Bassfan Feedback

• Clayton D. Hale of Tulsa, OK writes:

  Saturday, January 31, 2015

  RE: Boyd opinion – My disagreement falls on the side and behavior of bass fishing's major players, i.e. B.A.S.S. and FLW. While everyone in bass fishing wants to believe that anglers at the top level are truly professionals, that is not always true. On several occasions anglers have, through one avenue or another, qualified for a next-level event through that one great day of fishing. I have heard anglers say that they have to take their shot now because they may never get another chance. My response is always the same: "If you're not going to be good enough to make it again, what makes you think you are going to make it on the trail?"

  I hear weighmasters at the lower levels referring to a boater as a pro when they are just the guy in the front of the boat. My advice to every angler is to not move to the next level until you've won enough at the current level to pay for the move.

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• Steve Bowman of Elkton, MD writes:

  Saturday, January 31, 2015

  RE: Boyd opinion – One of the best articles I have read in a long time. A great perspective on the topic, which I agree with 100 percent. As a former member of the military and Iraq War veteran, I agree with that portion 110 percent! Excellent article.

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• Lewis Ingram of Smiths Station, AL writes:

  Saturday, January 31, 2015

  Regarding Steve Boyd's commentary, very well said.

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• Jon Anderson of St. Michael, MN writes:

  Friday, January 30, 2015

  RE: Martens leaves Megabass – Just another reason to not like Mr. Martens. He clearly has been working on this new project while being sponsored by Megabass. Nice job of going behind their back.

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• David Carter of Greenfield, IN writes:

  Friday, January 30, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Both should sit out 2015.

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• Dave Dieling of Elmhurst, IL writes:

  Friday, January 30, 2015

  RE: Okeechobee Rayovac – Haven't you heard of "income redistribution"? It's the latest trend and apparently has arrived in tournament bass fishing!

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• Tim Brown of Ridge Top, TN writes:

  Friday, January 30, 2015

  RE: Okeechobee Rayovac – For the ones who got a check I'm sure they were happy to get one. At least it helped to reduce the costs somewhat. FLW took in $100,000 for the extra 50 boats in this event. They paid back $75,000. As we know, this is a company and they are in business to make money and use it however they need too.

  FLW could have turned away the extra 50 boaters/co-anglers, ut they opted to increase their take for this tournament. I'm glad to see that they are in it to get folks out fishing and to make a profit and or monies to put towards other events.

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• Quinn Hoyer of Cadiz, KY writes:

  Thursday, January 29, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – This is a small slap on the hand for both anglers. Penalties should have been more severe.

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• Pete Arredondo of Uvalde, TX writes:

  Thursday, January 29, 2015

  RE: Daniels' determination – Good article. And good luck this season, Mark.

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• John Gaulke of Ithaca, NY writes:

  Thursday, January 29, 2015

  I don't think the ros are ever going to give the general public all the "keys to the kingdom." Lure selection, how to work them, general locational strategies - sure, but when I read tournament summaries, the winners, more often than not, are keyed in on something that most of the other pros aren't. They anticipate bass behavior and have an understanding of bass that goes way beyond what most anglers know.

  I'm sure pros occasionally feel that they gave out too much info, but I think most anglers aren't keying in on what they need to. But when I look through a tournament summary, mostly what I notice is a lot of product being pushed and being given way too much credit for the win.

  Locations are now widely available. We all get to find out what the top sections of massive waterways are. This puts everyone ahead of the game before practice starts. But on the other side, maybe by giving up long-known community holes, the astute pros feel that the masses will descend on them, while the savvy pros go and fish elsewhere.

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• Travis Peterson of Bemidji, MN writes:

  Thursday, January 29, 2015

  RE: Balog on technology – Good read, Joe. Anglers are surely making use of technology on and off the water. My 15-year-old son "fishes" for information on YouTube almost daily and has learned about techniques and tips he may not otherwise be exposed to. Online information is quick to access, available at any time, and the information can be sorted through quickly ... vs. waiting for and watching the next fishing TV show to air.

  Another huge factor in the shortened learning curve, in my observation, is the pro/am or pro/co tournament circuit format. Co-anglers not only get a chance to compete for prize money, they get a variety of on-the water tutorials or seminars across the tournament season. In addition to being shown how to catch 'em, they learn where to catch 'em, from productive areas to pinpoint honey-holes. Some are revealed by their "pro" partners, while they observe other "pros" at a distance. This, in my opinion, has increased the number of potential winners as much as anything – especially within state and regional tournament trails where the same bodies of water are visited annually. I've seen observant anglers go from "co" to "pro" pretty quickly.

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• Ed Stiefel of Mahwah, NJ writes:

  Tuesday, January 27, 2015

  RE: Okeechobee Rayovac – I agree it is a joke the way they paid 140 places.

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• Mark Aaron of Gastonia, NC writes:

  Monday, January 26, 2015

  RE: Okeechobee Rayovac – First, 250 boats was ridiculous, but I can deal with that. Second (and this is just my opinion), the payouts should never go below 75th (even for a 200-plus-boat field). At $1,200, they didn't even get their entry fee back ... that's everyone from 41st on down! I'd like to hear FLW's explanation for that? Take the money and fatten up the Top 75 and be done with it!

