RE: Classic exemptions – I don't have any problem with the winner from the previous year qualifying/getting an exemption, but anything beyond that I would oppose.
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December 2014
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Chris Sala of Stillwater, OK writes:
Monday, December 29, 2014 -
John Marlehy of Temple, TX writes:
Tuesday, December 23, 2014RE: 2015 Elites – How does Dave Smith get in based on the new qualification procedur? I know he donates a load of money to the cause, but that's not the point. If you can't hang, you need to stay on the sidelines or go back to the AAA level. Not sure Tietje or Ashmore should have gotten invites either based on the "new rules."
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Jeff Mitchell of Cincinnati, OH writes:
Monday, December 22, 2014As a website that is supposed to be unbiased and upfront, I find it sad that you leave a blatent advertisement for Daiwa as your home page story for the holiday season. I know you need to sell ads and make money, but please, at least be willing to admit it.
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George Fedor of Castaic, CA writes:
Monday, December 22, 2014Great interview regarding Daiwa. I do have a comment that relates to the closing thoughts of the article. This vision that the only way to succeed is with a $70,000 bass boat and $500 dollar rods has been carried forward into the growth of the sport. With all of the media coverage being focused only on the high-dollar circuits and their costs, a potential new fisherman simply has no idea where to start and at what price point. There are simpler solutions out there both for equipment and competition levels, but this is never shown so many people who want to fish simply believe they will never be able to afford it.
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Del Smith of Castalia, OH writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Good report, Joe. As a local Ruggles area angler I agree with those conclusions, mostly. I believe relocation along with fishing during the spawn has destroyed one of the legendary Lake Erie smallmouth fisheries.
Twenty to 50 boats a day catching a dozen to 100 fish a day off their beds in May and then removing the best and biggest of the brood stock is what was going on at Ruggles. Not any more. An area that held up fine against a yearly onslaught of charter boats for decades was quickly ruined once the tourney anglers showed up.
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Ron Parsons of Hackettstown, NJ writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Nice article, Joe. since I have fished Champlain and other northeast lakes for tourneys and fun, I would agree with these points. To many tourneys on Champlain now.
Having several weigh-in sites on these large waters would help this problem, I believe. I have fished these lakes for 20 to 25 yrs now and the fishing numbers have decreased.
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Paul Wallace of Cambridge City, IN writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014I enjoy the MLF format. It's easy to watch on TV and very exciting. The big tournaments might be able to do something with marshals and weigh and release? Small tournaments will have a much harder time unless they use the honor system, and I don't see that happening.
MLF, if it can make enough money and make enough money for the fishermen, is the start of a new tournament format of the future.
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Jim Canaday of Bull Shoals, AR writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – Include past Classic winners.
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Bob Thornington of Kirkfield, ON writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Check out the studies of Mark Ridgeway, one of the best fish biologists in the world. His work is published in numerous fish magazines and at Harkness Labs in Algonquin Park.
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Randy Brandenburg of Frisco, TX writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Daiwa marketing – I couldn't agree more with the conclusion of your article. I'm 44 and in the '80's was when I was first able to buy my own gear. My first baitcasting were all Diawa due to the dream team (loved the poster). Then I started buying BPS brands because that is what I could afford.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson,TN. writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Everything Joe points out about moving tournament-caught bass to a new location is a problem, but it does not have to be. Several years ago I developed a tournament format that would help the displacement of large numbers of bass. It was titled "Cash-In, Check-In", and it worked like this:
Each contestant had to have the following coins to score his partner's catch – 4 pennies, 1 nickel, 4 dimes and 2 quarters (total: 99 cents).
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You could only keep your two largest bass for weigh-in, all others must be released alive as they were caught. The first bass your partner caught and released was scored by you giving him 1 penny. Nos. 2 and 3 were also scored by pennies. Any bass that was put in the livewell to be weighed in was not scored unless it was released later, then it was scored. No. 5 was scored with the nickel and the 4 pennies returned to you. Same scoring followed for Nos. 6 through 9, then No. 10 was scored with a dime and the pennies and nickel returned to you. No. 11 through 24 were scored same way and No. 25 was scored with a quarter and the other coins were returned. Follow this same scoring to No. 99 and score No. 100 with a dollar bill or anything that represents a dollar, such as a slip-sinker, hook, etc.Keep your coins in two small coin purses so they are not mixed with the ones you receive from your partner.
