BASS or FLW?

[cabela10]

What are the different ways that a guy can qualify for the Classic anymore these days since BASS has pretty much done away with some of the lower tournament circuits.

Everything is the same.  You have all the federation guys and the 1 weekend series guy.  Nothing has changed.  It's just easier in the Federation now, cuz so many people switched over to FLW.

[tallydude]

I gotta go with BASS. I don't even recognize FLW. To me, BASS has the history, tradition, prestige and the better anglers.

[cabela10]

BASS has the history, tradition, prestige and the better anglers.

Well, I would freakin' hope so, FLW started in 1997.  Can't build to much history, tradition, prestige in 10 years.

By the way, what makes you think they have better anglers?  If I recall, Luke Clausen, exclusive FLW guy won the Classic last year.  Set records.  KVD was fishing the FLW before they started this 11 event Elite Series, show me how well KVD did in the FLW.   I believe he is smoking the BASS guys more than he did the FLW boys.  Chew on that.

[squid]

BASS has the history, tradition, prestige and the better anglers.

KVD was fishing the FLW before they started this 11 event Elite Series, show me how well KVD did in the FLW. I believe he is smoking the BASS guys more than he did the FLW boys. Chew on that.

I THOUGHT HE DID AWESOME IN FLW. IN 3 SEASONS WITH THEM HE WON OVER $227,250 WAS AOY IN 2001, RUNNER UP IN 2002. NOT BAD FOR 3 SEASONS. FINISHED 22 IN 2003. FISHED 1 TIME IN 99 AND CAME IN 2ND AND WON $100K.  SO GRAND TOTAL...FISHING 21 EVENTS HE AMASHED $370,950

[Banor]

I like both tours,but I'd have to go with BASS.It just gets WAY more coverage,and imo the anglers on the BASS circuit are way more recognizable(with a few exceptions).The only time I EVER get to see FLW coverage is when I'm having a bout of insomnia and catch a round on Fox Sports South at 3:00 AM.

Still hold this opinion?

B

[The Duke]

I like both tours,but I'd have to go with BASS.It just gets WAY more coverage,and imo the anglers on the BASS circuit are way more recognizable(with a few exceptions).The only time I EVER get to see FLW coverage is when I'm having a bout of insomnia and catch a round on Fox Sports South at 3:00 AM.

Still hold this opinion?

B

I would second that opinion.

[tritonman]

Well if you really look at it, neither one likes to show their championship live on TV.

[cabela10]

BASS has the history, tradition, prestige and the better anglers.

KVD was fishing the FLW before they started this 11 event Elite Series, show me how well KVD did in the FLW. I believe he is smoking the BASS guys more than he did the FLW boys. Chew on that.

I THOUGHT HE DID AWESOME IN FLW. IN 3 SEASONS WITH THEM HE WON OVER $227,250 WAS AOY IN 2001, RUNNER UP IN 2002. NOT BAD FOR 3 SEASONS. FINISHED 22 IN 2003. FISHED 1 TIME IN 99 AND CAME IN 2ND AND WON $100K. SO GRAND TOTAL...FISHING 21 EVENTS HE AMASHED $370,950

And what are his stats in that time frame with B.A.S.S.?  Alot of the top guns that are now fishing the FLW, weren't there in 2001 or 2002.

[squid]

THE ONLY THING YOU ARE TELLING ME IS THAT HIS SKILLS HAVE BEEN FINE TUNED.  KVD IS THE MAN NO MATTER WHAT LEAGUE HE FISHES WITH.

[cabela10]

THE ONLY THING YOU ARE TELLING ME IS THAT HIS SKILLS HAVE BEEN FINE TUNED. KVD IS THE MAN NO MATTER WHAT LEAGUE HE FISHES WITH.

Well, nobody would disagree with that obvious statement.

[Root beer]

If you like being a poster boy join FLW!

FLW is bunch selfish ******! I refuse to fish with them. From my expereince watching FLW the only day they get televison coverages they are cover in FLW brand clothing and ranger boats. are you kidding me? They want their name all over you rather then your sponsors. Screw wal-mart and FLW. I dont even know why wal-mart has to plaster their name all over the tour everybody going go to wal-mart no matter what so they dont have any reason to use FLW as an advertising market. Granted FLW possible pay out further down the standing, but it not that worth it.

B.A.S.S. on other hand granted ESPN has some major flaws that should be fix, but they let you promote your self to gain sponsor to get money pay for entry fees. Plus as mention above BASS is for the glory.

