BASS cans Coanglers

[jrhennecke]

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/news/story?id=3492085

This is just another example of how ESPN is ruining BASS. I can't believe this is the organization that Ray Scott started or the way he would want it to end up. First the fiasco with the Federation, the complete ignoring of the West Coast and now the death of the amature angler. They should get it over with and rename the organization Professional Bass Anglers Assosiation. As far as these pro anglers that are pleased with the decision let me remind them were they started and who it is that makes them "Elite". How many times have you heard one of these pros say they got there start as a coangler? And it is the weekend/ coangler that buys products from these pro's sponsors and allows them to make the living they do. It's sad how these folks have forgotton that.  

[burleytog]

Does Joe Sixpack or Jimmy Joe Jack Daniels get to suit up with Peyton Manning and patrol the sidelines?  Does he get to sit on the bench with Tim Duncan?  Sit in the dugout with Fonzie Soriano?

No.  So why should you get to fish with Kevin VanDam or Rick Clunn?

Sure, being able to fish with the pro's made for some fan fun.  But IMO these guys are out there trying to make a living catching fish.  Why should they have to worry about the guy in the back of the boat catching a pig that the pro could have caught tomorrow?

IMO, BASS just stepped up big time and became the TRUE professional fishing organization.

[preach4bass]

How is this the "death of the amature angler"?  The only thing we can't do is fish out of the back of the boat in ONE tournament trail that only has a hundred boats.  That's only keeping 100 amatures from doing something they might want to do.  You can still fish the BASS Opens as a co-angler.  You can still fish the FLW Tour and the FLW Series, as well as the Stren, and BFLs as a co-angler.  There are hundreds of other tournament trails where you can fish as a co-angler/amature.  Pick your head up, the amature angler is still alive and well!

[jrhennecke]

The BASS has created the Elitiest series.  There is truth to the point that other pro athletes don't have amatures competing against them.  That is what made the series special.  Amature anglers had the chance to fish with arguably the best fishermen in the world.  It created a bond between the pros of a sport and the people who support them.  Something you could not get in other sports.  How many times on this forum alone has someone advised an angler who wanted to start tournament fishing to join a club then fish as a coangler?  It is true that there are other circuits that a coangler can fish.  The cooangler will survive.  There are no opens or invatationals in the west.  Thank god for the FLW.   The greats from the past fished with coanglers what makes these guys so different?

[Pigsticker]

LOL tim duncan? so many to choose from you pick duncan, I like it though. Your not allowed to sit on the same bench as Greg Ostertag ;D

anyways it is just one tourney trail like what has been said not the death of the amatuer plus they still let in a few federation anglers right?average joe six tooth is not finished yet

[chitown]

BASS FISHING PRO'S

Golf Pro's

Football Pro's

Base Ball Pro's

Sport pro's

Who is on the bottom as far as Salary ?

Who get's the least TV time.

Who are the most recognized.

We shall See if this will increase the Pro's salary .

Will they now get more recognition.

I feel Hurt over this sorry Guys.

[Sam]

Will Bret Farve sit on the sidelines?

You all forgot that one.  ;D

Fishing as a professional is extremely stressful.

When Ike goes nuts everyone laughs at him.  The truth be told, Ike is very emotional and he shows it in a very, very stressful occupation.

There are other ways amatures can bond with the pros.  And I am not uspset at this turn of events and am taking the position that it came about at the request of the pros, themselves.

After all, who needs to have someone in their boat, under foot, and trying to be  nice to for a day of fishing and at the same time catch a bass on every cast and act professional?

It is hard enough to be a pro fisherman and these guys just do not need the added stress of fishing with an amature.

As it is they give a lot of time at shows, seminars, TV, and the write or are interviewd by magazines and newspapers so removing the amature fishing responsibilities gives them more time to learn the bodies of water they fish.

Just my two-cents.  

Just my two cents.

[Grey Wolf]

Who cares????????????????????????????????????????????????

[fishfordollars]

Who cares????????????????????????????????????????????????

X2, best post of the thread.

[smallfry]

On the one hand, it makes perfect sense.  Fishing with a co-angler is like golfing and your caddy gets to take a swing at your ball every so often.  This should put more emphasis solely on the pros skill.

