I met Mr. Pierce a at the bass master classic & again at a boat show. Both times he gracious to both me & my son. He took the time to talk to me at length about Bass Cat boats. I eventually purchased my first boat a used Cougar because I believed in the man behind the boat. And I can say it was an awesome decision and Bass Cat will be the only one for me. I’ll move to a Lynx eventually but I’m a proud member of the Bass Cat cult
I got to talk to Rick at the crappie expo at Branson. I learned more in the 20-30 mins talking to him than the hours and hours of reading stuff online. Awesome man and great company.
Rick Pierce is a stand up guy. If I could buy a new bass boat today, it would probably be a Bass Cat. Always loved those boats. Hope they keep on as independent builders forever. Congrats again on your new boat Mr. Smith. And congrats to Rick Pierce on continuing to build great boats!
Thank you Ken, for meeting w/ a boat disciple. Rare is it we get to hear a man share his life story in the products he loves and builds and the reasons why. It was like drinking from the vial of boat truth!
Ken, now you are starting to understand why BCB has such a strong dedicated following. Rick and his team know how to build great boats, as well as how to tweak their design to continually improve great boats. That is why 27 yrs later you still have a great looking and functioning bassboat or buy a newer one that has some great improvements. Love my BCBs, a 1995 Pantera Classic and a 2018 Cougar FTD.
As an engineer and bass fisherman, I chose the wrong line of work....mil aircraft and weapons are cool, but when you retire, bass fishing is cooler....should have been involved in bass boats 30 years ago. This was a great interview...I have a million questions and of course a ton of ideas that could make these boats better....all boats. Thanks...great information
The best video and interview you have evEr done ken. Rick is an absolute boat genius. This is amazing. I’m sure I will watch this probably 10 times and pick up stuff every time Next Thursday. Come on Ken. Killin me smalls.
What Rick said in the last seconds of the video is some of the best information in this video. Very good and interesting all the way thru but giving your hull time to work before you just start holding the trim wide open is good advice.
Just my opinion, and for the record I own a Triton. Years ago I had a fiberglass issue with my Triton and I went to Cooper Boat Repair in Kalamazoo Michigan. I asked the then owner; "who makes the best fiberglass bass boat on the market" and the owner (Don Stevens) said hands down Bass Cat. He said the issue with BC was they sell out of the back door and many dealers (like D & R ) won't deal with them for that reason, but they are structurally the best bass boats on the market. He mentioned the use of vinyl ester resin being the most resistant to stress cracks. The now extinct magazine; Bass and Walleye Boats magazine toured the BC plant and stated that BC had the cleaned molds of any they have seen. Rick Pierce used to work for Allison which is a "go-fast" and he brought what he learned there to BC. I mean this is as a compliment rather than a knock; Rich Pierce has a tremendous ego and his ego is directed towards having the best bass boat on the market rather than focusing on bottom line.
@@KenSmithFishing Your choice of the Lynx was the exact same choice I would make if I were buying a boat today. And I don't think you can find anyone that will stand behind their product better than Bass Cat! Hope it works out great for you!
Amazing at the hull and performance knowledge he has. I love hearing the small details on how he tweeks a hull to make it perform better. I ready to hear the rest of this interview!
Outstanding video! Dang that guy is sharp when it comes to boats. Could listen to him talk all day about boats! I have always believed that Bass Cat makes one hell of a boat. There just to out of the box for me.
Thanks again for a wonderful informative video. I'm so glad Rick mentioned trim and Jack plate adjustments. I've fished with so many boaters with who take off and just trim before the hull gets a grip on the water.
@@KenSmithFishing Check out Mac McCullough fishing RUclips channel. He is on the BCB staff in California and has some excellant videos while running a Eyra and Lynx.
I’m in the market and this series has been a great help. This interview is interesting and I will stay tuned. I’ve owned about everything out there, but haven’t looked closely at BC. Definitely going to look hard at the Lynx...it’s checking all my boxes. Much appreciated.
Bass cat by far the best built and have been for years. Would love one of their 19 ft boats with a 200 sho. Perfect solo fishing rig and built to give to your kids.
I can't constitute in this buying market, a new boat but I must say that bcb is the finest rig in the boat buying market. I've rode in a pantera 2 with a fishing guide and I was impressed.
So Michael Yoder one of the owners of Jones Trolling Motors has a 8-10 year old Sabre as his second boat, or I think he call's it his "river" boat. I gotta say, if I run across one that's kinda beat up and I can score it for a deal, I'd love to have something smaller like that to bump around in the woods in and also to idle around in when I'm looking to keep hours off my new one, the front deck on that little boat is huge!!!
