So I had a 2004 Cougar that I loved fishing. I fish North Texas and found it stable, smooth and an overall great ride. I ran into some health issues with a family member and had to sell the boat to help them out.
It is all good now and I am looking to get back into a Bass Cat. I am on a somewhat tight budget ($25k and under). I am told Bass Cat was all composite as of 2000 so I’d like to stay 2000 or newer.
My questions are what are the differences in the Bass Cat boats from that Era? (think 2000 – 2005ish). I am most interested in a stable, smooth platform to fish with a good ride. Speed is not a primary concern (as long as it gets up on plane and can run 40-50’s I’m fine, not a tournament guy, I fish for the love).
Am I only looking for a Cougar ? Are there other models in that timeframe that offer a similar ride/experience? I fish some lakes that can get kinda gnarly in North Texas so I suspect a long 19′ or longer boat would be ideal?
Also, I had a 225 Evinrude Etec on mine and it was ok but I have heard stories about them. Is there a motor I should be looking for or looking to avoid?
Any advice would be great. I would love a new boat but that is just not in the cards. There is no way I could afford that.
Thanks a ton…
Doug
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