On the other hand, it is a unique part of the tournament culture that will be lost.  Also, what happens when some of the most die hard local tournament guys no longer have this opportunity?  Do they still lay off the fish in anticipation for a tournament they aren't even fishing in?  Or do they now just go fishing as they normally would prior to the pro's tournament resulting in more pre-tourney pressure?  Do they go to "watch" pros fish from the back of the pros boat, or do they take their own boat out to watch the pros (and maybe do a little fishing while they are out there too?)?  How many club tournaments will get scheduled the same time as the Elite tourney that wouldn't have before?  The pros fish for a living, but a lot of die hards live to fish.  Both have equal right to the water.  Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it...

[Matt Fly]

What did you guys think was gonna happen when BASS got bashed for the unproven facts that flew around after Falcon.

   It was reported that the majority of the fish that died was Co-anglers, and that isn't the numbers Trip posted or mentioned on TV.

  Still not one shred of evidence to prove the claims of the thousands of pounds of fish that died.  

        So who got the worst end of the deal due to all the blogs, the co angler.

       WE can all take some credit for this change, we kept a story going that had no proof, just speculation.

  Next time you bash an organization, think of the changes that it may effect and ask your self is that what you intended?

    Was a third livewell just gonna happen over night?   No

    Do spectators want to see 3 bass limits on both sides?   No

    Does limiting the Co angler to 3 fish fix the problem?  no  40 lbs in one well is still the problem

  Does limiting the Co angler to fish 3 days fix the problem of livewell over crowding?  No

   Did the shared weight go over big with co anglers in the past?   No, they didn't like that idea either.

    BASS eliminated the Co angler giving the pro 2 livewells to support his catch, the only logical choice.

  Before you bash, think of who really gets the raw end of the deal in the end.      

[arul]

I was really bummed at the news, until I saw no Florida Tournies for the next 2 years...

So, I guess I won't be missing out anyways.  If there had been a florida tourney, I would have been depressed no being able to co-anlger it....

[Tin]

Who cares????????????????????????????????????????????????

X2, best post of the thread.

Yup, this is what the Weekend Series is for. It might also be a move to try to help boost the Weekend Series numbers, they have been down this year.

[Zel]

If BASS wanted to make the Elite trail pro only, they should have done it from the beginning when they started the series.  Did they do that NO!  Did they have legitimate and substantiated minimum result requirements for pro's to fish the Elites NO (look at the history of many of the Elites as proof)!  The term Elite has little meaning right now, and to use it as reasoning is truly disingenuous.  Maybe some day it will.  Sure, maybe 1/2 of the Elite anglers could be considered Elite, but the remainder lessen this designation.    What they have done is take a RIGHT away from their grassroots membership who PAY MONEY to obtain these RIGHTS, and THE MEMBERSHIP should be up in arms about this decision.  I liken those who support BASS's decision to people who idly stand by and watch their rights slowly be taken away by a government, and one day the light bulb comes on and say WHAT HAPPENED?  Well my answer has been and always will be do something about when it happens, not afterwards.  I will continue to protest this decision as much as I can.  Do I think it will change anything NO, but at least I will feel good that I did what I felt was right in my heart.  And who here thinks BASS would give a refund to those who paid their memberships through 2009?

How would you all feel if I considered myself to be and extraordinary angler, and now refuse to answer fishing questions from any newbie here at BR because they don't reach certain standards?   I would be drawn and quartered (and rightfully so).  So what's the difference?

[Steve H]

It's sad, no doubt about it. What really concernes me is when we read a story about Pro X using bait Y and when we see the footage our hero is using bait Z. I think this will only make this happen to a greater degree.

[Tin]

If BASS wanted to make the Elite trail pro only, they should have done it from the beginning when they started the series. Did they do that NO! Did they have legitimate and substantiated minimum result requirements for pro's to fish the Elites NO (look at the history of many of the Elites as proof)! The term Elite has little meaning right now, and to use it as reasoning is truly disingenuous. Maybe some day it will. Sure, maybe 1/2 of the Elite anglers could be considered Elite, but the remainder lessen this designation. What they have done is take a RIGHT away from their grassroots membership who PAY MONEY to obtain these RIGHTS, and THE MEMBERSHIP should be up in arms about this decision. I liken those who support BASS's decision to people who idly stand by and watch their rights slowly be taken away by a government, and one day the light bulb comes on and say WHAT HAPPENED? Well my answer has been and always will be do something about when it happens, not afterwards. I will continue to protest this decision as much as I can. Do I think it will change anything NO, but at least I will feel good that I did what I felt was right in my heart. And who here thinks BASS would give a refund to those who paid their memberships through 2009?