I personally rather take BASS over FLW any day. I've heard stories FLW made you cover up your sponsor and wear stern, FLW, or ranger boat all over you rather then your main sponsors.

Screw it I'm not going to be FLW poster boy. Take luke clausen for example he wanted in on the elite series and when he got his chance he back out claim he had "tennis elbow injury" 3 weeks later he was fishing the FLW tour. I guess he a fast healer wrong FLW paid him to stay on FLW tour.

See they are all about them self. They dont care about your sponsors they want money for them self to add to entries fees. They dont want Luke Clausen getting exposure on BASS tour.

Go with BASS. If bass is still that bad by time I get out of college. I'll get a job with them and turn it around! ;D I agree espn is bunch idiots, but they got cameras for exposure.

[cabela10]

Take luke clausen for example he wanted in on the elite series and when he got his chance he back out claim he had "tennis elbow injury" 3 weeks later he was fishing the FLW tour. I guess he a fast healer wrong FLW paid him to stay on FLW tour.

Show me where Clausen said he wanted to fish the Elite Series? FLW/Chevy wanted him to fish exclusively FLW and they did throw more money at him, whats exactly wrong with that again?

FLW must be doing something right to get Larry Nixon and he's not fishing BASS anymore, and George Cochran. All guys that won the Classic at one point in there careers. If FLW is so bad, why are they leaving BASS???

[Root beer]

HAHAHA Cabela, If you read "bassmaster" It shows that Luke Clausen wanted in on Elite Series. There was an article last may or april issue that he wanted in on the Elite Series and when he won the classic he got an automatic bid to fish the Elite Series.

If Clausen never wanted in on the Elite Series why would he try to qualify for the classic and win it or do well enough to qualify for the elite series? He try to reserve a spot in the Elite Series before the classic, but he was too late and field been set, but when he won the classic he got an automatic bid. Then he back out went back to FLW because of "tennis elbow injury."

It Obvious that FLW wants someone like him to stay on their tour rather then fish both. I bet you, if you take the top BASS guys and top FLW guys. BASS will destory them to pieces.

I cant prove he got paid by FLW/Chevy to stay on FLW tour, but it obvious. He back out of Elite Series saying he had tennis elbow injury and couple weeks later he was fishing the FLW tour. Sounds obvious to me. He really wanted in on the Elite Series.

I think main reason why the old school stars like nixon, cochran, etc. Left BASS because BASS was becoming a young gun tour, guys like Ike, Swindle, KVD, Monroe, etc are starting to be the main guys on BASS. People want to cover them more then anyone eles now.

[bassin_man]

If FLW did pay Luke so whats the big deal?  Money talks these days.  Would you rather take the guaranteed money or fish the Elite series where you just don't know whats going to happen?  I know what I would do.  Also about the top BASS guys and the top FLW guys.  While it may not be all the top guys I do recall Luke being the winner of the last Ultimate Match Fishing show where there were guys such as Ike, Swindle, etc.  Most if not all of the other competitors were BASS guys except for him.  He pretty much went through that show with ease.

[squid]

Take luke clausen for example he wanted in on the elite series and when he got his chance he back out claim he had "tennis elbow injury" 3 weeks later he was fishing the FLW tour. I guess he a fast healer wrong FLW paid him to stay on FLW tour.

FLW must be doing something right to get Larry Nixon and he's not fishing BASS anymore, and George Cochran. All guys that won the Classic at one point in there careers. If FLW is so bad, why are they leaving BASS???

I LIKE THIS POINT RIGHT HERE ..SORRY, WAS THE ONLY ARROW POINTING UP....LOL

THERE ARE SOME OTHERS WHO LEFT BASS TO FISH FLW...AND SOME STILL FISH BOTH. SO IT WOULD BE A TOURNAMENT OF TOP GUYS WHO FISH EXCLUSIVLEY WITH THEIR OWN LEAGUE....NO ONE WHO FISHES BOTH.  THAT WOULD BE COOL TO SEE.

[The Duke]

FLW must be doing something right to get Larry Nixon and he's not fishing BASS anymore, and George Cochran.  All guys that won the Classic at one point in there careers.  If FLW is so bad, why are they leaving BASS???

Not necessarily true. Lets face it, Nixon & Cochran are getting a bit older and I would bet the longer schedule that BASS put out had something to do with their not fishing it. They fished both circuits for a number of years and they pulled out of BASS when their season extended. That sounds like the obvious reason.

Also, out of 102 Elite Series anglers fishing last year 97 of them have signed back on. So the whole idea that FLW is growing from the influx of BASS anglers leaving BASS is uneducated. Read the reviews from the Elite Series guys, they love BASS now. Its the premier league for professionals.

