Jordan Lee Returning to BASS

[ak6388]

7 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Well the great thing is we get to see next year I guess.

 

Fujita, Cowboy, Walters, Welcher and half of the upcoming rookie class I suspect will dominate next season....not just Lee, but the entire field      

 

4 anglers have won back to back Classics in only 51 years of running it.    Hank Cherry is a back to back Classic winner, competed in the Elites last year, and finished 39th in AOY barely making the Classic this year.    

 

Hard to compare pro fishing stats pre/post scope.    Sure these guys are learning it and even have success with it at the top level, but others are true savants with it.   Their technique is the scope, they didn't have to waste a decade or two reading tea leaves and mastering various other disciplines within the sport.

John Cox doesn’t even have a scope on his boat and finished 12th in AOY…yes it’s certainly an advantage but let’s not act like traditional fishing methods still don’t catch fish. 

Im not a fan of the MLF but you also have to look at it from these guys perspective. They were promised at the time no entry fees, higher payouts, etc. Obviously this didn’t come true and MLF is in trouble imo, but hindsight is 20/20. 

 

Btw post scope Jordan Lee has won heavy hitters, 2 BPT wins, 9 top 10s and an AOY title. Im not saying he’s going to come in and win everything but to say he’s going to have circles ran around him by guys that haven’t even made a cast in the elites is interesting.

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Well then let me play Devil's advocate, and let's assume he's going to win a blue trophy or two next year, easily finish inside the top 40, and be in contention for AOY.

 

Now imagine you're Chris Zaldain, a guy who stood by the league while you watched so many of your peers run to the MLF, and what's your reward for loyalty and keeping the BASS ship floating in the lean years........BASS allows a guy that did the opposite of what he did, and now will likely finish higher than him in all the categories, and most importantly make it harder for him to feed his family.

 

If it was a true legend status angler, they'd pose the same threat Nixon and Clunn did last year, instead according to some of you guys, a top 3 angler in the world is getting rewarded for being absolutely wrong and disloyal.   

 

 

[bowhunter63]

Well I think MLF is sinking quick. But they all left for lies it seems like now. He is a hammer but I think he should earn his way back. It’s only fair 

[gim]

4 hours ago, Troy85 said:

I remember, because I remember Ike saying he could have used the legend exemption, but said he wanted to requalify again thru the opens

So did he actually re-qualify through the opens or did he use the legends exemption?
 

I’m not an Ike fan by any means. Saying is one thing, doing it is another. If he did in fact re-qualify through the opens, props to him. Jordan Lee should do the same.

[ak6388]

33 minutes ago, gimruis said:

So did he actually re-qualify through the opens or did he use the legends exemption?
 

I’m not an Ike fan by any means. Saying is one thing, doing it is another. If he did in fact re-qualify through the opens, props to him. Jordan Lee should do the same.

Ike did requalify through the opens under the old format. I can see the argument for using legends exemptions, but it is within the rules so I don’t blame Jordan. I have to think two tournaments in northern Alabama made it a done deal coming back. 

[volzfan59]

A few things.

 

1. The mlf is allowing Bobby Lane to return without requalifying. Some sort of red crest, or whatever they call their lesser known championship, exemption. Didn't think that mlf/bpt used exemptions. Lane came within one point of making the Elites. WTHeck

 

2. Swindle, Palaniuk, Nixon and now Jordan Lee all used provisionals to get back in the B.A.S.S. Elites. I really don't have a problem with it, can't blame any of them.

 

3. I don't blame anyone for anyone for not wanting to put their eggs in boyd duckett's wagon. Hopefully there won't be a wagon left in a few years. I wish him and them nothing but the worst.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I think most of us can agree that Boyd and MLF have hurt the sport we all love, seems 75-80% of the opinions I'm reading are forgive and forget with the anglers.    

 

I get that perspective especially if at the end of the day you just want to see the best BASS or unified league.