You can only weigh in two bass, so you first go to the Cash-In station and show the coins that you have received from your partner for bass caught and released. Remember, all bass can be scored regardless of the size or weight. Present your coins to be totaled, (for example, you have 1 dime and 3 pennies, so your cash-in score is 13). Now your partner shows the coins he has left, which should total 86 cents (these plus the 13 you scored total 99 cents and are returned to be used again). Now your partner cashes in the same way and you move to weigh-in with only two bass each.
Your bass are weighed-in and totaled (example: 8.023, Bass should be weighed on digital scales in hundredths or thousandths of a pound to eliminate ties. So your weight of 8.023 is totaled with your cash-in of 13 and your daily score is 21.023.
This format leaves all but two fish released alive at the location, it scores all bass that you catch and it prevents crowded livewells of bass rom being relocated. It keeps you fishing instead of burning gas looking for five bass. It allows you to use light equipment and different methods to catch bass, as all count on your score.
This format could also shorten tournament days as it keeps you fishing instead of running, so you catch more bass and you are not just running and looking for five large ones. But the best thing it does is releases all but two at the location instead of relocating them miles away.
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Ned Kehde of Lawrence, KS writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Several years ago, Gary Parsons of Glidden, Wis., and walleye tournament fame suggested that all fishing tournaments should follow the lead set by the AIM Pro Walleye Series' Catch-Record-Release program. He said it was the best tournament series that he has ever fished, and he has fished scores of them.
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Bruce Johnson of Lakewood, OH writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Daiwa marketing – My dad pro-staffed for Diawa for over 20 years in the Milwaukee area. Needless to say, I have a lot of Diawa product. Still have two Team Diawa Tony Bean smallmouth rods that I still use and are prized possessions. My 12-year-old son has now started to use them.
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Remi De Matteo of Poydras, LA. writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014Thanks for your observation about the state of Louisiana bass fishing. I, too, fish in a local club and we struggle to keep membership up. Just in my short 15 years or so doing this, I've seen the Federation dwindle severely over the years. Certainly, money has a lot to do with cutting back on tournaments, but I think there's two other factors that need to be mentioned. One that we can't do anything about is the phenomenal saltwater fishing we're blessed with and the explosion of a bunch of redfish tournaments - that's where a lot of competitive fisherman went. But the thing we should be able to address is lack of leadership and vision in the organizations that promote bass fishing in (especially) southern Louisiana.
The same good ol' boys have been in charge of our main organizations for years and have overseen mass exodus from these groups. Where are the younger guys stepping up for these roles? Where are ideas like a 175- to 200-hp limit tournaments to bring in new blood?,etc. I certainly don't have the answers, but like any group, everything starts at the top, and our tops have too much gray hair.
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Tim Brown of Ridgetop, TN writes:
Friday, December 19, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – I'm not a fisheries biology major or scientist by any means and I'm sure tournaments do hurt certain locations by displacing fish from one area of the lake to another. I'm also sure that a lot of these fish die soon after being released, which also depletes the resources.
To save our resources, we need to come up with a way to still enjoy tournament fishing and be able to weigh in our fish and throw them right back in the water, like the MLF does. They are on the right track, but I'm not sure how a club could use these methods.
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Jonathan Manteuffel of Huntsville, AL writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – For big tournaments, or even smaller if the state would provide the fish truck, what's the feasibility of taking angler surveys live at weigh-ins and trucking those fish back to the area that a majority of the anglers said they caught them at?
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Curtis Richardson of Belleville, ON writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – A big problem I see regarding this is tournaments always going out of the same location (i.e. Plattsburgh on Champlain, Anchor Marine on Chesapeake Bay, the list goes on and on). I realize there are logistical factors, but constantly rotating through multiple launch sites will greatly alleviate the problem of stacking areas.
Another issue I have a problem with is major tournaments held on the Great Lakes during the spawn. June 27 (heart of the spawn on Lake Ontairo) there is a BFL out of Clayton, NY. Smallmouth are very easy to catch on beds and events like this will greatly hurt the fishery. Hundreds of 5- and 6-pound fish will be caught and displaced during a very critical time for the fishery. Organizations are always talking about fish care and so on, but then they schedule events like this.
Our tournament impact on these fisheries can be greatly lessened by some simple, common-sense scheduling (timing and location).
