B A S S the FFS tour

[n2theblue]

Sort of nailed it.
These kids are buying success with very limited experience and changing the world of bass fishing without having much knowledge of bass behavior.
I'm sure each and every pro will agree with this except several of several of our keyboard warriors who know more than the pros.

Those kids know more about bass behavior than any generation before them precisely because of scope. And they’ve got more time on the water in their young lives than most members of this board put in in a decade because it’s all they do. A lot of them have fished 200+ days a year for a decade already.

[n2theblue]

I have definitely heard a few some of them say exactly that on live recently. That they aren't casting unless they see a fish. Heck, half the time they on that trolling motor wide open just looking for the next one.

Thats just smart. In a tournament where time matters, why the heck would you waste time casting unless you knew there were fish there if you had that ability? “Oh I’m in a tournament but I’m gonna cast to this empty water just to make the bbc curmudgeons happy”. That’s dumb with money on the line.

[JStew]

I will agree VA BASS with one small caveat.

I get your point, and if they go back to 150 / Footers that would be fine, but I am not getting rid off mine. I don’t fish those types of events anyway, I enjoy my hobby and like the stuff I have.

I do enjoy watching the major series too.

Funny thing is that if FFS wasn’t available I wouldn’t even want or miss it. Facts are, what’s on TV sells.

Old NASCAR phrase - what wins on Sunday sells on Monday, has always held true. Point is, BASS was grown on affordable equipment for blue collar anglers. Now it’s a sport of kings. Nobody builds shorter boats in glass and what’s available is prohibitively expensive. The gear to rig up with spot lock for open water and poles for shallow, all the right sonar equipment will run you what a whole boat used to cost. Add in a six figure 20+ foot boat and a $60k truck to pull and you have a budget only older empty nester’s can afford. Old dudes really aren’t interested in spending their Saturdays staring at computer screens. What we really have is a mismatch in market dynamics that will eventually kill the industry as well as tourney fishing above the club level. I can remember when BASS published a list of their top sponsorship incomes. Skeet Reese had knocked down $12M the year before. I worked in marketing and advertising and remember when Billy McCagren wasn’t able to convert a BASS AOY into enough in sponsorships to really “make it”. Sponsorship dollars are much smaller now. The industry is eating itself. If BASS could ban the A-Rig, FFS should be a no brainer. To do so would cost them too much in Johnson, Lowrance, and similar. I imagine the ad dollars are going the way of the sponsorship spending. Most things die from the head down….

[Tigercat]

Those kids know more about bass behavior than any generation before them precisely because of scope. And they’ve got more time on the water in their young lives than most members of this board put in in a decade because it’s all they do. A lot of them have fished 200+ days a year for a decade already.

What “kid” has 200+ days on the water for a decade? Most of the “kids” people are speaking of are 18-22, with many being 17-20.

I also think you are misunderstood about these “kids” putting in more time than others. I had buddies dragging my tin rig to school, before I had a license, to hit the lake or Wednesday nighter. In college, I fished ALL the time. I was there 6 years.

They do benefit tremendously, time wise, due to technology; the feedback is night and day.

[Aj14]

Those kids know more about bass behavior than any generation before them precisely because of scope. And they’ve got more time on the water in their young lives than most members of this board put in in a decade because it’s all they do. A lot of them have fished 200+ days a year for a decade already.

Good one. That's funny and at first we thought you were serious!
At that age how would they have that amount of money for a $100,000 bass boat and be able to have a full time job and pay rent, insurance and all things needed in life?
I'm sure they are familiar with the seasonal patterns and don't just put the trolling motor down and scan around.
Again, almost thought you were serious.

[Bill2e]

Old NASCAR phrase - what wins on Sunday sells on Monday, has always held true. Point is, BASS was grown on affordable equipment for blue collar anglers. Now it’s a sport of kings. Nobody builds shorter boats in glass and what’s available is prohibitively expensive. The gear to rig up with spot lock for open water and poles for shallow, all the right sonar equipment will run you what a whole boat used to cost. Add in a six figure 20+ foot boat and a $60k truck to pull and you have a budget only older empty nester’s can afford. Old dudes really aren’t interested in spending their Saturdays staring at computer screens. What we really have is a mismatch in market dynamics that will eventually kill the industry as well as tourney fishing above the club level. I can remember when BASS published a list of their top sponsorship incomes. Skeet Reese had knocked down $12M the year before. I worked in marketing and advertising and remember when Billy McCagren wasn’t able to convert a BASS AOY into enough in sponsorships to really “make it”. Sponsorship dollars are much smaller now. The industry is eating itself. If BASS could ban the A-Rig, FFS should be a no brainer. To do so would cost them too much in Johnson, Lowrance, and similar. I imagine the ad dollars are going the way of the sponsorship spending. Most things die from the head down….

