Bassfan Feedback

• Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:

  Monday, December 28, 2015

  The FLW Tour field is simply too large for it to be considered an upper-echelon circuit.

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• John A. Argese of Taylors, SC writes:

  Monday, December 28, 2015

  People should remember two of the reasons why there is less non-endemic cash in tournament fishing, among others: "Big Tobacco" and the Armed Forces were forced to go bye-bye.

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• Bryan Heaberlin of Deland, FL writes:

  Wednesday, December 23, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – B.A.S.S., in my opinion, has done a tremendous job marketing the organization by opening up spots in the Classic to the bass club team guys. I was fortunate enough to be in the first one and was invited to the Guntersville event but wasn't able to go on such short notice – prior to the first team championship I wasn't even a member, but they ran such a great show my partner and I now look forward to competing in an event such as that again. It's way better than the local stuff we are used to for sure.

  I can't imagine any more of a longshot than this level or a college guy competing to win a Classic, so it isn't taking a spot away, it is just additional exposure. So its genius when you get right down to it.

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• Andy Williamson of Lake Andes, SD writes:

  Wednesday, December 23, 2015

  Don Corkran, former B.A.S.S. Federation Nation director, once made a 5-minute spiel on why B.A.S.S. would not start up a two-person team series, even though a good percentage of the membership wanted one. His talk was actually given at a B.A.S.S. team event, the 2007 Bass Club World Championship on the Red River, which was a six-person team event where no one on the same team was paired together.

  Even though there is a place for two-person team events, I am not certain they should be a path to the Classic.

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• Charlie Hartley of Grove City, OH writes:

  Tuesday, December 22, 2015

  Mr. Watson, while your financial success may have helped you enter the FLWs, your angling skills are taking you to the Bassmaster Classic! You should very proud of both. Good luck at Grand, bassing brother!

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• Chris Savidge of Shamong, NJ writes:

  Monday, December 21, 2015

  It's an absolute disgrace how expensive it is to fish on a competitive level. It almost seems like they don't want the sport to grow. Ask yourself this next time you're watching Bassmasters or the FLW Tour ... are these guys really the best, or are they just rich and decent fishermen?

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• Joe Reising of Morton, IL writes:

  Friday, December 18, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – I'm not really a fan of the team concept to begin with. The anglers who fish the Elites, Opens and B.A.S.S. Nation fish as individuals. If B.A.S.S. wants to really spice up the Classic, it should offer a spot to the FLW Angler of the Year. That would add some excitement.

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• James Watson of Nixa, MO writes:

  Friday, December 18, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – Nobody on this Feedback nor Charlie himself said that "being a nice guy" is a criteria for qualification. In the article, Charlie admits and agrees that he himself failed to maintain his status. This is a brotherhood of anglers that very few people are very fortunate to be a part of. It's a blessing to fish at this level.

  BassFan does a great job of covering the "ups and downs" of professional bass fishing. In my opinion, the article was written to show just that and to showcase Charlie as he deserves to be because he has earned that right as a great sportsman and ambassador within our brotherhood. Also, deep pockets can get you a spot in the FLW Tour, there is no set criteria for qualification. I am a prime example of that myself.

  I kindly and professionally felt compelled to respond to your Feedback and hope you don't find this offensive or out of line. You can probably tell who I hope is our next President.

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• Jake deBin of Chattanooga, TN writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Fish-Off – You're falling into the "everyone needs a trophy" trap. These guys knew ahead of time there was one berth ... and both were eager to have a shot at it. Otherwise they wouldn't have accepted the invite to the Team Championship. Really? He feels embarrassed to have made it to the Classic? C'mon, dude – no room here for Good Morning America-type journalism.

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• Greg Vinson of Baxter, TN writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – Very good article, Joe. I thought the exact same thing when I learned that these guys would have to fish against each other in a 1-day event to get the berth to the Classic. Why can't they give two spots in the Classic and award each member of winning team?

  The guy going to the Classic was not even on winning team this year, I don't believe. He was able to outfish the other guys for a day, but why would something as important as a Classic berth come down to 1 day of fishing? I am sure Martens is a very good stick, but this system makes it possible for a guy to possibly benefit from his partner's skill through the heavy lifting, and then get a bit of luck for 1 day and make the greatest tourney in the world.

  Just give two slots to the winners and forget about the fish-off. Or, at least have a two-man fish-off between the winners of the Team Championship.