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Brian Waldman of Coatesville, IN writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Simply put, some in the bass fishing community have been expressing this concern and related such matters for over a decade now. The industry and the anglers (tournament) have just chosen not to listen. I'm guessing your thoughts on the matter will conveniently get passed over, also.
Part of the problem is that waters throughout the country, and bass species, vary in their response to relocation, so for every study that suggests a negative impact, there will be another that suggests things aren't so bad. As such, no real changes ever get made.
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Mike Guerra of Las Vegas, NV writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Great article. Informative, with factual basis. Balog is spot-on. I'm seeing the same thing happening on the Colorado River lakes – Mead, Mojave and Havasu. Keep up the great job, Mr. Balog.
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Steven C. Rockweiler of Luling, LA writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Gerald Blanchard dies – He is on the big guy's circuit now ...he is tearing 'em up. I hope he holds a spot for me till I get there! Condolences to the family.
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Bill Howland of Isle La Motte, VT writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – Joe, Thanks for your thoughtful review and comments. I appreciate the good use of this report.
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Matt Mahle of Sunbury, OH writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – This article hits close to home for my father and I. For years we have looked forward to fishing Ruggles. My father's fishing days are dwindling fast – tournament fishing is something that is getting harder and harder for him to do – but no matter how our season goes I have always taken him up to Ruggles late in the season .. and it has long been the "cherry on top." For years,Thanksgiving weekend has been about giving thanks, family and Ruggles Reef!
My father and I have logged more trips to Ruggles when we questioned our own sanity than I can count, only to be rewarded with more 5- to 7-pound smallmouth than anyone should be allowed to catch. That, however, has changed dramatically in the last 5 years.
My father is going to be 68 in a couple weeks and he cannot take the pounding boat rides that Erie dishes out, and Ruggles was the one place I could always take him and he could just enjoy a day of fishing. But for several years now it has been a ghost town, devoid of smallmouth, and unfortunately, now devoid of dad and I.
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Joe Smith of Lorain, OH writes:
Thursday, December 18, 2014RE: Balog on displacement – I'm sure there is science to displacement with bass. The real problem with Lake Erie bass is walleye trollers keeping them. For example, if you had to name some of the best remaining areas of Lake Erie, they would be Canadian waters or Pennsylvania east to Buffalo. The amount of walleye shoreline trolling that goes on in these areas is very small compared to the U.S. western basin and central basin. St. Clair is another good example – hardly any trolling compared to one good weather day back in Ohio.
Using oversized cranks like Reef Runners allows for one set of hooks to flail around, damaging fish boat-side or in a net, which every walleye angler uses. So many fish running around with 1 eye near Ruggles or Lorain. Canadians can only keep two walleye, so their rate of fishing Lake Erie is not that great compared to the U.S. That's why the North Shore, Pelee and Hen islands all still have fish, but right across the border it sucks.
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Steven C. Rockweiler of Luling, LA writes:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014The heyday of modern bass fishing may well be behind us. I remember in the '80's, the Louisiana Association of Bass Clubs (ALBC) had 600 clubs. They now have under 100. I see in numerous publications, such as the Louisiana Sportsmen, several clubs advertising for members. Some clubs are down to just a few guys.
I own a 15-year-old Triton and still fish regional tournaments. It isn't cheap by any means. I've been doing it since 1970. I see young fellas all the time at the launch with a $40,000 truck and a $65,000 rig. They have a young family and fairly new house, but are riding the edge of sensibility. I asked some this past year why they did not compete in any tournaments and they actually told me they had little money for gas after all the notes and insurance.
We used to regularly draw 200 boats or better 20 years ago in these tournaments, now they are lucky to draw 30-40 boats. These guys don't comprehend yet that you do not have to have the same rig and equipment that KVD does to be a bass fisherman.
erous publications... such as the La. Sportsmen, several clubs advertising for members. Some clubs are down to just a few guys. I own a 15 year old Triton and still fish regional tournaments. It isn't cheap by any means...been doing it since 1970. I see young fellas all the time at the launch with a $40,000 truck and a 65,000 rig. They have a young family and fairly new house, but are riding the edge of sensibility. I asked some this past year why they did not compete in any tournaments.... and they actually told me they had little money for gas after all the notes and insurances. We used to regularly draw 200 boats or better 20 years ago in these tournaments... now they are lucky to draw 30-40 boats. These guys don't comprehend yet that you do not have to have the same rig and equipment that KVD does to be a bass fisherman. -
Ronald Fithen Sr. of Rayland, OH writes:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – Yes, but only the last year's winner. Nobody else should get a free ride.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014Another B.A.S.S. champion passes. Ray Scott received a call from Gerald Blanchard's son that Gerald had passed away. Gerald won the Dixie Invitational Bass Tournament on Smith Lake in Alabama in October 1967.