Yeah the ESPN days made a select few Anglers very wealthy.

The old FLW had Walmart support to pull sponsorship dollars from non endemic sponsors like Snickers and Soda Companies.

Now a large portion of money goes to Social Media advertising, hence the You Tube sensation.

I still don’t agree with or understand the Alabama Rig Ban. We will see what happens with the Electrics sponsorships.

[PsuHntr]

Sort of nailed it.
These kids are buying success with very limited experience and changing the world of bass fishing without having much knowledge of bass behavior.
I'm sure each and every pro will agree with this except several of several of our keyboard warriors who know more than the pros.

The funny thing about that is….what people “used” to know about bass behavior isn’t worth Jack squat….i think that should be obvious at this point

[logjam]

What “kid” has 200+ days on the water for a decade? Most of the “kids” people are speaking of are 18-22, with many being 17-20.

I also think you are misunderstood about these “kids” putting in more time than others. I had buddies dragging my tin rig to school, before I had a license, to hit the lake or Wednesday nighter. In college, I fished ALL the time. I was there 6 years.

They do benefit tremendously, time wise, due to technology; the feedback is night and day.

Sad thing are most of these kids are the same ones that got participation trophies for just showing up in sports .

[basshammerwannabe]

Sort of nailed it.
These kids are buying success with very limited experience and changing the world of bass fishing without having much knowledge of bass behavior.
I'm sure each and every pro will agree with this except several of several of our keyboard warriors who know more than the pros.

i think these kids have learned more about bass behavior then we ever thought we knew, old pros included

[jbassman87]

Good one. That's funny and at first we thought you were serious!
At that age how would they have that amount of money for a $100,000 bass boat and be able to have a full time job and pay rent, insurance and all things needed in life?
I'm sure they are familiar with the seasonal patterns and don't just put the trolling motor down and scan around.
Again, almost thought you were serious.

I know a young man that what he said described him to a "T" just because you could not do it, doesn't mean that others could not. Why is it so hard for some to understand, that there are people who have more drive and passion to get somewhere. If that is your whole goal in life, it is achievable. I have always said, if all you cared about was making money, anyone could be a millionaire. Might need to up that to a billionaire now.

[HGD]

Thats just smart. In a tournament where time matters, why the heck would you waste time casting unless you knew there were fish there if you had that ability? “Oh I’m in a tournament but I’m gonna cast to this empty water just to make the bbc curmudgeons happy”. That’s dumb with money on the line.

Thanks for explaining to me how tournaments work! I had NO idea!

[jigman99]

As long as they don't ban this, I'll keep winning tournaments.

[rb]

As long as they don't ban this, I'll keep winning tournaments.

Don’t laugh. In a way that thing worked

[Championmac]

Those kids know more about bass behavior than any generation before them precisely because of scope. And they’ve got more time on the water in their young lives than most members of this board put in in a decade because it’s all they do. A lot of them have fished 200+ days a year for a decade already.

I think there is some truth to them being more experienced than pros used to be. The older generation that had to work more and save up to get on tour didn't spend 200 days a year on the water. I spent about 100 days a year fishing golf course ponds when I was an early teen in the mid 80's. We had a fishing club in junior high and high school because my group of friends were all outdoorsmen and we knew the teachers that were too. By the time that I started fishing club tournaments in a large club in 1988, I was way ahead of the full time working dude in my large club. I won 6 of the 10 tournaments in my first full year while I working in a tackle shop in college. I was also fishing pro team tournaments that most of the club members were not. The older guys began to dislike me too when I was taking their money, even though it wasn't much. I was a really rare type of angler back then. There is a lot more of guys like the young me with high school and college tournaments today. Some of these guys in the early twenties that get out on tour are wiley veterans raised by a community of great anglers. The internet also allows them to see how things are done without time on the water. They also have access to a lot more tools than the previous generations.

