If a 19 year old hadn't won on fork.<--- FFS post.

[John__S]

I'm in my late 60s. I have and really appreciate FFS. It is not difficult to use. I have definitely have caught more fish with it. It also helps to determine if there are any fish within my casting range and helps with deciding on whether to abandon an area. Good for the pros that have so successfully exploited it. I also finding new spots with it on my home lake which I fish at least 3 times a week when I'm not stuck in virtual work meetings.

[billnorman1]

O.K. you got me. I'm so scared that I wear Depends when I go fishing. I doubt at 81 that I'll ever invest my savings in FFS. But I'll still fish competition against them. Remember, old age and treachery can beat youth, skill and money. Sometimes.

[juice780]

At 40 I’m not sure if im old but age has nothing to do with it.

[jp71291]

I gave you the warning you didn't have to come hear to read.

If that kid hadn't won on Fork FFS wouldn't be a hot topic right now. I seriously think his age is the reason our older anglers are scared shitless because technology and cognitive decline have met head on. I am 51 on Monday and I have noticed I am not as sharp as I once was but I have the intellectual strength and humility to admit this. Ask yourself this question, are you scared? I mean no disrespect, are we open to having an honest discussion?

Yes. You have cognitive decline. 😂

[BigFishSteve]

It’s a fun toy. Worked a bunch of overtime last year and gave myself a nice Christmas present. Hardest thing about it is deciding where to mount the black box. A few YouTube videos that give good starting points for your settings and slap if on a piece of pvc and have a look around. It should actually help as you get older. Raise it up on a mount and have a look.

[mattmann7]

I am 65. I worked in 8 different trades. At 61 I was falsely or not falsely diagnosed with dimentia. So what I have I done about it? I learned 2 more disciplines and took a job in a field i knew zero about. Drop the age from the equation. Accept that some people of age are just free thinkers. We are capable of setting our own guidelines, we are not governed by cognitive decline. We are strong willed and steeled by our life experiences. The facts of the matter is that the FFS has changed the game that we played longer then most of the kids who benefit from it the most have been alive. The "Game" was always about the unknown which gave the fish an advantage and leveled the sporting aspect. FFS has greatly reduced the level playing field. The Game since its inception was always referred to as fishing or angling. Its never been called catching. The level field was the force that called for participation. To be crude about it its like dating with romance or dating with pig sticking as the driving force. Are you dating for romance or just to catch or get laid? Its a stretch but to the anglers at heart the hunt was as much a part of the game as the catch.

[BigFishSteve]

Not looking to date the fish.

[rboren]

I want one on my boat and the only thing standing in my way is the unneeded cash!

[Dixie-Raven]

I am 65. I worked in 8 different trades. At 61 I was falsely or not falsely diagnosed with dimentia. So what I have I done about it? I learned 2 more disciplines and took a job in a field i knew zero about. Drop the age from the equation. Accept that some people of age are just free thinkers. We are capable of setting our own guidelines, we are not governed by cognitive decline. We are strong willed and steeled by our life experiences. The facts of the matter is that the FFS has changed the game that we played longer then most of the kids who benefit from it the most have been alive. The "Game" was always about the unknown which gave the fish an advantage and leveled the sporting aspect. FFS has greatly reduced the level playing field. The Game since its inception was always referred to as fishing or angling. Its never been called catching. The level field was the force that called for participation. To be crude about it its like dating with romance or dating with pig sticking as the driving force. Are you dating for romance or just to catch or get laid? Its a stretch but to the anglers at heart the hunt was as much a part of the game as the catch.

I can agree with this sentiment and feel much the same way. Finding the fishing is/ was part of the appeal and you competed with others to see who was best at breaking it down.

[Spot-a-saurus]

I am 65. I worked in 8 different trades. At 61 I was falsely or not falsely diagnosed with dimentia. So what I have I done about it? I learned 2 more disciplines and took a job in a field i knew zero about. Drop the age from the equation. Accept that some people of age are just free thinkers. We are capable of setting our own guidelines, we are not governed by cognitive decline. We are strong willed and steeled by our life experiences. The facts of the matter is that the FFS has changed the game that we played longer then most of the kids who benefit from it the most have been alive. The "Game" was always about the unknown which gave the fish an advantage and leveled the sporting aspect. FFS has greatly reduced the level playing field. The Game since its inception was always referred to as fishing or angling. Its never been called catching. The level field was the force that called for participation. To be crude about it its like dating with romance or dating with pig sticking as the driving force. Are you dating for romance or just to catch or get laid? Its a stretch but to the anglers at heart the hunt was as much a part of the game as the catch.

