Rosco Bass Catcher review

TRADITIONALLY people have associated the use of canoes in Australia with the skinny waters west of the Great Divide or in the very upper reaches of coastal creeks.
And while these craft are ideally suited to these waters, refinements in design and construction material means these craft can now be used in a much wider variety of situations.
The Rosco Bass Catcher is one such craft I tested recently.
My first foray with this craft was around nine or 10 years ago with wellknown fishing journalist Warren Steptoe.

Back then I got to have a bit of a play in it as Warren took some photos for his review.
While the traditional shape has been kept, refinements in the upswept and flared bow and upswept keel now make this craft even more suited to a wider variety of conditions.

The higher bow provides a drier ride in the choppy environment of more open waters.
The upswept keel means less drag and a more efficient planing speed, making travelling long distances easier.

Designed as both a single and multi-person craft, the Rosco Bass Catcher comes in a couple of sizes ranging from 4.3 (300) to 4.6m (500) and weighs 32kg and 42kg respectively.
Two seats are standard, but you do have the option for a third one, which can be built in or a removable drop-in style.

With its sleek water line, wide beam (1m for the 500) and high level of stability the Bass Catcher has a massive payload of 450kg.
Incorporate this massive payload with an integral transom that can take either an electric motor or an outboard (up to 4hp) and you have a very capable vessel that can travel long distances with plenty of gear on board.
This makes it perfect for that weekend away in an isolated creek.

However, the team at Rosco has definitely thought outside the square when it comes to the versatility of this craft.
To increase its stability and fishablity, you have the option of single or double outriggers.
And even though I tested it with the 4hp Yamaha and two people on board, the addition of the outriggers made a remarkable difference.
Initially we tried it with just one, but two really gave us the freedom to move around, lean over the side and pretty much do anything we wanted.

The beauty of the outriggers, apart from the added stability, is that they can double as storage areas.
If you were to run a board between the front and rear pole there would be a massive amount of extra space.
Having the outriggers would also make it much easier to fish with a couple of kids on board.
You could spend more time relaxing and enjoying yourself.

This diversity of the Rosco Bass Catcher ensures it ticks plenty of boxes in versatility.
Not only is it an ideal craft to paddle, but put nsome propulsion on the back and you have a craft nthat could take you and plenty of gear to many different places.
In fact I know Troy has taken his offshore and trolled a few lures around the Cape at Fraser Island.

Obviously conditions were pretty good, but it gives you an idea of the diverse areas where it can be used.
And being relatively light, it is easy to carry on top of your car or campervan.
Alternatively you can put it on a trailer, making it even easier and faster to launch and retrieve.

Another feature that makes the Rosco Bass Catcher unique is the capability of sailing it.
That’s right, it is possible to hoist the mast and sail and enjoy the peace and quiet as you skim across the water, with only the wind as your source of power.
To test this we motored out to the leads of the creek with the plan of sailing back.

If you are only going a short distance, and not very fast, you can leave the sail up (which is what we did for this trail).
But as I discovered when we returned you can easily roll the sail onto the mast and strap it to the outriggers so it takes up no space at all, which is a very clever idea.
You may not always be able to use the sail but it does make this an even more versatile craft, which can be used as a serious fishing vessel or a fun boat that the whole family can use and enjoy.
After turning around at the beacon, the wind filled the sail, and even with the small keel for tracking we held a pretty straight line.
The main reason for this was Troy’s use of the paddle which was acting as both rudder and keel.
As a gust of wind filled the sail we picked up speed; not a rocket ship, but faster than I thought it would go.