  The number of entrants should dictate what the payout will be from the top down. I'm all for these guys (and gals) making money, but FLW misallocated $78,000 by paying 65 places too many, in my opinion. Someone finishing 140th making the same amount as 41st makes zero sense!

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• Cody Peals of Rome, GA writes:

  Monday, January 26, 2015

  RE: Tharp's Zoom deal – Randall Tharp is simply one of the best sticks in the world and Zoom lures, which I have won quite a bit of money with myself, are the best soft-plastics on the market!

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• James Conrad of Moneta, VA writes:

  Saturday, January 24, 2015

  Wow, just had to talk about the payout at the FLW Rayovac on the Big O. A 250-boat field, and 140 got checks. Are you kidding me? The guy in 41st place got the same as 140th. Not sure I understand that one at all. How can you have a tournament where more people get checks than don't get checks?

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• Mike Webb of Orange, TX writes:

  Saturday, January 24, 2015

  Concerning Aaron Martens' comments about the Sabine River, it doesn't have to be treacherous. Stay in the middle of all channels and slow down in the narrow, winding areas. Also, I wish more of the Elites would actually fish the Sabine instead of running so far away. There are good bass to be caught in key areas.

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• Beverly Yamamoto of Palestine, TX writes:

  Friday, January 23, 2015

  RE: Biffle's return – So happy to hear things are going better for both of you! No one can understand better than another "tournament wife" the pressures we all go through at times like this!

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• Bob Smith of Dayton, OH writes:

  Friday, January 23, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish should be fined and/or suspended from one tournament! We don't need this crap in pro fishing.

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• Detria Dunning of Richmond, KY writes:

  Friday, January 23, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish should be put out, period. You can never assault another angler. This is not the first time he has been DQd and he needs to be put back and made to start from the bottom. Kyle Fox was put out for a word and this is 100 percent worse than that.

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• Ron Risenhoover of Lufkin, TX writes:

  Friday, January 23, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I am seeing this incident as an opportunity for Anglers with sponsors to see how their actions can reflect on the sport and their reputations. Some people fish for their own glory, but many others fish with their sponsor's reputations as a consideration.

  At this level of competition, if you loose sponsorship because of bad decisions, oftentimes it can be very hard to recover. This might be another wake-up call for people to think twice about how their actions can affect their livelihood, both directly and indirectly.

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• Bobby Colson of Nashville, TN writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  Great news good to see Tommy Biffle back.

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• Timothy F. Farruggio of Long Branch, NJ writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Expect more of the same in future. This incident is indirectly what is ultimately going to ruin this sport, and that is money! From the top down, nobody is excluded. Old school bass fishermen would never behave like this.

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• Terry Bonsell of Fruitland Park, FL writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Just too many boats fishing in a tour. 200? Get real.

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• Steven Bates of El Dorado, AR writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – Am I the only one to notice that there was no real formal apology from Ish? Just "I reacted poorly." That right there is why he needs to be taught a lesson. Dude, you got arrested! At least apologize!

  At least Poche was man enough to issue a public apology to all involved. Sometimes a little bit of remorse goes a long way.

  Hey Ish, get the chip off your shoulder and show some humility! You don't have to like the guy or the outcome but at least show some remorse.

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• Chad Hill of Goreville, IL writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – Ethics and respect have been thrown out the window by many on the local level as well. Getting cut off, run over, etc. to win a few hundred bucks is now commonplace. It's a shame. I have cut back on tournament fishing because of it.

  Call me "old school," that's fine. I was taught on-the-water ethics by an older group of tournament anglers. I find it tough to adjust. Money rules these days. Guys show up to local circuits dressed like B.A.S.S. guys. They spend $400 to win $500. It's nuts. This isn't the last time we'll hear of an episode like this.

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• Corey Gue of Kenova, WV writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  The Elites fishing the Opens deal is a BASS organazation tryout system. They now require all but one guy (B.A.S.S. Nation champ)) to qualify for the Elite Series through these events. As much as the triple-A anglers frown upon this, it's the only safeguard for a professional Elite angler if his performance at the tour level is lacking. It's their only chance of making it back to the Elite field if they fall below the often-changing cut line.

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• Steven Rockweiler of Luling, LA writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – Both men have a history of quick tempers and being hot-headed. But, in reading many accounts of what took place in that lock in that tournament, many boats were hit and damaged. One angler said several engine cowls were busted due to another boat hitting them. I am sure some not-so-nice words were exchanged by others there.

  Only one fisherman decided to get violent there. They were both DQd, as they should have been. But I also blame B.A.S.S. They had a good indication that over half the field was locking. The lock only holds 12 or 13 boats, but they were cramming 16 in there. The lock is on the far southern end of the lake, with high north winds, the waves were rolling across, with no breakwater to stop this. It would have been prudent if B.A.S.S. had stationed an official at that lock to keep things civilized.

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• Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – It's my opinion that Poche may be a poor boat driver, but I do not believe he would intentionally ram Ish's boat in front of the whole field and the lockmaster. That doesn't hold water with me.

