New Electronics restricted Bass Tournament in the works ?

[A-Jay]

Don't look now but the Touring Anglers Association is a non-profit fishing tournament designed to dramatically reduce tournament costs and significantly increase winnings for anglers. Their mission is to offer anglers a fishing tournament that pays out the maximum cash prizes. The world’s largest performance-based cash earnings. 

 

https://touringanglersassociation.com/

 

Some of TAA’s philosophies are set up to create a simple old-fashioned fishing tournament for the fishermen by the fisherman.

One way they plan on doing that  . . . .  Wait for it . . . . . .

Is with Equipment Restrictions: 

The following equipment MUST be REMOVED from the boat prior to the 3-hour ride around:
* Live scope
* Forward-facing sonar
* 360 imaging transducer

 

More here . . .   https://touringanglersassociation.com/format/

 

Was only a matter of time . . .

A-Jay

 

 

[gim]

Hope they don't have any smallmouth events planned up north for midsummer.  How on god's green earth is a guy supposed to catch brownies without staring at screens and drop shotting offshore structure? 

 

Kyoyo Fujita will not be on board with this format.

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Hope they don't have any smallmouth events planned up north for midsummer. 

Personally, I see this as a huge benefit . . . 

#gosouthdudes

A-Jay

[Captain Phil]

I think they should outlaw all electronics from bass tournaments.  Give everyone a 6' pole like we had in the old days.    While you're at it, make everyone use round Ambassadeur reels, Lew's Pistol Grip Speed Sticks and Arbogast Hula Poppers!

 

Seriously, this will never fly... 

[Tennessee Boy]

I’m glad someone is trying it.  I find it hard to believe that there are that many people who are willing to pay a $5000 entry fee that have not already incorporated the latest technology into their fishing.  I hope I’m wrong.

[gim]

10 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I think they should outlaw all electronics from bass tournaments.

My understanding is that they can still use GPS mapping, sonar, side imagine, and down imaging.

 

Banning basic sonar would be a non starter for me.  I need to know how deep it is before I throttle down.  Ripping up a lower unit or prop is not in the works for this guy.  Its more of a safety issue for me.

[Captain Phil]

Basic electronics is one thing.  Having enough electronics to launch a trip to Mars is another.   TV bass tournaments have become spectacles.  It makes the average fishermen believe he/she needs $100K or more worth of boat to catch bass.  The next time you watch one, notice who the sponsors are.  A hundred years ago, bass fishing was a poor man's sport.  Today, it's all about selling stuff.   Remove the stuff and you remove the sponsors. 

[gim]

1 minute ago, Captain Phil said:

Basic electronics is one thing.  Having enough electronics to launch a trip to Mars is another.   TV bass tournaments have become spectacles.

 

Haha.  I agree.

 

I have no plans to go to Mars.

[WRB]

100 years ago no tournaments and  closed fishing seasons. 

Wooden row boat with maybe a 5 hp Evinrude engine.

Fast forward to 1960’s or 50 years ago when tournament bass was borne, a few boats had electric bow mounted trolling motors, 65 hp outboard engines and Lowrance flasher fish fingers. The evolution of sonar units has been fast tracked ever since. 

Taking away advances in technology does even the field.

Tom

 

[greentrout]

AI is here.

We will see tournaments with the Bass Masters talking to AI with AI directing them where to go and what's in front of them and how to catch the bass. The common fisherman with the bucks will buy in and the industry will cash in.

It's inexorable. 

B.A.S.S. creates committee and institutes technology reviews for 2024 Elite Series season - Bassmaster

Fisheries Managers Need To Keep a Watchful Eye On Forward-Facing Sonar - Fishing Tackle Retailer - The Business Magazine of the Sportfishing Industry

[Craig P]

FWIW, I do not tournament fish so I do not have skin in this game.  I am looking at this purely from an experienced internet user who may have seen some questionable things in his time, regardless of subject....but what I do see is the language used on their site.

 

A "non-profit" who will outsource their CPA, Weigh Master, Tournament Director, Insurance and Media.

 

Who will those outsourced services be serviced by?  I can only think of politicians who seem to get funds passed in bills to only have those checks made out to organizations that happen to be owned by family or friends of that politician.  We all know how that works.  I would hope not but this is a red flag to me when I see something labeled as a non-profit.

 

I raise my eyebrow at the media portion as well, they state their media editor will edit all of the angler footage to be posted on their website.  Not wanting to waste an opportunity to monetize, I am sure it will be posted to a YouTube channel as well.  Where does that income go?  Back into the tournament prizes? I would hope so but could a deal be made with the media editing company where maybe they edit for free and take all of the monetization?  That would be a HUGE red flag to me.

 

I especially like their quote of “We don’t know what we don’t know”, we may need to adjust strategies and tactics as we go". Does this mean future tournaments may allow FFS?  It begs the question.

 

I know I am being cynical.  I hope I am categorically wrong on everything I posted above.

[gulfcaptain]

Randy might have a chance again to be relevant and make a top 50.

