B.A.S.S. does many things now days without regard of how the membership feels. They are out to make money, not promote bass fishing. With $70,000 dollar boats, $500 reels and $25 lures, the normal working man cannot afford the sport!
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September 2014
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Dennis Pentecost of Milford, IL writes:
Tuesday, September 30, 2014 -
Jason Mausteller of Muncy, PA writes:
Tuesday, September 30, 2014My comment is on the fact that they let people in the Classic other than Elite Series guys. In no other sport can an amateur or high school team compete at the highest level. They shouldn't in bass fishing, either.
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Robert Wilkinson of Fredericksburg, VA writes:
Tuesday, September 30, 2014RE: AOY format – Each tournament should be equal; a win in a slugfest at Seminole should not be worth more than a win at a difficult venue like the Delaware River. The skills required to win at the top level should not be penalized because one fishery produces smaller fish than another. Get over it, move on!
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Andy Willliamson of Lake Andes, SD writes:
Monday, September 29, 2014RE: Pace's return – Go Cliff, but watch out for "Smash the Giant"!
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George Foster of Pineville, LA writes:
Monday, September 29, 2014RE: Bandit sold – I hate to hear this news. PRADCO has bout out so many lure companies and just stopped production of many of their best lures. Smithwick is a brand that they bought and only produce two or three of their original lineup of 40-plus lures. It is sad to me when this happens.
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John Gaulke of Ithaca, NY writes:
Monday, September 29, 2014RE: Sonar's adjustments – Balance is overrated. Very few people out there who achieve greatness have "balance" in their lives - at least to start. Sacrifice is required to excel. Look at Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods in their primes (yes, we all know about Tiger).
Once you reach the goal, then you can worry about balance. At least while out in California you'll be able to get acquainted with those bass fisheries.
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Alan Clemons of Huntsville, AL writes:
Monday, September 29, 2014I never knew B.A.S.S., FLW and their magazines were only for bass fishermen who had bass boats with outboards, trolling motors, sonar units and other expensive gear. So what if a canoe is on the cover of Bassmaster Magazine? Big whoop! There are plenty of other photos and articles related to the anglers and sponsors inside the magazines.
If anything, there could be more photos and stories about other means of fishing. Dissecting small ponds, the best ways for kids to catch fish, how to rig canoes and kayaks safely and effectively ... and those small lake-small boat anglers might just be eyeballing bigger bass boats in a few years when they get older and have more money. Nothing wrong with fishing from a canoe, kayak, pirogue, from the bank or on the dock, which is the way many of us got our start.
B.A.S.S. and FLW are about bass fishing by bass anglers of all ages, races and gender — not just one group with big boats and gear. Kudos to Dave Precht, James Hall and the Bassmaster Magazine staff for including other methods of catching little green and brown fish. Please include more photos and stories about these methods along with the shiny, zippy boats and television consoles showing fish burping in the silt 27 feet below.
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Rusty Byrley of Nacogdoches, TX writes:
Sunday, September 28, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – The Bassmaster Classic has always been earn as you go and needs to stay that way. If you guys want an old guys Classic, make it a separate event.
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Greg Ginneberge of Hamilton, OH writes:
Sunday, September 28, 2014RE: AOY Championship – Points are used to level out the tournament locations so a 100-pound lake matches up with a 50-pound lake. A win is a win, but why should one angler get over 100 points for winning and another only get 50 points for winning? I have the same issue with the bass club I belong to. We go by weight, which isn't bad for most of the waters we fish, but we do have one tournament each year in October on Lake Erie. You can make up a lot of ground in this one tournament if you get on a good smallmouth reef.
I'm all for a point system. It makes it more even per lake fished.
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Jerry McCullough of Pell City, AL writes:
Sunday, September 28, 2014RE: AOY Championship – I agree totally with the majority of this article. I do disagree to the with the notion that this was a "two-day shootout." As the facts bear out, this was an aggregate of the "entire year."
As far as the big water, it presents a clear and present danger almost as horrid as the cesspool known as the Delaware River. This is due to the ongoing greed of B.A.S.S. officials.
