The bass fishing industry......

[32251]

I have not fished in about 35 years and have really enjoyed getting back into it. The info I have received here and other places on the net has been invaluable.

As a result of not having been in the fishing "loop" for so many years, I am shocked by the industry that has grown up around bass fishing and I have to admit that I am baffled and cannot really figure it out.  Bass pros dressed up in uniforms that look like race car drivers from Formula One.  Bass boats for tens of thousands of dollars.  Hundreds of dollars for a rod and hundreds more for a reel.  Electronics that locate the fish for you to the point of watching the bait go right to the fish and seeing the fish take it.  Tournaments with $100K top prize.

Anyone else here just sort of put off by all this??

I remember fishing used to be so simple and less money driven.

What happened?!

[grimlin]

Popularity grew for the bass... ;D

I can't bring myself to do tournaments because it's too much like a job and would probably ruin the fun out of it...fishing for me is just plain fun"ness" and relaxation for me.I'm happy with that.

[Clayton]

Popularity is right.  On top of that marketers saw this new growth and capitalized on it.  It the American way.  We are always searching to make things better, so thats why reels can cost so much.

[justfishin]

Its like anything else in this time of the world. Its all about money, bottom line. ESPN would not have jumped on board if it wasn't. Its just the way it is nowadays. ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY. I feel there are pros and cons though. It has raised the bar on the equipment as far as choices. Equipment like rods and reels have never been better. I like that. I like the idea of the everyday guy being able to purchase a decent grade rod and reel for around 300.00. On the other hand the tackle corps. have also put out a lot of unneccesary bells and whistles to draw us in to the trap. In other words, there is a lot of junk on the market today as well. I try to keep it basic. Buy quality stuff in your price range. You just have to use your common sense and do some research before your purchases.

[Jig Man]

I really don't see that many changes. Boats and trucks used to cost about the same and where I live they still do. As for the equipment I am paying 4 to 5 times what I used to pay but the boats and trucks are 6 to 7 times more. People in general are a lot more affulent. I know that I am a lot more able to buy a new boat and truck now than I was back then.  Look at pro sports salaries and compare them to the same time period.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Glenn feels the same way.  Last year he got fed up with it all and put $150k salary caps on the mods  > ;D

[justfishin]

;D

[jwo1124]

Popularity grew for the bass... ;D

I can't bring myself to do tournaments because it's too much like a job and would probably ruin the fun out of it...fishing for me is just plain fun"ness" and relaxation for me.I'm happy with that.

I kind of share this view too. I started fishing because I found it fun, exciting, rewarding and I just have a passion for it. But if you can get money from something you do for fun...why not? It's still

To comment on the original post, I can fully understand where you are coming from. I grew up in this age where electronic are essential and tackle boxes are filled with every lure imaginable. If my grandfather was around to see this...Just like everything, time changes things. The spectacle you see is nothing more than mere evolution. Bass fishing is still the same, as you can go catch bass with a cane pole, bobber/bait out of a canoe or from shore. But you can also fish tournaments which require the expensive gear, boats, and electronics that you mentioned. You don;t neccessarily need that stuff if you're just out to fish for a good time, but to win money...you do..bottom line. But, even if you are just out to fish recreationally for fun or to break the state record, or catch more and bigger fish than you did yesterday as all of us are out there for....the expensive gear and electronis can also aid in this area of bass fishing.

I'm sure in your mind you think electronics use guarentees fish, ask how many of these guys have just as bad a days as guys fishing out of the row boat. Sure it has taken a little of the challenge out of fishing, but it has also raised the stakes. Instead of a good day being locating and catching one of two nice bass, it's now catching a nice sized limit of five bass. So as fishing has gotten "easier" through advances in technology, the bar has also been raised, so things kind of naturally evened out.

[Lucky Craft Man]

That would be like me saying I don't like how the NBA has developed so I won't play basketball in my driveway anymore.

I don't think there is any reason to be put off.  You could easily goto Walmart, purchase a Zebco 33 with some hooks and bobbers and be on your way to a relaxing lazy afternoon.  The fishing industry shouldn't change the way you enjoy fishing.  I personally like watching the tournaments and splurging on a high end rod here or there, but I don't think I would like the tournament atmosphere.  Therefore, I don't participate in them, but I still enjoy a nice day out on the water.  

[George Welcome]

Thinking back as far as I can, (mind you that's only a short period), fishing has always cost money, with their being the high end and the low end. No different than anything else we do.

Nope, not turned off. Might I suggest that horseshoes may be something you might enjoy more.

[32251]

saying   The fishing industry shouldn't change the way you enjoy fishing.

