BASS cans Coanglers

[Volman482]

If ESPN had started the Elite Series with no co-anglers as it should be, there would be no problem to discuss now. They were looking at the dollars riding in the back. I wonder what they will charge for the "privelage" of being an observer? I hope they have to pay the observers to observe. Would serve them right!!!!!

JMHO

[5bass]

The main purpose in having an observer in the first place is to keep the pro "honest". Another reason is safety. The way I see it, if they want someone to ride along and babysit a pro during the tournament, they should either pay the observers or at least let them ride free.

(But we all know that's not going to happen, they couldn't make any money doing it that way)

[preach4bass]

I can understand why they would charge observers.  You can't go to a professional football, baseball, or basketball game for free.  If you want to watch, you've got to pay.  I'd do it if it wasn't too much, and they came to our area.

[5bass]

I can understand why they would charge observers. You can't go to a professional football, baseball, or basketball game for free. If you want to watch, you've got to pay. I'd do it if it wasn't too much, and they came to our area.

But like I said, the main purpose for the observer is to babysit the pro. (Make sure he doesn't get off the boat to land a fish, or snag fish, help him back in the boat if he should fall out, you know, babysitting type stuff) You don't go to a pro football game to babysit the players.....the NFL pays referees to babysit the players while on the field, and they pay them well I might add.

[xiggi]

Change happens.

[Grey Wolf]

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.

Maybe when he sold the rights , there was a gag rule inserted into the contract that prohibits him from commenting on anything that he doesn't like.

[Willzx225]

I agree with 5bass that they will more than likely charge to be an observer since there will still be an abundance of people lining up to ride along with these guys for the educational aspect. ( I will be one of those lined up)  But I would certainly hope that they will offer a raffle of some sorts for those who pay to ride along.  Maybe for a trolling motor, rods, GPS, etc.  

[Zel]

Co No Mo !

[Matt Fly]

Reading on several other media outlets, this was something the pros have been asking for, for a long time according to the fine print, do away with the back seater.

   How many times do you see Tiger and a Co golfer paired on Sunday?

  Name one sport, were an Pro is teamed with an amatuer when the money is on the line?

 We aren't talking exhibition events either.  

         Somebody needs to check the stats on actually how many Co anglers fished multiple events?

     I have seen the local ones that came through our area, and I can tell you that most of the time, not all, its the family and friends of the Co angler that show up for weigh-ins who are local boys.   Thus fan support, guess what, you want have as many with out the locals fishing as co's.

      But then again, most weigh ins are not  that big a spectacle any way.   Specially if you compare them to any of the other top 5 sports.

    Bassin has never been spectator friendly, and never will.      

   It just don't generate any revenues because the arena floor that bassin takes place on is public lake , free, and then just how many non fishermen are gonna buy boats for one tournament a year to go watch?

           Funny, no one ever wants to blame the Pros for some of the changes that come about.     BASS gets blamed for it all, yet the pros have been asking for long time.    Go figure!

     My take, some Pros are made men, don't need another check to fish them all, and then there are guys who need checks to survive.

    5500 is big investment for some,  they deserve all the water to them selves.

     Food for thought,   Martens and Velvick and their Co's share a 100 yard stretch for 3 of the 4 days on Falcon.

         Did sharing that water with Co's who weighed nice sacks as well cost them $100,000?  

     

 

         

[jrhennecke]

      Did sharing that water with Co's who weighed nice sacks as well cost them $100,000?

     

Makes no difference the rules were the same for both competitors.  The coanglers had a right to be there as much as the pros did.  Every competitor paid their entry fee.  Tournament entry was a membership benefit.

[Ballpark Frank]

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.

I could not say it any better, I agree 100% with Burley on this one.

[jrhennecke]

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.

Because that was one of the benefits you recieved when you joined BASS.

[mike bat]

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.

i have to disagree with you .... one bassfishing is bassfishing ,,, you cant compair it other sports .... 2nd most guys that fish as nonboaters are there to fish and compete for the 25k .... they are also there to learn .... they also pay a ton to fish one elite event ,,, i dont see why they would pay the cash if they really couldent fish .... lastly it was a big step down ,,, theres no reason why any angler shouldent be allowed to compete in any event .... all the pros can talk smak but they all started on the back of someones boat ... its just another reason espn is ruining bass ... i have never fished any tourney as a non boater or a boater .... but i have followed bass for a while now ,,, and it just gets worse and worse ... the nice thing about bass was the interaction with the regular angler .... the fact you had the option to fish an event if you wanted to .... just another reason to fish the flw or any other tour out there ....  ;D

[mike bat]

I can understand why they would charge observers. You can't go to a professional football, baseball, or basketball game for free. If you want to watch, you've got to pay. I'd do it if it wasn't too much, and they came to our area.