@@KenSmithFishing I think you'd have a good investment for sure. I've always owned 18 -19 ft boats because I grew up poor. Now I'm used to it and prefer it. Get in creeks and turn around. Between dock. I'm around lake palestine and stumps are kinda a thing here.
This channel is just getting better and better. Seriously interesting info coming out!! Jackplate or lack there off is a firm belief by one of our South Africa boat builder too.
@@KenSmithFishing Anre de Villiers. Great angler too and represent edSouth Africa in the US as our No1 angler which we call Wrangler Angler. He used to build the Rebel Boats in South Africa, Rebel 400, 440, 531. 532. 581 and 582 as well as a Bay Rebel which was a bit of hybrid boat.
Like several other folks on here have already said... Awesome interview! Ken, you need to drop everything else you are doing, move to Arkansas and spend the next year interviewing this man everyday for an hour. Thanks for doing that for us!
If I could only figure out how to get this stuff to cover our bills, maybe someday I can go from 14,000 followers to 800,000 like Scott Martin and go fulltime!
IMO Bass Cat is the best built boat today but I still hate the Triangular live wells. No matter how you explain to me how great these live wells are you’ll never convince me of it.
Now, we're talking. Please, spend all the time Rick will allow picking his brain. Probably no one knows more about this subject than he does. Truly a man that believes in using the BEST components to build the BEST all around bass boats on the market. A true wealth of knowledge about bass boats. Once people learn about everything that goes into the manufacturing and design of a Bass Cat bass boat, I can't understand why anyone would ever consider any other brand. Plus, all the people working there are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet.
Good god. His knowledge of bass boats is almost savant. But still has every capacity to succeed in a Highly competitive business. He’s an Arkansas diamond in the rough. Ken your pretty cool too 😁
Ok, it is obvious from that video why Bass Cats have the cult following they do. That guy knows what he is doing when he is making a boat. Great to hear someone like that talk about the process.
I’d love to have a Lynx with normal square boxes. I’ve crawled through a handful of BassCats and I just can’t wrap my head around the box designs. You can fit 6 in this box with 1 at an angle and 2 and half in that box etc. I can’t do it. That being said, I don’t think there’s another boat company with the openness of BassCat. Fit and finish is excellent and factory support is second to none.
@@KenSmithFishing the style that was like 4 pistons the Rich said put so much stress on the transom. A Ranger dealer in my area was putting a lot of them on boats 30 years ago. Lots of those old Rangers around but haven’t seen one of those plates for years. Clamshell covers and enclosed trailers were a thing too.
“The only issue I have with this interview is, it wasn’t long enough”. I just spent a lot of money on a 10” Bob’s action for my 193 Champion and now it’s got me concerned.
Scott more to come, but I suspect you are correct. So the older Champions were designed for the lighter Optimax motors (have you repowered?). Part of why Champion started increasing their beams was to have more displacement due to bigger motors, weight of power poles and the addition of a third battery when we went to 36v trolling motors. All that said to say Champs always were tail heavy due to the narrower beam, moving the motor back further may compound your problems
My sense from talking to a lot of guys is that the seadeck is less durable than carpet in high traffic areas. One of the metal boat brands is doing that and a guy I know guides out of one, let's just say it doesn't look new.
We do Yamaha also, that brand is just not what most of our consumers choose. They are also in their second recent wave of supply issues. The last one was in 2017, and today their product is again in short supply.
@@rickpierce8090 I guess it’s time to beg the wifey! Haha! Keep up the great work! You are setting a new standard for bass boat manufacturers to aspire to, in order to keep up with BCB!
@@KenSmithFishing cause your old...lol...but your awesome guy...have enjoyed all ur vids getting up to the final choice..., but down deep bet its hard to get that Ranger out of ya....enjoy the cat, I know you will.
Steve Henderson better hurry up and talk to you Rick. Jim Doris Charger bass boats is the other boat your Hybrid Puma champion is out selling. John Story did having a following
Would absolutely love having a Basscat! Just too expensive for me. The Pantera is the perfect boat!
This company is top notch 👌💯
I met Mr. Pierce a at the bass master classic & again at a boat show. Both times he gracious to both me & my son. He took the time to talk to me at length about Bass Cat boats. I eventually purchased my first boat a used Cougar because I believed in the man behind the boat. And I can say it was an awesome decision and Bass Cat will be the only one for me. I’ll move to a Lynx eventually but I’m a proud member of the Bass Cat cult
I'll be at the BCB booth at the Expo on Friday and I hope he is there with me some.
Awesome, Rick knows bass boats. Could listen to him talk for hours.
