Unorthodox
All three electronics companies have now invested significantly in some form of FFS. Whether that is in the form of turrets, units, transducers, software and more, they all have a stake in those decisions.
Most anglers have some form of sponsorship from one of those companies. They depend heavily on those reduced costs, no charge units, or direct payments for making their journey more affordable, if not more profitable. This is another factor, that is, No matter what happens between Bassmaster, MLF, NPFL and those electronics companies on sponsorships.
NPFL built a great platform without FFS, and I supported their significant investors move to make FFS illegal when it was first mentioned. It gave them viability as a stand alone. That now has become a very obvious good decision, while doubted and opposed by a significant amount of the younger NPFL anglers. Thus a change in players happened with that new format, much to improve NPFL’s field.
Bassmaster could shift the game and give both FFS and core value anglers a great platform that fits everyone’s thoughts, as best it can. Even if they do change their platform, the non-FFS crowd will always spew hate and dislike of those who win using any form of the tool. Eventually this will be old news.
FFS has worked to change how anglers search for fish. It has created a more athletic skill set, and required a hand, foot and eye coordination edge for some who have mastered the art. It has leveled the playing field against that tribal knowledge in events across the US. The grizzled regional anglers who spent all their free time learning ledges, shell beds, techniques, brush piles and underwater nuggets that held fish, now yield to young anglers who can see those fish without knowing why they are stacked there, or caring why.
The youth could not compete without putting the time in before. Then we have youth like Prezkurat, McKinney, Fostergill, Tucker, and more, that just like a Connell or Wheeler, grew up fishing at a regional level before they could drive. These anglers have 7, 8, to 10 years of learning before they graduated college or high school. Opportunities that most older anglers didn’t have.
Make no question on the fact that these younger anglers are that good. It’s just happened so fast people’s heads are spinning. I asked David Kilgore this question Monday morning early, what age were a significant portion of the anglers in the TW Invitational he won? His answer was immediately 18 years old, maybe 20-21. That same conversation was had with Matt Pangrac at Sam Rayburn. And… Thats a major difference in bass fishing events today from a few years ago. And a good majority of them can compete, while they all feel they can.
Back before High School and College bass fishing, we started in clubs as adults or upper teens. Few club anglers were below 21 years old, most shifted to clubs as adults, or moved to co-angler formats and teams with friends. Only after days on the water and learning did they become successful.
Today's learning curve is cut even more by the technology growth since YouTube and podcasts, with advent of iPhones in 2007, have given everyone the ability to learn. These youngsters morphed over to those medias as they got digital capability as youth around 15 years ago. No, most youth didn’t have Androids and iPhones until they became more affordable and available.
All of this does need some reeling in, just like Major League Baseball not accepting aluminum bats, glove, or new baseball technology. The purists of the game have seen to that. The latest bat developments are now being looked as they tailor barrels to the players swing patterns. Football, hockey and others all have those technology developments. For me, I hate the new receiving records with those sticky gloves making one handed catches that a Lynn Swan made magical.
The speed of all this technology growth has left everyone playing catch-up, if they didn’t embrace it originally. Some choose to not catchup, others choose to blame it on their inability. Every new unorthodox bait and technique has seen some form of resistance at a much lesser level of acceptance. Buzz Baits, Big O’s, Swim Baits, Braid, Fluorocarbon, Flipping/Pitching, Carolina Rigs, Stick (jerk) Baits, Long Rods, and more. Those tools like paper graphs, Spot lock, Power Poles and more all have those that “don’t need them”. Every alteration to equipment, had some form of resistance or affordability. And that’s fine…
The Instant success of FFS may have disrupted the status quo on that feeling.
Yes, FFS a is seen as “unorthodox” and that’s why it’s so hard for many to embrace.
We do owe those before us the respect to maintain a level of this sport as stewards of it. That line to not cross is still being drawn.
Rick
Originally Posted by BigFishSteve
