B.A.S.S. boats?

[rboat]

Why does BASS keep switching boat sponsors? Many years ago it was all Ranger boats. Then they went to strictly Triton. Now I see they are all about Skeeter. What gives, is it a money thing or do they just tick someone off every few years?

[JT Bagwell]

If I had to guess I would say it is all driven by money. I know I was told that Triton was looking to gear their marketing more towards the

weekend angler, so maybe it was their decision not to renew their contract.

In reference to Ranger, they sponsor the FLW Tour because both the FLW and Genmar Holdings (parent company of Ranger boats) are both

owned by Irwin Jacobs.

JT Bagwell

[bmadd]

As far as Triton leaving, I was told that Triton was wanting BASS to force it's anglers to fish out of Tritons only on the last day of competition. The day they show on tv  :

[JT Bagwell]

As far as Triton leaving, I was told that Triton was wanting BASS to force it's anglers to fish out of Tritons only on the last day of competition. The day they show on tv :

That was how it was prior to this year. If I were a sponsor paying huge dollars I would want my brand on television as much as possible too. (not that I support making someone fish out of a different boat)

JT Bagwell

[BillyBob]

Heres a question for you. Which sells more Triton boats? Watching KVD run a Triton last day or putting 6 Grand more money on Saturdays weekend tournament. How many Tundras are sitting in your driveway because Toyota pulls all boats into the arena?

 One more thing..wasn't skeeter the first?

[warmer]

Which sells more Triton boats? Watching KVD run a Triton last day or putting 6 Grand more money on Saturdays weekend tournament.

answer: watching kvd run a triton the last day.  market exposure at that level is significantly more valuable, and if it werent we wouldnt have any fishing to watch on t.v.

[cart7t]

 One more thing..wasn't skeeter the first?

IIRC, the 1st Bassmasters Classic had the competitors in matched Inboard drive Rebel Bassboats at lake Mead.

[thetr20one]

Everything has gone crazy. Now that Brunswick bought Triton you get signifigant saving for putting Merc and Motorguide on when you buy. Ranger discounts for Yammie now. You used to get savings on Ranger with a Rude and MinnKota. Who is Pushing the Rude now?   Its all about what I can do for you maybe!!!

[bassdocktor]

If I remember correctly the reason Ranger stopped being with BASS was because of the WCF or what ever it was called. It was the tournament circuit that was based on fishing and boat racing. As I remember reading BASS started to support that organization and Ranger got kinda mad. They felt it was promiting unsafe boating practices.

[fishizzle]

Its all about the Benjamins baby!

[cart7t]

If I remember correctly the reason Ranger stopped being with BASS was because of the WCF or what ever it was called. It was the tournament circuit that was based on fishing and boat racing. As I remember reading BASS started to support that organization and Ranger got kinda mad. They felt it was promiting unsafe boating practices.

As I recall, that deal only went for like a year.  They had one of those T's over at Rend lake in Illinois.  They would fish for half a day and then the second half was the boat races.  Their combined score between the 2 competitions was used to determine the winner.  Some of the boat and engine manufacturers took the boat racing part pretty seriously with fairings to stream line the front of the boat and exotic props and such.  Pretty much a gimmick.  It's also pretty understandable why Ranger would'nt have wanted to be involved in a competition that involved it against other brands.    ;D    I remember Denny Brauer and a couple other pro's were completely against it even though they participated. Some really got into it though.

[Catt]

Yea I remember those series of tournaments; one of the Pros was brought in because he had a back ground in boat racing and Skeet Reese was knocking 2 seconds a lap off his time in a stock Champion 198 Elite with a stock 200 HP really ticking em off.

[bassdocktor]

I remember watching the Rend Lake tournament that cart7t mentioned. It was kinda cool because they were showing how the prepared the boats for the races. Beside the stuff mentioned they stripped out everything they could and pulled off the trolling motors  too. I think that was the first time I ever saw one of those counter rotating props too.

[Olebiker]

One more thing..wasn't skeeter the first?

IIRC, the 1st Bassmasters Classic had the competitors in matched Inboard drive Rebel Bassboats at lake Mead.

