Rough Water. Phoenix Vs Bass Cat STS.

[Mattbassmaster]

First off I know I’m in the Phoenix forum so I will get a little bit of bias input on this but I still wanna hear what you all have to say.
When I’m talking rough water I’m talking along the lines of, Lake Okeechobee, Santee Cooper, Kentucky lake, Rayburn, Places like that with a 20+ mile an hour wind.

What boat are you picking to run the rough stuff? I know I just put Phoenix and didn’t specify any model. I’m not super familiar with all the boats except for probably the 721 Pro XP and the PHX series. I know the PHX is more of a Ranger style, Wider deck, deeper hull, not a speed demon but more of a rough water ride. But if there’s a Phoenix that rides better and rough water than a PHX then y’all go ahead and chime in. (No pun intended 😉)
I am all about speed though. I want something that can run Mid 70’s when the conditions allow.

[davidsa]

regardless of brand, I think that speed and rough water handling are two different objectives. That said, I provide my 2 cents.

bird vs basscat is about layout more than anything else. Some of the layout features of the cat just look strange to me. You might think differently. Build of Cat looks great.

Rough water handling---- phoenix is good. I took a 618 phoenix (the little 18ft model, closer to 19 in reality) over 5 ft rollers on the big O to a spot my son and I had hammered them the prior day. When I got there, I could not make the first cast. I'd fall down. Would I have gotten there in a 21ft model faster- maybe by few minutes. Would I have stood on the front and made a cast??? Likely no.

Only crazy runs across the Big O or KY Lake in 20mph with sustained winds plus gust.

Signed, a Kentucky native who owns property in Okeechobee county

[procraftokie]

If you want to be in the mid 70s and be pushing 21 feet, you probably would want to stay in the 721 zxl or cat sts. The other will be low 70s most likely (depending on setup). But then you trade off a little big water capabilities to get a little more speed and maneuverability. It’s really which do you prefer. Nothing wrong with any of them.

[lineside]

I have a 20 XE it has the PHX Hull The 21 XE is probably even better in rough water, I personally feel the PHX Hull is the best rough water hull on the market. That being said you are not going to set any speed
records with this hull, that is the trade off. The 920 Elite is much faster. Bass Cat Puma STS is also faster, They say soft touch but I still think the PHX hull is better in a good chop. Just my Opinion.

[wvbass87]

The past few years I fished as a co angler in the Toyota series northern division. So I’ve been lucky enough or unlucky depending on how you look at it, to ride in several different boat brands on lake Champlain, St Lawrence River, and Potomac River. I’ve drawn out with multiple Bass cat owners as well as multiple Phoenix owners. I know driver input has a lot to do with it but in my experiences the Phoenix road a lot better than the cats. I drew out with a gentleman on day 3 at St Lawrence River in 2023 that had a 721 and we ran from massena to the oak point area (roughly 50-60 miles one way) and when we got to our first spot I specifically told him that morning run sold me on buying a phoenix for my next boat. We passed damn near every boat in front of us and was the smoothest ride I had ever been in. Ask Haus why so many guys that live on Champlain run 721’s. Phenomenal big water boat and will outrun almost every 20-21 footer.

[WWMIII]

The past few years I fished as a co angler in the Toyota series northern division. So I’ve been lucky enough or unlucky depending on how you look at it, to ride in several different boat brands on lake Champlain, St Lawrence River, and Potomac River. I’ve drawn out with multiple Bass cat owners as well as multiple Phoenix owners. I know driver input has a lot to do with it but in my experiences the Phoenix road a lot better than the cats. I drew out with a gentleman on day 3 at St Lawrence River in 2023 that had a 721 and we ran from massena to the oak point area (roughly 50-60 miles one way) and when we got to our first spot I specifically told him that morning run sold me on buying a phoenix for my next boat. We passed damn near every boat in front of us and was the smoothest ride I had ever been in. Ask Haus why so many guys that live on Champlain run 721’s. Phenomenal big water boat and will outrun almost every 20-21 footer.

I’ve done 7 events as a BPT official on Champlain, St. Clair, among others. I second what this guy said.

[Meleagris1]

I’ve done 7 events as a BPT official on Champlain, St. Clair, among others. I second what this guy said.

Agreed - what initially sold me on the Phoenix was being a marshal on Champlain.

[Jasonrs]

Love my 721, I fish lake huron alot, been in some nasty nasty stuff and it got me back safe each time. Runs mid 70s consistently when able to. My old Champion 202 was slightly better, but the phoenix has more pros than cons for me.

[Phoenix Ed]

I had a 721 and now am in an 819. The721 was amazing on Rayburn and Toledo. Now that I am older and less wise, my 819 is perfect. If the trolling motor is coming out of the water, I'm not going. Now on a couple of occasions I tested the less wiser side, and might have stuffed a couple of waves in the 819. I look at that as a good carpet rinse!