BASS cans Coanglers

[burleytog]

You're nuts if you think Ray Scott started BASS with any intention but to make money.

Ray Scott is a bidnessman.

[Matt Fly]

This big decsion by BASS did what?

Effected a handfull of guys.  Elite Co anglers?

How many of you will never fish again because of this?

How many of you will never buy products again?

There are only a handfull of pros out there compared to the millions of other fishing licenses being sold across the US.

Whether tournaments existed or didn't, I'm still fishing like everybody else is.   I'm still buying product, and its not because of the pros.

    I bought products before BASS was on TV.   Most of us older fellows have had Orlando Wilson, Bill Dance fishin shows, but never saw much of the pros footage of days of old.

Ya'll call them info commercials now days.    

Please, everyone just tell me who quit fishing because of this?   Anyone?    

  Then, whats the fuss?  lol

[Zel]

What gets me the most is BASS continues to institute their Benefits subject to change at the discretion of BASS clause, and always for the worse when it comes to the grassroots anglers. They keep eliminating that which makes bass fishing tournaments special and different from all other professional sports (the ability to compete with a top pro). I guess I should be okay if we decided to take Christ out of Christmas because then more people can make a better living through commercialism and forget about what makes it special. Like the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society becoming BASS, Christmas Day can become Commerce Day. (metaphor not religion).

[warmer]

the whiners are out in full force in an article over at bassf4n.

it would be one thing if these were one day tournaments, and the pro-angler didnt have to save water, but you are going to put them in a boat w/ a different person every day (which disrupts the balance of a level playing field in terms of personality and talent) and make them try to conserve water.  this is unreal.  enjoy the proximity you have sitting behind the remote and let these boys work for a living.  

i cant believe tiger woods wont let me hobble along with him and ask why he chose a pitching wedge for that particular shot.  the game of golf would be so much more personal if only i could.

[5bass]

Hey warmer....are people 'whiners' just because they voice an opinion?

Just saw this poem online about the decision:

Hush co-angler, don't say a word,

BASS's gonna cut you, so I've heard.

Because the problems that you bring,

BASS's gonna axe you come this spring.

Since your tactics do harass,

BASS's gonna kick you in the *?$.

Cause of you some pros now choke,

BASS's gonna change it, that's no joke.

And if you're having a hard time coping,

BASS's gonna tell you Go Fish An Open.

So hush co-angler, don't say a word,

While BASS's gonna treat you like a turd!

[warmer]

five bass limit,

the most consistent argument/attack i hear on this issue is ad hominem, so i figure turnabout is fair play.

e.g. bass are money grubbing, big corporate fat cats who dont care about the little people, and on and on...

but, to answer your question.  no, people are not whiners for voicing their opinion, BUT most of the opinions i have read on this decision were expressed in a whine.  this makes them...

[jrhennecke]

Comparing the plight of the coanglers to the NFL, NBA. MLB, or any other "professional" sport doesn't work.  There never have been amatures competeing along side professionals in any of these other sports.    

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=b_Member_Benefits

No one is saying that every member of BASS joined to fish as a coangler in the Elite Series.  The fact is it was a benefit that any member could have utilized.  For the guys that planned to fish or wanted the opportunity to it is a big deal.

As far as calling people out for whining.  I would be careful cause folks could think you are whiner.

[warmer]

There never have been armatures competing along side professionals in any of these other sports.

the limited value of a co-angler at the elite series level has been that you have an inexpensive alternative to an official observer in each boat.  in fact you make some (though very little) money based on their presence.

1. outside influence:

a) performance:

- the problem with this "observer" is that he/she can materially effect the performance of the pro who is attempting to earn their living this way.

by way of anecdote: a friend of mine who is a tour level pro, missed a final day cut because a co cast OVER HIS ROD to a schooling bass as he was burning it in to pick up a spinnerbait - OVER HIS ROD straight out the front of the boat. this cost him a 4 lber and the cut.  

so now, you have a sport that has progressed to the point that it can afford to have a contest that is less influenced by a MAJOR outside variable.

