Well, here we go again.  BASS announced that there will be NO co-anglers in their Elite Series Tourneys for the next two years at Least.  Some Pro's LOVE it and the SMART ones understand that this just might be the back breaker for BASS.  Remember, it was just a year or so ago that they Pi__ed off the West Coast in ignoring our waters for tournaments.  Now they are committing another slap in the face for co-anglers and the thousands of supporters for their tourneys? Did you know that the community that hosts a BASS event has to PAY BASS for that?  What?  Iwonder now if they'll be so eager like one gentleman wrote when the "local's won't be allowed to fish with the Pro's".  Plus look at the support these tournaments get from the locals.

I see a total collapse of BASS due to their ignorant behavior and their continued slap in the face.  Now I understand the ELITE's need to make money.  But when I hear one of them say, "I can't stand when my back seater catches the fish that would have won me the tourney".  Well, lets see, the Boater is probably first on the site and area to fish for as long and how as he wants.  Most back seaters get left over waters.  If the back seater caught the fish, maybe, just maybe, the ELITE should be asking him about techniques.  Hey, whether PRO or back seater, it should also be about building the SPORT.  Let the Pro's make their money, but please, don't make the back seater the new SCAPEGOAT.  I for one have had it with BASS.  Thank God, so far the FLW still loves the back seater.  Just my 2.5 cents worth as a back seater.

Chuck Pigue

After reading and thinking about you folks venting and complaning, perhaps more club members can understand why Western Bass Club is an independent organization, and has survived so long.

Smitty

i dont think kevin vandam worries about putting his co-angler on fish  .  i think this a a horrible move by bass.  i've been looking more and more at flw and now with a legitamate WESTERN tour, not to mention there involvement of the northwest within that tour, the flw tour looks very appealing to our striving washington anglers.  look at hobbs and kromm and mack and minderman etc etc. 

i would love to hear how the club members who are fishing the qualifiers feel about this.

this was not meant to be a pro flw post, but... 

troy

As for the worry of our single boater, I can't remember anyone ever putting me on fish outside of our club members until they were satisfied with their catch.  Having fished the FLW qualifiers as a back seater, unfortunately I knew more about the lakes than my boater did.  Now who's at fault?  I just think that being such a large organization that relies on it's membership to even keep going, to cut the one hope of any of us to fish with a pro is just STUPID.  I agree, I doubt KVD worries about if his back seaters catches any fish, and personally I don't or wouldn't require him to put me on fish.  If by chance I catch a fish while serving as his backseater, I'd be GREAT.  Smitty, I don't think this is why we are so independent, rather this is why we are One Of the BEST down home, learning, teaching, friendliest clubs around.  But even then, it has it's Pro's and Con's when some want to participate up the chain.  Luckily we have found ways around that and still get to do that also.  ESPN is in it for the Sponsor dollars, not necessarily the armchair or weekend fisherman.  They will undoubtedly be receiving less support now.

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

Besides, BASS/ESPN had made it very clear for several years now that they want to make the Elite Series a true professional sport, just like football, baskeball, baseball, etc.  Every move they've made in the recent past has been a step in that direction.  So this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

Maybe this is no big deal to me because I have no intent on becoming "a pro" bass angler.  Maybe this is no big deal to me because there's still plenty of opportunities out there for anyone who wants to become "a pro".  Maybe this is no big deal to me because even if there were no rule change, I'd still have to travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles in order to compete, which is the biggest hurdle of them all, IMO.

And maybe this is no big deal to me because BASS has absolutely no control whatsoever over WBC - THANK GOD!!