Bassfan Feedback

• Steve Canerday of Alexandria, LA writes:

  Thursday, April 30, 2009

  Excellent coverage of the weekend's Tour tournaments. This is the only site I log into over the weekend, simply because it delivers!

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• Todd Winters of Troy, NY writes:

  Monday, April 27, 2009

  With all the Elite anglers being great fisherman, I think we need to start up the greatest-angler debate again. Is there anyone better than KVD? What we're seeing in this sport today is totally awesome – for one guy to put on such a show.

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• Chad Keogh of Black Creek, BC (Canada) writes:

  Sunday, April 26, 2009

  Congrats Stetson! You give us all hope of doing the same!

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• Virginia Ford of Okeechobee, FL writes:

  Sunday, April 26, 2009

  Harvey Lee Ford, Sr., age 76, of Okeechobee died April 20, 2009 at the Hamrick Home. He proudly served our country in the US Navy. He was the Superintendent of National Linen Services and a manager in South Florida Citrus Industry. He owned Hawg Co-Lecter Wholesale Fishing Tackle, Co. From 1988–2003 he owned Wanta Linga Motel. He was the first Treasure Coast Fresh Water Sport Fishing inductee for the Hall of Fame. He was the tournament owner and director of OkeeTantie Team Trail, life member of V.F.W. since 1976, 2001 President of the Florida BASS Federation, member of Okeechobee Shrine Club, perpetual member of Masons Florida Lodge #237 in Okeechobee, life member of BASS since 1980, Operation Bass life member, past member of the Okeechobee Tourist Development Board, and American Legion life member.

  He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Emma Ford; brother, Chester Ford; and stepdaughter, Hope Martin. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Virginia Ford; sons, Charles B. Ford, Harvey Lee Ford II, Ben Leighton, Jr; daughters, Barbara Poole and Melissa Dease; sisters, Tina Cole and Sue Hubacek; 24 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

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• Richie Lemons of Eden, NC writes:

  Saturday, April 25, 2009

  I was an Elite Series marshal and the angler I rode with and another angler were talking before launch about 80 boats that had agreed to shut down when their number was called. However, they were discussing whether or not anyone would actually go through with it. There was an offer to bet for a Diet Pepsi whether or not boat No. 1 would take off.

  What about the Cedar Keys issue? I specifically asked in the marshal meeting if there was an off-limits area, and was told no. I intentionally asked, hoping that they would know I was refereing to Cedar Keys, but they said no – the only off-limits was the launch area. Then at the day-2 weigh-in, suddenly Cedar Keys off-limits was a huge issue.
  

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• Arthur Trim of Conyers, GA writes:

  Saturday, April 25, 2009

  Maybe the accident involving Clark Reehm his marshal will put an exclamation point on "angler safety." Maybe all off-the-record-comments, undisclosed sources and all of the other rumors and hype about safety will now go away. The Elite Series pros are a lot of talk and soft on action, re: the rumored boycott over reductions in payouts. The PAA is the collective voice for all the pros. Use that voice.

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• Carl Wengenroth of Del Rio, Texas writes:

  Saturday, April 25, 2009

  Glad to see you're alright Clark! Good job on handling your boat. You saved both of your lives with what you did. Very smart thinking in such a short time period to react. I wouldn't have thought of the kill switch that fast either.

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• Robert Vogelsang of Jessup, MD writes:

  Friday, April 24, 2009

  If three anglers quit, why did BASS reduce purses by $18,000? My math may not be great, but the lost entry fees amount to $12,000. what happened to the $6,000?

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• George Kramer of Lake Elsinore, CA writes:

  Thursday, April 23, 2009

  Wistful Todd Ary. Personally, I agree with the man to the degree that a day riding with a pro is invaluable, and making a cast is absolutely unnecessary. But by his own words, "hoped for," or "I wonder," or "what makes them just like us," he paints himself as yet another whimsical bystander.

  And his final words, "I can beat those guys," is the same puff I heard from 60-year old, pipe-smoking, out-of-shape outdoor writers some 25 years ago as "press anglers" (observers) to the Bassmasters Classic.

  Fact is, doers do. Dreamers dream. And it ain't the same thing.

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• Robert Allen of Calhoun, GA writes:

  Thursday, April 23, 2009

  Cracking on the BASS Elite Series is almost comical when it's coming from an FLW perspective. When time rages and talents fade, they inevitably find themselves fishing shakey-heads with FLW Outdoors. Not a slam, just a fact.