  From there, in my opinion, the whole thing is on Ish Monroe. Regardless of who says what, if one competitor jumps in the boat of another competitor, that's going to result in a physical altercation, no doubt. That's on Ish. What's Poche to do but to defend himself in some manner?

  Poche could be rung up for cruddy boat maneuvering and an accident. In my opinion, all the rest is on Ish and was intentional.

  On the flip side, if Poche had complete disregard for others' safety and equipment, and Ish has complete disregard for a competitor's personal space not to be entered into in a threatening manner, then I say perhaps they've each lost a few chips off their shoulders due to this event and can possibly move on with less of an attitude of arrogance.

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• Jann Swaim of Auburn, AL writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – Reap what you sew. Didn't B.A.S.S. encourage this type of behavior about 10 years ago on TV? Didn't several anglers leave B.A.S.S. because B.A.S.S. was asking them to increase the drama for TV? We are all products of our environment and the propaganda it inflicts on us.

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• Dustin Daggett of Twin Lake, MI writes:

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – I think this is an opportunity to find out what matters to B.A.S.S. Are they running tournaments to produce a TV show (i.e. ESPN days), or are they running it like a business.

  I'm a big Ish Monroe fan, but the simple fact is if I (or probably 99 percent of those reading BassFan) get thrown into jail for "sparring" with a co-worker ... well, we all know how that ends up.

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• Andy Williamson of Lake Andes, SD writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – I am wondering if anybody else saw the third round of the Major League Fishing event in Maine that aired in mid-January, 2015, where it appeared and sounded like a bass being landed by Keith Poche bounced and/or landed on the front of the driver's console or deck area. The referee just happened to turn his head at that moment.

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• Bill Cook of Houston, TX writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – An anger management course should be recommended, as this was not the first problem.

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• Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  Randall Tharp has a very good article posted on Bassmaster.com concerning bass pros. When B.A.S.S. was organized in 1968 it was founded on teaching people how to fish and enjoy this sport. The prosarrived later and as they did well in tournaments, Bob Cobb turned them into pros in BassMaster Magazine.

  They were eager to share their bass-catching secrets with other members. They were paired two per boat, both paying the same entry fee and a rule stating they must share the fishing spots and control of the boat. What happened was they quickly became friends and worked out a system where both caught as many bass as they could. These friendships exist today – we never had a problem with this system for over 20 years.

  Then someone invented co-anglers and marshals and things changed. The pro entry fee went up as the co- and marshal were paying much less. They were also told to stay in the back and not fish ahead of the pro or not fish at all – just watch the pro and report anything he does wrong. This system helped create the situation we have today. The pro paid more and was always in control, so his ego got larger, he had to have a wrapped boat so when anyone saw it they knew he was a pro.

  We always had a "50-yard rule" that stated if you dropped an anchor you controlled a 50-yard circle around your boat and no other contestant could fish it as long as you were anchored. That rule is now gone and we see cuss fights over who owns what. The Toho scuffle could have been much worse and B.A.S.S. should take a long look at changing some rules. They should also take a long look at co-anglers and marshals who are not adding anything to this sport.

  Years ago someone sent me the definition of a pro. It still say's a lot: A pro is a rookie who, day by day, learns more and more about less and less until, finally, he knows everything about nothing.

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• Dennis Pentecost of Milford,IL. writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  RE: Hibdons' sponsorship woes – Very sad about the Hibdons. Please remember, bass fishermen, you have the power at your fingertips. Several years ago when Daiwa dropped Denny Brauer I made a vow not to purchase their products anymore.I am sure they have made it without me, but I feel better for not buying their products.

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• Tommy Rice of Dayton, OH writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Too late ... the sport already has a black eye and left a terrible taste in my mouth when I used to fish tournaments. All tournaments should be eliminated! Get back to fun fishing!

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• John A. Argese of Sayreville, NJ writes:

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

  RE: Monroe-Poche incident – I'm surprised anyone was able to type a comment with their skirts in a twist. You hit the lake. You catch your fish. You weigh in. You go behind the barn and settle it like men. You shake and hit the next tournament.

  Like a bunch old hens.

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• Larry Adams of Beloit, WI writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I am surprised there was no reported video or audio of the incident. With so many witnesses, why are there such differing accounts? More than one person is not telling the truth here. Plenty of blame and shame to go around.

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• Paul W. Converse of Lake Placid, FL writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – This getting through the locks first situation is akin to shopping on Black Friday. Maybe a written procedure for passing through the locks would remind the fishermen of the curtesy that is demanded by Bassmasters. One of the traits that define a pro is his or her overall behavior.

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• John Freund of Huntsville, AL writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Why is it a black on the sport? I think two "athletes" lost their cool and went at it. Big deal. Grow some cojones, people, including Poche. Good for the sport – the "sport" needs some pick-me-up to be really true and show what really happens out on the water.

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• Bill Cook of Houston, TX writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – He should have offered to pay for any damages and shown that he has insurance for these type of accidents. Usually when someone offers payment for a mistake, it quiets the opposition.

