FLW Outdoors has issued a revision to its 2008 FLW Tour and Series rules. Notice was posted on its site, in a letter by FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans.

Originally, the 2008 rules prohibited co-anglers from practicing from their own boats. In addition, co-anglers could only practice with confirmed pros. The restriction "was meant to eliminate co-angler influence on results in the pro division, as we believe pro results should be determined solely by each pro's ability to identify and adapt to changing conditions, to locate fish, and then to execute," Evans said. "Randomly drawing a co-angler who can take someone to fish creates an unlevel playing field. We realize now, however, that there is a better way to ensure the integrity of FLW Tour and FLW Series competition."

The "new way" is to allow co-anglers to practice as much as they want in their own boats, or with other competitors and family members who've observed the off-limits, but with the stipulation that they cannot share pattern or location information with their pros. Under the first iteration of the 2008 rules, a pro was still permitted to go to his or her co-angler's fish, provided the co-angler didn't learn of those fish from another pro – a loophole pointed out in this recent BassFan story. The new twist is apparently meant to negate the advantage of drawing a local guide or big stick.

It also allows co-anglers to utilize boats they purchased for the express purpose of competition, many of which are likely Ranger, Stratos, or Champion boats (brands tied directly to FLW Outdoors). In addition, former BASS tournament director Harold Sharp has argued several times that any rules which prohibit or limit fishing – in other words, rules that discourage anglers from fishing – aren't in the best interest of the sport.

Host communities also benefit from co-anglers practicing – they bring more warm bodies into the hotels and restaurants.

Evans noted in his letter: "To ensure that pros compete based solely on their own abilities, however, co-anglers may not share fishing information, including patterns and/or locations, with pros. We hope you agree that we now have the right rules in place to accomplish what we originally set out to do, which is to require pros to compete solely on their own merits, without unfairly limiting co-angler practice."

In all, the new Rule 4 includes an additional 135 words. Here it is:

Rule 4. Off-limits, practice, competition
"Tournament waters will go off-limits to all contestants 12 days (11 days for FLW Series) prior to the first practice day in all events. Contestants, including those on the waiting list and late entries, may not enter tournament waters to fish, test equipment, sightsee, etc., during the off-limits period. Flights over tournament waters are not permitted at anytime after the start of the off-limits period.

"During the off-limits period, practice and competition days, may not solicit and/or receive fishing information from anyone except confirmed pros and other publicly available information (pros on the waiting list are not considered confirmed). Beginning with practice and extending through competition, pros may not obtain fishing patterns or locations from co-anglers or fishing information from noncompetitors or follow a noncompetitor's boat or participate in the practice of "hole sitting" or the placing of markers by anyone. Anglers eliminated after each round of competition are considered noncompetitors. Pros in the Top 10 cut may not solicit or receive fishing information from anyone except other Top 10 pros.

"During the off-limits period, practice and competition days, co-anglers may not solicit and/or receive fishing information from anyone except confirmed contestants and other publicly available information (anglers on the waiting list are not considered confirmed). Co-anglers who share fishing patterns or locations obtained during practice or competition with pro competitors will be disqualified along with the person utilizing this information. For the FLW Tour, co-anglers in the top 10 cut (Day 3) may not solicit or receive fishing information from anyone except other top-10 contestants.

"The purchasing of or bartering for information or the hiring of services will not be permitted after the start of the off-limits. The sharing of tournament winnings in exchange for fishing information is strictly prohibited.

"Tournament waters will reopen for practice 4 days (Saturday through Tuesday for the FLW Tour; Friday through Monday for the FLW Series) prior to registration day. Pros and co-anglers may practice alone, with another competitor, with a member of their immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandchild or spouse) or with approved sponsor representatives who have also observed the off-limits period and procedures or with approved media representatives. Tournament waters will be closed to all contestants on Wednesday, registration day, (Tuesday for the Series) prior to the first day of competition."

Notable

> Rule 9 was also changed. Originally, this rule included the line: "Co-anglers who share their pro partner's fishing locations with other competitors will be disqualified along with the person utilizing this information." That language no longer appears in the new Rule 9, as it's covered in the new Rule 4.