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Chad Keogh of Nanaimo, BC writes:
Friday, September 26, 2014RE: Sonar's adjustments – Miles, you're making the right move. You need to have balance in your life and relocating to Cali is a good first move.
Good luck at Norman!
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Steve Kirby of Columbus, OH writes:
Thursday, September 25, 2014RE: Balog on AOY Championship Joe, great insight on the "big waters" up north. The most important statement in the column was the one regarding "the bay" and the fact that some of the competitors, who know about big waters, took the time to find alternate water and were rewarded for their efforts with cancellations. It seems that it's become the B.A.S.S./FLW mantra that "we erred on the side of safety" while patting themselves on the back. I've begun to wonder if we're watching a bunch of "Southern sissies" who start crying when they get up north and have to fish some of the best smallmouth venues in the country?
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014Two things I never thought I would see: The Sept.-Oct. issue of Bassmaster has a photo on the cover of a canoe without an outboard, trolling motor or depthfinder. Have they run out of sponsors for bass boats with this equipment?
Number 2 was last week at the AOY Championship, the emcee was wearing a black and white B.A.S.S. patch. Is the traditional B.A.S.S. patch on its way out?
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Errol Duckett of Charlotte, NC writes:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014RE: Balog on cheating Sorry Joe, when Nate Wellman was allowed to compete in the Elites, where was the outrage? The sport of bass fishing lost a great deal of legitimacy which will take years to regain.
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Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014RE: Sonar's adjustments Miles, welcome to reality.
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Rick Pierce of Mountain Home, AR writes:
Wednesday, September 24, 2014B.A.S.S. should make some form of an adjustment to the format to make the AOY competition year-ending event complete. There was too much at stake to allow intervention by the location and weather. The delay hurt everyone and while fair, they have to reconsider.
The location in Michigan has other smaller lake options that could have weighed right there on site, with the conservation agencies' involvement. Wisconsin is just down the road and offers many smaller areas to hold the actual fishing. It would be a non-practice event with a parity among anglers for a secret alternate location. Fair to the Escanaba area, well yes, they get the weigh-in either way – and the festivities.
There is too much at stake in careers and expectations, as this peaks at the end of the season, to not make adjustments. There really was no climax to this event as intended. It was a fizzle for all. A good fizzle, though a fizzle nonetheless. Better planning could have taken place.
Sorry, B.A.S.S., if that offended you.
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Remi De Matteo of Poydras, LA writes:
Tuesday, September 23, 2014RE: Balog on cheating – While I appreciate the article, I'm still puzzled after all this time that a suspected cheater was not given a polygraph a couple of years ago and is still fishing the Elite Series. I apologize for beating a dead horse, but this article seems somewhat self serving for B.A.S.S. I think that incident caused B.A.S.S. to lose some members.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Monday, September 22, 2014Once again the AOY race has pointed out the problem with scoring bass tournaments with a point system instead of total pounds and ounces. Going in to the last event for 2014, Greg Hackney had 664 points and Aaron Martens was next with 649. If Martens had won he would've gotten 100 points, raising his total to 749, so Hackney only had to place 15th or better to win the AOY.
Martens and all the rest were limited to 100 points that they could score. If it was based on total pounds and ounces, there would be no limit on how much they could score. This is why B.A.S.S. changed the scoring to total pounds years ago, but a few years ago it was changed back to points, which limits the amount you can score.
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Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:
Monday, September 22, 2014RE: AOY Championship – It is not very smart to schedule 3- or 4-day tournaments on the Great Lakes. Bass boats were not designed for the Lakes. If B.A.S.S. does go there, they should guarantee anglers 3 days, no matter what conditions arise.
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Dean Meckes of Clayton, NY writes:
Sunday, September 21, 2014RE: Defoe leaves Escanaba – It's a delicate balance. Good luck, Ott.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Sunday, September 21, 2014Is it fair to cancel a tournament day for anglers trying to qualify for the Classic or AOY , or to win some money? I understand the safety part, but the wind can get up after any day's start and before check-in. Anglers pay to fish during tournament days. If they are not allowed to fish, it affects their money winnings and that's why they pay to fish. If conditions require a day's cancellation it should be rescheduled so the anglers have a chance to improve their money winnings.