Yea, I think to many the issue is much deeper than winning or not winning. It’s about what fishing is/was to them as a competitor. I’ve always got the biggest thrill from finding “the cast” that would get the big one to bite. The bummer part to me is that, this feeling may only exist outside of competition in most instances for me from here on out. Competitively, I’m much better off “seeing” that cast with my FFS before I make it, than searching for it. And to me that was a substantial part of the fun. I’m mid 30’s btw so I don’t think of myself as an older angler

[mastergun]

I substantially disagree. It has nothing to do with his age, the FFS debate has been ongoing since last season and the peak was during the offseason. B.A.S.S. instituted a tech committee before the season became because FFS has become such a hot point.

im only 32, im not scared, but i have no intention getting FFS. I simply don’t think I’ll enjoy staring at a screen the whole time when I’m fishing and it’s not the style I prefer. I don’t think FFS is sporting. There’s a certain line that everyone will draw to say when something isn’t sporting, and FFS is that for me. That said, I recognize that I’m at a significant disadvantage during competitive tournaments (bigger than the 10 boat good ol boy clubs), so I don’t enter those events.

Adapt, or do nothing and complain while you get passed. It’s no different than the workforce when new technology comes out and the older folks are so set in their ways they refuse to learn but complain when the younger staff are excelling.

I 100% agree with this statement. I’m not a great bass fisherman and I don’t tournament fish, so I’m not driven to meet a limit when I go out. There is something very relaxing when on the water and just casting and retrieving. It’s definitely a bonus when I catch a fish as that’s the goal, but I can roll a goose egg and still feel satisfied when I load up at the end of the day.

[T. Hill]

Oh great now everyone who fishes BASS subject to Cognative Test.

[vaw121]

Oh great now everyone who fishes BASS subject to Cognative Test.

The only question on that test is “ how much have you spent to catch fish you don’t intend on eating? “

[reelmin5]

The only argument I can think of not to use it is for HS tournaments where some families cant afford the latest and greatest. Every pro can get one and choose to use it or not. I believe next season there will be a limit to how many on each boat can have though. The train has left the station! Jump on or stay back and whine. How many state records have been broken with the use of this technology in the past 5 years or so?
Some people adapt faster than others no matter what their age. BTW i will turn 60 this year

[Bill2e]

I gave you the warning you didn't have to come hear to read.

If that kid hadn't won on Fork FFS wouldn't be a hot topic right now. I seriously think his age is the reason our older anglers are scared shitless because technology and cognitive decline have met head on. I am 51 on Monday and I have noticed I am not as sharp as I once was but I have the intellectual strength and humility to admit this. Ask yourself this question, are you scared? I mean no disrespect, are we open to having an honest discussion?

I am not scared, I welcome the new tech. I also accept the fact, that I’m not that good, I don’t spend enough time on the water.

I love the game, I love hanging with the boys. I am there learn and have fun.

I am cool with that

[Bill2e]

The only argument I can think of not to use it is for HS tournaments where some families cant afford the latest and greatest. Every pro can get one and choose to use it or not. I believe next season there will be a limit to how many on each boat can have though. The train has left the station! Jump on or stay back and whine. How many state records have been broken with the use of this technology in the past 5 years or so?
Some people adapt faster than others no matter what their age. BTW i will turn 60 this year

I don’t buy the “People can’t afford it BS”

AT1 can be had for $600. There is already a front graph that can run it.

That is less than the cost of one event with travel expenses. Everyone playing the game can get it if the choose too.

[ECobb91]

I don’t buy the “People can’t afford it BS”

AT1 can be had for $600. There is already a front graph that can run it.

That is less than the cost of one event with travel expenses. Everyone playing the game can get it if the choose too.

im ambivalent towards the cost. I think the affluence of BBC members often lead to a bias that everyone can afford stuff just because they can. BBC members don’t represent the financial wellbeing of majority of families.

I can’t afford it because I don’t feel comfortable dropping that much money. Especially because I can’t justify selfishly spending $600 on my hobby that might get 10 uses a year when that money could be spent elsewhere like my 14mo daughter, a month of daycare, saving for a down payment on a car, college fund, home repairs, camping trip etc. everyone’s priorities are different.

It’s no different than other travel sports, some families flat out can’t afford the hotel or other fees that are associated with travel teams, so their children cant participate.

[Okie Poke]

Where have you been vaw?

[gaston13]

I'll tell you what our high school basketball coach used to say, "Boy's, Take A Back Seat To No One". So, even though you feel past your prime age is just a number. Clunn is in his 50th year on tour and won a blue trophy in his 70's. What Ike said...

[ChuckTR21]

The recent Hank Parker broadcast where he addressed this provided a sense of what the real concerns are. Is this going to impact the sport of fishing like new compound technologies could do to golf balls or baseballs. His reference was balls could not be made that would go 30% further when hit with a club or bat, but that the governing bodies of those sports decided it would make courses and ballparks obsolete and decidedly change the sport. So they don't allow it. Fact or fiction, I don't know but he told it as a fact. It's not complete apples 2 apples with fishing but close. Those using FFS and have really mastered it have an advantage, just like a golfer using a ball that turns all par 5's into a driver and a 6 iron.
FFS has changed the sport and yes, for those of us who are older, it's likely harder to master (I'm 61) and I know it's going to be harder now than it is for my 24 year old son. It's a slippery slope both directions and I doubt the debate ever gets put back in the bag at this point.