I got to talk to Rick at the crappie expo at Branson. I learned more in the 20-30 mins talking to him than the hours and hours of reading stuff online.
Awesome man and great company.
He actually talked about how much he liked the Crappie Expo's, said they are great fun
Rick Pierce is a stand up guy. If I could buy a new bass boat today, it would probably be a Bass Cat. Always loved those boats. Hope they keep on as independent builders forever. Congrats again on your new boat Mr. Smith. And congrats to Rick Pierce on continuing to build great boats!
Thanks Tim!
This man is one of the MANY reasons I'm running my 2nd Bass Cat! Awesome video!!!!
Good choice!
Ken this is your best video yet. What a great interview!
Thanks Kenneth
More of Mr. Pierce please sir.
Tomorrow!
Thank you Ken, for meeting w/ a boat disciple. Rare is it we get to hear a man share his life story in the products he loves and builds and the reasons why. It was like drinking from the vial of boat truth!
Thanks John, was a huge pain in the butt....but so glad I did it, learned a ton and really confident that I made the right choice
The guru of bass boats, Rick Pierce....welcome to the club Ken!
Thanks!
Ken.... Awesome interview....... This guy has so much bass boat design knowledge......... I could listen to him all afternoon.... Great stuff.....!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I like Rick Pierce, good talk.
One last part posting tomorrow
This video should be labeled with "Part 1" because it had my interest but ended quick. If you have more video to add to this make a part 2.
David part 2 and 3 now posted
Ken, now you are starting to understand why BCB has such a strong dedicated following. Rick and his team know how to build great boats, as well as how to tweak their design to continually improve great boats. That is why 27 yrs later you still have a great looking and functioning bassboat or buy a newer one that has some great improvements. Love my BCBs, a 1995 Pantera Classic and a 2018 Cougar FTD.
Roger that
As an engineer and bass fisherman, I chose the wrong line of work....mil aircraft and weapons are cool, but when you retire, bass fishing is cooler....should have been involved in bass boats 30 years ago. This was a great interview...I have a million questions and of course a ton of ideas that could make these boats better....all boats. Thanks...great information
Better and more armament????
The best video and interview you have evEr done ken. Rick is an absolute boat genius. This is amazing. I’m sure I will watch this probably 10 times and pick up stuff every time
Next Thursday. Come on Ken. Killin me smalls.
Glad you enjoyed it
A whole series of picking Rick’s brain please. Not sure you’d be able to get another company’s leadership to do a similar video.
Ha-ha! You don't think JM would take time to do that?
I suspect some of the smaller ones would, but none of Rick's peers
I like to hear more from Rick. Guy has a pile of knowledge
We talked more off camera too, he knows so much history of bass boats
What Rick said in the last seconds of the video is some of the best information in this video. Very good and interesting all the way thru but giving your hull time to work before you just start holding the trim wide open is good advice.
Glad you enjoyed it!
More knowledge (relating to bass boats) than most of us will ever obtain.
amazed how small a community the bass boat building world really is
Great interview. I think I could listen to Rick talk about bass boats all day long. More please!,
several more including some in the factory coming
Thanks rick and ken
Thanks for watching!
Just my opinion, and for the record I own a Triton. Years ago I had a fiberglass issue with my Triton and I went to Cooper Boat Repair in Kalamazoo Michigan. I asked the then owner; "who makes the best fiberglass bass boat on the market" and the owner (Don Stevens) said hands down Bass Cat. He said the issue with BC was they sell out of the back door and many dealers (like D & R ) won't deal with them for that reason, but they are structurally the best bass boats on the market. He mentioned the use of vinyl ester resin being the most resistant to stress cracks. The now extinct magazine; Bass and Walleye Boats magazine toured the BC plant and stated that BC had the cleaned molds of any they have seen. Rick Pierce used to work for Allison which is a "go-fast" and he brought what he learned there to BC. I mean this is as a compliment rather than a knock; Rich Pierce has a tremendous ego and his ego is directed towards having the best bass boat on the market rather than focusing on bottom line.
No idea about the first part. but he is truly driven to make the best boat his team can put on the market
@@KenSmithFishing Your choice of the Lynx was the exact same choice I would make if I were buying a boat today. And I don't think you can find anyone that will stand behind their product better than Bass Cat! Hope it works out great for you!
Amazing at the hull and performance knowledge he has. I love hearing the small details on how he tweeks a hull to make it perform better. I ready to hear the rest of this interview!
Couldn't agree more!
Outstanding video! Dang that guy is sharp when it comes to boats. Could listen to him talk all day about boats! I have always believed that Bass Cat makes one hell of a boat. There just to out of the box for me.
Thanks Scott!