B.A.S.S. should reschedule the AOY event with the days 1 results carried over to another location. They have 3 1/2 months left in 2014, find a lake and reschedule the rest of the AOY event. It's not fair to anyone to not allow the anglers to fish for Classic and AOY qualifying, plus the money that's involved. Just move it south and reschedule the last 2 days. The anglers paid to fish 3 days and try to qualify.
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Patrick Ross of Bella Vista, AR writes:
Sunday, September 21, 2014Remind me again why this tournament exists. I thought the AOY was the guy who had the most points at the end of the tournament series. Now you say 50 guys are fishing one tournament to decide the AOY? That is ludicrous.
Now instead of trying to garner the most points possible, you fish to finish in the Top 50. It is degrading to the anglers and demeaning to the Elite Series, and to top that off they go to the Great Lakes to hold the tournament, where a change in the weather can kill you.
Wake up, Mr. McKinnis. If you want more exposure, do more of the BASSFest tournaments instead of of this AOY tournament.
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Carter Northcutt of Frankfort, KY writes:
Saturday, September 20, 2014RE: Balog on cheating – I quit fishing a particular national circuit a few years ago due to cheating and disregard of the rules by the people running it. One infraction even took place in front of the tournament director. Their basic response was they did not see the infraction that took place on the water so it was our word against the other team. Well, I thought we all policed ourselves. There aren't any refs out there watching us. Fortunately there are plenty of other tournaments to fish if I so choose.
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Charlie Baker of Moncks Corner, SC writes:
Saturday, September 20, 2014I think a Classic winner should be given an exemption of 3 to 5 years, sort of like NASCAR does at the All-Star race.
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John Barbaro of Leesburg, FL writes:
Friday, September 19, 2014I want to first thank Mr. Sharp for his many contributions to the sport of bass fishing. However, I can't agree with him on his assessment. KVD is the BOAT.
Martin and Clunn were still fishing while KVD was winning a lot. They had all the advantages and use of the modern equipment and could not keep up with KVD. Fish do not know how old you are. If anything, the five-fish limit should have been to their advantage.
KVD has fine-tuned the art of fishing because he was schooled by the likes of Martin, Clunn, Dance and Bassmaster Magazine and refined his skills to the next level.
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Thomas Hack of Mount Gilead, OH writes:
Friday, September 19, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry: Joe, you sir, are a class act. Wow! What a great response to a heartbreaking situation. I have followed you, fished against you ... and now totally admire you. We need to be thankful for the gifts God had given us and more importantly, allow Him to work in his timetable. You will be blessed!
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Phil Lipscomb of Huber Heights, OH writes:
Friday, September 19, 2014RE: Classic exemptions: I believe a 5-year exemption for winners should be considered for those who continue to fish the Elite Series.
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Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:
Thursday, September 18, 2014RE: Balog on cheating: FLW handled the Tony Christian situation about as poorly as they could. This guy cheated other guys out of thousands of dollars and got a slap on the hand without any explanation to other competitors. He deserved jail time. After that incident, I pretty much lost confidence in Operation Bass to police their tournaments.
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Joe McMinn of Huntsville, AL writes:
Thursday, September 18, 2014RE: Balog on cheating: I've always steered clear of "buddy" trails for this very reason. Anytime there's money on the line, there's obviously that potential element. I would rather fish in a more policed atmosphere where the guy in the back of the boat provides the checks and balances. Even though that scenario isn't foolproof either, it helps. Good article.
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Mark Weichold of Phoenix, AZ writes:
Tuesday, September 16, 2014RE: Tyler's Open win – Wow, and to think I was Mark's partner in his first win – a Red Man on the California Delta in 1997. Times really do go around and come full circle. I wondered what happened to Mr. Tyler.
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Del Smith of Castalia, OH writes:
Monday, September 15, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – In tournament fishing there always seems to be that X-factor that comes up and bites you right when you think you've got it all wrapped up. In your case it was mechanical, or it could be the weather or maybe the fish just pack up and leave (ask Chris King about that one). Even with all the planning and preparedness in the world we all know deep down we are at the mercy of our engines. That's just a fact of high-performance machines.
Joe, I can't tell if you're a better fisherman or writer, but I do like your articles. You have the right perspective on competitive fishing and I'm sure you'll get another shot at 'em.
