Hack to the Elites in 2021

[redux]

Hackney just announced that he is definitely going to the Elites in 2021 onstage at the Lewsville open. I know that I am very excited for the 2021 Elite season. FInally, 2020 gave us something to smile about!

[OCdockskipper]

Add in the possibility of Jason Christie, Bryan New, Scott Martin & a few others and the Elite series continues to bring back the well known anglers.

 

With the exception of Palaniuk, it seems the anglers who are leaving MLF are established anglers as opposed to younger guys.  I thought the Lee's might want to follow Swindle back to the Elites, but that would be a tough sell to Jordan considering the year he had in 2020 (2019 wasn't bad either).

 

Next year, there will be no dropping of the bottom anglers from the Elite roster, a special rule change due to Covid.  That means the addition of 12 anglers beings the Elite series back to the 100 angler level.

[redux]

I didn't want to start another thread, but, sadly, Cox has committed to MLF.

[RichF]

Glad to see the Hack Attack back with BASS.  He fishes for 5 bigguns like I do.  That style just doesn't mesh with the every dink counts format.  Him and Christy will smash'em next season.

[Tlauz]

I don't want this to sound like a negative comment, but both Hackney and Christie were getting their ***** handed to them on the BPT.  I feel certain guys can excel no matter the format and others may be geared to excel at one of the formats.  I am a huge fan of both Hackney and Christie, so I am anxious to see them both do well.  It was disappointing never seeing them near the top the last 2 years.  My personal opinion  is the start of BPT was a good thing for fisherman.  More opportunities for anglers.  There are many guys on the Elites right now I would have never heard of and who would have never have gotten a chance without so many guys leaving BASS.  I wish all guys fishing on all tours good luck and tight lines. 

[Jrob78]

Iaconelli isn't fishing the BPT next year either so he might be back to the Elites. He will have an AOY exemption if he wants it.

[DitchPanda]

I don't wanna be "that guy" but I'm gonna be! I love bass fishing and follow all the tours to an extent...I just like the sport. That said BASS has always been the one for me. Grew up watching it...the shows they put together combined with the guys doing the live coverage are top notch...and there is some nostalgia mixed in for sure. Also there are guys in other organizations ive always been a fan of Andy Morgan, John Cox, Bryan Thrift just to name a few. But for a long time BASS had the most impressive roster...good to see some of those big names coming back.

[TnRiver46]

13 hours ago, redux said:

I didn't want to start another thread, but, sadly, Cox has committed to MLF.

He should fit in pretty well, great on camera personality always smiling 

[Rpratt]

Well I guess this answers this year's earlier thread about Hackney and Christie fishing opens ?

[RichF]

On 11/21/2020 at 5:45 PM, redux said:

I didn't want to start another thread, but, sadly, Cox has committed to MLF.

Another reason why BPT/MLF is shady.  Why does he get an offer?  Because he's a big name and has won a bunch of events.  The dude turned down their initial offer but since so many guys are leaving now he gets another chance.  And what about the other 4 empty slots in the BPT roster?  Luke Dunkin was talking about some weird plan to allow the top 4 anglers from the FLW Pro circuit a "trial" run in the BPT on his podcast today.  Meaning...pay an entry fee to fish the 1st event and get no points.  Then they're supposed to have the next 4 guys in pts down the list do the same thing at the next event, etc, etc. 

[redux]

Yeah, the guys who are supposed to go from the Pro tour are the top 4 guys in points not whomever MLF chooses plus that group. More random rule changes. Really had high hopes for Cox at BASS.

[Jrob78]

Jason Christie has officially announced that he's going back to the Elites too. He qualified through the Opens this year.

[RichF]

56 minutes ago, redux said:

Yeah, the guys who are supposed to go from the Pro tour are the top 4 guys in points not whomever MLF chooses plus that group. More random rule changes. Really had high hopes for Cox at BASS.

Yup, I'm just waiting for the day that Boyd, Gary, or Timmy are in the bottom 5 after the season and are relegated back to the Pro Tour. Bet we'll see ANOTHER random rule change then. 

[redux]

11 hours ago, Jrob78 said:

Jason Christie has officially announced that he's going back to the Elites too. He qualified through the Opens this year.

I saw an Instagram post about that and it gave me something to smile about. But, I liked that Hack made his announcement on stage with BASS. Really looking forward to the 2021 season now that my 2 favorite guys are back with the BASS Elites.

[BassNJake]

17 hours ago, RichF said:

Another reason why BPT/MLF is shady.  Why does he get an offer?  Because he's a big name and has won a bunch of events.  The dude turned down their initial offer but since so many guys are leaving now he gets another chance.  And what about the other 4 empty slots in the BPT roster?  Luke Dunkin was talking about some weird plan to allow the top 4 anglers from the FLW Pro circuit a "trial" run in the BPT on his podcast today.  Meaning...pay an entry fee to fish the 1st event and get no points.  Then they're supposed to have the next 4 guys in pts down the list do the same thing at the next event, etc, etc. 

Dude, he finished 18th in points on the tackle warehouse tour.

Thats an automatic berth into the BPT if you have the special decoder ring .... AKA a large amount of sponsors 

 

[BassNJake]

On 11/21/2020 at 7:02 PM, Tlauz said:

I don't want this to sound like a negative comment, but both Hackney and Christie were getting their ***** handed to them on the BPT.  I feel certain guys can excel no matter the format and others may be geared to excel at one of the formats.  I am a huge fan of both Hackney and Christie, so I am anxious to see them both do well.  It was disappointing never seeing them near the top the last 2 years.  My personal opinion  is the start of BPT was a good thing for fisherman.  More opportunities for anglers.  There are many guys on the Elites right now I would have never heard of and who would have never have gotten a chance without so many guys leaving BASS.  I wish all guys fishing on all tours good luck and tight lines. 