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Dennis Pentecost of Milford, IL writes:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014Please, bass fishermen, open your eyes. Ground beef is near $10 a pound. Everyone is having a hard time making it unless they are rich. The pros who have the money are the only ones making it. It is going to get worse! I know local bass club guys that are not going to be able to fish this year!
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Joe Armold of Yantis, TX writes:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – Yes, I think the winner deserves a spot.
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Bill Horne of Penhook, VA writes:
Tuesday, December 16, 2014RE: Gray makes Classic – Brandon is a class act and a great fisherman, and a longtime friend. Congrats and good luck in the Classic.
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Richard J .Moses of Charleston, SC writes:
Tuesday, December 16, 2014RE: Team Championship DQ – I heard they have filed a defamation lawsuit against B.A.S.S. According to the source I have the rig was in the locker but they never used it. Rules say you cant fish with it, doesn't say you can't carry one around. I would say they are pretty serious about the lawsuit considering how quick they filed it.
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Darrell Reach of Kansas City, MO writes:
Monday, December 15, 2014RE: Team Championship DQ – Would like to see more info on this. How were they caught? Were they fishing the bait or just have the bait in the boat? Need more info to clear it up. I hope it was just an honest mistake with no intention of really cheating.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Monday, December 15, 2014Recently Joe Balog asked the question, "So what is it about pro bass that seems to be lacking?" Several comments later it's pointed out that pro bass is much different than other sports that are played before a crowd that watches the action. That's true and here's a little history that may have changed that.
Pro bass started in 1967. B.A.S.S. was organized in 1968 with pro events and $100 entry fees. Each year after, the events increased and also the entry fees and payout increased. In 1983, we decided to test the waters to see if the anglers wanted a larger payout, which would also increase the entry fees, and we announced Super B.A.S.S. in March. It had both larger fees and payouts and it got good response, so we added another in November, Super BASS II, followed by Super BASS III in 1984 and Super BASS IV in 1985. The response was good, so we decided to test the waters again with MegaBucks in April 1986.
MegaBucks had an entry-fee increase and much larger payout. It was also designed to offer the public a chance to view the final Top 10 fishing a 10-hole course for some serious money.
That period also had some big changes taking place at B.A.S.S. – Ray Scott sold the organization to Helen Sevier in 1986. In 1987, Harold Sharp left B.A.S.S., followed by Bob Cobb. Eventually B.A.S.S. was sold to ESPN and moved to Florida, but MegaBucks was still part of the picture until 2001. After 16 years, it was dropped by B.A.S.S.Ray Scott, Bob Cobb and I had plans for MegaBucks that would involve the public on the shoreline around a 10-hole course watching all the action up close. The first one would have been at Disney World in Florida. We had a large fish farm in Texas in our plans, plus several golf courses with good bass lakes, plus plans to build event lakes like the ones that Ray Scott has today.
All these plans went away when B.A.S.S. was sold to ESPN and moved into the TV version of pro bass events. TV people do not think the same way bass people do. They want to dictate what happens so they can make a TV show. Bass people think about protecting and advancing the sport of pro bass fishing.
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John Gaulke of Ithaca, NY writes:
Monday, December 15, 2014Sadly, I have to agree with most of the comments regarding bass fishing as a professional sport. There isn't a lot in it for us as spectators. Even the television coverage is seriously lacking.
I was psyched to see the Cayuga Lake coverage of the Elite tourney held there this past August. The program showed the same shots of Greg Hackney over and over again swinging a bass onboard.No additional footage from what we could see online – no reason to tune in! We get to hear a few snippets about what the Top 2 or 3 guys did and that's about it. Not a lot to sink my teeth into as a fan.
There's no following the pros around unless you're in a boat, which is probably annoying to the pro. What's in it for us spectators? Yes, we see that the pros do well - they certainly can catch them, and we hear some promotional talk about lures - some of which they may have used and some of which they probably didn't. We hear a little funny stuff complements of Gerald Swindle and apart from that, not a whole lot. They gotta give me more to make me want to tune in, and I'm a fan. I think the sport is past its peak.