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• Quintin Thompson of Harvest, AL writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – DQd from the next event is enough. Put both of them on probation for the next tournament, then move on. There is no need to keep this going; have a press conference with both of them, show them shaking hands and close the book.

  Too many sports keep the negative issues on the front page rather than the positive.

  Regardless of your livelihood, we are all human and prone to make mistakes.

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• Don Joyce of Elon, NC writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I don't know much about Poche. From the printed accounts it sounds like both acted like spoiled kids. Entering another man's boat is a whole new issue and goes beyond an on-the-water squabble. Maybe a suspension, loss of sponsorship including their boats, gear and loss of Elite eligibility would help them regain perspective.

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• Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – This one incident involved the following B.A.S.S. Open rules:

  Rule 1--Boat insurance, which should have settled it quickly.
  Rule 2--Code of conduct.
  Rule 3--Report violations immediately.
  Rule 6--Sportsmanship.
  Rule 14- Must remain in boat.

  B.A.S.S. should consider the damage this has done to the sport of professional bass fishing and take some quick, strong action. A strong set of rules applied equally to all members was what B.A.S.S. was founded on. Don't let this slip away.

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• Mark Allard of Sioux City, IA writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Give them the DQ. Maybe one or two events.

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• Tim Brown of Ridgetop, TN writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  Poche v. Monroe, blah blah blah, whatever! I feel for the co-angler who got left on the bank after paying all that money for the entry fee, travel and gas to get there. What is B.A.S.S. doing for the co-angler? Maybe B.A.S.S should suspend both Monroe and Poche for a couple of events?

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• Gilbert Graham of Louisville, TN writes:

  Tuesday, January 20, 2015

  Exactly what did Mr. Monroe get DQ'd that took away anything? His catch was allowed so he finished where he finished and got a check. These actions had nothing to do with knocking him out of the next day of fishing. I thought if you were DQ'd, you were DQ'd.

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• Ronald Fithen Sr. of Rayland, OH writes:

  Monday, January 19, 2015

  RE: Botha, Prvonozac back with FLW – I am glad both anglers were reinstated to the Tour. Nick has worked his butt off to get where he is. Good luck, Nick, from a friend in Ohio.
  .

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• Jerrick Covert of Benton, AR writes:

  Monday, January 19, 2015

  RE: Lower fuel prices – Yes, I will fishing a lot more with gas prices down!

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• Steve Jarrett of Valrico, FL writes:

  Monday, January 19, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish was the agressor when he boarded Keith's boat. He should be DQd and not receive a check or points.

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• Bob Slaton of Marietta, GA writes:

  Monday, January 19, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish, where is your apology to KP? It doesn't matter what KP said or did ... you went onto his boat and that is what escalated the situation. If you were just man enough (intead of acting like a child), you could have resolved any damage issues after the tournament. Accidents happen! I'm not taking sides, however, I did see where KP apologized to his sponsors, fans, family and most importantly to you! Enough said!

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• Scott Kamien of Orlando, FL writes:

  Monday, January 19, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – There is no room for this in bass fishing. Monroe was clearly the aggressor, as many witnesses have confirmed. He needs to be banned from all tournaments and dropped from all sponsorships.

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• Aaron Lee Jakub of Lincoln, NE writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident –If this "bumping" or whatever it's getting called was so bad, Ish should have called the tournament director immediately and reported it. Then none of this would have happened. All competitors are required to report rules violations and risk DQ themselves if they don't. Apparently Keith violated some rule for hitting Ish's boat so bad that it escalated to the point it did. If Ish or any one of the witnesses would have reported it, none of this would have happened. I'd like to know how many people called Chris Bowes informing him of what they saw vs. Chris Bowes having to hunt down witnesses. Anyone who didn't report this could have been DQd as well.

  Ish could have, should have and I'll be willing to bet wished he'd called Chris as soon as Keith hit him. They are both to blame, both at fault to varying degrees, and both will have to face varying degrees of consequences as well. People usually learn this stuff a lot younger in life, when the potential cost is a lot less when the mistake is made.

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• Chris Pope of Pensacola, FL writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Football, baseball, hockey, NASCAR, soccer, etc. ... boys will be boys. Tempers flare. The anglers at this level are super-driven and most are what I would call "high octane." Even the anglers at the club level will provide you with a whooping if necessary when anyone crosses the line.

  Everyone knows nobody is going to purposely ram another competitor's boat. Not only would it damage the competitor's boat, but also their own boat. They are called accidents for a reason.

  Leaving your boat during tournaments is frowned upon and will get you a DQ just for that alone. Leaving your boat to board another man's boat is the line that should not be crossed. That will get you a DQ and the whooping. These types of situations have been taking place ever since we combined boats, motors, and testosterone.

  I'm a life member of B.A.S.S. and I have fished my share of tournaments. Everyone must follow all rules. B.A.S.S. acted properly for the DQ on both anglers.

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• Terry L. Corum of Liberty, MO writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I am a tournament fisherman also. I feel that on the water is no place to settle anything like this! If you have a problem when you get on shore. file a complaint or talk to the person. Then if you can't control your temper maybe. Mr. Monroe, you need to be made to sit out a season and think about what you have done.