  There are many fine fishermen on both tours, but a quick check of the BassFan World Rankings will quickly dispel any misgivings about which Tour is stronger, and it's not even close.
  

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• Robert Allen of Calhoun, GA writes:

  Thursday, April 23, 2009

  For all the Elite Series anglers who seriously contemplated a boycott of the first day of the Smith Mt. Lake event – you're not very bright.

  Do the math, guys. If you boycott the first day, you wind up in last place! You lose points! You lose sponsors! You lose money

  You lose, guys!! You lose.
  

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• Gary Cossaboom of Ottawa, ON (Canada) writes:

  Wednesday, April 22, 2009

  Sorry pros. Three anglers have dropped out, now we have to pay you less. "Elite" indeed.

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• Jeff Lira of Roanoke, VA writes:

  Wednesday, April 22, 2009

  If Bobby Lane or any other angler is going to depend on bed-fish, they're then about to learn, the hard way, the Smith Mt. Lake sight-fishing rule: If you sight fish on SML, you'll loose.

  To win this tournament will require an angler to have two well-developed abilities: skippin' docks and cranking.

  As the tournament progresses, it'll become a dock-skippin' jig with a light line tube follow-up event. Crank for the bag-buster. If any angler says he's caught them differently, they're simply sellin' their sponor's goodies.
  

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• Christopher Lee Butler of Jacksonville, NC writes:

  Wednesday, April 22, 2009

  What did BASS do with the smallmouths that got caught in this tournament? They surely can't survive in the Chesapeake bay!

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• Chad Keogh of Black Creek, BC (Canada) writes:

  Tuesday, April 21, 2009

  Re: Spawn tournaments – Tournaments have been happening on lakes, rivers, and reservoirs since the '60s and the fishing's likely better than ever thanks to catch and release. If tournaments were going to create lakes full of impossible-to-catch bass, it would have happened by now.

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• Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

  Monday, April 20, 2009

  I hate to hear that Jon Bondy is having to stop fishing the Elites due to financial reasons.

  I fished with Jon at Clarks Hill a couple years ago in an Elite event. While he was a very nice guy and a good fisherman, even then his finances were very, very tight. In fact, he stated to me that he had to make a check in that Clarks Hill event in order to be able to pay his entry fees for the remaining events that year.

  He had a dream and chased it. I've got to hand it to him. Financially it didn't work out, but at least he knows he had the stones to put it all on the line and compete with the big boys.
  

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• Jeremy Prouty of Vero Beach, FL writes:

  Sunday, April 19, 2009

  Re: Upper Chesapeake Bay – I went up there after winning a recent Weekend Series event and had the money to fish it. Despite catching the tournament's biggest fish, a 6-08, it was awful! One of the worst places I've had to fish in a loooong time.

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• Dave Krantz of Albany, GA writes:

  Sunday, April 19, 2009

  You cannot take fisheries data from a small lake and extrapolate it to represent a large reservoir. Fishery biologists have been doing this for years and invariably come up with conclusions that fly in the face of common sense. If this were in the least bit true, our best reservoirs would degenerate to where it would be difficult to catch fish. The contrary's true, even with the thousands of fishermen who catch and release fish every day from these lakes.

  The reality is that who knows what percentage of the fish population in a larger reservoir ever see a lure, much less are caught?

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• Bryan James Henry of Orlando. FL writes:

  Sunday, April 19, 2009

  Tournament bass fishing is a competitive sport by design. Only the brightest and tenacious will reach the highest levels of our sport. The brightest are always looking for ways to catch more and bigger fish. They'll tinker with lures and techniques in hopes of finding a different or better way to catch those bigger and better fish. The tenacious will do whatever it takes to be the best fishermen they can be.

  This will inevitably involve spending countless hours on the lake to hone their skills in the quest of being the best angler on the water. Aspiring anglers striving to reach the highest levels of our sport will need these personality traits in spades. However, there's one more key ingredient for one to reach the pinnacle of professional bass fishing, and that key ingredient is the "average Joe." The average Joe loves to fish, but might not have the time or talent to make bass fishing his professional career. The average Joe loves to dream about fishing for a living, but doesn't realize the sacrifice that it'll require. The average Joe will sometimes dream of walking the weigh-in stage with a limit of 10-pounders in the bag as the crowd cheers him on to victory, but never realize how much skill and luck would be needed to accomplish this feat.

