Things you believe could or should be banned...

[Tin]

One thing I truly think could be banned is all these side-imaging units. I fished a trail with a buddy last year who had one and I believe it gave us a huge advantage. We were on a pattern of focusing on isolated rocks on deep post-spawn flats. His Humminbird made it so easy, we would see a boulder, cast to an area where it should be, catch a fish. It was just too easy, needless to say we beat everyone up by a good margin.

Now after the tourney I started thinking, these things are so expensive, and those who have the financial means to afford one have a big advantage in my book when it comes to finding off-shore structure that holds fish. I honestly felt as though I had almost cheated.

[DWG1984]

They help alot but thier not a sure fire way to find fish, look at the guys in the classic who zeroed. Im sure everyone of them has side imaging and it didnt help a bit.

[I Love BassResource]

I wish they would ban them, would save me tons of money...

[preach4bass]

If we ban SIs we have to ban 21ft bass boats with 250hp motors on the back, and limit everyone to a 12ft paddle boat.  It's hard to even the playing field in tournaments, but it just makes it that much sweeter when the guy in the jon boat whips up on the 50 guys in their fancy bass rockets.

[firefightn15]

If everyone were left to the same advantages or disadvantages, it would be skill and knowledge putting fish in the boat.  If one of them boats had SI as an advantage, the angler(s) still needs to have the skill and the knowledge to boat the fish.

It's a tool and doesn't guarantee anything unless you know how to catch the fish in the first place.  I'm screwed either way! ;D

[Gatorbassman]

I remember fishing some evening tournaments on Lake Oconee several years ago in my 14ft jon boat with a 8hp motor and Eagle fish finder. I pretty much stayed in the same spot and watched FLW Pro Kip Carter run all over the place in his wrapped boat. In the few tournaments he fished he never beat me. It always felt great. You still got to put them in the boat.

[J Francho]

Ban Senkos.

[cart7t]

Make everyone wear blindfolds all day.  Should make the Takeoffs memorable. 

[bmadd]

Ban Senkos.

Alton Jones would not be a happy camper.

[I Love BassResource]

I think that's it, I need to wrap my boat so I wake up every morning as "Insta Pro", thus having the passive ability to out fish all other non wraps.

[florida strain]

i would like to see no dead fish .. a dead fish brought to the scale be disqualified..dead fish should not count at all in a catch and release tournament..

[ProCrafter]

150 HP max for all tournies or at least divisions...

Div #1 0-50 HP, Div.#2 50-100 HP, Div #3 100-150 HP,

Div.#4 150-200 HP, Div #5 200 +.

You can still have one event but 5 divisions of payouts and awards....would hopefully re-introduce the "Economy Class" interest in the vendors to improve the quality of the smaller craft lines...(Recession proofing!)

Might be a good time to bring back the show "Bass Tech" for tricking out the smaller boats!!

Also since it is held in one venue the "Stairstep" effect of progression in fishing is more prevelent when folks can see...first hand the next level they want to work up to and network with dealers and prostaff firsthand.

[Tin]

I'm all for banning senkos, lol.

[SkeetyCCTX]

I absolutely love electronics and have become a big advocate of them in the past couple of years.  They do give a big advantage for anglers on most lakes.  However, it is not an unfair advantage bcause everyone has the ability to purchase them.  There are many types of equipment that give advantages and everyone has the same ability to buy them as long as they come up with the money! 

Lets face it, a big part of tourny fishing is money!  The best tourny anglers are not always the most skilled, but alot of times the most funded!  A big part of tourny fishing is working to get sponsors, and build up your fishing arsanal.  It takes time, you just dont jump in right away and have everything.  Most of the guys that do have been doing this for a long time and worked their way up!

However, where the unfair advantages come into play is in these so-called "amatuer" tournys!  Thats a joke!  Alot of these TX tournys have such good pay-outs that there is a population of guys that basically make a living off of fishing them.  For instance, every BassChamps event has at least a $20 k payout for first place.  If you take the time to look, its the same handfull of guys that win the majority of BassChamps events every year.  Sure, some other names are mixed in here and there but look at the overall picture.

These guys are full time fisherman and spend alot more time at their craft than the guy that has to work a 9 to 5! 

I think that a seperate division should be made for these types of anglers and they should not be allowed to fish in "real" amatuer tournys.  I would like to see someone create a good trail, with a good pay-out, for the working fisherman!  Im talking about guys that can prove a 40 hr workweek, or an income other than fishing!  Right now, the weekend fisherman just does not have much of a realistic chance competeing against guys that fish everyday for a living!

[Backlash_NC]

i would like to see no dead fish .. a dead fish brought to the scale be disqualified..dead fish should not count at all in a catch and release tournament..

That's why there is a penalty. Otherwise guys would simply just throw away the dead fish when no one is looking. Of course, a lot of guys are probably doing this anyway but at least they're letting the small fish go in order to get bigger if they've already gut hooked and killed a bigger fish. Just so long as your big fish isn't getting counted towards the 'big fish' pot.

[mrbassky]

I'm all for banning senkos, lol.