What! Next Thursday! I want to hear the rest now!
I've got so much good stuff in the can right now....
Thanks again for a wonderful informative video. I'm so glad Rick mentioned trim and Jack plate adjustments. I've fished with so many boaters with who take off and just trim before the hull gets a grip on the water.
he made me start thinking about how I drive with that comment.
@@KenSmithFishing Check out Mac McCullough fishing RUclips channel. He is on the BCB staff in California and has some excellant videos while running a Eyra and Lynx.
I’m in the market and this series has been a great help. This interview is interesting and I will stay tuned. I’ve owned about everything out there, but haven’t looked closely at BC. Definitely going to look hard at the Lynx...it’s checking all my boxes. Much appreciated.
Great to hear!
If i ever buy a new boat it will likely be a Basscat. Awesome boats
I had a Skeeter with a 150 Black Max and Paralift. I never saw any else with one. Never had any transom issues.
Wonder what that motor weighed vs my 605 lb (dry) 4 Stroke 250 Pro XS?
Bass cat by far the best built and have been for years. Would love one of their 19 ft boats with a 200 sho. Perfect solo fishing rig and built to give to your kids.
I fish solo 90% of the time and love my P2. Not sure I’d move up unless maybe to an Eyra
I can't constitute in this buying market, a new boat but I must say that bcb is the finest rig in the boat buying market. I've rode in a pantera 2 with a fishing guide and I was impressed.
So Michael Yoder one of the owners of Jones Trolling Motors has a 8-10 year old Sabre as his second boat, or I think he call's it his "river" boat. I gotta say, if I run across one that's kinda beat up and I can score it for a deal, I'd love to have something smaller like that to bump around in the woods in and also to idle around in when I'm looking to keep hours off my new one, the front deck on that little boat is huge!!!
@@KenSmithFishing I think you'd have a good investment for sure. I've always owned 18 -19 ft boats because I grew up poor. Now I'm used to it and prefer it. Get in creeks and turn around. Between dock. I'm around lake palestine and stumps are kinda a thing here.
SOOOOO interesting!!! This was "some" great discussion about boats, KEN! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
This channel is just getting better and better. Seriously interesting info coming out!! Jackplate or lack there off is a firm belief by one of our South Africa boat builder too.
ok, gotta know the name of the boat built there Robert?
@@KenSmithFishing Anre de Villiers. Great angler too and represent edSouth Africa in the US as our No1 angler which we call Wrangler Angler. He used to build the Rebel Boats in South Africa, Rebel 400, 440,
531. 532. 581 and 582 as well as a Bay Rebel which was a bit of hybrid boat.
Don’t own a bass cat but I could listen to him drop knowledge all day.
yeah, it's industry stuff, not just BCB's stuff
Like several other folks on here have already said... Awesome interview!
Ken, you need to drop everything else you are doing, move to Arkansas and spend the next year interviewing this man everyday for an hour.
Thanks for doing that for us!
If I could only figure out how to get this stuff to cover our bills, maybe someday I can go from 14,000 followers to 800,000 like Scott Martin and go fulltime!
@@KenSmithFishing you are on your way there. You can’t fill a bucket without that first drop.
Wow outstanding info. Can’t wait for more
More to come!
That was awesome info there. It's amazing listening to someone that sharp about his product vs. things you hear.
agreed
Very interesting!!!!
Glad you think so!
Agree on the trim speed 100%. The slower I trim my boat at WOT the faster it runs. It hooks up better.
I think maybe the same for the jack plate...
Bass cat is in my top 5 but #1 ALLISON .
Ginger or Mary Ann....same thing, we all like something a little different
IMO Bass Cat is the best built boat today but I still hate the Triangular live wells. No matter how you explain to me how great these live wells are you’ll never convince me of it.
I hate those live wells too. I would never buy one because of them
Why do you dislike them so much?
Wow Ken that was rude cutting it off there. Just getting into the meat. Lol . Giving it a thumbs up anyway and will be watching next week.
Literally no good place to stop, but I can't post 3 hour videos!
Now I want a basscat
right?
Hands down BCB is the best. From the owner, the employees, the owners to the boats. I never want another boat.
One of the employees actually recognized me walking through the plant, still so weird to get recognized.
Great information!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video Ken!
Thanks!
You got me a promo code for a new basscat?
Iwishwehadone10
I just got a Basscat Jaguar and I love it
how many horses on the back?
Did you ask Rick Pierce about Darris Allison at Allison Boats? He has talked about Allison for years and the innovations they created.
This is your best video!
Glad you think so!
Wow Ken, this interview had gone from good to great and you cut us off. Grrr. It's going to be a long week.