  Yes, the average Joe will probably never make it to the professional ranks, but the average Joe still strives to be the best he can be in his little pond of the world.

  So why is the average Joe a very key ingredient for a professional's success? It's a simple two-letter word – purchasing power. There's a whole lot more average Joes than there are professional anglers. The average Joe doesn't depart from his hard-earned cash easily, but will spend that hard-earned money on buying a little piece of the dream.

  Please keep in mind, professional anglers, that the "average Joe" buys products from the sponsors that support your career. The average Joe will also cheer those professional anglers who treat the average Joe with courtesy and respect. The average Joe might be your competitor for 8 hours on a given day, but treat him fairly and he'll be a supporter for life. Don't let a decision made in haste or fear be a destroyer of your own dreams.

  And on a final note, to the companies and organizations that service our passion, please do the same that we ask of professional anglers. Don't let a decision made in haste today alienate those you're trying to reach tomorrow.

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• Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

  Saturday, April 18, 2009

  Re: BASS Elite marshals – In the first two Ray Scott tournaments and several early BASS tournaments, BASS used non-contestants as observers. The first tournament day, contestants were paired two per boat, but the second and third day the Top 20 each had an observer in the boat. They were called BASS observers and were recruited locally by the local sponsor. They just rode the back of the boat and signed the contestant's weigh slip stating that he obeyed all the rules.

  But Ray always had a problem on day 3 as some of the official observers from day 2 failed to show for day 3. Now, these people were locals, didn't pay anything to ride, but discovered it wasn't that much fun after 8 hours in all kinds of weather.

  So we're not surprised that BASS is having trouble finding marshals after day 1. We always had to have one observer available in case we came up with an odd number of contestants, but years later we solved that problem. We had two brothers who traveled the circuit – one as a contestant and the other just along to help drive – so we recruited him and made him the official BASS DO (designated observer). He was always there and eager to find something to do all day besides set on the bank waiting on his brother to weigh in.

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• Bob McKeithen of Baton Rouge, LA writes:

  Saturday, April 18, 2009

  Eugene (Shoestring) Dubois 76, died last Thursday in Zachary, La.

  "Shoestring" was the lure designer for the Bass Pro Shops Tornado and other Bass Pro Shops–exclusive baits. His family used the same pic that Bass Pro Shops used for so many years in their catalogue's full-page adds for the
  the "Tornado."
  

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• Joe Zellmer of Mitchell, SD writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  Well, I guess I've bought my last Lindy/Pradco product. Taking Lindy out of Minnesota is like taking Berkley out of Iowa. Oh wait, someone did that too. This sucks! Thank God there's open water in South Dakota or I'd scream!

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• Steven Rockweiler of Luling, La. writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I believe that bass can pass on to their offspring traits they develop. I've spent thousnads of hours fishing, studying, observing for over 47 years of mainly bass fishing. I've tagged and tracked bass for seasons and have kept notes. This has allowed me to have a greater understanding of their life cycle, migration and population on this huge Delta.

  I also believe that passing on these traits are not as pronounced on a large open estuary as on an enclosed lake or reservoir. I once thought that fishing pressure would never affect the population of bass on this Delta, but now I know that I was wrong. Bass fishing has grown so rapidly here, and the fishing pressure's so intense, that it's quickly altering sections of this Delta.

  I also thought that allowing fishermen to catch bass and remove them during the spawn had negligible affects on the bass/ Again I was wrong. I'm now a proponent of allowing bass fishing during the spawn, but only if the bass is immediately released. I don't believe I will ever witness this, because I live in such a political state. Hard science that should be looked at for establishing commercial and recreational limits around here is bent by pressures that are both economical and perceived.

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• Dustin Stacey of Riverton KS writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I don't think bed-fishing should be limited. If fishing pressure has genetically selected less vulnerable fish, then fishing will just be tougher. It won't mean there are less fish – just fish that are tougher to catch. If that happens, tournament fishing will decline due to tough fishing conditions and thus a rebound in the more vulnerable population of fish.