Regarding the "wanna be pros", that's just the way it is. People need to deal with it. You see it in bowling leagues, too. There are different levels of sponsorship from Joe's Marina on the local lake to the big time stuff. It may be silly, but the local guy with the tourney shirt whose winnings are in the hundred(s) dollar range has every right to wear his team shirt. Just like the football fan who wears his favorite team's shirt. And that local guy in many instances probably takes home as much money at the end of the day as an Elite guy who's in the bottom third of the standings (who is losing a lot of money).
I think the level of most pros' influence, apart from the top guys like VanDam or Ike, is pretty minimal. A lot of us are skeptical. I may be biased, but I think a good guide who can give someone a good day on the water, where the client sees and uses the product, has as much influence as anyone.
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Bob Reinhardt of Bull Shoals, AR writes:
Saturday, December 13, 2014RE: Ranger sale – People I know, including myself, are apprehensive about the future quality of Ranger boats. Bass Pro is the go-to store for many outdoor items, but a high-quality bass boat isn't one of them, unfortunately. I may sound biased but merging the best with one of the worst sounds like the quality will suffer due to profits in the future.
Mr. Wood and Mr. Morris are both highly successful businessmen, but their business models are much different. Similar acquisitions have occurred in the automobile industry, few were successful (Ford/Jaguar comes to mind). I wonder when Ranger will be moved from Flippin to Clinton?
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Bob Szymakowki of Winston-Salem, NC writes:
Friday, December 12, 2014RE: Lures pros love to hate – I am surprised the Carolina rig wasn't mentioned. I remember when "pros" hated it. Times change.
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Greg Ginneberge of Hamilton, OH writes:
Friday, December 12, 2014RE: Balog on what pro bass fishing lacks – If you look at the sports mentioned, in fact also most all other sports, they are played in stadiums, indoor/outdoor arenas, racing tracks, etc. Even with golf, people will walk alongside there favorite golfer or stay at one hole to see them all. There is nothing like that for bass fishing. It's detached from the audience unless you own a boat and follow your favorite angler around the lake. Fifty boats following KVD around doesn't compare to 100,000 watching NASCAR at the track.
The only time there is an audience is at the weigh-in and the best part, the catching of the bass, we are left to find out when it airs a few weeks or months later on TV. Bass fishing to most people is like watching paint dry. We need to get over the fact that bass fishing will never be a major sport. It's a niche sport that us bass addicts love, but it will never make the big time.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Friday, December 12, 2014RE: Ranger sale – Ranger Boats and Bass Pro Shop – what a great combination. Johnny Morris and Forrest Wood – can't beat that combination. Two great names in bass fishing. Good things ahead.
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John Terry of Lexington, OH writes:
Friday, December 12, 2014RE: Balog on BoatUS – I to was very shocked when I found out they were backing out. My first thought was along the lines of Joe's – that they captured a huge part of the angler market and the majority of us will continue to pay the $70-$100 year to keep the great service offered. So now they have us and there's no need to continue to dump cash into the program and sponsorships with anglers. I know I am thankful for what they have done and the two Northern B.A.S.S. events I fished over the last 2 years as a co-angler I received that bonus cash. So essentially, if I stay on the program for 3 years, it was all free.
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Skip Bennett of Texico IL writes:
Friday, December 12, 2014RE: Ranger sale – I'm glad for Bass Pro to buy Ranger and especially for Forrest Wood. He has seen his boat brand change hands several times by investment firms who could care less about anything but profit and mismanaged into a bankruptcy. I believe Forrest can breathe easily thanks to Johnny Morris.
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Gary Darrell Queen of Denver, NC writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – Will Bass Pro offer Evinrude engines on its Ranger boats?
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Steven Bullard of Shelbyville, IN writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Grimsby's recovery – Shaw is a class act in the fishing world. He keeps his feet planted on the ground and is as fine a person you would want your kids to meet.
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John Barbaro of Leesburg, FL writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Balog on what pro bass fishing lacks – Although I am an avid angler and love tournament fishing, I can see why it cannot grow to the likes of other professional sports and will never get big corporation support. All other sports can be viewed in their entirety by paying customers. This cannot be done with bass fishing. We only see a few clips of actual fishing by a few anglers and that is on tape. Even if you could have a camera in every boat, who is going to watch for 8 or 9 hours? I would love to see it happen, but I think the probability is near zero.