[TnRiver46]

So It’ll be like tournaments from 2017 but with anglers you’ve never heard of………

 

no thanks 

[Captain Phil]

13 hours ago, WRB said:

100 years ago no tournaments and  closed fishing seasons. 

Wooden row boat with maybe a 5 hp Evinrude engine.

Fast forward to 1960’s or 50 years ago when tournament bass was borne, a few boats had electric bow mounted trolling motors, 65 hp outboard engines and Lowrance flasher fish fingers. The evolution of sonar units has been fast tracked ever since. 

Taking away advances in technology does even the field.

Tom

 

 

My first electronic "fish finder" was a flasher I made from a Heathkit.  It didn't find many fish!  😄

[BigAngus752]

FFS is fantastic for two things, catching fish and destroying sportsmanship.  I wish them luck.  It's a guaranteed failure, but I wish them luck. 

[Catt]

I don't understand the issue?

 

If you wanna use FFS, use it!

 

If you don't wanna use FFS, don't!

 

There's still plenty tournaments without it, there's still plenty DD's caught without it. 

 

From now until April there will be 10s of thousands of boats on our waters. I feel safe saying 90% will not have FFS.

 

Guess what? 

Bass will still be caught!

[Susky River Rat]

@Catt I do not use it and do not want to use it. Most serious anglers here use it. There is a huge gape here. Either a tin boat with no electronics at all or a boat completely decked out. I am the minority with some minor electronics and GPS.   Josh jones it s a prime example of what FFS in the right hands can do. He barely caught any DD bass learned FFS now he catches 100 a year. I am realistic in saying most people use it it helps them catch more fish but, it’s not the game changer it was for someone like him.

 

Again as much as I hate the fact there is FFS it’s here to stay unless there is laws made about it. It will be just like those die hard 2 stroke motocross guys. They have their few 2 stroke only races a year the rest of the time it’s 2 and 4 mixed.  If you want to fish tournaments know that’s what you’re going up against take it or leave it.  I am interested in doing a couple tournaments a year. I am looking at ones that are more charitable. Toys for tots etc. at least I can feel better some of my entry fee is going to that. I know what I’m up against and I’d be pretty darn proud placing in the money without FFS.

[rgasr63]

Well if you are putting up the money to compete in tournaments today. F.F. sonar is necessary to compete in tournaments to get paid. No brainer there. However everybody who is competing today came up with their skills the old way and could compete without the new electronics. So let's look down the road. "Jeffery" is a young man that has learned to use the F.F.sonar very well because he is extremely comfortable with the electronics. He puts his money up and may have a good opportunity to win a major league tournament and he would not have a clue what to do if he doesn't have the electronics. So who is really the best angler then?

[gim]

2 minutes ago, rgasr63 said:

However everybody who is competing today came up with their skills the old way and could compete without the new electronics.

 

You obviously don't know who Kyoyo Fujita is.

 

Dude would be delivering sushi without live sonar.

[Catt]

13 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

He barely caught any DD bass learned FFS now he catches 100 a year.

 

He ain't the first to accomplish that feat. 

 

I just don't care one way or the other. I've fished with FFS, I've fished without FFS, & will continue to do so.

 

If it's in you boat & you invite me along...cool!

If it's not in your boat & you invite me along...cool!

[rgasr63]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

You obviously don't know who Kyoyo Fujita is.

 

Dude would be delivering sushi without live sonar.

Well "Jeffery" exists already. Who would have thunk it?

[Mobasser]

What you'll see most in tournaments with no electronics will be guys fishing every inch of visible cover. I still do it, and lots of guys do it.                 They'll still catch bass, and some big ones too. Might be fun to see how they do fishing old school.

[Pat Brown]

Yeah it's kinda just like....choose what you will....but the statistics are coming in slowly from DNR and WRC, who basically have no skin in the game but protecting fish and have the resources to do more than conjecture and guessing - are saying that in most cases, FFS has no positive or negative effects on bass populations.

 

I do think what is undeniable is the quality of fishing for the average angler is laterally shifting and that forces people like me to adapt and that always causes grumbles.

 

But IMHO, bass are smarter than we give them credit for and they are developing into a species that understands collectively that they are being targeted by us and just like lures, they're learning to associate electronics with our presence and I think slowly but surely, the pendulum will swing back the other way.

 

A lot of it has to do with the balancing out that's going to happen after the peak angling pressure that COVID put on a whole generation of bass.

 

Just be patient.  Keep fishing.  Keep adapting.

 

Use it.  Don't.  Bass gonna keep getting caught.

[Mobasser]

I don't know about lots of the big lakes, but, as an example on Missouris Lake of the Ozarks, guys have won big by just cruising along and fishing all the docks. Not having electronics will change how some people fish for bass. They'll have to adjust presentations etc.         I think it might be a cool idea. Take the sport back to the roots level.

[Skunkmaster-k]

I’d watch it, maybe. I couldn’t watch mlf without getting bored , but they didn’t have Zona.