Flw Rewind

[Champ188]

I think everyone here has made valid points. My contribution would be this ... because it's a darned expensive sport at any level and especially at the top of the tournament food chain, you have a certain amount of young, rich spoiled brats who feel they're entitled to do whatever they wish while they're here. Heck, they're leaving in a few days so what do they care what we think about their actions or about them in general? What they don't think about is the lasting impressions they leave on the sport itself with everyone they come in contact with. While these guys may not be the majority, there are certainly enough of them that the general feeling they leave behind is of ill will toward FLW and bigtime tournament fishing as a whole.

I have been an outdoor writer all of my adult life and covered many B.A.S.S. events back in the days when Ray Scott and tournament directors Harold Sharp and later Dewey Kendrick ran a tight ship. Not that they always knew about it, but when they heard of someone behaving as many of the young guns do now, the offender got a butt chewing. Besides that, the old hands on the trail would take him aside and give him a talkin' to. You'll never convince me that Charlie Evans gives a flying flip how anyone behaves. He's interested in nothing but making a buck so he can buy more hairspray.

[Bill P]

I think everyone here has made valid points. My contribution would be this ... because it's a darned expensive sport at any level and especially at the top of the tournament food chain, you have a certain amount of young, rich spoiled brats who feel they're entitled to do whatever they wish while they're here. Heck, they're leaving in a few days so what do they care what we think about their actions or about them in general? What they don't think about is the lasting impressions they leave on the sport itself with everyone they come in contact with. While these guys may not be the majority, there are certainly enough of them that the general feeling they leave behind is of ill will toward FLW and bigtime tournament fishing as a whole.

I have been an outdoor writer all of my adult life and covered many B.A.S.S. events back in the days when Ray Scott and tournament directors Harold Sharp and later Dewey Kendrick ran a tight ship. Not that they always knew about it, but when they heard of someone behaving as many of the young guns do now, the offender got a butt chewing. Besides that, the old hands on the trail would take him aside and give him a talkin' to. You'll never convince me that Charlie Evans gives a flying flip how anyone behaves. He's interested in nothing but making a buck so he can buy more hairspray.

This whole thing is about respect for others. Seems like it's just not very popular anymore.

[Gary Lange]

Respect is earned and maybe these guys need a new lesson. I worked the 2000 Bass Masters Classic in Chicago running the Pro's around to the Ramp in Alsip and the Ramp in Chicago and enjoyed the company of some great Pro's and talked to many and they all were pretty good people. Perhaps times have changed now. No way and I gonna spend $20.00 for a Crankbait and I think the world of Bass Fishing has brought us these prices because people will pay them. It doesn't matter if the are a great bait and work amazingly well. They made them for about $1.50 in China so look at the mark up.

[rps]

The tournament fishermen are no different from the PWC and wakeboat drivers. Some are careful and considerate. Others are (fill this in yourself). Unfortunately, my life experience is that the latter will always outnumber the former. I pick my times and locations on the lake to minimize the number of chances they have to make me mad.

[beezerbassman]

It is so true a few bad seeds ruin it for everyone. Last year my brother and I were prefishin during practice of the flw. We launched at baxter and as we were backing up to launch the boat here comes 3 land o lakes guys. The one pulled onto the ramp and blocked it. My brother being ex military got out and asked what's up (clean version) the pro (term used losely) said we had to wait for them to launch. After the first guy we squeezed in and launched with them saying a few words about locals. On the water we got cut off by 4 different guys. My brother made the comment about not being the pros like they use to be. we started to fish a long pocket and larry nixon was fishing up to us. My brother and I each caught a good keeper and larry started talking to us and was very friendly. It was very easy to tell the difference between someone a real pro and someone that think their (fill in the blank) don't stink. I even remember back in the late 90's and during a BASS the wart bite was on. A couple of pros came to bass pro and were sold out. They ask some of us workers if we had any. So a few of us took some down that night 2 guys were very nice even paid for the baits. The one guy who is a big name took the rest never said thanks or nothing other than saying we came down to late. Needless to say he didn't do very good and at the final weigh in all he said was thanks for giving me lures that don't catch fish. I asked for the baits back and he just said I threw them away. What a jerk. I wish that one of these days there will be a bass boss to control these guys and the jerks ban em fine em.

