After watching the FLW weigh-ins online, it's seems that Chris Hoover doesn't really want to be there. He has the enthusiasm of a disgrunted employee. Daniel Fennel shows enthusiasm and brings up the anglers' attitudes toward FLW fishing, whether they did well or not. My opinion, but if i had to watch Hoover weigh-ins, I would turn it off.
RE: Balog on student fishing – Great article. To entities "B" and "C", who mentors these kids and clubs? Who shows up to support their efforts? Who reads the results and follows the tournaments?
RE: Elias ripped off – Need to make sure when these thieves are caught they are prosecuted to the fullest extent. No mercy!
RE: Balog and the "old man" – Joe, great writing as always!
RE: Balog on Murray's win – Absolutely one of the best stories ever ... I would have loved to have read more about John. This was a story that deserved to be told.
John Murray wins! So happy for John and his family! Good things happen to good people and John is a good dude! He was always one of the early birds at the launch, he would unselfishly let me whine about how I should have done better and how many I lost. He probably won because I wasn't there to drive him nuts every tournament morning!
Really miss seeing him every morning. Go win a bunch more!
RE: Murray's Toledo Bend victory – I am really happy for John Murray and his family! Kudos on an excellent Elite win and climbing the mountain! Tennessee's newest pro angler just notched one.
RE: KVD's square root – Sounds pretty much like an infomercial to me. Also, since his name is on the baits, why don't they just go ahead and put his hooks on there. Him saying that he changes all the hooks is basically admitting that Strike King puts inferior hooks on the baits. I guess at the end of the day, all decisions are based on money.
RE: Balog's Classic notes – First off, I'm a big Balog fan. He is spot-on and this is no exception. However I disagree on the YouTube celebrity thing. All an announcement like that is for is to introduce the idea to attendees. I think it's good and keeps expanding the ways fishing is marketed. Say they made that announcement and everyone left the real pros and flocked to some internet goofball. Shouldn't the real pros be analyzing what it is that makes the internet stars attractive to the people? What if more pros upped their video content and combined the good finishes with videos of how they did it. Then they would be YouTube stars too.
My point is, with GoPros and other types of equipment, the touring pros who really want to expand their presence should be filming every minute of their fishing and making it available for free through YouTube and social media. I always hear how busy the pros are and how they don't have time to do that ... well, that's why no one knows some of these guys. In my opinion, the older guys need to hire people who can help them get fishing-related content out on a daily basis. Being upset with B.A.S.S. over them promoting YouTube "celebrities" is like being mad when someone that you know is dumber than you makes an "A" and you make a "C". You can't be mad at them for making the good grade, ask why you made an average grade.
Also, I wholeheartedly agree with a top-12 cut, potentially a top-6 cut. I think the field was too big to actually give the guys leading after 2 days a chance. The leaders have so much more pressure and their time gets taken up by interviews and media and then the fishing side. The guys going into the final day outside the top 10 or 12 have nothing to worry about. They can go into the final day with no worries, no obligations and can focus of whacking 'em to move up. In such a big event, that creates a huge disadvantage for the leaders, which is why we see more and more come way from behind for wins and close finishes. I personally think there should be a cut to reward the guys who have fished consistently.
RE: Balog's Classic notes – I think the field should not be cut. If it was reduced to 12, Lee would not have won. An angler can be on the winning fish and if something turns them off during the first two days, they may miss an opportunity of a career, winning the Classic.
RE: Balog's Classic notes – Good job, Joe. I have been to 27 Classics and you hit it right on the head. That last day should be 12 anglers. It will be edited down for television anyway, so what's the point? I worked the Expo Friday and Saturday, but left early Sunday morning to go home. Keep up the good work.
RE: Balog's Classic notes – Joe brought up reducing final day at the Classic to 12 anglers, like regular Elite events. Lee came from 15th place! Maybe B.A.S.S. should think about increasing final-day Elite events?
RE: Lee in demand – What a great story ... congrats to the champ!
RE: Meyer's tough stretch – Cody is a major stick and one of the West's best ever. Also a class act and a sponsor's dream. He will be back.
I don't know if it was the timing of the Classic or what, but I didnt get into it like I usually do. B.A.S.S. needs to go back to having it at the start or end of the season. Having your biggest event in the middle of the following season seems odd to me.
By Dustin Wilks Special to BassFan
(Editor's note: "Catching Bass with Dustin Wilks" airs four times per week on the Sportsman Channel – 6
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff
PALATKA, Fla. — Cory Johnston fished a full tournament. But with all due respect to nine other competitors, he could’ve
By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff PALATKA, Fla. — With less competition, but more company, Cory Johnston leveraged late-day heroics to extend his lead