  Assuming that tournament fishing doesn't decline under tough fishing conditions, then anglers will just not catch as many fish – specifically bed-fish. Again, this doesn't mean less fish will be in the lake – just that they're tougher to catch. Evolutionarily speaking, the fish have genetically drifted to a tougher fish to catch, equaling more fish, not less.

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• Douglas Guins of Lake Charles, LA writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I sight-fish on several different bodies of water for bedding fish and have a few issues with the article about limiting fishing during the spawning season.

  First of all, nature has a way of spreading out the movement of fish to beds over a period of time as a natural way to protect the population. In 2008, I fished a local fishery of roughly 15,000 acres and the fishery is closed to fishing from Oct 15 to March 15 each year. From March 15, 2008 through June 6, 2008 there were seven major spawns, mostly around the full and new moon periods. There were fish on beds in this fishery at all times during this 3 1/2-month period. Some days only a few and others days dozens.

  There were also some fish that I watched lay their eggs on the bed, leave and never return – not that day or the next. Sometimes the males would stay and guard the eggs, sometimes the female, some times both and some times neither. On some of the unguarded beds the eggs would be quickly eaten and on others the eggs would hatch without any protection at all.

  So my argument is that just because a fish is caught from a bed and removed it doesn't automatically destroy the bed. And for someone to suggest that a fishery be "off-limits" during the spawning period which can run for a period of a quarter of the year depending on conditions is inconceivable to me.

  I do believe in conservation and catch and release. I also believe that fisheries should be protected, but that it should be done with size limits and creel limits. As far as tournaments during the spawn, most tournament fishermen are more interested in the larger female fish and most of the smaller male fish are released immediately (especially after a five-fish limit is reached) and return to guard the eggs.

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• Steve Kirby of Columbus, OH writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  In reading the University of Illinois study re: bass recruitment, it became readily apparent that some portions of the study fly in the face of accepted norms of codified studies under the auspices of the AFS – e.g., bed-fishing.

  Further, this study, much like that supposedly foisted on Ohio anglers re: bed-fishing, while supposedly conducted under controlled conditions, its actual outcome was never in doubt as a full reading would lead one to believe that global parameters were completely ignored in favor of substantiating additional controls relating to management.

  For the most part, bass fishing continues to improve countrywide. his, of course, flies in the face of most wildlife agencies as the majority take a hands-off attitude as it relates to bass propagation/recruitment and longevity. Weather, fluctuating water level, turbidity, loss of habitat are all far more important than studies such as the Illinois so-called study, which seeks to lay the blame solely on bed-fishing and its results thereto.
  

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• John Thornley of Charlotte, NC writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I voted no. I assumed from the article that the high catch (or low, for that matter) was "blind" fishing in the study. All bass have to come up shallow to spawn. Did the researchers have multiple spawning beds side-by-side (same body of water, etc) w/ "smart" vs. "dumb" fish? Were they able to catch only the "dumb" ones off the beds? My guess is one could not separate, in a statistically significant way, the catch of "dumb" fish from "smart" ones in bedfishing. I don't disagree with the overall premise, but narrowing it down to bed-fishing's a bogus statistical leap.

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• Jim Wolfe of Dallas, TX writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I've spoken many times to Larry Botroff (the biologist who helped create San Diego's trophy bass fishing) and he was firmly convinced that bed-fishing doesn't hurt the overall population one bit.

  I will go with Mr. Botroff's opinion until I hear differently first-hand from a biologist that works at actual lakes being fished for fish that are naturally spawing, not in a controlled environment.
  

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• Tim Newberry of Wildwood, MO writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  I can see how a controlled study can come up with such results. However, the lakes and rivers we fish are not a controlled study! All bass don't spawn at the same time in the same body of water. Nor do females drop all their eggs in one bed.

  You can't tell me that Guntersville, Kentucky, Barkley, Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, ect. need to have any more restrictions placed on them than currently are in place. If this controlled study applied to our waters, all the "highly vunerable" bass would wind up living in the immediate waters of the release area(s).

  This study smells more of restriction than it does results.
  

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• Keith Nighswonger of San Diego, CA writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  In regards to the recent article about fishing during the spawn and its negative impact on "easy to catch fish," I've heard many anglers say that they 'll never target spawning fish in the spring. However, having spent many hours talking with pro fishermen and my own time on the water, I think it's important to note that if you cast a lure on the water anytime during the spawning months (as early as December in the south and as late as June in the north), you're in reality fishing for spawning fish.