[BigFishSteve]

i bought a bunch of purple baits because of the ColorCLector. Any still fish a Chow Hound?

[jrh_67]

The level of "butthurt" over FFS never ceases to amaze me. The truth of the matter is, we live in a technological world and it will never quit. Older guys like me didn't grow up in the same world that exists today but need to learn to embrace technology as the future. Livescope is just the beginning and the young guys who grew up in this new technological world embrace it. One thing is for sure, like it or not technology like this is here to stay.

[skeeterator]

Good one. That's funny and at first we thought you were serious!
At that age how would they have that amount of money for a $100,000 bass boat and be able to have a full time job and pay rent, insurance and all things needed in life?
I'm sure they are familiar with the seasonal patterns and don't just put the trolling motor down and scan around.
Again, almost thought you were serious.

You, like many on here are seriously out of touch. Drew Cook just said on a podcast that he took Trey Mckinney out with him when he was 12 and wishes he hadn't shown him so much. To think these young guys don't know anything about seasonal patterns, lake contours and a thousand other things just shows you aren't paying attention. I fished with a 20 year old last night in the Tues nighter that's heading for Hartwell Sunday for a week. He's been fishing locally for years with older guys and has more experience and time on the water than you can imagine. The "kids" are putting in the work while the olds are sitting around making posts online about the sky falling.

[badboyjigs]

I’ve never been able to fish 200 days a year , I’ve had a job since I was 15 and me and the wife fought for everything we have ! I’m not listening to I could have done it also !

[Championmac]

You, like many on here are seriously out of touch. Drew Cook just said on a podcast that he took Trey Mckinney out with him when he was 12 and wishes he hadn't shown him so much. To think these young guys don't know anything about seasonal patterns, lake contours and a thousand other things just shows you aren't paying attention. I fished with a 20 year old last night in the Tues nighter that's heading for Hartwell Sunday for a week. He's been fishing locally for years with older guys and has more experience and time on the water than you can imagine. The "kids" are putting in the work while the olds are sitting around making posts online about the sky falling.

I think that the young guns that are winning deserve a lot of credit, but the bigger question is "do you want to watch guys look at screens all day while you are watching them on a screen from home?" It just doesn't make for the best watching experience once you have seen it a few times. FFS is a great tool, but I don't want to watch guys do it all day. I can only watch my teenage kids, who are pro-level Fortnite players by the way, play video games for about a minute before I have to walk away. Fortnite is probably more exciting than turning on a TV and watching someone's electronics for more than a few seconds. BASS has a product to sell. They had better figure it out. Not many people want to watch young or old dudes play video games that look like they are from the 80's.

[VA Bass]

You, like many on here are seriously out of touch. Drew Cook just said on a podcast that he took Trey Mckinney out with him when he was 12 and wishes he hadn't shown him so much. To think these young guys don't know anything about seasonal patterns, lake contours and a thousand other things just shows you aren't paying attention. I fished with a 20 year old last night in the Tues nighter that's heading for Hartwell Sunday for a week. He's been fishing locally for years with older guys and has more experience and time on the water than you can imagine. The "kids" are putting in the work while the olds are sitting around making posts online about the sky falling.

I think the big difference is also these kids have the ability to be on the water that much. I mean I didn't get to fish with an established pro when i was 12 and be shown "too much"...I know I couldn't fish that much when I was 20, I was working and going to school. I also think that back in the day pros rarely came on scene full time until late 20 and early 30s. It just wasn't enough money in the indusrty to support it. We didn't have high school or college derbies either. Remember, you said this 20 year old has been fishing with older more experienced guys for years., so where do you think he learned to be so great? The older guys right. I don't know why people get so mad about this. I had one older guy that showed me a lot about how to fish tidal rivers and I took what he taught me and ran with it. I have since become better at it but without that I would have been struggling much longer than I did. I am glad that kids have an outlet today with all that is bad in the world, but like everything in life, you have to be appreciative of those who came before and paved the way. Back in the 80 and even 90s guys were struggling to fish the tour and only a few had their way paid by sponsorship. I don't know if today the majority of the touring pros even pay their own entries. I would say a good 50 in the elites do not. That is a big burden lifted. I remember Clunn saying he had to sell his deer rifle to fish the next tourney