[cabela10]

Also, out of 102 Elite Series anglers fishing last year 97 of them have signed back on. So the whole idea that FLW is growing from the influx of BASS anglers leaving BASS is uneducated.

Who said anything like that? Stop making stuff up, in an attempt to prove your point.

BTW, my examples left before the Elite Series started.  The made a decision and I can't believe the increased schedule was the factor.  Both Nixon and Cochran are fishing the Tour and FLW Series which is around 8-10 events, similar to the Elite Series.

[squid]

DEAN ROJAS FISHED FLW AND BASS LAST YEAR.  

LETS SEE IF ANYONE RECOGNIZES THESE B A S S ANGLERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT....ALL FISHING FLW NOW.

STACY KING, DION HIBDON, GUIDO HIBDON, GARY YAMAMOTO, WOO DAVES, LUKE CLAUSEN, DAVID FRITTS, JAY YELAS, LARRY NIXON, CLARK WENDLANDT, JT KENNEY, SHINICHI FUKAE, DAVID FRITTS, DAN MOREHEAD, GEORGE COCHRAN, DAVID DUDLEY, AND CHARLIE INGRAM.  

SOME HAVE WON THE BASS CLASSIC AT ONE TIME IN THER CAREER.

[The Duke]

I wonder how many guys on the Elite Series once fished FLW. KVD & Ike, Aaron Martens, and Steve Kennedy are just a few. The funny thing, its big news for FLW when it gets a guy from BASS, proven by some posts here; there's a definitive memory of all these guys. Squib, you left a good list, but with the exception of Clausen, I could argue that all of those guys are on the downward side of their career. Not to say they're not great anglers - they are, but were not winning much money when they left BASS. Maybe they're more competitive with FLW.

I'm not making stuff up. Cabela10 you said,

All guys that won the Classic at one point in there careers. If FLW is so bad, why are they leaving BASS???

That implies that guys are leaving BASS now. They're not. If you want to talk about the past decade of who's left BASS or FLW, vice versa, whatever, that argument is irrelevant. Whats going on now? Lets talk about the present if thats OK. Guys are not leaving BASS to fish FLW. And they're enjoying the Elite Series. Again, I wonder how many guys have fished FLW on their way up to BASS.

BTW, my examples left before the Elite Series started.

So whats your point?

[cabela10]

The Duke, what are you talking.  I am talking about right now.  Both Cochran and Nixon stopped fishing B.A.S.S. this past year.  That is pretty recent to me, not the past.

[KYbass1276]

:

[BassBeat101]

Yowza.  I enjoy them both - whatever is on TV, I'll watch.  It's tournament fishing - I could probably watch a local club tournament if they were catching fish.  I liken the BASS v. FLW somewhat similar to the ol' WCW v. WWF matchup.  Except without the drama - oh wait, the whole Luke Clausen thing and DQ's every tourney.  

Daryl

[superstud55]

This is such a hard decision, but i am going to have to choose B.A.S.S.  I like the coverage and the anglers.  Ya espn made it go down hill a little, but is fsn any better? :-/

Yes anglers have left bass, but they have also left flw.  i see bass as a better circuit, with more compitition, so if it were me i would fish the flw to gain some exsperiance then make my way to bass.  

As for payouts, u shouldnt be fishing for the money, why are we turning professional fishing into every other pro sport where its all about how much money we can make?  Next thing you know there will be anglers on strike because payouts arent high enough, fish for the love of the sport not to make a lil more money.  i understand they need to make a living, but if ur not placing high enough to do so maybe your just not what it takes to be a full time pro,   not trying to start any fights just my personal oppinion.  

[cabela10]

It's all about the money in fishing because the entry fees are so high and the tackle/rods are so expensive you have to win money to get some of that back.  Professional sports like, football, baseball and hockey don't have to pay thousands of dollars for equipment, it's all giving to them by the teams that employ them.  They don't have to pay $500 entry fees to play one game during the season.  If you are into tournament fishing for the fun of it, you should find a new sport because your just donating your money.  Of course I am only talking about the high-end events, if your a club fishermen, entry fees at $20, then have fun, but when you get into the $100+ entry fees, you better be all about the money, otherwise you should spend that money on the girlfriend or your debt.

[Glenn]

not trying to start any fights just my personal oppinion.

Very important to remember, Cabela10.  Let them have their opinions.  

Just a reminder folks, sometimes it's best to agree to disagree.  It would be fruitless to try to change everyone's opinions to align with yours.