It’s Official…Professional Bass Fishing Is Now An Elitist Sport…
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Randy talks about how the cost of professional fishing is completely out of control..#bassmasters #bassfishing #fishing #carpfishing #basslake #sportfishing #boating #bassmasteropens #bassfish #fish #angler
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I hear you Randy. I gave up being in a Bassmaster club, gave up on tournaments and only look at the results online for tournaments. I threw my hands up and moved on. Too rich for me.
I have fished club, federation, and a couple of higher level tournaments over the past 30 years. I never tried to take it to the next level because I couldn't afford it. Family, mortgage, car payments, etc., but I have witnessed exactly what Randy is saying hundreds of times. If you don't have family money or a huge inheritance to pay your way, you absolutely cannot fish at the top level. There is no way you can afford it financially. All of the fishermen that had financial backing could keep moving forward. The rest of us couldn't bear the burden. What an absolute truth from Randy. There are a lot of great anglers that will never have the opportunity to fish at a high level because they are just average Joe's with average income available. Thanks, Randy. I'm one of those guys who had that dream, but my family came first.
Tournament Fishing has ruined our Fishery ... I hate Tournament Fisherman .
Most normal fishermen wouldn’t entertain the idea of pro fishing it’s selfish decision. To put your family second is nonsense.
When wasn't it an elitist sport? I was fishing club/federation tournaments back in the 80's and 90's and doing OK at them, but there was no way I could have afforded to fish the big circuits. I had a pretty good boat, electronics, all the tackle I wanted really, but fish a B.A.S.S. tournament? There was no way. Not even a local one at Buggs Island or the James River, not five miles from my house. The guys who were fishing them back in those days, and you were one of them Randy, you WERE the elite back then.
Richard Johnson. I'm rite there with you. Live 45 min from james, and about 45 min from buggs. Let's go!!!
Yup
Hahahahah not even close
Grew up fishin lake chesdin
@@clay7514 I fish chesdin all the time out of whippernock
Since when wasn't professional bass fishing an elitist sport??? You have to go back a whole lot of years for that not to be the case. This video makes it seem like it's a recent development. Sure things are getting even more expensive, but the pros have been rocking boats, trucks, and equipment that most people can't afford for decades.
The classic needs to back to the original concept. Unknown lake, same boat, motor, trolling motor and sonar, same amount/restrictions on amount of tackle, to include rods. That sorts out the REAL elites of the sport. Jmo
The average fisherman never was part of it
Average fisherman have jobs
They can't travel and Spend the money or time to be pro
Yeah, not counting the fees they charge and all the equipment they use! On our 1st Christmas, I got up at 2 a.m and decorated the tree in all kinds of fishing lures and worm packs, hooks & wrapped a bait net for the skirt. Lots of jigs, too.a new reel in stocking along with some fishing line and big pack of beef jerky😂 . Everytime I went to town I'd buy something, so it wasn't a all arms one buy or I probably couldn't have done it! 🤑
You can get into bass fishing fairly cheap if you don't think you need the best of everything
@jenlvjim Yeah, no doubt! Bought my first bass boat in 2009 for $12k. All I had for electronics was an old grey scale Humminbird 2D sonar on the trolling motor and a cheap 5" Lowrance unit for mapping on the bow and then a 5" Humminbird side imaging unit I picked up for $600 on the consol. Caught a lot of dang fish in that boat and won some money in some little club tourneys.
There’s a reason more people kayak fish/fish kayak tournaments. One up front fee for a kayak, no insurance, no gas, minimal maintenance.
Tournament Kayaks these days have $20k worth of electronics.
I got my wife and I a kayak and we do a lot of creek and pond fishing. We absolutely love it!
I almost pulled the trigger on one. My lake is giant and in my boat I fish all over. Granted it might be better to hunker down in one area like you are in a yak. But it’s a lot easier to run points all over main lake during herring spawn with a boat.
Kayaks I seen are out of hand too a standard peddle kayak is like 2-4 k plus electronics that the rich kayaker does have all fishing is becoming a rich mans sport
2 yrs ago my 13 yr old son came to me and said he wanted to start a HS bass fishing team. I'm a carpenter and my family is a single income family. I looked hard and we found a 20 yr old ranger that already had decent electronics on it ($20k ish... had to take out a loan) Everything else has been on him. He and his partner knocked on local business doors and raised $10k in sponsors. (Super proud of them both!) In their 2nd yr of competing they just finished 9th overall in our state tournament series for the yr (out of 250 HS teams). Not saying I disagree, just saying it can be done with hard work and patience. Thnx for keeping up the fight Randy, need to see more jerk bait videos, I've heard you are the Jedi master!