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Frank Owens of Mountain Home, AR writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – As an employee, I am glad to see us having an owner who knows the fishing industry.
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James Watson of Springfield, MO writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – This is bigger news than the Alabama Rig! Great news!
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Dave Nuckolls of Claremore, OK writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – With Ranger's history for building quality products and Bass Pro's marketing strategies, this buyout will position Bass Pro Group as a strong force in the marine industry. Hopefully the buyout will offer quality products as well as affordable pricing to the middle-income consumer. If so, it will create an increased demand, restoring the marine industry to a production rate that has been needed since the economic crisis of 2008.
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Ian Coleman of Ennis, TX writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – So one company is going to control 65% of the market. Wonderful.
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Ronald Fithen Sr. of Rayland, OH writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Ranger sale – I am a longstanding owner of Ranger boats. That said I love the idea of Johnny Morris taking over Fishing Holdings. He is an honorable man.
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Richard Bowers of St. Louis, MO writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Balog on what pro bass fishing lacks – Multiple-day tour-level tournaments don't make a good TV product. They never will. It's mpossible to cover all the action, and frankly everything in between the actual fish catches is boring!
Only true die-hard anglers watch these events. These days, if your sport doesn't do well on TV, then it will eventually die.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Balog on what pro bass fishing lacks – My answer to that question is that pro bass fishing has no leader who is trying to advance and protect the sport. No one is concerned with where the sport is heading. The industry is pricing itself out of sight.
An $80,000 rig does not catch more bass than an $8,000 rig. A $300 reel just winds in your line, same as a $35 reel does. Everybody has a TV show, no one is concerned with building a strong grassroots group that will control polluters, too much about colleges and high schools and too little about Federation chapters.
There are more articles on websites about hunting or carp fishing or personal stuff than articles about bass fishing. With no one leading this sport it's now, "What's in it for me?"
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Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:
Thursday, December 11, 2014RE: Balog on what pro bass fishing lacks – A large number of people grow up playing ball sports. A lesser number (but still a lot) fish for fun with dad, granddad or friends, most without a boat. Tournament bass fishing is not something one does as a youth, unlike competitive ball sports. This is true across the whole country. Example, in the northern part of the country, trout, salmon and walleye are kings.
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Jim Liner of Pintlala, AL writes:
Wednesday, December 10, 2014RE: Sonar's new gig – Atta boy, Miles! You are in the big time, for sure. Com back and see us and do a show.
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Rodger Timmons of Thomasville, GA writes:
Tuesday, December 9, 2014RE: Sonar's new git – I hope this is not going to be another show like those saltwater shows where they waste a lot of time taking about what they are doing instead of actually showing it!
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Wayne Davis of Leesburg, FL writes:
Tuesday, December 9, 2014RE: Menendez's return – Mark has been a fine example to anyone who knows the difficult times he has been through in recent years. I have rooted for him and trust that his new regimen will propel him to his best year yet. He is truly one of the "good guys."
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Mark Aaron of Gastonia, NC writes:
Monday, December 8, 2014RE: Balog on FLW changes – Until it's a qualified field with no entry fees, "professional" doesn't apply to bass fishing. The contestants are still fronting the majority of the money they're trying to win. B.A.S.S. and FLW have got to be making a killing! It's nothing but a marketing sinkhole for the anglers.
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Billy Grotton of Oakland, MI writes:
Saturday, December 6, 2014RE: Mueller to the Elites – This man is a force to be reckoned with because his versatility north and south and in between. He is a master Northern stick and he proved he can master a Southern fishery on Guntersville as well.
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Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:
Saturday, December 6, 2014RE: Auten's plan for 2015 – The article downplays the decision to not fish the Elites.
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George Fiorille of Moravia, NY writes:
Saturday, December 6, 2014RE: Balog on performance – Very good article! The mental part is so much more important than any other part of the fishing game. That's why anglers such as Rick Clunn, Kevin VanDam and other top bass pros excel. I've had the opportunity to fish with a dozen Bassmaster Classic winners and the mind separates the best from the rest!
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John Gaulke of Ithaca, NY writes:
Thursday, December 4, 2014RE: Balog on performance – I think a good analogy is comparing pro fishermen to improvisational musicians or athletes - who are improvising on a physical level and pushing themselves on a mental level. Performers do all they can do in order to put all the odds in their favor. In music, you'd be practicing the pieces to be performed, working on tone, scales and other technique. You would know your musical theory pat. A baseball player or tennis player works on individual components (batting practice, serving, stamina-training, footwork etc.).