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• Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – How in the world can B.A.S.S. justify not awarding the 1st-place team a Classic spot? All yr they fish as a single unit then are split after reaching the top of their circuit. Sometimes B.A.S.S. is just plain dumb!

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• Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – Good article, Joe, however, I am not even sure that I agree with the philosophy that team champions deserve a shot at the Classic. Over the years here in Arkansas, the team tournaments have lost their allure for me. I am a biologist and more of a purist bass fisherman.

  A lot of the team trails that used to pair families and friends now are dominated by superstar teams that, in my opinion, are only there for the money. These guys couldn't care less about one another, the sport, the environment, etc. Therefore, I am not bitter, but I just don't care to see these guys get a shot at the Classic.

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• Dave Homan of Chicago, IL writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – Great article. I enjoy waking up every morning, reading my BassFan!

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• Jason Houchins of Clarksville, VA writes:

  Thursday, December 17, 2015

  RE: Balog on Classic Fish-Off – I can't imagine what Dean Alexander feels right now. Kudos to Thomas Martens on the qualification. All I can say is what I've been told many times before: "There is no justice in fishing." Or maybe, "Derserving has nothbing to do with it." Im sorry, but I feel for Dean.

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• Charlie Hartley of Grove City, OH writes:

  Wednesday, December 16, 2015

  RE: Murray's move – Best wishes to John Murray and his beautiful family in Tennessee. Let me know if you need a new buddy-tournament partner for the local winter derbies!

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• Rich Ison of North Vernon, IN writes:

  Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  RE: Letter to Ranger dealers – I have seen this happen in other industries I am very passionate about. When iconic brands combine, there will always be a conflict of interest. The bottom line is dollars and cents. Better products, better service, better everything comes with healthy competition.

  Having a corner or monopoly on the market is not at all healthy for anyone involved in something like this ... from ownership to consumer. Like I said, I have seen this happen before with horrible results. There's an end game here. Who knows what it is. I suspect we'll see an IPO from Bass Pro in the not so distant future.

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• Tom Fall of Grant, FL writes:

  Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – While I am sure Mr. Hartley is a fine person, that does not mean he should be fishing the Elite Series or the FLW Tour. His finishes suggest that he is just a fisherman with deep pockets. Being a nice guy is not a qualification, it just helps.

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• Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:

  Monday, December 14, 2015

  RE: Letter to Ranger dealers – Having only one boat-building company, for all pracitcal purposes, can only lead to trouble for the consumer.

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• Remi De Matteo of Poydras, LA writes:

  Monday, December 14, 2015

  RE: Letter to Ranger dealers – Translation: Here comes Nitro-like quality and pricing (read: poor quality and overpricing). Sorry, Triton and Stratos ... Ranger, you're up next.

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• Al Odom of Chapin, SC writes:

  Friday, December 11, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – I have had the pleasure of spending 2 days in the boat with Charlie back in the co-angler days and I can honestly say I've never met anyone who loves to fish more than he does. He was a joy to fish with and did everything in his power to make sure I caught fish and had a good time. He is truly a credit to the sport. I know you'll be back! Good luck, my friend.

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• Matt Herren of Ashville, AL writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  If anyone was ever supposed to be a professional angler, it's Charlie Hartley! He represents everything good about this sport. He's a tenacious competitor and a good man. I know Charlie will be back on the Elite Series very soon!

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• Michael Simonton of Fremont, OH writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – Charlie Hartley is absolutely one of the greatest individuals to be around. His passion for fishing is truly on another level. He'll be back!

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• Tony Holzer of East Palestine, OH writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – Does anybody know why Ranger sold in the first place? Maybe they saw something coming that nobody else has.

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• James Watson of Nixa, MO writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – Charlie is a great man and pleasant to be around. I admire his great attitude, no matter what. Good luck to you, Charlie!

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• Corey Smith of Clermont, FL writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – Charlie, bummer to hear this. I fished out of your boat during the FLW College Series 4 or 5 years ago up at the St. Lawrence and enjoyed every minute. Now I live in Florida (not too far from Toho). Would love to reconnect and make a trip together again if you'd be willing. My boat or yours – no matter.

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• Bobby Ray Shelton of Kernersville NC writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Balog on high schools – Right on, Joe. As a granddad of a high schooler, we formed our own fishing team, starting a high school trail in North Carolina in 2016. I don't know why in NC adults (some) fail to see the importance of being boat captains, etc. The future of the sport is in high school.