I could see that someday on certain waters. Fish swallow them and on rare occasion it can cause harm. I dont think it happens often enough to really make an impact but some people think it does on Dream Lake you cant use them.

I could also see barbless hooks only in some places.

I am totally against strict dead fish rules. I think everybody does what they can to keep fish alive. Even if there werent penalites we all know dead fish lose weight and we all want to catch and release in tournaments. I hate when somebody lose because of dead fish they had no control over.

And I could almost see the Side Imaging. Its doubtful but underwater cameras are illegal in Walleye tournaments. But really it wouldnt make a big impact anyway if they were banned because you could use them in practice and get waypoints.

The one thing people use now that I see a clear advantage is jet outboards. Not that anybody here uses them. But I think with the disadvantage to using aluminum it kinda balances out.

But overall there will always be money advantages. A 21ft boat with a 250hp can make runs smaller boats cant for example. But what can you do.

But thats another reason I love the Kentucky Pond Hopper tournaments.

[SkeetyCCTX]

There are lakes where senkos are actually not allowed?  Thats crazy!  Sure, its a great bait but isnt so ridiculously good that they should be outlawed. 

I fish senkos all the time and have never had a bass get injuried because of the bait!  Im one of those guys who is 100% for the healthy return of bass but dont see this bait as a problem.

Plus, like with any artificial bait, there are days when they wont or dont work!  In fact, I have noticed a little decreasing trend with them over the past yr.  I think that on some lakes that fish are beginning to wise up to them a little bit!  Just my observation!

[J Francho]

If you think that banning senkos has anything to do with mortality, that wasn't the point, LOL.

Ban them and some guys will actually have to learn how to fish.

[bmadd]

Exactly what J Francho said.

[RichF]

Ban Senkos.

I love this post! I hate senkos!

[RichF]

One thing I truly think could be banned is all these side-imaging units. I fished a trail with a buddy last year who had one and I believe it gave us a huge advantage. We were on a pattern of focusing on isolated rocks on deep post-spawn flats. His Humminbird made it so easy, we would see a boulder, cast to an area where it should be, catch a fish. It was just too easy, needless to say we beat everyone up by a good margin.

Now after the tourney I started thinking, these things are so expensive, and those who have the financial means to afford one have a big advantage in my book when it comes to finding off-shore structure that holds fish. I honestly felt as though I had almost cheated.

I completely agree. Pretty soon anglers won't even have to put their line in the water. There will be some sort of new device that just sucks the bass into your boat! Lets bring back the skill!

[RichF]

150 HP max for all tournies or at least divisions...

Div #1 0-50 HP, Div.#2 50-100 HP, Div #3 100-150 HP,

Div.#4 150-200 HP, Div #5 200 +.

You can still have one event but 5 divisions of payouts and awards....would hopefully re-introduce the "Economy Class" interest in the vendors to improve the quality of the smaller craft lines...(Recession proofing!)

Might be a good time to bring back the show "Bass Tech" for tricking out the smaller boats!!

Also since it is held in one venue the "Stairstep" effect of progression in fishing is more prevelent when folks can see...first hand the next level they want to work up to and network with dealers and prostaff firsthand.

This sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

[RichF]

I absolutely love electronics and have become a big advocate of them in the past couple of years. They do give a big advantage for anglers on most lakes. However, it is not an unfair advantage bcause everyone has the ability to purchase them. There are many types of equipment that give advantages and everyone has the same ability to buy them as long as they come up with the money!

Lets face it, a big part of tourny fishing is money! The best tourny anglers are not always the most skilled, but alot of times the most funded! A big part of tourny fishing is working to get sponsors, and build up your fishing arsanal. It takes time, you just dont jump in right away and have everything. Most of the guys that do have been doing this for a long time and worked their way up!

However, where the unfair advantages come into play is in these so-called "amatuer" tournys! Thats a joke! Alot of these TX tournys have such good pay-outs that there is a population of guys that basically make a living off of fishing them. For instance, every BassChamps event has at least a $20 k payout for first place. If you take the time to look, its the same handfull of guys that win the majority of BassChamps events every year. Sure, some other names are mixed in here and there but look at the overall picture.

These guys are full time fisherman and spend alot more time at their craft than the guy that has to work a 9 to 5!

I think that a seperate division should be made for these types of anglers and they should not be allowed to fish in "real" amatuer tournys. I would like to see someone create a good trail, with a good pay-out, for the working fisherman! Im talking about guys that can prove a 40 hr workweek, or an income other than fishing! Right now, the weekend fisherman just does not have much of a realistic chance competeing against guys that fish everyday for a living!

This is what sucks about tournament bass fishing (most skilled = not the best tourney fisherman)! It's like talking your way into a job your not qualified for. The best spokesmen are the ones getting the recognition, not necessarily the most skilled. (With the exception of KVD of course)

[Bass_Akwards]

Ban Practice!  Just show up at the darn lake and fish it the day if the tourney!

[carrothead]

What I think is funny is that the Senko, one of the all time greatest fish-catchers, is the simplest lure I've ever seen.  Here we have Rage Tails, Yum LPT, and all this fancy stuff.  Senkos still outfish them all.