[Sam]

I'm just talking thru my hat here, 'cause I realize there's big money involved in these big tournaments and rules will always favor big money. Still, from a kinda philosophic point of view, I've been trying to think of ONE other example where a substantial public resource is allowed to be used for private gambling. I can't think of one.

Gambling is what a tournament is, you know. Competitors place bets that they can catch more/bigger fish than the other competitors, then sponsors back competitors who win to get publicity and advertising for their products. A great deal of skill as well as some luck is required to win, of course, and I think the sport resembles the professional poker tour more than anything else.

But the difference is the use of a public resource for this game - a fishery that belongs to the people. I can't think of another example of that, anywhere. To draw a far-out comparison, what if there were big DEER tournaments on public land and how would that be accepted? It'd be exactly the same thing.

Competitors would pay an entry fee (place a bet) with some association and go out in the national forest with tranquilizer guns so the deer would (mostly) live through the "tournament". The winnings would be paid to those shooting the most and biggest deer, and spectators would get to see trucks full of tranquilized deer carcasses being hauled to the weigh-in for measurement. Then the groggy and hopefully not-too-injured deer would be released back to the woods, miles from where they lived.

Wow, that'd NEVER be allowed - and people would go nuts if someone tried it. But it's the same thing, in my opinion.

[RSBreth]

Wow, I'm amazed at the vitriol of some of the folks here that otherwise seem very level-headed. I think if I looked at it from a sociologist's point of view there would be some class envy stuff, ("big time 70,000$ boats") some "us-versus-them" stuff (which is basic neo-tribalism i.e the same reason you call your favorite sports team your team), and some other stuff I'd just call typical "shack nasties" (cabin fever) of a bad Winter.

I believe it was John Geirach talking about fishing in a crowd when he said "There's basically two groups of people out there: Your group, and the A@#holes".

Kind of sums it up.

Anytime money is involved, people will drop the niceties, and unfortunately, the Rock is crowded enough with all of us anyway, let alone the circus of a top level tour stop.

Unless you're fishing the tournament, why would you go there and add to the mayhem that week? I understand guiding someone who booked ahead (with poor planning!), but otherwise?

[powerdive]

What if there were no more national bass tourneys on Table Rock? What then?

Eventually, it would no longer be that "legendary" lake where tourists come from afar to pay hefty guides' fees and fish the waters they've seen on TV and dreamed about. Yes, the tourney pros do need to realize they're not the only game in town and folks can't be expected to kowtow to them en masse. The truth is, common courtesy is becoming rarer in every aspect of society. And that includes the locals' reactions as well as the pros' actions.

Not every slight is an atrocity...it's a matter of perception. Most folks don't observe others that closely (how many of those pros actually believed they were cutting you off? Probably very few). Everyone has different standards and expectations for everyone else. Our own group is always in the right, though. Like when fishermen complain about the a-holes on their recreational boats. Sorry, most of 'em aren't a-holes. They've just never been in a bass boat on a busy lake, never given it a thought or had reason to. In reality, their only crime is in the eye of the beholder. (Not counting the drunk chick who missed my bow by 3' and whacked my boat with the tube she was pulling last summer.)

Good point by RSBreth. George Carlin observed that anyone who drives faster than you do is crazy, and anyone who drives slower than you do is an idiot.

No, I don't have clients with me when I'm out fishing. It's not how I make my living. I recognize that if I did, I'd probably feel differently. Then again, the lake expert with over 2000 waypoints getting upset over being cut off with clients in the boat--isn't that kind of like the same hey-we're-more-important rationale some of the pros are displaying? It's just a matter of degree.

Most of the problems are in our heads. Some are real, some are imagined. All require us to either adapt, or allow our emotions to take center stage.

OK, that's my pacifist message for the day. You can let me have it now.

[mosouthpaw]

there are @$$holes even when the tourneys arent around.... Money always brings out the worst.

When i guided back in Colorado on the rivers there were always outfitters/guides that were jerksoffs and others that were courteous... but there were always certain times of the year that there were more problems...

[redbud]

I can assure you there is no class envy on my part. I own a thriving business and have kept 24 people employed through this whole economic disaster.My problem is limited to people who are inconsiderate and rude. Maybe I should hang around the launches with my new HD camera and film some of these guys at thier best behavior.Do you think any of the footage would make the FLW show?