Wow, you must be as old as I am.  I remember that.

It was interesting to see some of the early things on bass boats that seemed like a good idea at the time.  I remember a manufacturer making bass boats with Corvair engines in them.  I also remember when Astroglass boats had headlights.

[basspro96]

Hey guys here is the history of the bassmasters OK Ray Scott and Forrest L. Woods were good friends then Forrest started to make boats after the first boats were made then they were mass produced. Then they stopped using rangers over a money thing. Ray and Forrest are still GREAT friends Forrest just knew he was doing it for a business related thing. Then Ray met the guy from merc and he already knew the guy from mercury THEN he met Earl Bentz at a mercury outboard racing event. Earl was a great guy then he started making boats and called them Triton boats because of some greek god thing. And now they are going to skeeter for some stupid reason.

[Catt]

Ray Scott and Forrest L. Woods were forced out by ESPN who likes controlling things like BASS and NASCAR. First it was Winston Cup but cigarettes are bad for you so ESPN changed it to Nextel Cup and now it's Sprint Cup. Aint Sprint Cars little open wheel cars? Ray and Forrest are Ole School and no longer know anything about bass fishing or bass boats.

[basspro96]

       Have you even met Ray or Forrest if it wasn't for them we wouldn't even HAVE bass boats or and clubs or federation. Because if Ray and Forrest had not had such briliant ideas the livewell and many other things would not have been invented.      

      SO watch what you say cause it can backlash on you

[Grey Wolf]

      Have you even met Ray or Forrest if it wasn't for them we wouldn't even HAVE bass boats or and clubs or federation. Because if Ray and Forrest had not had such briliant ideas the livewell and many other things would not have been invented.      

      SO watch what you say cause it can backlash on you

You have no idea what Catt meant  , do you ?

[basspro96]

I know exactly what he said he said that they don't know about fishing or boats anymore because they are old school well earl bentz designs great boats and he is "Old School"

[JT Bagwell]

I believe his comment was full of sarcasm.

JT Bagwell

[cart7t]

       Have you even met Ray or Forrest if it wasn't for them we wouldn't even HAVE bass boats or and clubs or federation. Because if Ray and Forrest had not had such briliant ideas the livewell and many other things would not have been invented.      

      SO watch what you say cause it can backlash on you

;D

Hey catt, this 12 year old is schooling you!  

Seriously.  Bentz began his career in the bass fishing industry as a consultant for Hydra Sports boats.  He later went on to start up Stratos boats (which he later sold to the OMC group) and then started up Triton.  He hasn't raced boats in probably 30 years or more.

Livewells in bass boats became a necessity when BASS tournaments began getting bad raps for the "meat displays" at weigh ins.  Bass used to be drug up (figuratively) to the scales and then they were later cleaned and donated to local charities.  The backlash of such huge numbers of bass being pulled out of lakes for a tournament was predictable and understandable.  Thus, BASS's "Don't Kill Your Catch" was born along with the livewell.  

[Catt]

basspro96 since you're only 12 years old I'll be nice but firm!

I've go fishing tackle 2 or 3 times your age!

Do I know Ray or Forrest?

Meet both for the first time on 01/31/1970 at the TOLEDO BEND INVITATIONAL where a friend of my dad's Mike Bono beat Roland Martin for first place.

[basspro96]

OK so you have met Forrest and Ray but obviously you think they can't do anything.Because they are old like you. So not to be rude but that ticks me off. That a man about as old AS Ray and Forrest would be saying they don't know anything because they are old school. If you fished in the 1970 I would guess you are pretty old school too. My dad is pretty old school uses one rod one reel and my lures. a 5 foot lews speed stick and old Daiwa megaforce. And he schooled me with a 6 pounder a couple days ago.

[bassdocktor]

You really should be nicer to these guys, you don't even know them. If you ever read any of their post about boats you'd realize that they actually know what they are talking about. Alot of what I've learned and am learning has come from stuff these guys have put up. Obviously, Catt had sarcasm in his post.

Also, like was mentioned money wasn't the only factor in the B.A.S.S./Ranger split. There was also ESPN and the boat racing.

[cart7t]

waiting for "old man" Catts response.