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George Kramer of Lake Elsinore, CA writes:
Monday, September 15, 2014RE: U.S. Open – I see that Clifford Pirch’s third Open title story is aging faster than pork rind on a console. I think it deserves more. If you watch bass fishing shows with the AC running then you only know the antithesis of Lake Mead summer bass fishing. And while many dream of a win in the Forrest Wood Cup or Classic, those require a tour commitment. In the West, we dream of a U.S. Open title – but they are both scarce and hard to get.
Anyone can enter, but few rabbits get pulled out of caps. HOF’er Mike Folkestad, Aaron Martens and now Clifford Pirch have three titles each. Rick Clunn, Byron Velvick and John Murray have a pair each. The likes of Dave Gliebe, Gary Yamamoto and Gary Dobyns are among the balance of one-time winners. But who’s not on the list is just as telling (those having fished it and never won). There you will find the likes of Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin, Guido Hibdon, Denny Brauer, Roland Martin, Zell Roland, Ken Cook, Randy Blaukat, Cody Meyer, Fred Roumbanis and Jay Yelas to name a few. The Open carries a tough and honored 32-year tradition.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Monday, September 15, 2014B.A.S.S. has an article posted on its website titled "KVD is the BOAT," which stands for Best Of All Time, then it compares KVD's record against Roland Martin, Rick Clunn, Larry Nixon and other great bass anglers. This is not a fair comparison as all these anglers' prime tournament periods were at a different time, with different rules and equipment. All are great anglers, but they excelled at different time periods. Examples: Roland started in 1970, he won seven B.A.S.S. events before he finished out of the Top 20 for the first time. KVD started in 1987, his first win was in 1991, his second was in 1995. Roland had 16 by that year and Clunn had four Classic wins by then.
Clunn started in 1974 and his first win was the '76 Classic. Roland had eight B.A.S.S. wins at that time, but no Classics. Many of the anglers that Roland beat in his prime years are now in the Bass Fishing Hall Of Fame.
Tournament limits were 15, 10 or seven when Roland and Clunn started, today they are 5. The best equipment was a Lowrance or Hummingbird depthfinder and all they did was flash on fish, so the equipment was not what anglers have today.
KVD, Clunn and Roland hold most of the records, they are all great anglers, but they each achieved that at different times, against different competition and with different equipment, so to name any one the BOAT (Best Of All Time) is not a good way to judge these anglers.
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Michael James of Coal City, IL writes:
Sunday, September 14, 2014RE: Classice exemptions – A Classic berth should be earned through points or winning. I can see an exemption for the previous year's Classic winner automatically qualifying.
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Nelson Sigelman of Vineyard Haven, MA writes:
Sunday, September 14, 2014RE: St. Clair Open rescue – This accident is another example of why boaters should not rely on cell phones alone. If you are going to be out on the water, carry a VHF. They float, they are waterproof and they can save your life on the water.
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Jim Holcepl of Rocky River, OH writes:
Friday, September 12, 2014RE: St. Clair Open rescue – Glad you ended up okay. I highly suggest getting at least a handheld VHF radio. What if you had no cell service? The VHF marine radio has a purpose ... get one!
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Jim Ramsey of Charleston, SC writes:
Friday, September 12, 2014RE: St. Clair Open rescue – I used to be stationed at Coast Guard STA St. Clair Shores so I know how bad Lake St Clair can be. You were very lucky the cell phone got through!
All boaters listen up: Always carry a handheld VHF radio with a fully charged battery. A VHF radio can easily reach the Coast Guard and other boaters whereas a cell phone can't.
Be safe!
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Joe DiGiovanni of Sterling Heights, MI writes:
Friday, September 12, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – What a story, Joe, thanks for sharing. You are correct, this is just fishing for money. And he way you ended this article speaks volumes on what's really important in life.
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Rich Zaleski of Stevenson, CT writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – I think I've just found a new favorite pro fisherman.
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Geoff Evans of Turnersville, NJ writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Joe, you are a real class act. You are a great ambassidor for our sport. Hit me up if you want to come down and fisih the Delaware River or Upper Chesapeake Bay.
