Puma STS – One Year Reviews

I’ve never adapted to a new boat as quickly as I did to my new Puma STS. I got the feel very quickly, it corners on rails and is very responsive. So far, I’ve racked up 120 hours on the engine and put it through five tournaments with no issues. We were recently on the James river making 60 mile runs and my boater and cameraman were highly impressed with this ride compared to other brands they rode in that event. My last boat had a wide front deck and the transition to this model was no problem. I have all the room I need up there without having to fight the boat in tight, shallow areas. Very happy with my decision to go with the Puma STS for this season.

I have nothing but good things to say about the new Puma STS.  The performance and ride in all types of water is outstanding, far better than my previous bass boats. I would change nothing with the storage/layout of the boat; however, its allowing me to carry probably too much tackle and gear on tournament days (good thing I didn’t choose the new Jag). The live well is working out great; no lost fish on a 100-degree tournament day. Obviously, I get nothing but complements on the water regarding the style and appearance on the lake.

Other than the small issue with the slam latch catches, which I believe was an installation error, I have had no problems with the boat. I’ve run it in 3 tournaments so far, have 42 hours on the motor, and spent 19 days of fishing it since taking delivery. I have absolutely no regrets selecting the Bass Cat brand and the Puma STS model. Very glad I waited the little extra time for the Mercury 300.

The layout of the storage and battery access compartments are very user friendly and carry plenty of gear while keeping it well organized. The Puma STS is very easy to control in both calm and rough water, not to mention the quick holeshot and top speed. Really liking the new slam latches, especially their low profile. The boat and trailer match up well which helped with both traveling down the road and launching and retraining. The new reflex flooring in the cockpit is a great option.The only thing that I’ve found so far that is a little inconvenient is that the driver seat is so close to the gear selector that it makes it difficult to open the seat.

The Bass Cat Puma STS is an incredible riding boat, that I know will be reliable for years to come. Upon Receiving the boat, you can tell that attention to detail and design went into the thought and build process of this boat. I have used the boat on several occasions now, both pleasure fishing and tournament fishing and the boat has outperformed all of my expectations. To elaborate on this the ride is extremely comfortable/maneuverable at low and mid-range speeds for both myself and my fishing partner. At higher speeds the boat is very stable and smooth providing a great driving experience, where the driver has the power to get the boat on plane and hit higher RPMs without the feeling of safety leaving the vessel. With performance I would rate this boat a 10/10. In terms of fit and finish, the legacy and reputation Bass Cat has built in this department I believe is leading the industry and is one of the reasons I decided to stay in a Bass Cat. The Fit and Finish on this boat is top notch. The Gel work is flawless, the new seats feel more durable than previous models. Also, in terms of finishes on the boat the all fiberglass console is second to none, all fiberglass construction provides me peace of mind that nothing will get sun faded and each gauge is perfectly fit with clear visibility for the driver. Lastly, I would like to touch on fishability. The fishability is superb, ample storage, very steady fishing platform even in rough water. The rod lockers are large enough to accommodate all of my rods plus some and the live wells keep fish properly cared for all day long even the desert heat (temps here are over 110 in the summer). Overall I am very satisfied with all aspects of the Puma STS from the performance and fishability all the way down to the aesthetics of the color matched grab rails. This boat is a head turner and I look forward to fishing from it for the foreseeable future.