 

Honestly I think why I like the young guys so much because they don't have all the baggage.....and the future rookie class is going to be epic having gone through the gauntlet to earn their spot.    Those 9 guys really, really deserve to be there.    Jordan Lee better appreciate the opportunity he got.......lots of guys want to jump that sinking ship, Lee got a hail mary life line.    When he failed to fully endorse BASS or condemn MLF in his own video it rubbed me the wrong way.   What base is there still to cover, can this guy possible be thinking of going back to the MLF 🤣

[Susky River Rat]

So, slight off topic and I don’t want to hijacker’s this thread to much. You can DM me if it’s  to much off topic.I was not into bass fishing at the time with all this split stuff. Why is there so much hate for the MLF? Why does everyone seem so loyal to the BASS?

[PhishLI]

From what I understood, JLee said BASS called him and he needed to make a decision pronto, so he did. If that's actually so, then BASS simply lured back some of their talent and JLEE didn't really "use" the exception. They offered it to him.

1 hour ago, volzfan59 said:

he mlf is allowing Bobby Lane to return without requalifying.

He qualified by winning last year's event. JLee is fishing the Redcrest and heavy Hitters next year because he qualified. So did KVD, so he'll be fishing both.

[volzfan59]

On 11/15/2023 at 10:21 PM, PhishLI said:

He qualified by winning last year's event. JLee is fishing the Redcrest and heavy Hitters next year because he qualified. So did KVD, so he'll be fishing both.

 

Bobby made it back on the mlf/bpt by using some sort of redquest winner's exemption. That is not "qualifying" to fish a tour, that is using an exemption.

[TnRiver46]

4 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

So, slight off topic and I don’t want to hijacker’s this thread to much. You can DM me if it’s  to much off topic.I was not into bass fishing at the time with all this split stuff. Why is there so much hate for the MLF? Why does everyone seem so loyal to the BASS?

It was pretty much the opposite when the split happened in ‘19. Not much support for BASS, most throwing dirt on their grave. You can find it here if you dig deep enough. And then the “dink fest” happened and a lot of folks just didn’t like the product. Then lots of rules/format changes and BASS just kept doing their thing normally and won a bunch of folks back 

10 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Winning two Classics isn’t enough to qualify for the Elites?

Don’t tell Roland Martin! 

[Susky River Rat]

@TnRiver46 gotcha. Correct me if I am wrong. MLF selling point was “for the angler”. I think I remember Ike eluding to this. It turned out it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

 

BASS was the gold standard. Nothing rivaled it. Anglers felt like they could stick it to the man and get what they feel they should have. 
 

It is a shame that as hard as this sport is the money a lot do the anglers are making is pretty much a “side hustle” in the means of social media. 
 

back to the topic. I agree there should be some sort of provisional for past winners like this. They earned it. Imagine if one has to take time off for family issues than had to start from the bottom up again. I know that was not the exact case here. I think this was more put in for something like that. 

[PhishLI]

10 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

Bobby made it back on the mlf/bpt by using some sort of redquest winner's exemption.

Got it. I didn't see this release from yesterday:

NOVEMBER 15, 2023 • MLF • BASS PRO TOUR

BENTON, Ky. — Major League Fishing announced today the roster for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour, the sixth season of professional bass fishing’s preeminent tournament circuit. The field of 80 of the world’s top bass fishing professionals will compete across nine states during the Bass Pro Tour season for a total purse of more than $6.7 million.

The season starts Jan. 30 at the Bass Pro Tour Stage One at Toledo Bend in Many, Louisiana, and ends in August at the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, where the 2024 Bass Pro Tour Angler of Year will be crowned and 40 berths into REDCREST 2025 on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville will be determined.

“We’re excited to announce the Bass Pro Tour roster for the 2024 season,” said Kathy Fennel, Executive Vice President & General Manager of Major League Fishing. “The Bass Pro Tour represents the highest level of competition our sport has to offer, and nowhere is that more evident than in the field of anglers who will be competing in 2024. It’s going to be an extremely competitive season.”

The 2024 field is headlined by 2023 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker, as well as two-time Bass Pro Tour AOY Jacob Wheeler and 2019 AOY and REDCREST champion Edwin Evers. Also returning are multi-time MLF winner Ott DeFoe, REDCREST 2023 champion Bryan Thrift, multi-time Bass Pro Tour winner and REDCREST 2021 champion Dustin Connell, and up-and-coming superstars Alton Jones, Jr. and Dakota Ebare. REDCREST 2022 champion Bobby Lane will also return to the lineup via a champions exemption after a one-year hiatus from the Tour. 