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Kevin Barrows of Redford, MI writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Joe, you hit the nail right on the head. It is just fishing for money. I have not fished a bass tournament in 3 years after I was on a marathon local tournament circut schedule. I would fish at least 2 nights a week and every Saturday and Sunday on top of a full-time job. After some reflection I realized the time I was taking away from my family and the things I was teaching my two young boys. Basically they were learning that fishing for money was more important to me then they were.
I gave up the tournament thing and just fun-fish now with, of course, my boys. Life is better and I have realized that there are more important things in the world then just fishing for money.
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Steve Jones of Moss Point, MS writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – I thoroughly enjoyed Joe's description of his final day and all he went through. Even though I live in the Deep South near the coast of Mississippi, i was pulling for Joe to win the Open and be rewarded for a lifetime of learning and fishing the Great Lakes. I could hardly could wait to find out what happened that last day and his write-up said it all. Also his comment that "this is just fishing for money" says it all about bass tournament fishing.
I admire Joe for his honestly and the professionalism in which he took defeat. Thanks for sharing his article.
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Mike Hawkes of Sabinal, TX writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Very well said.
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Charlie Hartley of Grove City, OH writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – A classy response from a first-class competitor! You will create the opportunity again. You can sit at home on the sofa and nothing bad will ever happen ...
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Ryan Chandler of Hebron, IN writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – That was one great article, Joe, enjoyed reading it. You nailed it. Great job on the water as well.
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William L. Payne of Calhoun, GA writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Joe Balog is a winner by any measure, no matter the outcome of the tournament. His writings show that. Although I don't personally know Joe, I am very impressed by his attitude.
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Ramon Iglesias of Clewiston, FL writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Kreiger headed to Elites – Congratulations, Koby. The crew at Roland Martin Marine Center is proud of you.
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Duane Snyder of Hanson, KY writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – One of the best pieces I've ever read about a tournament fished. Very classy guy. I became a big fan of Joe Balog after reading it. Thank you.
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Karl Kalonka of Bradford, ON writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Straight from the heart. One of the best articles on professional fishing and having your priorities in the right place. Congrats, Joe.
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Scott Asbill of Clinton, SC writes:
Thursday, September 11, 2014RE: Balog's day gone awry – Excellent article, Joe! I was anticipating something different. You handled this with humility and class. Your day will soon come! You just gained a new fan.
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Joel Szymczyk of Lewisberry, PA writes:
Wednesday, September 10, 2014RE: St. Clair Open rescue – This is the fourth version of the story I have read today. Not a single time has Flint said "thank you" to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard who saved his butt. Thanked everyone else, the guys who fixed his boat and repaired his motor, not the folks who choose to serve and come get him off a buoy in water he has no business driving around in a BASCAR. So I guess I will say it for him, Thank you, Coasties.
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Garry Fisher of Gananoque, ON writes:
Wednesday, September 10, 2014RE: Hackney's AOY quest – I am a Phoenix 619 Pro owner too, so good luck and go get your title.
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Joe Balog of Harrison Township, MI writes:
Wednesday, September 10, 2014RE: St. Clair Open rescue – I would strongly advise against using that boat again for a Great Lakes event. There aren't too many days you can just hang out on a buoy.
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Chuck Daymude of Lake Norman, NC writes:
Tuesday, September 9, 2014I 100% agree with Ish on the "wannabe" pros. You pay your bills with your fishing or you are not a pro. Also, the Elite Series would be well served to take a lesson from the PGA Tour on who can fish the "Elites." Anglers should have to earn a qualifying spot every year by either winning or earning in the Top 75 or 100 or whatever. That would really separate the men from the boys.
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Charlie Hartley of Grove City, OH writes:
Tuesday, September 9, 2014RE: St. Clair Northern Open – Joe Balog is a St. Clair/Lake Erie master! If not for motor problems, I believe he would have another B.A.S.S. trophy. Joe, you are the man on the big pond!