You do as much of this stuff as you can before the big performance or game. It's the same with fishermen. Working on tackle, learning about bass, getting out and doing as much "deliberate practice" as possible. Studying the waterways to be fished.
But during the event, this info and practice goes into the subconscious and you work off of instinct. The greatest fishermen are operating on the highest level. They might detect some subtle weather change before others do and just KNOW the fish are going to bite. They know how long to stay in a given area and just when to move. They know how long to work a given lure color or type. But just grinding away during the offseasons doesn't help anything necessarily. There needs to be a goal in mind.
There are thousands of fishermen around who fish a lot of hours but aren't particularly accomplished. It's all about deliberate practice.
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Paul Zuest of Klamath Falls, OR writes:
Thursday, December 4, 2014RE: Lanes in B.A.S.S. Brawl – Looking forward to this. The interaction between these two should be fun. Hope the live stream works better than last time. Keep up the new stuff.
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Robert J. Rask of Dahinda, IL writes:
Wednesday, December 3, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – I think they should grant the previous winners entry. I feel it brings more fans and more business to the Classic.
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Mark Poulson of Los Angeles, CA writes:
Tuesday, December 2, 2014RE: Melendez's elbow – Most tendinitis is caused by muscles becoming shorter and less flexible and putting more and more stress on the connection of the tendons to the bone. Tendons are not flexible, so if the muscles can't flex enough, the joint of the tendons to the bone become strained and inflamed (painful).
It's like a hook bending out when you set on a good fish with 65-pound braid on a locked-down drag and a really stiff rod. Something's got to give.
Stretching those muscles goes a long way to relieving the tendinitis and its associated pain. Ask Aaron Martens.
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Robert Vogelsang of Jessup, MD writes:
Tuesday, December 2, 2014RE: Balog on FLW changes – The word professional is used a lot in this story. The article claims that the true professional fishermen are gravitating to B.A.S.S. I believe that a professional is someone who earns a living performing his craft. Competitors in baseball, football and basketball, for example, are paid for their efforts. They do not have to rely on sponsors to pay the bills. Bass fishermen do not fit into this definition of professional.
As far as skills go, the anglers on the two main tours are very talented, but financially, as long as they compete for each other's money, they are not professional. Until sponsor money finds its way into the purses, bass anglers will continue to suffer financially. It is up to the anglers to stand up for themselves and demand that sponsor money be included in purses. The competitors mentioned had to fight for a fair share of sponsor money, but as a result they can make a good living.
I would like to see a breakdown of the purse-only earnings of the 100 anglers in B.A.S.S. last year. I would be surprised if more than 10 percent earned enough to show a profit after expenses. There is nothing professional about that outcome.
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Jay Ahonen of Ortonville, MI writes:
Tuesday, December 2, 2014RE: Morrow's BoatUS deal gone – Troy is a good guy and a great fisherman. Any sponsor should be proud to have him.
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Jon Storm of Fredonia, NY writes:
Tuesday, December 2, 2014I think the story about Bridgford Foods should have also noted that a main competitor, Jack Link's, is the title sponsor of Major League Fishing. There must be some influential marketing figures somewhere for the size of the smoked-meat snack market within the fishing sport/hobby.
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James Biggs of Euless, TX writes:
Monday, December 1, 2014RE: BoatUS drops Weigh-to-Win – This is bad news. The contingency money was the big reason why I've signed up the past few years. It has been great. The only time I used the towing service I got left on the side of the road with no help. After the fact I got ahold of Steve Levi. He made it right. He will be an asset to whoever hires him.
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Mason Hite of Payson, AZ writes:
Monday, December 1, 2014John Murray will be like the Phoenix bird – he will rise again!
All Topics
December 2014
Dock Talk
Latest News
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Cory Johnston Takes Massive Lead Into Weekend
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff
PALATKA, Fla. — Cory Johnston knew he was playing a high-stakes game, but the Canadian pro believed the potential payoff
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Sumrall Sacks 28 1/2 On Day 1 At St. Johns
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff
PALATKA, Fla. — A little bit of water can make big things happen. Leveraging that logic, Caleb Sumrall sacked up a massive
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St. Johns Will Have A Postspawn Flavor This Time
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff
PALATKA, Fla. — John Cox grew up on Florida’s east coast, so he is intimately familiar with nearly every section of the