My reponse was "Who Cares" because no one should be shocked by this. Look what BASS has become in the past couple years. This should come as no surprise. I have said it time and time again, BASS/ESPN/DISNEY only cares about what make them money, and whatever doesn't they get rid of (YOUTH, Fed Nation, Weekend Series). The "grass roots" BASS Ray Scott founded (pretty sad how he has become so non existent lately, shows the type of person he is) is gone, it is all about the Benjamin's. As you said Zel, one day people will notice, but those people will be the BASS higher ups, wondering why all the Federation Nation states have gone over to TBF.

[Tin]

It's sad, no doubt about it. What really concernes me is when we read a story about Pro X using bait Y and when we see the footage our hero is using bait Z. I think this will only make this happen to a greater degree.

I will never forget reading a BASS Times tourney report from Lake Lewisville and Ike got a strong finish using "Berkley Shakey Worms" (because he is sponsored by Berkley). But after watching the Bassmaster epsiode it is clear that there is a huge zip lock of senkos and he even says "Come on Senko, Come on Senko!" ;D

[Stephen Mick]

I can't speak for the history of co-anglers in BASS events, but from what I've seen on the tour this season, 70-80% of the same co's seem to fish every event. So if the idea is that co-angler positions help bring fans and pros together, that hasn't been happening from what I saw. In fact, some of the guys considered themselves "pro co's" and fish the Elites as co's because they couldn't afford entry fees or other costs for other series.

Also, co's in Elite events have the potential to affect the outcome of the event. Sure, co's can catch pro's fish, but let's say I'm a pro, and I get paired up with a local guy who knows to throw a certain bait. He's getting bit, and I'm not. So I'll tie on what he's using. So, without even knowing it, he's "giving me information" which could affect the outcome.

Personally, I'd love to see BASS eliminate the Wednesday practice day, and to hold a true pro/am event instead, where pros and co's fish together. (Or something like that.)

Just my two cents.

--SM

[Willzx225]

"The "grass roots" BASS Ray Scott founded (pretty sad how he has become so non existent lately, shows the type of person he is)"

Easy now!  I see where you're going with this but lets show some respect to Ray.  We all need to remember that if it weren't for him we would not have as much to discuss.

[Tin]

"The "grass roots" BASS Ray Scott founded (pretty sad how he has become so non existent lately, shows the type of person he is)"

Easy now! I see where you're going with this but lets show some respect to Ray. We all need to remember that if it weren't for him we would not have as much to discuss.

Sorry, but people absolutley destroy the organization you create and goes against pretty much everything you were for (grass roots average Joe) and youdon't have anything to say?

Money conquers all.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

"The "grass roots" BASS Ray Scott founded (pretty sad how he has become so non existent lately, shows the type of person he is)"

Easy now!  I see where you're going with this but lets show some respect to Ray.  We all need to remember that if it weren't for him we would not have as much to discuss.

Sorry, but people absolutley destroy the organization you create and goes against pretty much everything you were for (grass roots average Joe) and youdon't have anything to say?

Money conquers all.

What's to say other than "SOLD".

Think about it, if you sell me your car and I trash it,......my loss.  How would I look if I came out in public and said "Tin ruined my car, he can't drive, doesn't care, etc"

I'd look like a tool.

By complaining he would only be opening the door for everyone to say "Then you shouldn't have sold it!!"

[Tin]

I have been able to hear him speak at events on a number of occasions, he always has an opinion on everything. And I'm just surprised he has kept his quiet about BASS's present state.

[preach4bass]

I have been able to hear him speak at events on a number of occasions, he always has an opinion on everything. And I'm just surprised he has kept his quiet about BASS's present state.

Maybe he dosn't see anything wrong with the present state of BASS.

[Root beer]

We have better things to worry about in this country then what BASS is doing.

I'm glad the co-angler divison is gone. If I was a pro, I wouldn't want a co-angler in my boat.

I'll be glad to spend time after a tourney with a fellow fan talking to him about my day, but I dont want 'em in my boat during tourney week.

[jrhennecke]

I have been able to hear him speak at events on a number of occasions, he always has an opinion on everything. And I'm just surprised he has kept his quiet about BASS's present state.

Because he created BASS and has always been viewed as a "regular" guy I am suprised also that he has said nothing.  The fact that he sold BASS has nothing to do with it.  If anything it should give Ray the freedom to share his opinion.  I would love to hear his honest opinion.  If I remember right didn't he have something to say about the Federation fiasco?  I believe that what is so irratating to fishermen like myself is that we grew up with and supported BASS.  It was an orginization that brought us all together wether you were a weekend warrior or a pro.  The last couple years the ESPN people have left us out to dry.