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Brian Gaudette of Lowell, MA writes:
Monday, September 8, 2014B.A.S.S. as well as FLW need to start bringing some events to the northeast which is called New England. Yes, they go to Champlain, which is part of Vermont, but that is about it. New Hampshire has some amazing lakes. Lake Winnipesaukee is one of them. It is a huge lake that could host any event from either organization. Squam Lake is another wonderful place. Newfound Lake in New Hampshire is my favorite. It was once the 7th-cleanest lake in the country. Amazing smallmouth bass.
You also have the Connecticut River, which is huge and has some amazing fishing. Major Leauge Fishing just left Sebego Lake and there are a few other big lakes in Maine as well like Moosehead. I am not saying the Elite Series needs to come to New England (even though Winni could hold an Elite or FLW Tour event), but some B.A.S.S. Northern Opens and FLW Rayovac and BFL events need to get up here.
Don't get me wrong, I am beyond happy to see events on the St. Lawrence River (which I just fished) or the Delaware River or others on the East Coast. I would just like to see events come up a bit father to New England.
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Pat Leach of The Colony, TX writes:
Monday, September 8, 2014RE: 2015 schedules – Good for you, FLW.
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Nick Kight of Waynesboro, VA writes:
Monday, September 8, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – Stop crying. Go home and get your head right. There are thousands of people who would love to be in your shoes. You can always come work my job and fish on the weekends and I'll sleep in my truck, shower at truck stops, Face Time my family because I'm not home, spend all day on the water looking for potential winning spots and schools, wake up at 4 a.m., go to bed at 10 p.m., 7 days a week and drive thousands of miles because that's what it takes. If you aren't committed then go back to loading trucks and let someone else have a shot. I'm tired of seeing real pros complain about Facebook pros and cry.
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Eric Blankendaal of Madison, TN writes:
Sunday, September 7, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – I understand the annoyance with all these "pro" anglers showing up everywhere, I agree. But is that what you are saying is at fault for your mediocre showing? This is your fault for making poor decisions. So sick of people blaming others for everything. Take ownership.
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David Flippo of Amory, MS writes:
Sunday, September 7, 2014Glad to see Kevin VanDam did not blame us wannabe pros for his bad year like Ish.
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John A. Argese of Sayreville, NJ writes:
Saturday, September 6, 2014Quick heads-up to those at the home offices of B.A.S.S. and FLW, you might want to consider a pow-wow prior to releasing your tournament schedules. You know, just get together on the same page.
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Jann B. Swaim of Auburn, AL writes:
Saturday, September 6, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – I think the players still need to step forward and make the sport much like the ATP (tennis) and PGA Tour (golf). The PGA Tour offers lifetime exemptions if a player reaches 20 wins. This ensures the top players are in the fields and help the turnout to the events.
Possibly five wins and two classic wins should be considered for automatic berths into events. Oh well, just a thought.
Here is another one: Has anyone noticed that the prize money has not risen significantly since 1996? Can we assume the sponsors are not paying any more than the 1996 level? I noticed where one of the players considered himself a contractor. Probably better stated, is he is a subcontractor to whatever league he is fishing. Key word: ownership.
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Tim Hennemann of Florence, KY writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014Great move by FLW for resheduling the Chickamauga tournament, and I love the press release: "Every year we strive to work with our counterparts at B.A.S.S. to avoid conflicts whenever possible." It wasnt that long ago that B.A.S.S. and FLW pretty much refused to acknowledge the existence of the other. Thumbs up to Kathy Fennell and FLW!
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Carter Northcutt of Frankfort, KY writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: 2015 schedules – That is nice of FLW to change their tournament date. Has B.A.S.S. ever done the same for FLW? There should be some give and take on both sides to make things fair.
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Dustin Daggett of Twin Lake, MI writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – Don't let the "patch pirates" get to you, Ish. Anybody who knows anything about this sport knows who you are. That makes you substantially more marketable than some wannabe professional snagging up low-level product deals.
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Chad Keogh of Nanaimo, BC writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – For those who remember a few years ago, Ish went through a rough patch back then. Won't get into the details, but he turned it around then on his own. I'm sure he will again. Go Ish!
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John Anderson of Empire, NY writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – I didn't realize Ish worked for FLW seeing how he's got the insight on where the Rayovac Series is headed. Can he release the rest of the schedule or is FLW giving him prior knowledge of dates and lakes due to who he is?