I like it too.

When I fished tourneys there was always the pressure of the clock

Its like your standing at the bottom of the hourglass and the sand is piling on your back

You know you are gonna run out of time and the burden gets greater the closer you get to weigh in

 

The BPT format throws a wrench into that and can make it seem like the last 30 minutes of ^^^ one of those type of events; but all day.

The pressure of the scoretracker throws so much more into the mental side of things affecting decision making. Guys can get spun out knowing someone else is catching them.

 

Its Bass tournament fishing just different than the other type of events and I can treat them like NASCAR and INDY

[BassNJake]

On 11/21/2020 at 8:42 PM, Jrob78 said:

Iaconelli isn't fishing the BPT next year either so he might be back to the Elites. He will have an AOY exemption if he wants it.

Looks like thats not his initial plan. He just could not commit by the BPT deadline.

He's shopping a TV show around and his other obligations are going to take up a lot of his 2021 schedule

 

 

[Jrob78]

3 hours ago, BassNJake said:

Looks like thats not his initial plan. He just could not commit by the BPT deadline.

He's shopping a TV show around and his other obligations are going to take up a lot of his 2021 schedule

 

 

That makes sense. I know he seemed pretty burnt out and talked about retiring a year or so ago. I could totally see him going the Bill Dance/Jimmy Houston/Roland Martin route.

[EzyEric]

I thought MLF had a 3 year contract? Didn't Brandon and Gerald have to pay a fee to break that last year?

[OCdockskipper]

In addition to Christie, Hackney & Ike leaving BPT, Jacob Powroznik & Justin Atkins have left. 

 

Atkins currently sits inside the bubble for Opens AOY to get an Elite series invite, & just outside the bubble for the Eastern Opens with 1 Eastern Open left to fish.

 

Powroznik won't qualify via the opens, not sure if BASS may make some kind of sponsor exemption to have him back in the Elites.  Powroznik was successful at BPT, winning 2 tournaments in the 2 years of its existence.  He, Atkins & Hackney all qualified to fish the 2021 Redcrest, but I'm not sure if BPT will let them or not.  Cox qualified for the 2021 Classic.

 

I'm not sure if it bodes well for BPT that the people who have left in the first 2 years are either highly recognizable names or have had success at BPT.  None of those who left fall into the journeyman category, the Marty Robinsons or Cliff Crochets of the bass fishing world.  If the highly talented want to leave and the mediocre want to stay, I think it means your organization reward system may be off.

 

 

[BassNJake]

7 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

In addition to Christie, Hackney & Ike leaving BPT, Jacob Powroznik & Justin Atkins have left. 

 

Atkins currently sits inside the bubble for Opens AOY to get an Elite series invite, & just outside the bubble for the Eastern Opens with 1 Eastern Open left to fish.

 

Powroznik won't qualify via the opens, not sure if BASS may make some kind of sponsor exemption to have him back in the Elites.  Powroznik was successful at BPT, winning 2 tournaments in the 2 years of its existence.  He, Atkins & Hackney all qualified to fish the 2021 Redcrest, but I'm not sure if BPT will let them or not.  Cox qualified for the 2021 Classic.

 

I'm not sure if it bodes well for BPT that the people who have left in the first 2 years are either highly recognizable names or have had success at BPT.  None of those who left fall into the journeyman category, the Marty Robinsons or Cliff Crochets of the bass fishing world.  If the highly talented want to leave and the mediocre want to stay, I think it means your organization reward system may be off.

 

 

I think they tried to sell the point that sponsors would pay more for the extra exposure.

That didn't happen and just like FLW of yesteryear as soon as times get tough, sponsorship money dries up. Hence, the rumored 45K in entry fees that the BPT anglers will have to pay this year for 7 events.

 

Seems like the no entry fee died pretty quickly too

Kinda like their assault on 5 fish tourneys and the every fish counts campaign

 

9 hours ago, EzyEric said:

I thought MLF had a 3 year contract? Didn't Brandon and Gerald have to pay a fee to break that last year?

I think with the cancelation of last years schedule BPT kinda broke their side of the agreement

 

[redux]

BASS has it setup so they can fiddle with the qualification process if they need to. Hack can get in via AOY which would open a spot.

 

If all the BPT guys have to pay $45K in entry fees why wouldn't they just pay $50K to get out and move to BASS if they qualify or go to NPFL if invited?

 

My guess is that Ike will be in the NPFL or retire and go full Bill Dance (bloopers included).

[OCdockskipper]

42 minutes ago, redux said:

My guess is that Ike will be in the NPFL or retire and go full Bill Dance (bloopers included).

 

Maybe its the cynic in me or my dislike of his screaming, but the past "bloopers" I have seen from Ike seem like setups.  Like the one on Zona's show where he is running around the boat & falls in, it really looked planned (on his part, not Zona's).

 

Ike would do well in a Bill Dance format, he does teach well and appears to have a passion to do so.

[scaleface]

I think Scott Martin qualifies . He finished 5th in the easterns. Patrick Walters leads but he's already in the Elites so I imagine Scott gets in .

[12poundbass]

24 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I think Scott Martin qualifies . He finished 5th in the easterns. Patrick Walters leads but he's already in the Elites so I imagine Scott gets in .

I read on Bassmaster website about an hour ago Scott Martin did indeed qualify.