- any fish that a co catches is a fish that the pro cant save for tomorrow.

psychological:

what happens when you are the pro who draws the grown up version of the kid who says "are we there yet?"  "what are you doing up there?" and "one time i..."

anecdotally: i fished a draw tournament where friend x suggested to a co-angler that his pro really loved it when you slapped him on the rump and kissed him on the cheek after he caught a fish.  well, this pro does re-define homophobia so yes it was funny when the guy did it, but it also climbed up in his head and rattled him.

For the guys that planned to fish or wanted the opportunity to it is a big deal.

the folks that were truly excited about being w/ and learning from the pros will likely be happy w/ the opportunity to go along as an observer.  i for one would rather be an observer than a co-angler out of respect to the competition.  after all a co-angler tournament is not as much a measure of skill as it is a measure of the luck of the draw.

As far as calling people out for whining.  I would be careful cause folks could think you are whiner.

you could say that i did a little name calling that was unecessary.  you could say that im a bit insensitive to the plight of the long time co-angler, you could say a lot of things.  for that matter, you could say im a whiner, but youd be wrong about that.

the people that say:

- bass will lose their fan base: are not whining, just wrong

- bass is losing their connection w/ the fans: not whining, just wrong

- bass is going to lose a lot of money over this: not whining, just wrong.

the people that say:

- george bush dont care about - err i mean, bass doesnt care about the little people: whiny

- bass are a bunch of corporate fat cats: whiny

- i have a right to fish w/ a pro as a co-angler: whiny (bass has a right to CHANGE member benefits)

[Gr8wall]

im sure this is not espn's fault. im sure there parent company disney told them to.  so in actuality it is really mickey mouse who is hurting the coanglers.  Im telling you, the next step is going to be disney and walmart merging and then taking over the world.  

it sucks they took the coangler out (event hoguh i dont belong to bass)  but luckily there are so many other events out there that i can still participate in.

[UPS VT]

What is the big deal.  They are brining back the Northern Opens and you can compete as a co-angler in that.  Maybe they will bring back the Western Opens for you guys on the left coast.  You can still be a co-angler on the Walmart tour, oops I mean FLW.

[Bass XL]

Don't know if anyone has read this yet, but here is what Ish Monroe said about the subject:

I like to hear the opnions of the co's. You are mostlikely one of the co's that enjoys the experience that you have with the pro. Which is great! And I wish I could draw someone like that at every event. But there is another side to the coin. There is what us pros consider the professional co anglers. These are guys that are trying to make a living fishing from the back of the boat. And still keed there regular job. They spend no $$$ on practice (Gas, Hotel) And they dont pay $5000 per event on a entry fee. But will be the first to cast on a fish that you miss or is following your bait. If I miss a topwater strike or have a fish follow my bait give me the chance to cast back on it and dont cast over my head to do it. I have had co's that have cast over my line. Several have cast at a fish that I was working on a bed. Fish that I have spent the time and money to find. Fishing tournaments is how I support my family. My only Job. These guys have steady pay checks. I dont blam the co's that are out there to learn and have a good time. I just believe all the BASS Elite guys are being put more on a level playing field.And its one more step towards Bass Fishing being a Professional sport. There is no other sport that a amature can compete on the same playing field as a pro. And If I didn't like co's in the back of my boat I would not fish the Open's which I and several Elite pros are doing this year and will continue to do next year. I have read some of the stuff on the message boards and alot of those guys have never even fished a Elite from the back of the boat they just want something to fuss about. There are several co's who belive it is the right thing to do. BASS is not getting rid of co anglers they are just trying to seperate the Elite Series from the rest of the other tournament circuts.

Good Fishin!