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Clifford Allen of Ada, OK writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – Whine baby, whine. You didn't start out as an Elite pro, you had to start little and work your way up just like all these other pros you whine about.
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Pat Leach of The Colony, TX writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014I stand corrected about the points awarded at BASSFest. So BASS is in fact doing a disservice to all the two-tour anglers by scheduling on top of the FLW Tour.
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John Baird of Chicago, IL writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – I beleive you should still have to earn your way into the Classic and not be given a berth based on past performances. It would not be fair to the other competitors, in my opinion, since they also have to earn their way into the Classic.
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Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Monroe's sub-par season – Sounds like sour grapes to me.
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Terry Bonsell of Keyser, WV writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: 2015 Elite Series schedule – Two tours may be just too many tours too close together.
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Bill Spindler of Turnersville, NJ writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: 2015 Elite schedule – The Chesapeake Bay is far better now than when Ken Cook won the Classic. Many one-day tournaments take 22-plus pounds to win, but this year was an "off" year due to the spring conditions. Last year, I had 15-06 with four fish in a BFL Regional and have gotten a 6-pounder for the last 5 years or so.
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Ernie Owens of Pennsboro, WV writes:
Friday, September 5, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – They should have to earn it.
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Skip Bennett of Texico, Il writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014B.A.S.S/ already knows FLW's schedule and they have to put a tournament on the same weekend? Wow. It's upsetting that B.A.S.S. has to put a "ding" into the fishing world and prevent, detour or make it complicated for anglers who want to and are able to fish both circuits. We armchair anglers like watching both circuits and for B.A.S.S. to show themselves as spiteful or inconsiderate of the fan base is a discredit to us. I think Jerry should play nicer and communicate with FLW so this type of conflict doesn't affect the players or fans.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014RE: Balog on best ever – Trying to select the greatest bass angler ever is like comparing apples to oranges because the three record-holders all had their prime years at different times against different competition and under different tournament rules.
Roland Martin started in January 1970 and his first win came that year. Here are his placements in his first 26 events: 2-1-2-16-5-2-2-8-2-1-4-2-4-2-1-3-1-14-5-2-1-1-4-1-14-30. His first placement out of the Top 20 was in his 30th event in February 1974. He won 19 events, zero Classics and $1,086,443. Between 1970 and 1997 he fished 293 events. Top pay in his prime years was $10,000. Daily limits were 15, 12, 10 or seven bass.
Rick Clunn started in March 1974 and his first win was the 1976 Classic. He's won four Classics. He had two wins in 1977 and one each in 1983, '84, '85, '87, '88, '90, '91, '92, '94, 2001 and '02. His totals are 14 wins and $2,239,196. Top pay in his prime years was $20,000, but the Classics were big and he won four. Daily limits were 12, 10 or seven bass.
KVD started in 1987 and his first win was in 1991. He had one win in '95, two in '97 and '99, won the Classic for the first time in 2001 and won three tournaments in a row in '05 (including the Classic). He had two wins each in 2007, '08 and '09 and three in 2010, including the Classic, and won the Classic again in 2011. His total is 20 wins in 271 events with $5,660,476 in prize money. Top pay in his prime was $100,000 with the Classic much larger and he's won four Classics. Daily limits were seven or five.
All three could claim to be the greatest ever, but they didn't fish all of the same years against the same competition. Roland had seven wins before Clunn started and 16 before KVD. Clunn had seven wins that included three Classics before KVD started.
They are all three the greatest bass anglers, but they earned it in different years against different competition with different rules and equipment.
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Mike Guerra of Las Vegas, NV writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014RE: Balog on best ever – Great article, Joe. Well written. You summed it up perfectly.
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Pat Leach of The Colony, TX writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014Why would B.A.S.S. schedule on top of FLW unless they didn't want another FLW angler to win the tournament again? These pros are fishing for a living, why can't the two trails work together so their anglers can make a living? This is just an example of the "I'm better than you are attitude" that is so prevalent with so many tournament trails, not just the professional series but at the local and regional levels as well. Since BASSFest isn't a points tournament, at least the B.A.S.S. guys can fish the FLW tournament and try to qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup.
