boats for sale on Boat Trader.
Visit World Cat for more information.
Are any of these contenders the perfect offshore fishing boat? Which one is the best of the best? That depends on you, your needs, and your financial wherewithal. But we can say one thing for sure: no matter who you are, if you buy any one of these 10 offshore fishing boats your 2023 is about to get a whole lot more exciting.
If one or more of these offshore fishing machines strikes your fancy but you’ve never bought a boat before, check out How to Buy a Boat: The Ultimate Boat Buying Guide.
This article was updated on 5/21/2023.