  You don't go on the water carrying chips on your shoulder or outside problems! Please don't make the rest of us bass fishermen look bad because you can't control your temper. Also, don't let other people think that all us bass fisherman would hurt or drown someone. Not all of us act in such a childish manner. Please grow up and act like a man!

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• Joe Westmoreland of Greensboro, NC writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Kick him out. This I not NASCAR. If I was Keith I would press charges. What if it was a kid?

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• George A Foster III of Pineville, LA writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I do not see why Poche was DQd when all he did was bump Monroe's boat. After reading Monroe's comments I got no feeling of real remorse over the his actions other than concern over his sponsor commitments. I think he should be banned from B.A.S.S. for at least a year, if not forever.

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• Tim Cody of Birmingham, AL writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Maybe I haven't heard the whole story but based on what I've read, I'm not sure why both were DQd. Clearly Pooche maybe a mistake and apologized. Ish is the one who chose to take it to another level by entering another competitor's boat.

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• Glenn Engel of Gaithersburg, MD writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – It takes a real man to admit his faults in a public forum such as this and I want to say thank you to Ish Monroe for stepping forward. You, my friend, still have my full support and I wish you luck in the future.

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• S.L. Arnold of Princeton, WV writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Poche is a spoiled brat. He shouldn't have pressed charges. Be a man, settle it between yourself and Monroe by yourself!

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• Kenny Hemmen of St. Louis, MO writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Hard to hide from your true colors. Sad, sad, sad. In today's world you are crazy to physically confront anyone as they can pull a gun and shoot you – self-defense is still
  a solid defense in many areas of the country.

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• Peter Cammarata of Lake Hopatcong, NJ writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish, we all stumble and our competitive nature has gotten the best of us all. For anyone to say they haven't is kidding themselves. As a fan of the sport and competitor I want to thank you for your apology and I accept. Sometimes things just get out of hand and your apology shows how classy you are. I hope that B.A.S.S realizes that and that you are a great ambassador to the sport. Fish on, Ish!

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• Randy J. Trout of Virginia Beach, VA writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Ish, it was just a bump in the road. Things happen and you can overcome this. Hold your head high and continue to be the professional bass angler that you are. Good luck and keep a tight line.

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• Shane Houck of Maryville, TN writes:

  Sunday, January 18, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – That was a good statement, Ish. I still think you are a great angler.

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• Scott Garrison of Torrington, CT writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – This is a great sport, not somewhere to be having hand-to-hand combat. I can understand being upset with someone for not paying attention and ramming into your $80,000 boat, but there shoud not be a physical altercation.

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• Hugh Crumpler III of Palm Bay, FL writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – It is against the rules to leave your boat except in the case of an emergency. B.A.S.S. should have disqualified Ish for getting out of his boat.

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• Karl Ricketts of Deltona, FL writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Good move by B.A.S.S. No room in this sport for this kind of action. I also believe that they owe their co-anglers their entry money back.

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• Bryan Poe of Austin, TX writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I hope the charges get dropped. This is professional sports and adrenaline is high during competition. I hope it never happens because of risk of serious head injuries, but this is not criminal behavior.

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• Tom Davis of Paris, TN writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – "This whole ordeal is a big black eye on the sport."

  Sport? This is no sport. If it were the law would never have been called.

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• William Lunsford of Texarkana, TX writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – When all is sorted out, the instigator needs 1-year suspension for violation of sportsmanship rules, which used to be a priority among the pros. Not so anymore. Equally guilty? Split the year's suspension between them. The black eye we've already received doesn't go away in 2 weeks like a bodily one does.

  I'm sick of all this egotistical "it's all about me" crap. It's about all the rest of us too who fish and whose dollars spent patronizing their sponsors pay their salaries. It's time to reverse the tides and make everyone realize fishing, especially competitively, is a privilege and not their "right," regardless of talent!

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• Clint McCance of Greers Ferry, AR writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Schemed steps aside – Ray Scheide is a class act all the way. One of the friendliest guys I've ever met on the water. Wish you all the best, Ray!

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• Thomas Burks of Avon, IN writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I am an avid fisherman, fishing lots of tournaments, including national B.A.S.S. and FLW events. Our sport has no place for this. Both anglers should be disqualified and put on a 3-year probation. Nip it now.

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• Hugh Crumpler III of Palm Bay, FL writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – A boat is just like a car. If you are stopped and someone under power (does not matter how much) hits you, it is their fault. But at no time is it authorized for either person to get physical. So one is at fault for hitting the boat and one has road rage. Both should have gotten a ticket – one for hitting the other's boat and one for road rage.

  My boat was struck in a lock on the Missippi River, doing thousands of dollars of damage. Yes, I was upset, however, neither of us struck each other. We just got insurance information at weigh-in and went about our business.

  "Professional" has a meaning and it does not just mean fishing for money.

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• Scott Strong of Layton, UT writes:

  Saturday, January 17, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – That's not the Ish I know.