BassFan says: Calling BASSFest a "non-points event" is actually a bit of a misnomer, as each Elite angler who competed this year at Chickamauga was awarded 100 Angler of the Year points. Any angler who forfeited those by not fishing the event would certainly take himself out of AOY contention and could easily cost himself a Classic berth if he hadn't already secured one via another route.
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Bill Williams of Tiffin, OH writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014RE: Balog on best ever – Great column, Joe! I tend to agree, but would like to add this thought: I suggest it is not possible to compare one person/decade to a different decade. Fishing, the same as other sports (football, especially baseball, etc.), has experienced so many improvements in equipment, training and techniques that one cannot compare apples to oranges. Would Roland, Dance, Parker or any of the other past greats be in the hunt for AOY or the Classic? My opinion is they would because of their superior strengths (mental, physical, skills, determination, preparation, etc). In the end all of the great anglers possess these skills, but it would be fasinating if were possible to witness the greats in their prime.
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Johnny McLean of Little Rock, AR writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014I agree with Paul Elias, it is not smart to put bass boats on those big waters for 3-4 day tournaments. You are basically forcing people to risk their equipment and maybe their lives sometimes.
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John A. Argese of Sayreville, NJ writes:
Thursday, September 4, 2014RE: Balog on best ever – Yet VanDam has only made about $8 million in tournament winnings in 24 years. Clunn, much less.
That's an embarrassment compared to other sports figures who have done less and made much, much more. Something must be done to adjust the pay structure for these men.
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Ron Mantle of Olive Branch, MS writes:
Tuesday, September 2, 2014RE: Balog on Gagliardi – Good article. I think we can safely say there will always be a small percentage of people who are not considerate in all forms of outdoor and public recreation. It is sad, but a truth nonetheless.
I hope this incident is not played up just to get attention. I don't think it needs any recognition other than you mentioning its occurrence. I kind of take the stand that Major League Baseball has taken with fans running out onto the field. They don't give them attention. The more attention troublemakers get, the more prevalent they become.
Anyway, the article is well written. I may have missed it, but I wish he would have mentioned us recreational bass fisherman who experience similar incidences when we are out on a spot fishing being bothered by recreational boaters coming breathtakingly close or by other fishermen crowding in on us. It does happen frequently, especially on popular lakes, as I am sure you are aware of.
I will say my brother has a friend, John Murray from Arizona, who fishes the circuit and John goes out of his way to stay away from other fishermen. Please give him and those who practice this courtesy recognition.
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Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:
Tuesday, September 2, 2014RE: Classic exemption – Very few past Classic winners are still fishing B.A.S.S. tournaments. This would give them a Classic entry with a guaranteed payout, no matter where they finished, with no money invested. The other Classic contenders would all have spent a lot of money just to qualify.
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Brian Briggs of Cartersville, GA writes:
Tuesday, September 2, 2014RE: Classic exemptions – Only for last year's champ.
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Dave LeVene of Manitowoc, WI writes:
Monday, September 1, 2014Why not grant past Classic winners an exemption? These will all be great fishermen in their own right, and who wouldn't want to see Roland, Jimmy or Bill in these formats?
Everybody who has won a Classic had to earn the original right to get there. The only caveat I would have is that these would be "additional" berths in the Classic. The spots now being earned would remain the same.
I believe it would certainly bring additional interest to have some of the legends of the sport in the "Super Bowl of Bass Fishing."
BassFan says: Such an exemption would mean nothing to Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston or Bill Dance. The trio fished in 48 Classics between them, but none ever won it.
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Wallace Calloway of Toledo Bend, LA writes:
Monday, September 1, 2014RE: Gagliardi's run-in – I understand about fishing a large area, but how is this different from VanDam busting Ike out for trying to come into the area he was sharing with two other competitors. telling him "You're not part of the community." I'm not a fan of Ike but it seems the same to me and I doubt the reception for the local would have been very good if he was the one who came in and started fishing on top of the pro. I saw a local badmouthed once because he idled in and GPS'd a pro's spot, then left. I don't agree with this either, but it seems most people want to side with the celebrity, right or wrong. Courtesy and respect from both sides.
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September 2014
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