I have heard good things about Bass Cat Boats and that some believe they are better than Ranger Bass Boats, for less money.  How good are they and why are they better than Ranger (assuming they are)?

I would put basscat up with any bass boat. They are the only family owned business that still makes bass boats in the US. You commonly see father and son answering questions on the basscat forum and bass boat central. They give away really good prizes at the basscat invitational each year in AR like a full rigged boat or a voucher for a new engine etc...



I wouldn't hesitate at all to buy one and have twice in the past. I strayed once and bought a triton, long story short - they wound up buying it back from me plus a nusance fee to avoid a lawsuit. So many of the boat companies now fall under 1 or 2 umbrealls of a larger company now.



Rick Pierce is tops.

Good information, thank you.

I think they literally pionered a lot of stuff you see as common today on other boats. I think they were one of the first to go to an all composite boat with no wood in the transom, any basscat made 2000 or later is all composite. Before they that were the ones leading the charge to kill off the chopper gun boats. They were one of the first to use the method of vacuum bagging the boat. The lay down the fiberglass and pull a vacuum on it, then infuse the resin and it flows across the glass and is vacuumed down. They use less resin to fill the weave of the glass and it's ultra compact/tight. Nowdays a lot of the big names are just moving into it. I think they call it resin infusion as well. I don't know where your at but you can call up the office and they will let you take a tour of the factory in Mt. Home Arkansas.
They also have a youtube channel, basscat boats and they cover all the things they do that a lot of companies don't.





In the last couple of years they have extended the line to some smaller boats down to 17' and up to the Jaguar which is like 21'+ or whatever it is. It's a big freaking boat for someone who has to have it all and likes luxury. I would guess the several varieties of the Pantera are their best seller just looking at the boat ramp. The lakes I fish see a LOT of boats, pro, semi pro and weekend warriors. Lakes like Lake Fork, Toldeo Bend, Sam Raburn, Caddo, etc....Rayburn has a tournament each year that draws 3000+ boats for a 3 day tournament. Fishing tournaments at many of the above lakes it's nothing to have to sit 1-1/2 hours in the boat waiting to launch during a big tournament.



 

When I was fishing tournaments, I loved my Champion, and I also I had the opportunity to ride in a couple Bass Cats, plus one of my friends from Ind. had one that I fished out of most of the time when we got together. They are stable, up on plane almost as fast as my Champion but faster on the top end, well built, all the storage and wells were placed right and fully functional, good instrumentation, and good materials were used for finishing. I would take a Bass Cat over a Ranger, and wouldn't look back.

Thanks guys!

i have one a 2005