Best bay boat 19-22 ft. Under 50k....need suggestions

Looking for a new bay boat in the 19-22 ft. Range that is quality with at least a 115 on it. New. Any help from experience would be appreciated.

Very first question is where are you going to use it most?
Galveston is a.different need.than south.

Like Pat said where you going to use it. I have 2016 Xpress H20Bay with 115SHO. So far love the boat. I fish Sabine Lake, Sabine Jetties, up to 15 miles into Gulf on very very calm day, Keith Lake, Neches River. I can float in 18 inches of water and with Hydralic Jack plate I can kind of use motor to move me around. I need 28 to 36 inches of water to get it on plane. I picked aluminum as I think in long run it will hold up better in saltwater and not require nearly the amount of cleaning as fiberglass. If I was planning to do all my fishing in Matagorda or Aransas I would probably get a hull design made for shallower running.
To your question in 2016 I got H20Bay with 115SHO, 70lb 24v trolling motor, redfish package (bunch of stainless steel parts), single axle trailer with aluminum rims (no spare) for just under 29K. Yowell's in Waco Texas. I live in Austin but keep boat at my dads in Beaumont Port Arthur area.
Issue do date with boat tilt trim relay went bad.
Upgrades: 6 in Atlas Hydraulic Jack plate about 1800 installed.
I am only on water about every 3 weeks so still very low hours. But I would purchase an Xpress again as it met my price point and so far can not argue with ride or build quality.

Probably around the Port O'Connor area and Port Mansfield. In the bay, and jetties with short runs into the gulf on calm days.

Wellcraft........Strong Deep V Hull ..... CC

Probably around the Port O'Connor area and Port Mansfield. In the bay, and jetties with short runs into the gulf on calm days.

Ok, next questions.
You can run shallow, or you can run smooth. If you want to fish all of the back lakes and marshes, you have to run really shallow. If that's not your thing and you really want to run the jetties then you don't have to concern with shallow.

Other than anchoring up at the jetties, how do you like to fish? Wade? Drift flats? Pole?

What size is your typical crew?

What do you have to pull it with?

Drift flats, 2-4 people. Chevy Silverado V-8.

If this was me and asking the questions: Pat Goff is the man with all the correct answers and he has no agenda and will tell you the whole truth.

I'd be looking at one of the many Tunnel V's on the market, Tran, Majek, Haynie magnum, Pescador.
They'll all get you to the jetties, you'll get into most of the lakes.

I recently purchased an Excel 203 with a 115 Yamaha SHO. I mainly fish Sabine Lake, and plan to fish the jetties and hit the closer rigs offshore. It will handle deeper water on a calm day... but also does well in the shallows. I fished the lower Laguna Madre the majority of my life... and this boat would do well there too. It is .160 aluminum, which is the thickest and best built in its class... I researched excessively before buying. I went with aluminum over glass due to the upkeep. A favorite in the lower Laguna Madre area is Dargel... if you want glass, check them out... if you’re open to aluminum check out Excel.

Many thanks Pat!

I'll look into that Dean. Much Appreciated!

Great thing about looking at boats for Texas bays? There's a Lot of choices
Bad thing? There's a Lot of choices.
We think we want multi function that will do everything we could possibly want. That will end up.getting.you a.rig that actually does nothing well . Every thing on a boat is a compromise your challenge.is to determine what you'll compromise.
Fishing LLM/Mansfield/POC back lakes all demand a true flats rig. Why?
The ability to run shallow enables you to navigate by sight. Dark bottom means you can go, white sand means no
Non tunnel hulls will ground up in dark bottom and you're really limiting the water you.can.cover .

Ride in as many as you can. Hang around the ramp.and.see what's popular. Ask.questions.. Be informed on.your motor choices. And above all else make sure whoever rigs it out is well versed in proper saltwater rigging. A freshwater guy.won't have a clue what's required

Something akin to this is about as all doing as you can find.

https://www.2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=2662705

Lots of good info in this thread. I am looking for similar boat myself. I will use mine primarily for hybrid and striped fishing on inland lakes with occasional trips to coast to fish deeper bays and jetties. Pat how would that Majek work for striped fishing?

Well that rules Ranger Bay boat out.

That's a big boat that'll do what you're asking for just fine.