  Not holding tournaments during the spawning cycle in reality means taking as many as 6 months off the fishing calendar. Do we really want that? I say keep on fishing! The fish may get smarter. The angler must adjust.

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• Em Seefeldt of Medina, NY writes:

  Friday, April 17, 2009

  Although I voted no on regulating fishing for spawning bass, I'm not in favor of specifically targeting spawning bass. I voted no primarily because I don't believe that a ban on fishing for bass during the spawn could be effectively enforced. The precise timing of the spawn is virtually unpredictable to begin with and few state conservation departments have the manpower or money to ensure truly effective enforcement of such a ban.

  I oppose fishing during the spawn because it does the most damage to the largest individuals of the species and it does so at the very time that these individual specimens are most vulnerable to exploitation. The truly large individuals aren't easily replaced and all the recruitment in the world cannot guarantee that these individuals will be replaced. Just look at what happened in Florida. All the guides that once guaranteed 10-pound bass or your money back are now out of business. Fishing during the spawn may not hurt recruitment, but it certainly can eliminate the truly big bass from any population if it's allowed to happen without restrictions.

  As far as creating uncatchable bass goes, we certainly shouldn't need a 20-year study to tell us that bass can be bred to avoid capture by fishermen. Any fisherman learns this through experience. Any angler that doesn't continue to learn and experiment with his presentations will soon cease to catch bass as he used to.

  Yet, as is clearly evident by the facts (record tournament weights), bass fishing today is as good as it's ever been. You may have to be better educated and skilled as an angler to be successful, but who ever said that successful bass fishing should be easy? The value of anything worth obtaining is directly proportional to the amount of effort required to obtain it. If it's easy, anyone can do it, so where's the value? Bass will evolve to guarantee survival of the species. Truly successful bass anglers must evolve as well. Opting to not fish for spawning bass is a step toward that evolution.

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• Michael Martin of Elmira, NY writes:

  Thursday, April 16, 2009

  RE: Elite Series marshals – As a court-qualified polygraph expert with 25 years experience, I must caution tournament directors that many polygraph exams conducted for fishing tournaments are not of sufficient quality to make a decision of truth or deception. Most only last 10 or 15 minutes, while a quality exam will take an hour or more. In addition, the test must be done at least twice. Polygraph results are only as good as the examiner conducting the tests. Proceed with caution.

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• James Stoler of Decatur, AL writes:

  Wednesday, April 15, 2009

  RE: Clunn on marshals – I think Rick has a valid point, but I know most of the pros and I feel it is a sport of integrity. Thanks for all you do and I look foward to fishing with you in Decatur.

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• Em Seefeldt of Medina, NY writes:

  Wednesday, April 15, 2009

  BASS has 100 Elite pros listed under their Angler Profiles. Since the term “Elite” refers to the best of the best, at a minimum an angler should have at least two career BASS tournament victories to be considered Elite. Of the 100 Elite pros listed, only 39 have two or more career BASS victories. The vast majority of the remaining 61 Elite pros have none. One can’t help but wonder how any angler who has never won a tournament qualifies to fish as an Elite pro. It isn’t like there aren’t better qualified pro anglers out there, because there are. The number of pros with one career BASS tournament victory is well over 150. If you don’t have to win at least one tournament to be considered an Elite pro, what makes you so Elite? It certainly isn’t the proven ability to win tournaments.

  It isn’t career victories, career earnings, career Bassmaster Classic Championships or career BASS Angler of the Year Awards either. It can’t be, or else pros like Roland Martin, Larry Nixon, George Cochran, David Fritts, Woo Daves, Guido Hibdon, Dion Hibdon, Luke Clausen, Jay Yelas, Ron Shuffield, O.T. Fears III, Jimmy Houston, David Dudley and others I have probably missed would all be fishing the Elites, and they are not.

  Clearly only two things are required to fish the BASS Elites: money and a willingness to fish under BASS’s terms. Obviously there are pros willing to fulfill these requirements. However, referring to these pros as Elite simply because they are willing to do so is a designation based on opinion. It certainly cannot be supported by facts.

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• Rob Jasper of Arlington, TX writes:

  Wednesday, April 15, 2009

  Shame on the BASS Elite Marshals who pay and then do not show up or get wimpy due to weather. Stay out of the kitchen if you don’t like the heat. Also shame on any marshal or angler who goes out and fishes a spot during a BASS tournament that they learned from watching a pro the previous day.