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• Ken Bragg of Fayetteville, WV writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – There should be a penalty period. We do not need this crap in bass fishing. If Ish in fact entered Keith's boat and started a fight then he should be banned for the entire season. You can deal with the boat damage legally without physical violence. Both should be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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• Debra Prater of Cookeville, TN writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – I don't know any details of this incident but am very disappointed in the actions of both of these fishermen. I know tempers flare and things are said but when it gets to the point of arrests being made it is crazy. My husband and I are avid fans of this sport and many times over the last couple of years have been asked why do you follow fishing. Our first answer is, of course, because we love fishing, and the other reason is the respect that the fishermen have for each other, the way they treat their fans, and that they don't act like a bunch of thugs. And then this happens.

  I like and have met both of these fishermen and all I can say is I have lost some respect for both. I know that B.A.S.S. will handle the situation correctly. I am just very disappointed in their behavior.

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• Hal McCullough of Pell City, AL writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – Monroe and I are friends and I am stunned. Both of these guys need to be penalized for the schoolboy-type actions. This casts a very dim light on the sport.

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• Tom Tanner of Jonestown, PA writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Monroe/Poche incident – We all know that tempers can flare in any type of competition. Having said that, fishing is one of the last sports where the players show dignity and respect for one another, and that makes it more attractive to a lot of people.

  Please don't let fishing turn into another clown show like most other sports have become. Hopefully, B.A.S.S. will act quickly to get to the bottom of this and decide on the appropriate course of action. I don't know either man, but I'm sure they both regret this unfortunate incident.

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• Mark Howard of Mesquite, TX writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Scheide steps aside – I just wanted to say that you are a first-class angler and that you will be missed on Tour in 2015. I enjoyed and learned a great deal in our one day together at the FLW Tour Pickwick event in 2014. Wishing you all of the success that your family deserves and look forward to crossing paths with you somewhere in the future.

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• Pat Leach of The Colony, TX writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Eaker is back – Great news. Best of luck, Guy and Pat.

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• Mike Kostial of Yantis, TX writes:

  Friday, January 16, 2015

  RE: Big day in California – Awesome job, Chip. Fish big or go home! I am now hunting the big hawgs here on Lake Fork. Catch that 20-plus!

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• Alex Voog of Colchester, CT writes:

  Thursday, January 15, 2015

  RE: Balog on books – You forgot "Double Whammy" by Carl Hiaasen.

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• Steve Colvin of Huntsville, AL writes:

  Thursday, January 15, 2015

  I can remember when B.A.S.S. changed the Classic from a summer event to a February event. The logic was to be more like NASCAR and have the first event be the biggest, ie, Daytona. But after several years of these frigid events, I am kind of tired of them. Watching the pros bundle up in layers of clothes and try to get a bass to bite in 42-degree water is only interesting for a while. And just as some pros excel on summer patterns, some pros excel on winter patterns and will do well in every February event event.

  I vote for an alternating Classic that rotates over the years. This year it's February, next year it's March, the following year it's April, etc. This would be much more entertaining and would showcase different techniques. I guess for now though, I will have to watch jerkbait and jig fishing all over again.

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• Dustin Daggett of Twin Lake, MI writes:

  Thursday, January 15, 2015

  RE: Balog on books – Must be a Michigan thing ... a week ago I read Bass Wars and started reading Diary of a Bass Pro last night. Dust them off every few years and they never get old!

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• Zach Maisch of Lima, OH writes:

  Thursday, January 15, 2015

  RE: Balog on books – I recently had a good friend give me a copy of Bass Wars that he found at a book sale. I read it in one weekend and agree it is the best book you will find about tournament bass fishing.

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• Chuck Kavros of Grass Valley, CA writes:

  Wednesday, January 14, 2015

  RE: Stewart's surge – To witness firsthand the accomplishments Kevin has made over the past season was truly remarkable. As his traveling partner, I experienced the true power we all possess when we are willing to accept change. Congratulations on a fantastic turnaround on the last three Tour events, but more importantly for the remaining tournaments that finished out 2014.

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• Mike Boyles of Kimberling City, MO writes:

  Tuesday, January 13, 2015

  RE: Classic exemptions – Yes, definitely! Self-promotion and sponsor obligations other than fishing for the next season take an angler almost out of competition, so an exemption would help someone's career. It is also respectful.

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• Buddy Long of Hershey, PA writes:

  Tuesday, January 13, 2015

  I am fortunate enough to work for one of the largest fishing retailers in the country. I love watching MLF and so do my co-workers and customers. It's becoming so popular. We talk about it a lot and really like the format. It's exciting for us to watch and we look forward to every program when it comes on. Heck, even the wife watches it with me, and that says a lot about how exciting a fishing show can be!

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• David Kiefer of Brandon, FL writes:

  Monday, January 12, 2015

  RE: Ponds' decision – Good for Pete. He is a great angler who had to make a tough choice. Both tours are great venues and I'm glad to see that with some turnover the past few years on the FLW Tour that they are getting some quality anglers and different faces to commit to the Tour. It's going to be great season this year. Good luck, Pete.

