Professional Bass Fishing Tours??? I am so confused???

[mastergun]

Somebody help me understand this please.

1. There is the FLW, MLF and B.A.S.S Elite Series? Is this it? Are there "minor" league tours?

2. How many anglers are on each tour?

3. Are they restricted to just the tour they are on?


I was just reading about Duckett starting his own tour, the BPT. Will this be on par with the other big tours or is it a minor league tour?

Was also reading about the B.A.S.S. Elite series is reducing to 80 anglers next year. Is that 80 total on the tour or just 80 per event?

This is so confusing to me.

[printman71]

Go to the Lounge and you will find out more than you ever wanted to know from folks that are doing a lot of guessing.

[Blue76]

FlW has all sorts of levels that could be considered minor leagues but many of the big league pros fish them on their home lakes to earn some easy cash so it really isn't minor league.... I kind of like fishing against them in BLFs but I wouldn't stand a chance against a group of kindergarteners. I struggle with this game.

[my47ply]

Are you fishing any local clubs? If not find a club that is BASS Affiliated and talk to them about what they do. Here in Oklahoma they have BASS qualifier tournaments which would give you an oppertunity to fish the Classic.

[mastergun]

Are you fishing any local clubs? If not find a club that is BASS Affiliated and talk to them about what they do. Here in Oklahoma they have BASS qualifier tournaments which would give you an oppertunity to fish the Classic.

I'm not interested in fishing them, I'd just like to understand the structure. It is not as clearcut as other sports that differentiate between, amateurs, development tours and pro tours.

[Mark Perry]

I honestly would wait about a month till all the details are out and the dust has settled. Still way too many unproven rumors, made up ideas etc to really know much past what little has been released.

[fishnfireman]

I'm not interested in fishing them, I'd just like to understand the structure. It is not as clearcut as other sports that differentiate between, amateurs, development tours and pro tours.

Each one of the three you mentioned are different and as already stated in some form of change as we speak.
When BASS first started the Elite series they wound up taking anyone who - 1. had a wrapped boat. 2. could put up half the entry money prior to the season. (which was a sizable amount). It took a few years but they did start bumping some non winners who had some big pockets with those who actually qualified through the opens.. However the opens are (open) to the Elites but not vice versa !!!
The MLF started out with a small amount of handpicked pros. When that went well they gathered up some more that had to earn a spot into the first bunch. It has now started a whirlwind blur.

Sounds like we will have to wait until it all shakes down to know for sure.

[slaunch]

The basic answer to your questions that we have a definite answer to right now

1) You can call the three, FLW, BASS Elites, MLF (BPT Bass Pro Tour is the new tour through MLF) the three "major tours". You could consider the Bassmaster Opens and FLW costa events a "minor league" tour, as well as the BFL's which is division ran by FLW.

2) There are 107 guys fishing the Elites this season but next year will drop to 80 anglers. The new BPT (remember this is basically an expansion of the MLF) will also have 80 anglers. The FLW tour usually has 180 or so anglers in it but after next season they will limit their field to 150 anglers.

3) They are not specifically excluded from one if they fish the other, up until recently some guys fished both FLW and BASS but they started scheduling tournaments where guys couldn't fish both because they were on the same weekends. So the short answer to that is they can only fish one tour.

The story of Duckett starting a new tour is somewhat true as he was one of the founders of MLF but he is not the sole person behind it. There are a group of anglers that started the MLF tournament series/tv show and those anglers have always felt that there was a way that they could make more money fishing so they got with some investors and will be starting this new BPT next season.

[rjvana]

Go to the Lounge and you will find out more than you ever wanted to know from folks that are doing a lot of guessing.

You are correct there.

[rjvana]

[
The story of Duckett starting a new tour is somewhat true as he was one of the founders of MLF but he is not the sole person behind it. There are a group of anglers that started the MLF tournament series/tv show and those anglers have always felt that there was a way that they could make more money fishing so they got with some investors and will be starting this new BPT next season.[/QUOTE]

It was him and Gary Kline But I think it was more Gary then Duckett JMO

[munchie]

The basic answer to your questions that we have a definite answer to right now

1) You can call the three, FLW, BASS Elites, MLF (BPT Bass Pro Tour is the new tour through MLF) the three "major tours". You could consider the Bassmaster Opens and FLW costa events a "minor league" tour, as well as the BFL's which is division ran by FLW.

2) There are 107 guys fishing the Elites this season but next year will drop to 80 anglers. The new BPT (remember this is basically an expansion of the MLF) will also have 80 anglers. The FLW tour usually has 180 or so anglers in it but after next season they will limit their field to 150 anglers.

3) They are not specifically excluded from one if they fish the other, up until recently some guys fished both FLW and BASS but they started scheduling tournaments where guys couldn't fish both because they were on the same weekends. So the short answer to that is they can only fish one tour.

The story of Duckett starting a new tour is somewhat true as he was one of the founders of MLF but he is not the sole person behind it. There are a group of anglers that started the MLF tournament series/tv show and those anglers have always felt that there was a way that they could make more money fishing so they got with some investors and will be starting this new BPT next season.

Excellent answer