Sorry, more to come
Ken, this is some crazy, interesting information!!! Great job buddy! Question: I’m 6’7” 300...how’s the leg room for a big guy?
Robert I think you'd be ok, good room in one, if you are in Texas you are welcome to check mine.
Generally, best for room on market. Hot foot would decrease this. I run without one.
It’s my goal / dream to own a Bass Cat one day in the future.
they need like a layaway....
Now, we're talking. Please, spend all the time Rick will allow picking his brain. Probably no one knows more about this subject than he does. Truly a man that believes in using the BEST components to build the BEST all around bass boats on the market. A true wealth of knowledge about bass boats. Once people learn about everything that goes into the manufacturing and design of a Bass Cat bass boat, I can't understand why anyone would ever consider any other brand. Plus, all the people working there are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet.
Arkansan's, gotta love em!
That's why Chargers 4" transom was the only boat that could handle the Para lift or scissor lift
I didn't know that...
@@KenSmithFishing yes I ran the scissor lift on two boats never an issue. Had it on the no deceased 195 Charger hall my favorite by far.
I got to meet Jackson on my plant tour but didn’t get a chance to meet Rick
Jackson's a sharp young guy, you'll see way more of him when we get to the factory tour.
I landed on the Lynx too!
You have it yet?
Good god. His knowledge of bass boats is almost savant. But still has every capacity to succeed in a Highly competitive business. He’s an Arkansas diamond in the rough.
Ken your pretty cool too 😁
Thanks Mr Lizard!
Ok, it is obvious from that video why Bass Cats have the cult following they do. That guy knows what he is doing when he is making a boat. Great to hear someone like that talk about the process.
Agreed Ron
I’d love to have a Lynx with normal square boxes. I’ve crawled through a handful of BassCats and I just can’t wrap my head around the box designs. You can fit 6 in this box with 1 at an angle and 2 and half in that box etc. I can’t do it.
That being said, I don’t think there’s another boat company with the openness of BassCat. Fit and finish is excellent and factory support is second to none.
Dave it is a different look, curious if in 6 months it seems normal to me
I wondered what happened to that plate
Which plate Edward?
@@KenSmithFishing the style that was like 4 pistons the Rich said put so much stress on the transom. A Ranger dealer in my area was putting a lot of them on boats 30 years ago. Lots of those old Rangers around but haven’t seen one of those plates for years. Clamshell covers and enclosed trailers were a thing too.
“The only issue I have with this interview is, it wasn’t long enough”. I just spent a lot of money on a 10” Bob’s action for my 193 Champion and now it’s got me concerned.
Scott more to come, but I suspect you are correct. So the older Champions were designed for the lighter Optimax motors (have you repowered?). Part of why Champion started increasing their beams was to have more displacement due to bigger motors, weight of power poles and the addition of a third battery when we went to 36v trolling motors. All that said to say Champs always were tail heavy due to the narrower beam, moving the motor back further may compound your problems
Interesting
thx
They need to go on out of the box and start running seadek front to back with zero carpet.
My sense from talking to a lot of guys is that the seadeck is less durable than carpet in high traffic areas. One of the metal boat brands is doing that and a guy I know guides out of one, let's just say it doesn't look new.
How do we get a Yamaha on a Basscat?
We do Yamaha also, that brand is just not what most of our consumers choose. They are also in their second recent wave of supply issues. The last one was in 2017, and today their product is again in short supply.
@@rickpierce8090 Suzuki?
@@pelagicprincesses6123 If you want one we do those also.
@@rickpierce8090 I guess it’s time to beg the wifey! Haha! Keep up the great work! You are setting a new standard for bass boat manufacturers to aspire to, in order to keep up with BCB!
I'm still chuckling about your screen name...
This like listening to guys talk about their Lambos and Ferrari's.
And I've been driving a Lincoln Towncar.....
@@KenSmithFishing cause your old...lol...but your awesome guy...have enjoyed all ur vids getting up to the final choice..., but down deep bet its hard to get that Ranger out of ya....enjoy the cat, I know you will.
A Jaguar with a Verado 🤔
I knew he liked that combo which is why I asked
Well crap. Now I’m gonna have to save up for a BassCat.
I used our swear jar money...
@@KenSmithFishing - well I’m off to a good start then!
Steve Henderson better hurry up and talk to you Rick. Jim Doris Charger bass boats is the other boat your Hybrid Puma champion is out selling. John Story did having a following
amazing those old Champion boat prices continue to go up, better than owning cryptocurrency or maybe even Gamestop!
Tall snake 73
ok....
18min is not long enough!
more coming!
Population is 1,129..
Salute..reference for you young'ens