  Keep on getting the word out. I know the Backwoods BassBoys in N.C. are going to.

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• Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:

  Thursday, December 10, 2015

  RE: Hartley out of Elites – Sad to hear this. One of the truly good guys.

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• William L. Smith of Mobile, AL writes:

  Wednesday, December 9, 2015

  RE: Middle River fish kill – Alabama experienced a fish kill caused by Karlodinium veneficum in a sub-estuary of Mobile Bay several years ago. We have observed its presence in many other areas since then. There is a bloom in progress right now, associated with a minor fish kill. It's unfortunate, but these things are natural events, and there isn't much that can be done to prevent them. The Gulf Coast is currently experiencing a Karenia brevis red tide.

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• Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

  Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations - The resignation of these Ranger executives is very sad. Like others, I feel that this is the beginning of the decline of Ranger. Like others, I agree that BPS is not nearly what it once was and if the ownership at BPS drives Ranger down the same road as BPS, unfortunately, I feel as though the Ranger brand will be wrecked, much like BPS is today.

  BPS once excited me to visit and shop there. Today, BPS feels like a Walmart with a bunch of cheap junk that nobody needs nor wants. I believe the future of Ranger is in serious trouble.

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• Jeremy Gibson of Toronto, ON writes:

  Thursday, December 3, 2015

  RE: Sim makes Classic – My father was Hank Gibson. I am sure he would wish Sim good fishing. I will be watching the live feed on Bassmaster.com. Good luck!

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• Remi De Matteo of Poydras, LA writes:

  Wednesday, December 2, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – And so begins the fall of arguably the finest boat ever made.

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• Ken Bragg of Fayetteville, WV writes:

  Wednesday, December 2, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – Randy Hopper leaving is not good for the Ranger name and now Bass Pro possibly acquiring Cabela's​ will be like Kmart acquiring Sears ... less selection and less quality.

  Johnny Morris wants us to believe that he as a sportsman has our best interests at heart, but he is either so out if touch or just does not care because Tackle Warehouse is eating his lunch big-time with selection, price, customer service and reasonable shipping costs with fast delivery. He needs to wake up.

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• Gene Nornhold of Mt. Sterling, KY writes:

  Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  I hope Ranger Boats not on a downhill decline. I have fished tournaments for 30 years and have run many Ranger boats. Ranger has been a real trademark with building legends one at a time. Let's keep this ranger family together.

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• Steven H. Kirby of Columbus, OH writes:

  Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – Admittedly I'm no business tycoon and therefore not versed in the goings on in the boardroom, but is bigger always better? PRADCO's busy gobbling up every crankbait manufacturer there is out there, Bass Pro is the behemoth in the bass boat arena and, like PRADCO, they're trying to buy out their competition. Smart from a business sense? Maybe so, but I can't help but wonder if it's healthy for the industry overall, or should I say the consumer, you and me.

  We hear a lot about the government placing restrictions on cell phone providers, the airline industry, etc., as it affects limited competition and its effect on the free market. I'm wondering why they're not applying these same monopolistic controls in the case of the fishing industry? On a side note, how many folks read the news release out of Bass Pro re the resignations at the top of the Ranger hierarchy? Talk about a schmooze job! Come on, Johnny, you can do better than that!

  Let's face it, when a company buys up the competition like that, something's gonna suffer, be it employees, a raid on the pension funds or just plain dictatorial attitudes on the part of the "new" management of the combined companies.

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• Steve Tanner of Richmond, KY writes:

  Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – This does not sound good for what is one of the highest quality bass boat manufacturers in the business. I've been a Ranger owner for many years. I hate to see the company go downhill.

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• Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:

  Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  RE: Ranger resignations – I figure this will be the beginning of the end for the quality of Ranger Boats. Years ago Bass Pro Shops was an actual store for fishermen with all the latest and greatest baits and tackle. Now it is a novelty store for urban people who like to shop.

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• Skip Bennett of Texico, IL writes:

  Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  As for the resignation of the three top guys from Ranger, things like that are to be expected when new owners take over a company. They had a new accountability over there heads, especially from a well-run company such as Bass Pro. It happens all the time in the corporate world with mergers.

  I don't believe the quality will go down at Ranger but having the president, CFO and head of sales all leave at the same time indicates they are going somewhere else or starting their own brand. Why would Bass Pro need those high-dollar guys when they already have their own who are just as (or better) qualified? Welcome to corporate America .

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