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• Steve Kirby of Columbus, OH writes:

  Sunday, January 11, 2015

  Several articles have alluded to bird watching as the pinnacle of outdoor sports. It's not. It's all in the numbers and how they're arrived at.

  It's a fairly straightforward process when tabulating hunting and fishing numbers as they are "hard" stats and not based on anecdotal figures. Conversely, when it comes to "soft" numbers associated with birding, simply put, it's anyone's guess. The National Audubon Society, along with several other organizations, use various methods in determining "their" numbers. Sales of all binoculars and somehow "optics" (of all types) are included in the numbers crunched by these organizations. Furthermore, open-ended questions during surveys do not distinguish the difference between someone who makes it an avocation to "watch birds" and those who "enjoy" looking at birds (read folks who look out their window and enjoy looking at birds).

  What the reader should keep in mind is the fact that one must weigh all facets and not compare apples to oranges, i.e., hard, fact-based numbers and anecdotal soft numbers.

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• Errol Duckett of Charlotte, NC writes:

  Sunday, January 11, 2015

  We as fishermen, generally have an overwhelming passion for the sport. Whether you fish recreationally or on one of the pro tours, our passion for the game is what we all have in common. Because of that, we've been more than willing to fish for our own money all of these years. Other than a few fortunate anglers, it's hard to make a good living doing what we all crave because there are just not enough dollars in the sport. The only way to make it more lucrative for all of us is television, plain and simple.

  The advertising dollars in TV dwarf all other revenue combined. TV programing that covers our sport only has about 350,000 viewers per week. With all of the great fishing programs that are out there, that number hasn't changed in decades and until we're able to capture more viewers, revenues just won't change.

  That's the beauty of Major League Fishing. It's purely a made-for-TV program that's fascinating to watch, not only to the avid fishermen, but more importantly, to the general sporting public. If MLF can bring in just 700,000 to 800,000 viewers, that will double the amount of people watching on a weekly basis and double the amount of money advertisers are willing to spend on our sport. That's not only good for MLF, but great for the industry itself.

  If we can capture more viewers that get hooked on fishing programs, that truly is good for every one of us. Finally, when that next college kid gets out of school, he can actually consider a career in fishing and not be looked at by the general public as crazy.

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• James Russell Hosick of Smithland, KY writes:

  Saturday, January 10, 2015

  Pro bass fishing is about the money. The money comes from fans through the sponsor. Watching a person fish and not catch fish is boring.

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• Mark Melega of Rices Landing, PA writes:

  Friday, January 9, 2015

  RE: Ike Foundation – Ike is doing a "good" thing with the city kids and helping them learn to fish. Last week on MLF he did a "bad" thing (unsportsmanlike) by following the leaders and fishing their areas or stealing their patterns. In Philadelphia he did a "good" thing by winning the B.A.S.S. event and showing the city folks how great fishing is. Last season he did a "bad" thing by driving his boat recklessly in a small creek in Texas and almost killing himself and his cameraman when he drove them 20 feet into the woods.

  This "good" and "bad" pattern is the strongest pattern that Mike has been on in a long time. I'm an Ike fan at times, other times I'm not. Does this mean I have a dual personality?

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• Doug Topken of Allendale, NJ writes:

  Friday, January 9, 2015

  RE: Ike Foundation – This is huge. Ike and Becky you are great people for doing this.

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• Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

  Thursday, January 8, 2015

  RE: Balog's comments on TV Fishing shows – Another interesting article by Joe as he points out some of the direction that we are heading with TV fishing. Here's something that we need to be concerned with: All the ball sports seems to capture the attention of TV viewers, with the debate still going on over which is best. Most polls give it to football over baseball, basketball and golf. A small percentage of the TV viewers have ever played these sports, but they are entertained by the pros who play them on TV. The ball sports are played on private facilities and the fans pay to watch them play.

  This is not the case with TV fishing shows. They are filmed on stated-owned and controlled fishing waters. These waters are stocked and controlled with strict rules and laws and are for the benefit of the public. This is all controlled by state money on state-controlled property.

  What the TV fishing show producers are doing is using a state-owned facility and stocked fish to make a profit from a TV show. They have no investment in the waters or fish, but the state has. and it was done for the public, not a privately owned company. These state agencies are aware that these TV shows are operating in and on their property with no investment.

  Some may argue that commercial fishermen are doing the same, but they are controlled and paying a license fee to the states to harvest and sell their fish, so the states get a return. TV show producers are not doing this.

  When Ray Scott organized B.A.S.S. in 1968, he published a list of eight purposes in the first issue of Bassmaster magazine. The first seven were how he planned to advance the sport of bass fishing, the last one was about tournaments. During his years at B.A.S.S., Ray was always involved with the state agencies helping to advance and improve the sport. That's not happening today.

  Where are we heading ? Is TV fishing going to destroy this sport for the benefit of a few?

  Joe closes with the following statement: "To finally capture the attention of what we feel is America's favorite pastime." If you read the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service you will see they list hunters at 13.7 million, anglers at 33.1 million and wildlife watchers at 71.8 million.