And it has not.  I am just saying that the big business bass pro high dollar side of it is something that I never experienced.  My fishing was always for enjoyment and still is.  

[eastkybass]

It is a supply and demand thing.  We as fisherman have demanded better equipment so the companies have made it but in return the cost has gone up.  Fishing is big business and has been for a long time it just took the people on the outside to notice it more.  With all the channels on tv now you can see just about anything and fishing's increase in popularity is a result of this.  Everything has increased in price ofver the last 30 years but being out of fishing you didn't notice the slow increase.  

Enjoy it because with the increase in the business it means more is done to increase the benifits the fish and all the outdoors gets from our extra spending.  More money means more research which means more info and better equipment.

[flechero]

I remember fishing used to be so simple and less money driven.

What happened?!

Nothing...   You can still get a sub $20 combo at wal-mart and worms still live in the garden, if you don't mind digging them up.  And you can still catch fish in a t-shirt.  ...lol  We decided that we wanted (and now can afford) to buy better and better stuff.  I used to own cheap stuff... they still make it but i no longer buy it.  

Another thing to look at is the price of any item years ago and adjust for cost of living and inflation.... if you compare apples to apples, it's not much different and in some cases it's actuall cheaper now.

[JCrzy4Bass]

I was surprised at how big the market was when I started fishing this summer.  It's incredible how much gear there is out there.  The different tackle manufacturers, rod and reel companies, strictly bass boat manufacturers, etc.

When I went into Bass Pro the first time it blew my mind.  I spent 84 bucks and I had only been fishing for bass for about a month at this point lol.  And that was JUST TACKLE!!! Haha.  It is an awesome experience.

I'm glad we have all these tools now though, books, dvds, knowledgeable staff at SOME STORES like Dicks, Bass Pro and Gander Mountain.  Thanks to all these we are able to learn at a much quicker rate than the older guys who have been at it forever and picked everything up through trial and error and process of elimination.  These guys are the true heroes and vets we all admire.  But with this much info available to us now, and sites like this on the net we can learn quicker than ever.  All it really is is practice, practice, practice.  Like learning to "walk the dog" or "hop, drag or swim a jig", how to "dart" grubs, etc.  

However, bass fishing is so complex now as far as what lures, what colors, what rigs, what size weights, what leader line, what kind of swivel, etc to use that it is really fun to learn all these different techniques and become good at all the different methods so you can employ them in any given situation.  I must say it's a lot different than the bobber and hook setup I used as a kid.  Crazy!

[roadwarrior]

Fishing is only as complicated as you want it to be. With any rod and reel; any brand of line and any hook, you could fish a plastic worm and catch bass if you are at the right spot at the right time.

For most fishermen, it's "the rest of the time" when having the right gear counts.

[JayDub]

Glenn feels the same way. Last year he got fed up with it all and put $150k salary caps on the mods > ;D

LBH you better be watching your back on the next road trip... lol   ;D

[fishingfourfun]

I agree with RW. I have as much fun fishing with my four year old using her $12.00 Barbie fishing pole asI do with my more expensive poles.  I know many people that outcatch me using cheaper equipment.  For me fishing is getting away from my hectic worklife.  It is a time to decompress and enjoy the things that really matter like friends and family.

[cart7t]

Has it gotten to be too much?

I remember way back when, I picked up an issue of Sports Afield. There was an article by Homer Circle on his take of the first Bassmasters Classic held on Lake Mead way back then. (1971)

For the times, it was just as flashy given what was available.  Just a natural progression of which you can choose or not to partake in.

You can make it simple and cheap or flashy and expensive.  I sure won't judge either way you go.  

[Tpayneful]

32251,

      Missing the last 35 years of fishing is like being in a coma and missing the "space race". You wake up one day and a man is on the moon. You would think, what happened?!?!?!? Now a days the fishing industry is driven by tournament anglers. The new lures, rods and reels have made some aspects of fishing more expensive but it has also made good equipment more affordable. If you compare computers and fishing rods you will see a commonality. If you wait a couple of years, you will get a better product for the cheepest price. If the fastest computer is 2 GHz now and costs $1,500 it will cost $500 in two years. The same principle applies to rods. The IM-6 graphite rod that was $100 ten years ago can be purchased on sale multiple times a year for $19.99 at Bass Pro Shops. Ten years ago you could only get 3 ball bearings in a baitcast reel for $80 but now you get a reel with 8 ball bearings for the same price. It may seem odd but it is only evolution and you missed a chunk of it. The part that worries me is that less people fish each year. Less fisherman equals less options and more expensive equipment.