  However, I do think that ESPN/BASS needs to invest in the marshal program, not make it a revenue-generating project. They should pay marshals, not charge them and they should cover some of the expenses as well. A solid marshal program can be developed and I would love to be in charge of it. I would make it sing! It is important and adds to the sport to have an observer in the boat. I’ll be standing by waiting on BASS’s call, as I am sure they will seek my help. Ha.
  

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• Gerald Andrews of Ruston, La. writes:

  Wednesday, April 15, 2009

  Re: Rick Clunn on marshals – Clunn, agree with him or disagree, I have always admired his open honesty. I happen to agree with him on this issue, but everyone knows that the man is not afraid to speak his mind, even in the face of an ill wind. Go, R.C.

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• Scott Wall of Millbrook, AL writes:

  Tuesday, April 14, 2009

  Although I strongly disagree with most of what columnist Mike Jackson details in his article, I do give him kudos for at least going against the grain. Too many outdoor writers in this sport are quick to print a re-hash of a press release rather than form their own opinions and do some real investigative journalism, or speak their mind in an article out of fear of being banished from covering events by ESPN/BASS' nazi-esque PR regime. Mr. Jackson, stop attacking the pros and go after the "big fish." Wink, wink!

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• Bill Spindler of Washington Township, NJ writes:

  Tuesday, April 14, 2009

  If BASS continues to have a shortfall of marshalls, paying the marshalls a stipend of $50 or so and a goody bag may attract more people. The $100 fee the marshalls now pay is only a part of the total cost if they have lodging and meal costs when traveling from out of the local area.

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• Ted Barth of Bolivar, NY writes:

  Tuesday, April 14, 2009

  I firmly believe the only way that you get an "observer" to show up, each and every day of competition, is to bring back the co-angler format. With the $750 entry fee and some prize money, the rider had a decent stake in the event and that pretty much ensures participation.

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• T.J. McCue of Indianapolis, IN writes:

  Tuesday, April 14, 2009

  Spin it any way you want, but no co-anglers is bad for the sport. Of course the cry-baby pros say it's great. You won't catch me paying $1, let alone $100, to just sit in a boat and watch.

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• Crystall and Richard Pittenger of Galion, OH writes:

  Monday, April 13, 2009

  We love you Glenn! Go kick some bass!

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• Richard Thiel of Bethel Island, CA writes:

  Monday, April 13, 2009

  Re: Hi-Seas – I found this line about a 2 years ago and have been using it since. It didn't exist on the West Coast at all. The Black Widow and the braid I use religiously with swimbaits and jigs here on the California Delta. I have 100% confidence in the lines. I introduced the line to one of my sponsors, Black Dog Baits, and he now recommends it in throwing his baits. This line will go far with the general public and the professional fishermen.

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• Dustin Kelso of Indianapolis, IN writes:

  Monday, April 13, 2009

  Does the PPA have a website? I couldn't locate it.
  

  BassFan says: Yes, it's FishPAA.com.

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• Scott Shafer of Dallas, PA writes:

  Monday, April 13, 2009

  RE: Delong – The only reason for his success is that now he's not fishing against the best in the world – he's fishing against the also-rans plus anyone who has the cash and wants to play the game. FLW is just that – a joke!

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• Jim Nelson of Downers Grove, IL writes:

  Saturday, April 11, 2009

  RE: Jackson article – Although 30 years ago Mike Jackson's recommendations where scoffed at, today the use of light tackle and small jigs is commonplace in catching bass. Finesse fishing for largemouth and smallmouth is common for Lake Michigan as well as for most of the lakes in America. I wonder where that pro is today?

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• Alex Posey of Roswell, NM writes:

  Saturday, April 11, 2009

  RE: Jackson article – This guy's a clown. Pro bass fishermen have been fishing offshore for years – they just didn't talk about because it was their meal ticket. He doesn't know that you don't need light tackle nowadays when you can have light, sensitive rods and flourocarbon. Clearly he has a grudge and is grabbing at straws. And flipping still catches lots of big fish in tournaments every year.