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• Randy Blaukat of Joplin, MO writes:

  Thursday, January 8, 2015

  While the format of MLF provides a fresh approach to tournament fishing, the inherent problem with MLF is the fact there is no qualifying criteria. Ultimately, while the show my contain some entertainment and instructional value, the potential credibility of the show is undermined by the fact that the MLF anglers are selected or offered entry by non-transparent means. If they went to a qualifying format, and listed how each angler earned their spot, then divided the anglers equally among FLW and B.A.S.S. anglers, the entire energy and reputation of the show would vastly improve.

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• Skip Bennett of Texico, Il writes:

  Thursday, January 8, 2015

  I personally like watching MLF. It's a ton more exciting than a live weigh-in that takes several hours to conclude (unless they are giving away free food and beer). Even the pros take off as soon as they are done.

  The average person's attention span is 45 minutes, so the circuits should quit having anglers cross the main stage with four or fewer fish unless they are all giants. Anglers who have less than a decent stringer should go back stage to another weigh-in so not to bore the fans with their valuable one, two or three keepers for points. I understand they want to thank their sponsors, but come on, if you they have a poor day, don't bore the crowd. We want to see only the top guys, not the losers of the day. It actually discredits their sponsors. MLF doesn't focus a lot of attention on the last-place guys.

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• Robert Allen of Calhoun, GA writes:

  Wednesday, January 7, 2015

  Fish conservation needs to be the top priority for all tournament organizations and Boyd Duckett has revolutionized the sport, in my opinion, with Major League Fishing. This format could be made compatible with the existing structure fairly easily.

  Here's what I would propose:

  1) Have the MLF weigh and immediate release format for the first two days of the event. B.A.S.S. or FLW could provide live web-streaming of the event on these days.

  2) On Saturday and Sunday, have the regular weigh-ins so sponsors can set up their expos and fans can have a show. The first two days of an event are the most sparsely visited anyway.

  This format would greatly help with fish mortality and keep both sponsors and fans happy.

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• Jeff Coble of Manson, NC writes:

  Wednesday, January 7, 2015

  Why would anyone schedule "Canada's Largest Fishing Event" on the same river, the same weekend as the Bassmaster Elite event at 1000 Islands? That seems odd to me.

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• Steven C. Rockweiler of Luling, LA writes:

  Tuesday, January 6, 2015

  It is with sad and bittersweet feelings that I read of the passing of Cotton Cordell. I am now at the age that a lot of the folks I looked up to as a young fisherman are passing on. Some of the first lures I ever purchased and used with monies saved up doing chores for others were Cordell-designed and produced lures. I used a Cordell Spot way before a Rat-L-Trap was ever produced. His Redfin is still a favorite of mine, along with others. All the lures produced today are just altered designs of guys like Cordell.

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• Vergil Roper of Weatherford, OK writes:

  Monday, January 5, 2015

  RE: Martin thinking big – Good luck this season. Love to see you win the Cup.

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• Jon Holloway of Terre Haute, IN writes:

  Sunday, January 4, 2015

  RE: Balog on displacement – Great article, Joe. Many things to think about in caring for our fisheries.

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• Steve Ruff of Wentzville, MO writes:

  Sunday, January 4, 2015

  RE: Balog on displacement – Thank you, Joe, for bringing this subject to light. Our industry needs to be more conservation-minded and learn more about the overall impact we are having on our fisheries.

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• Steve Kirby of Columbus, Ohio writes:

  Saturday, January 3, 2015

  RE: Ranger-Triton-Stratos and BPS – While I think Johnny Morris made a smart move, I think there was more to the purchase than meets the eye. Wedged somewhere in the depths of the deal was the fact that Cabela's has been hot on BPS's heels and as a result of this purchase Cabela's has been notified that it will no longer have access to any of the new BPS lines. Of course, this may have a silver lining as between the two, I think Cabela's, while it sells a strong line of bass products, is more logically positioned in the walleye, muskie, crappie and saltwater areas and they'll have no problem capitalizing on this fact by getting heavily invested in those specific lines of boats, even more so than they've been to this point.

  Business is business and BPS took the bull by the horns. Conversely, Cabela's is now well positioned to take advantage of the fastest growing segment of the boating market. I hope they don't let this opportunity pass them by.

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• Martin D. Lamb of Albia, IA writes:

  Friday, January 2, 2015

  RE: Cashi-In, Check-In – That has to be the most convoluted idea for a weigh-in I have ever heard. Seriously, what could go wrong?

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• George Plourde of Andover, MA writes:

  Friday, January 2, 2015

  RE: Balog on displacement – The sport needs to evolve. I think Major League Fishing is where we need to go. I think the quick release at catch location is better for the fish and the live leaderboard is more exciting for viewers and competitors.

  Back in the days, fish were killed and put on a stringer and there were no limits. We evolved to limits, improved livewells and boats that can comfortably make long journeys quickly. Our ability to study the impacts on fish has also evolved. The results show that the live capture and long journeys to weigh-in are causing relocation stress. I don't think returning fish after the weigh-in back to catch location is feasible. To me, MLF appears to be a logical evolution of the sport.

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