Ish

[jrhennecke]

Don't know if anyone has read this yet, but here is what Ish Monroe said about the subject:

I like to hear the opnions of the co's. You are mostlikely one of the co's that enjoys the experience that you have with the pro. Which is great! And I wish I could draw someone like that at every event. But there is another side to the coin. There is what us pros consider the professional co anglers. These are guys that are trying to make a living fishing from the back of the boat. And still keed there regular job. They spend no $$$ on practice (Gas, Hotel) And they dont pay $5000 per event on a entry fee. But will be the first to cast on a fish that you miss or is following your bait. If I miss a topwater strike or have a fish follow my bait give me the chance to cast back on it and dont cast over my head to do it. I have had co's that have cast over my line. Several have cast at a fish that I was working on a bed. Fish that I have spent the time and money to find. Fishing tournaments is how I support my family. My only Job. These guys have steady pay checks. I dont blam the co's that are out there to learn and have a good time. I just believe all the BASS Elite guys are being put more on a level playing field.And its one more step towards Bass Fishing being a Professional sport. There is no other sport that a amature can compete on the same playing field as a pro. And If I didn't like co's in the back of my boat I would not fish the Open's which I and several Elite pros are doing this year and will continue to do next year. I have read some of the stuff on the message boards and alot of those guys have never even fished a Elite from the back of the boat they just want something to fuss about. There are several co's who belive it is the right thing to do. BASS is not getting rid of co anglers they are just trying to seperate the Elite Series from the rest of the other tournament circuts.

Good Fishin!

Ish

If the want to seperate the Elites then don't let them fish the Opens. Elite anglers shouldn't use the Opens like an ATM machine. Also Ish some anglers who would have fished an Elite the next time you guys made it West will not have the chance.  

[Bassnajr]

B.A.S.S. /E.S.P.N. has been heading in this direction for some time. Most people would say, "Bass fishing is growing up." But don't forget one thing...this is all about money. You will now see "Pro-Ams" like you do in golf and the only people who can afford that are the VERY wealthy. How much would you pay for a day of fishing with K.V.D.?? I can assure you, the average guy like me doesn't have those kind of connections, or the cash. If there are co-anglers who are not obeying rules of common courtesy, I can see Ish Monroe's point. How do you manage these "wanna-be" pros who are ruining it for the average co-angler?? You can't, and they won't try. It looks like the old story, "A few ruined it for the many."

That having been said, I agrre with those who say, I don't see any ametuers driving IN a NASCAR race, or on an NFL field during game time.

As people begin to see bass fishing as a REAL PROFESSIONAL SPORT, this was bound to happen. Forget about Ray Scott. He sold the whole kit and kaboodle and B.A.S.S. is not how he used to run it. Comparing things to the good old days won't help.

So if you want to be a co-angler, join TBF, or save your money and be one of the first B.A.S.S. Pro-Am co-anglers....to the tune of a years pay!!!

Just fish and be happy....what can you do...peace....

Alan (bassnajr)

[BassMaster_17]

I think B.A.S.S should have went a differnt route and make it worth the PRO'S time to have the CO in the boat. A easy fix would have been to give a pro 5k for helping the CO win the day and then if the CO won the whole deal give both Pro's that fished with the Winner a ADDITIONAL 5k. Pretty simple and eliminates the animosity Some Pros have against the Co's.

With that said to fish the co-angler and to eliminate some of the stuff ISH spoke of make all the Co's attend and pass a Co-Angler course and remind them they are a GUEST and need to act like one. Even when fun fishing with family or friends. i KNOW better than to cast over anothers line or close to the spot they did. I look at it like hunting you would never shoot in your partners lane and endanger them when walking a field, so do the same in a BOAT You and your lures stay in your area unless advised otherwise.

While we are on the subject of brining this Sport to another level, lets get them to fishing 25-30 tourneys a year From March till Nov with the Classic being in NOV. Make them fish during all phases of the year instead of picking the easy picking times. I want to see who is the best when the spawn is on and when the heat is at 105 and then when there are snowflakes falling the temp is 30 degrees. In those conditions you have a TRUE ELITE Series that proves who the best is in all phases of fishing. I have all the respect for these fisherman and i know they just fish when they are told to but i want to see more from them and the series.

[Bass Hole]

There is also rumors circulating the divisional's will be canceled after the 2010 divisional .