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• Rick Redmon of Wetumpka, AL writes:

  Friday, April 10, 2009

  I read with interest the comments from Harold Sharp – the first tournament director BASS had some 30 years ago. Much has changed, and BASS has changed like everything else. BASS has the most elite field of pros and is still the organization most pros strive to fish.

  With 100 pros, you'll never get all to agree on rules of any kind. Neither do the NASCAR drivers, NFL, NBA or any competitive sport. Cancellations are rare in BASS. I as well as the vast majority of pros have full confidence in Trip Weldon and his ability to make the best decisions possible. No doubt he's the best tournament director BASS has ever had. It's easy to Monday-morning quarterback. When BASS can't fill a full field of pros year in and out, then let's complain about their rules-making ability.

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• Jeff Edgarton of Erieville, NY writes:

  Friday, April 10, 2009

  Re: Cancellations – I'm so tired of the whining. Everybody had the same chances whether it be 1 day, 2 days or 3 days. Safety should always be the No. 1 concern, especially when you can make the call before the blast. Someone's always going to finish near the bottom. Every fishermen knows what the game is before they signed up, and every one of them could have chosen a different path to their jobs.

  If I'm without power and it's too windy for the crews to fix the wires, I miss a day of power. We're talking about catching a few fish. So everyone complaining about a shortened tournament because of a safety call needs to get a grip.

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• Chad Keogh of Black Creek, BC (Canada) writes:

  Thursday, April 9, 2009

  Re: Streaks – I think it only makes sense that if someone from the top of the sport drops down to a lesser circuit that they'd do very well. If you put Tiger Woods in a smaller event with golfers who are trying to qualify for his level of competition, it only stands to reason that he'd perform very well in comparison. Plus, it's a good way for tour-level anglers to qualify for the Cup championship since it looks like they aren't going to make it on FLW Tour points.

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• Jeff Cox of Walker, LA writes:

  Tuesday, April 7, 2009

  I was a marshal at Lake Wheeler last weekend. I rode with Mark Menendez the first day and with Luke Gritter the second. Both these guys were great to ride with. I tried to stay out of their way as much as I could.

  I hope that the cancellation of day 2 wasn't because of us marshals. I heard it was possible. I would surely do it again, but I would like to make sure that the pros don't mind. We fish back home and we get in a lot of rough water/bad weather. Don't penalize the pros because of us or they sure won't want us to ride. We know what we could be in for when we sign up.

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• Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

  Tuesday, April 7, 2009

  The BASS tournament director has to make the call on canceling a tournament because of weather. It's not easy and no one wants anyone to get hurt. In the beginning, BASS didn't have a rule about this. The tournament director was the one person who started each day's competition, and if he decided to delay the start because of weather everyone understood, because they knew that as soon as it was safe, the tournament would start.

  In those days we didn't cancel tournament days and there was a very good reason for that: All anglers paid the same so all were given the same chance to compete. We believed they knew how to handle themselves in bad weather. But the one thing that kept us from canceling tournament days was the fact that we couldn't control the weather after the tournament day started and we had several that got real bad after a smooth start that morning, so we believed the anglers could handle bad weather if it happened during the day.

  BASS now has rules that allow delay starts, total cancellations, re-arranging the final days, etc. They even have a rule that states they can change the rules anytime they want to, so whatever they do or want to do, the anglers have no choice but to pay up and shut up.

  So the BASS decision at Dardanelle and Wheeler was bad for everyone except the winners and BASS isn't going to change it and some anglers will miss the Classic because of it and the beat goes on.

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• Lance Carpenter of Clarksville, TN writes:

  Monday, April 6, 2009

  For a while I was pondering some decisions made by BASS over the past few years. While watching the Dardanelle Tournament this past weekend on ESPN, it finally dawned on me. The decision to limit the field to some 100 anglers was brilliant. You don't even have to follow the sport full-time to recognize the names. Having all the boats wrapped was great. You can follow the angler through what their boat looks like. Changing the Classic to the beginning of the tour is outstanding. You get all charged up at the beginning of the season. Then there's the ESPN Coverage. The Network alone speaks volumes in sports television. The coverage is exceptional.

  Most of all, the angler's ability to fish out of their own boat throughout the tournament is the best decision yet. I was really hesitant about the no-co-angler strategy. It truly is working. It's taken the sport to a entirely different level. There are so many other available organizations out there that offer a place for co-anglers. There are no flaws in their rules. Now I know why the biggest and best names in pro bass fishing have stayed and followed BASS. It truly is the one and only professional tournament trail.

