Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › Puma FTD vs Cougar FTD vs Jaguar
rufuswags.
Looking to sell or trade my 2008 TR-21 XHP with a 2011 250 Pro XS and a 2010 Bass Cat Sabre with a 150 Opti in this fall/winter. I am an Erie/St Clair tournament fisherman. I have been very happy with my last 2 Tritons on my big water adventures. However, my Dad, who lives in Mountain Home is pushing me to cross over to a Cat. What I need to know is, obviously the Jag is made for big water, but is there a difference in the ride on big water between the Puma and the Cougar? I have been in Skeeters, Rangers, and Tritons on the Great Lakes and I have been in a few boats that like to “eat” waves. I have never been in a Bass Cat on big water. Please give me opinions on each of these boats. I spend almost 6 weeks a year on the Great Lakes and really get into some “stuff”. Last edited by rufuswags on September 18th, 2014, 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Plenty of opinion will be along soon. Thank you for considering a new Bass Cat. BCB
no comparison in the big water ride of the Jaguar vs. any bass boat on the market including a Puma FTD or Cougar FTD. If I spent most of my time fishing one of the Great Lakes, the Jag would be the only boat that I would have. It sounds like you need to visit you dad in Mtn Home and while there go over to the factory and check a Jaguar out.
The puma/cougar to my knowledge is the same hull.the difference is top cap layout.I was fortunate enough to fish with Kevin Short as a coangler in a northern open several years ago out of Sandusky bay.we ran to pelee in the nastiest/roughest water.probably should have cancelled that day,and day two was cancelled.most competitors made it a mile out of the bay,and turned back.we did not,and it took forever to get to pelee,And I have to tell you,his driving was legit,and we only bottomed out a couple times.the main thing I noticed about the puma was its tendency to land tail first,not flat.I owned a skeeter zx200 at the time,and every time I grit my teeth and cringed for what I thought was coming(from my own experience) we would land soft,and just keep going.we were going 20mph faster than I could have gone In my skeeter,granted it was a foot shorter than his puma-but something else I noticed was the sound of the puma when we would smack down.it was solid,it didnt sound like everything broke/cracked and it felt that way also.i have been in every brand on st.clair/Erie,and I have my favorites for sure.i now own a pantera iv,and I fish Erie/st.clair a good bit,and I go out when I probably shouldnt sometimes,but I dont hesitate-I go.i second Phil Addison on the jag.if I could swing one,Id have it.the difference in ride between a 21ftr,and a 20/19 is huge-no matter the brand.that being said,you will not be disappointed in a puma or a cougar.they are solid,fast,and a lot drier than any of the other brands.the best advice I can give you would be to buy a bass cat that has two positions for your butt seat up front,and can move the tm pedal back also.that is priceless on the Great Lakes,and I wish my p4 had the option to do that.i have to drift sometimes when I would rather be drop shotting waypoints-and I cannot.i would also get the longer shaft trolling motor,and a high five prop.i would vote jag first,puma/cougar second based on the layout you like.i would love to take the new caracal to pelee myself,and it might get the nod for number 2!sorry for the long winded response,but I love bass cats,and I love Erie/st.clair.i would gladly post a vid of my p4 on Erie in some rough stuff from a couple weeks back,but I dont know how to post vids.
rufuswags wrote:2010 Bass Cat Sabre with a 250 Opti
Ive never been in a newer Jag or a Cougar. But the Puma FTD is the best riding boat I have ever been in. Ive owned Skeeter and Ranger and its a daylight and dark difference and the Cat has the driest ride. You will be more than happy with any of the 3 choices of Cats you mentioned. But I agree with Phil A., if I was going to be on the Great Lakes most of the time then I would go with the JagLast edited by Mainliner61 on September 18th, 2014, 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Puma and Cougar have the same hull and therefore the same ride. Both handle well and are great on the rough stuff especially those nasty cruiser wakes!! That being said I would probably opt for the Jag on the big water. Can not go wrong with any of the cats. Joe
GRR884 wrote:rufuswags wrote:2010 Bass Cat Sabre with a 250 Opti Thats what I was thinking Gary!!Dan
A Sabre with a 250 ought to haul the mail for sure. We knew what you meant, but it is a thought.Last edited by cef1965 on September 18th, 2014, 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I edited it lol definitely not a 250!!! Anyway, my Dad is retired and lives by the dam on Lake Norfork. I go down and fish the Owners tournament with him when its on Norfork. He owns the Sabre and offered it to me for trade. It only has 70 hours on it and I have put 65 of them on it when I visit lol. He told me the stipulation was that I bought a Cat. I have no problem with that, but there are not many running the tourneys I fish up there and dont know the guys that do run them. I have fished all the Michigan BFLs for 11 years, last years Everstart, and the previous FLW Open out there as well as many of the larger team events that are held on St Clair or the Detroit River/Erie. I have 25 years of experience on the big water. The 21 foot Tritons run very well on that water. They are a very soft ride and handle the waves good. I learned a long time ago that you have to be smart running that water. If you run 40 miles in 5 footers you need a trolling motor, electronics, big motor, etc to fish when you do get there lol. I do not run hard on the big water, but I run smart. My Tritons have held together well, although unlike the Rangers I see, I do get a lot of stress cracks. They are only cosmetic, but I dont like the looks of them. I dont know if I can swing a Jaguar, but with my Dads offer I may be able to swing it. The only way to truly understand how a boat handles out there is to get it out in the stuff. Thanks to everyone for the replies.
© 2026 Bass Cat Boats