[gim]

7 hours ago, PhishLI said:

The field of 80

Is this new?  I thought it was being whittled down to 50 next season.

[GReb]

Why should they have had loyalty to BASS? It’s a job and their goal is to make money. BASS makes those guys go in debt $75k plus before even showing up to the derby by entry fees and such. What other professional sport requires contestants pay entry fees?  If anyone has let someone down it’s the organizations. They have had decades to figure out sponsors, tv, media, etc so that their anglers are taken care of. BASS and MLF put their anglers in a negative financial position and if it weren’t for sponsors paying the the anglers individually they’d be bankrupt. MLF tried to change all that and failed too

[volzfan59]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Is this new?  I thought it was being whittled down to 50 next season.

The mlf/bpt is firing their bottom 30 anglers starting in the 2025 season. 

[gim]

1 minute ago, volzfan59 said:

The mlf/bpt is firing their bottom 30 anglers starting in the 2025 season. 

Oh gotcha, so its the following year they're going from 80 to 50 then?

[volzfan59]

@gimruis, yes, they're using some sort of three year average to make their determination. Pretty much putting the screws to last seasons rookie class and this year's rookies. They pretty much have to win to stay on the bpt from my understanding.

[volzfan59]

21 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

So, slight off topic and I don’t want to hijacker’s this thread to much. You can DM me if it’s  to much off topic.I was not into bass fishing at the time with all this split stuff. Why is there so much hate for the MLF? Why does everyone seem so loyal to the BASS?

First off, I am and will always be loyal to B.A.S.S. That said, I was a fan of the FLW Tour too, had a few family friends that fished it, some ended up in the Elites. I was a member of both organizations, continue to be a proud B.A.S.S. member.

 

My complete and utter disdain for the mlf/bpt is the way things were handled, no integrity, no honor. I wasn't there and can't vouch for the truthfulness, but it was, and still continues to be said that boyd duckett and the other owners wanted to purchase B.A.S.S. When the owners refused to sell, mlf got their panties in a wad and attempted to destroy B.A.S.S. by taking some of their best angler's. Didn't work out so well for mlf did it? The angler's were pretty much told that it would all be rainbows and unicorns in order to get them to jump ship. Some were family friends that joined and still fish the mlf/bpt. Now, shame on them for falling for the b/s. Then mlf purchased FLW, a business decision that appears to be biting them now financially.

 

In a nutshell, I don't care that there is an NPFL, a mlf/bpt or any of the other trails in their organization. What I do care about is honor, honesty and integrity. If mlf thought they had a better mouse trap, all they had to do is start holding big time tournaments. No need to intentionally try to steal (my word, probably not the best use) angler's from B.A.S.S. As a whole, angler's are pretty fickle. They would have moved over without being sold a sack of crap. There was no honor, little honesty and zero integrity in what mlf attempted to do to B.A.S.S. in order to fill it the bpt. When Walmart started, from my understanding it was never Sam's idea to kill K-mart. It happened due to his good business decisions and K-marts not keeping up.

 

While it is a goal of both organizations, the mlf knew that there was no way the business model of no entry fees would ever work. It wasn't feasible then, sure as heck not feasible in this economy. Probably never will be without some really serious financial backing from outside the industry.

 

EDIT: Per Andrew Upshaw, you can add the following to angler's bailing on mlf/bpt for one reason or another.

Cliff Pace, Cody Myer, Brett Hite, Russ Lane, Randall Tharp, Jeff Kriet, Josh Butler, Mitch Craine, Roy Hawk, Tommy Biffle (didn't requalify) and Timmy Horton (retired). Some of the others may have not requalified, some did. Next?

 

 

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, GReb said:

Why should they have had loyalty to BASS? It’s a job and their goal is to make money. BASS makes those guys go in debt $75k plus before even showing up to the derby by entry fees and such. What other professional sport requires contestants pay entry fees?  If anyone has let someone down it’s the organizations. They have had decades to figure out sponsors, tv, media, etc so that their anglers are taken care of. BASS and MLF put their anglers in a negative financial position and if it weren’t for sponsors paying the the anglers individually they’d be bankrupt. MLF tried to change all that and failed too

Exactly. The guys that left BASS for MLF did so because they felt like it was the best option for them and their families. It didn't pan out that way for some, and they returned, or tried to return to BASS.