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• Todd Reed of Marshalltown, IA writes:

  Monday, April 6, 2009

  There is no reason why BASS, the beggest/best professional circuit in the world, shouldn't have a set of rules for cancelled days. they should be in black and white. No day of decisions, that leaves too many grey areas.

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• Rick McDougall of Paris, TX writes:

  Monday, April 6, 2009

  I totally agree with Biffle. With the shortened season the chances of making a living at this sport are greatly diminished. Think about it: If you finish in the top 50 in all events you can make $80,000. Add in travel, motel, food, fuel and time and you can't consider that a living.

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• Scott Schwarz of Boerne, TX writes:

  Sunday, April 5, 2009

  I'm very pleased that the staff at BassFan seems to cover all stories related to the BASS and FLW tours – not just the stories that the tours want you to hear about. Rather, good or bad, all news is covered and I greatly appreciate that. It's pretty sad that to get the current tournament standings, especially for BASS, that BassFan has the standings sooner than Bassmaster.com. Keep up the good work.

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• Mitch Looper of Hackett, AR writes:

  Saturday, April 4, 2009

  Re: Wheeler cancellation – Biffle wouldn't be so whiny if he was in 49th place. He's rarely is in contention, and when he is, he thinks everything should go his way.

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• Arthur Trim of Conyers, GA writes:

  Friday, April 3, 2009

  A general sense that ESPN/BASS has become more conservative with its safety rulings. It only take 30 seconds or less to sink a 20-foot bass boat in this type of wind, waves and current! What you just said is that all tournament directors should predicate their safety decisions based on the fact that the participants paid an entry fee. You paid your money therefore you should be willing to take unnecessary chances with your life and that of your partner or co-angler! This shows really sound thinking of whoever wrote this article!

  BassFan says: The notable item you reference read: "There does seem to be a general sense within the field that BASS has become more conservative with its safety rulings given the fact that marshals are now in the boat, vs. co-anglers in years past who paid money to compete amongst themselves."

  BassFan was simply reporting what a number of the Elite Series pros had said off the record. The sense is therefore "within the field" – meaning, among the pros.

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• Martin Danny Lamb of Lumberton, NC writes:

  Friday, April 3, 2009

  Boy, BASS just doesn't know what consistency is! Now instead of cutting the field like after the cancellation of the third day at Dardanelle, they let the entire field fish the third day after the day-2 cancellation. I didn't agree with the way the cut was made at Dardenelle. BASS should have let the entire 50 fish the last day there. But now that they've set a precedent, it's unfair to those anglers who got shorted last week to let the entire field fish day 3 this week. They should now stay consistent and cut to the Top 50 for day 3. BASS needs to make a set rule as to how the cut is made in the event of a cancellation. This is ridiculous.

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• Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

  Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Has every single Elite pro had a Marshal for every day of Elite competition to this point in the season? In the photos of the Wheeler tournament on Bassmaster.com, it looks like Swindle's leaving without a marshal. Have any of the Elites fished without a marshal?

  BassFan says: Not all Elite pros fish with a marshal every day. There have reportedly been problems with numbers of marshals, as well as registered marshals showing up at the event. More on the story soon.

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• John J. Policastro of Wharton, NJ writes:

  Wednesday, April 1, 2009

  Re: Klein and the paper doll – You gotta love this guy – what a player. Gary, you have my fervent prayers for as many wins as possible, especially the Classic. You truly are one of the greatest anglers in the world, and in my book, you just climbed a few notches more.

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• Dave Dieling of Elmhurst, IL writes:

  Wednesday, April 1, 2009

  Great to see Mark Menendez get an Elite win considering the recent challenges he's overcome. Add to that, he's a standup guy. In late February, we ran into Mark at a McDonald's near Kentucky Dam Marina on a cold, rainy/snowy miserable Saturday. He was headed out to film a Strike King TV segment. After leaving the McDonald's, Mark pulled up next to us at the gas station and pointed out a serious problem with one of my trailer brakes. Then at the ramp, we found our engine wouldn't start. Mark listened to it and said it was likely a frozen starter. He told us how to fix it, and we were on the water 30 minutes later After driving 400-plus miles through the night to get there, Mark saved our fishing day. Thanks Mark!

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