But like I said, the main purpose for the observer is to babysit the pro. (Make sure he doesn't get off the boat to land a fish, or snag fish, help him back in the boat if he should fall out, you know, babysitting type stuff) You don't go to a pro football game to babysit the players.....the NFL pays referees to babysit the players while on the field, and they pay them well I might add.

it will be funny to see how this pans out .... id laugh my a** off if they couldent get the people they need to watch the pros ... it happens all the time on the weekend series .... the are always haveing boaters switch over to non boaters just so it works ...  see you have to remember they need these people through the whole 3 days of fishing ,,, how many people will call into work to watch fridays .... not to mention before the field gets cut ... espn is stupid stupid stupid

[preach4bass]

I can understand why they would charge observers. You can't go to a professional football, baseball, or basketball game for free. If you want to watch, you've got to pay. I'd do it if it wasn't too much, and they came to our area.

But like I said, the main purpose for the observer is to babysit the pro. (Make sure he doesn't get off the boat to land a fish, or snag fish, help him back in the boat if he should fall out, you know, babysitting type stuff) You don't go to a pro football game to babysit the players.....the NFL pays referees to babysit the players while on the field, and they pay them well I might add.

it will be funny to see how this pans out .... id laugh my a** off if they couldent get the people they need to watch the pros ... it happens all the time on the weekend series .... the are always haveing boaters switch over to non boaters just so it works ... see you have to remember they need these people through the whole 3 days of fishing ,,, how many people will call into work to watch fridays .... not to mention before the field gets cut ... espn is stupid stupid stupid

ESPN might be "stupid, stupid, stupid," but their Elite Series anglers also fishe FOUR day tournaments (Thursday-Sunday), not three day. ;D

[mike bat]

my mistake 4 days ,, it just makes it even harder on bass ....  i dont get it at all ... but we will see how it pans out

[5bass]

I'm not sure what the cost will be for an observer to ride all 4 days but I'd say at least $400.....so with 100 anglers needing a babysitter, BASS/ESPN stands to make $40,000 bucks of free and clear money from the observer pool at each tournament.

$40K x 11 = $440,000.

Looks like the pro's wanted the co-anglers cut out and BASS saw an opportunity to rake in some free money.

[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.

Because that was one of the benefits you recieved when you joined BASS.

Since when?

[J_Zink]

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.

Because that was one of the benefits you recieved when you joined BASS.

Since when?

Technically, since you had to be a member of BASS in order to fish a tournament, co-angler or Pro, it was sort of an unspoken benefit.  

[Tin]

Just wait, more things will be canned very soon.

[mike bat]

Just wait, more things will be canned very soon.

yea like my membership ... LOL

[mawilson]

somebody posted earlier that the old pros fished with co anglers if you look back at old tournament standinds there is no list for co anglers if both anglers had their boat at the tournament they flipped a coin to see whos boat they used and they split the day out of the front I know this for a fact my dad fished the first mega bucks and they did it after they got paired each day.

[Gatorbassman]

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.

Just because we haven't heard his opinion in public doesn't mean that he hasn't voiced it in private. How can you come down on him so hard without knowing what he is thinking or doing that we don't see. There isn't much he could do anyway. He doesn't own it anymore.

[Tin]

Ya, I went a little far with that looking back on it. Dumb comment.

PM sent by the way Flukey.

[Upnorth]

Here's my take: Getting rid of the co-angler is not only a great idea, it was mandatory.  It is the only way to completely level the playing field.  I have fished as a pro in both the Strens and BFLs.  I have had co's that spent most of their time picking backlashes and I have had some that should have been 100% fishing from the front deck.  Both type of coangler had an impact on the fish I caught and how I caught them, sometimes an advantage, but usually a negative.  I can only hope that FLW would follow suite (Ha!!).  It is sad that people can no longer fish along side the Elite pros, but this is a big time expensive professional sport.  If you have the guts to put up a $5,000 entry fee, then you deserve the most level playing field possible.

As for Ray Scott, Ray sold BASS to turn a profit, ESPN later bought BASS to turn a profit.   Seems fair.  I always thought his vision of BASS was to someday see bass fishing as a legitimate professional sport.  Big money, big sponsors, 12 hours of Classic coverage, and guys earning a comfortable living.  Well, more are doing that now than ever.  I know, some live out of their truck and scrape by, but that is their choice, their dream, and they know the potential to earn a decent living now exists.  

If you want grass roots, join your local BASS Federation club.  If you want to fish from the back of a pro's boat, fish the FLW Tour.  If you want to fish the Elites, fish the Opens and see how you stack up.

 Believe me, I have had my problems with BASS in the past (like losing my Open deposits a few years ago), but this move is the right one.