 I don't fault any of them. I'd do the same. I'm not emotionally tied to any company. Business is business, leave your feelings at home and take care of business.

[GReb]

4 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

First off, I am and will always be loyal to B.A.S.S. That said, I was a fan of the FLW Tour too, had a few family friends that fished it, some ended up in the Elites. I was a member of both organizations, continue to be a proud B.A.S.S. member.

 

My complete and utter disdain for the mlf/bpt is the way things were handled, no integrity, no honor. I wasn't there and can't vouch for the truthfulness, but it was, and still continues to be said that boyd duckett and the other owners wanted to purchase B.A.S.S. When the owners refused to sell, mlf got their panties in a wad and attempted to destroy B.A.S.S. by taking some of their best angler's. Didn't work out so well for mlf did it? The angler's were pretty much told that it would all be rainbows and unicorns in order to get them to jump ship. Some were family friends that joined and still fish the mlf/bpt. Now, shame on them for falling for the b/s. Then mlf purchased FLW, a business decision that appears to be biting them now financially.

 

In a nutshell, I don't care that there is an NPFL, a mlf/bpt or any other trail in their organization. What I do care about is honor, honesty and integrity. If mlf thought they had a better mouse trap, all they had to do is start holding big time tournaments. No need to intentionally try to steal (my word, probably not the best use) angler's from B.A.S.S. As a whole, angler's are pretty fickle. They would have moved over without being sold a sack of crap. When Walmart started, from my understanding it was never Sam's idea to kill K-mart. It happened due to his good business decisions and K-marts not keeping up.

 

While it is a goal of both organizations, the mlf knew that there was no way the business model of no entry fees would ever work. It wasn't feasible then, sure as heck not feasible in this economy. Probably never will be without some really serious financial backing from outside the industry.

 

EDIT: Per Andrew Upshaw, you can add the following to angler's bailing on mlf/bpt for one reason or another.

Cliff Pace, Cody Myer, Brett Hite, Russ Lane, Randall Tharp, Jeff Kriet, Josh Butler, Mitch Craine, Roy Hawk, Tommy Biffle (didn't requalify) and Timmy Horton (retired). Some of the others may have not requalify, some did. Next?

 

 

I think Boyd thought he could find the money to cover the fees by assimilating certain anglers but quickly found out sponsors were more concerned about giving money to the individual than organization. Which is the right answer since the brand is the angler and his yt/instagram platform. 
 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Man if I quit my job to go work for a direct competitor that lured me away, I wouldn't dare go back to the job begging for it back, nor would I expect any sympathy from the employer.  

 

Good for those MLF guys that were trying to make more money, they took a gamble and it's blowing up in their faces......now they should face consequences like most adults do.  

 

eta: @volzfan59  Spot on agree with your last post.  

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Good for those MLF guys that were trying to make more money, they took a gamble and it's blowing up in their faces......now they should face consequences like most adults do.

 

Professional bass fishing is a big gamble and it blows up in more faces than not. I’ve said it before, professional bass fishing is nothing more than a higher end weeknight fishing league we all have around us. Bring your money, roll the dice, and hope you make some money. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Man some of ya’ll view business very differently than I do.  First, there are no promises in business,  only signed contracts.   Second,  the only loyalty you should expect in business is to the bottom line.  If you want to be valued then make yourself valuable to the bottom line.  
 

Concerning Jordon Lee the only thing BASS should ask is are we better off with him or without him.  Clearly having a big name like his in their tournaments is good for the organization.   Any executive that looks at it any other way is a fool.  

[txchaser]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Man if I quit my job to go work for a direct competitor that lured me away, I wouldn't dare go back to the job begging for it back, nor would I expect any sympathy from the employer.  

 

Good for those MLF guys that were trying to make more money, they took a gamble and it's blowing up in their faces......now they should face consequences like most adults do.  

 

eta: @volzfan59  Spot on agree with your last post.  

 

Alternative view, the re-hires are more than happy to tell everyone how bad it sucked "over there" and why they came back. So fewer people are likely to get the itch to leave.