You just described the rise to the top of every professional sport. Even the rise to the top of most professions.
Tournament fishing in general is disgusting, breeds too much greed and ego into an otherwise quiet and peaceful activity, as soon as you bring competition and money into anything it is immediately negatively impacted,, this ain’t gonna be a popular comment but someone prove me wrong, what’s one good impact that pro bass fishing has made on the hobby?
Tournaments have ruined it for weekend fishermen. When I retire soon I plan to only fish Monday-Thursday. The pressure on our lakes is unbelievable. The only thing good is that the quality of tackle has improved dramatically over the years.
Great Video Randy .I helped coach a Highschool Fishing team and seen how money ruined the sport of Fishing 😢
Randy. I too was ate up with Bass Fishing and fishing in general back in the 80’s and 90’s but my family ran into some financial difficulties. My parents divorced and I had to work nights and weekends to make ends meet. I had to put my fishing gear, limited as it was, in storage and work my tail off to get through college. I bought my first bass boat, a Nitro 750, when I was 37. I worked hard and struggled to get where I am and I’m blessed. Thank god for Forrest and Nina Wood. They helped so many anglers get into professional bass fishing and helped make BASS what it was back then.
Isn't this the situation for all "sports"?
Not really. A lot of inner city kids with very limited resources make it to the pros in basketball, football and baseball.
It is for any sport with a motor involved. Fishing is not even in the same ballpark of unfairness as racing.
You don't have to pay $150k to play a sport like basketball or football. You just have to get recognized. You can't fish at a high level without a quality boat and tackle to compete.
Even golf that has long been classified as a rich persons sport can be attained through First Tee and many other programs and high school golf. Granted having money and a country club membership would make it easier but it’s doable if you are good enough. Bass fishing at a high level is untouchable for lower income people.
I dont Watch bassmaster and mlf anymore, I better Watch somme local fisherman amateur, its more fun to Watch. Bassmaster they dont fish, they play vidéo game with help of There électronique.
It is called the Bassmaster Elite Series right?
Yeh big money new home
Absolutely 💯% agree with you on this Randy!!!! I guarantee there are freakin hammers out there that just don't have the means or opportunity to make it. So we will most likely never hear of them. The greatest angler ever could go by the way side because of this!!!!!
Professional fishing is a mess and a real turn off it will eventually destroy itself and collapse I stopped paying attention to it a few years ago.
I agree with you on most things. There is always an exception to the rule though. I watched Kyle Welcher come up fishing in an Aluminum boat, then to an old 18' Nitro, then on to Bigger Boats once he started Dominating locally. He's one guy that truly deserves to be there.
@@ScottCooperOutdoors yeah, Tandy has this misconception that just because young pros have gravitated to and learned how to exploit electronics in ways he does not understand that somehow are no updraft fisherman in their own right. Take a look at what Millikan has done prior to making the elites. Hell, I an argue that people like Tommy Biffle are not that good because all he ever did in his career is flip shallow cover and isn't know anything about any of technique. Not a really argument but it's the exact type of logic Randy likes to use ...
@@astrophysicistguy well flipping is an art form. Most pros can do it , but only a few Excel at it. He's right about the sport going towards elite status though. Kids are thinking they can't compete unless they have everything the pros have. So most won't even try.
@@ScottCooperOutdoors it's actually the same with FFS, even though just about every pro has it there are only a few that really excel with it. Just look at the standings of any tournament and compare that with what equipment the pro has on his boat. When you take the time to do that research you'll discover that they guys a the bottom of the lede board all have FFS, but they haven't developed the skill to exploit it. Randy makes FFS out to be some kind of magic that allows anyone to slap it on their boat and catch 25 lbs/day. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I've had FFS on my boat for the last 2 years and am on the water every week. It's only in the last few months have I become proficient enough for it to make a real difference. It's significantly harder than Randy makes it out to be and I'm a very tech savvy person ...
I have an 1985 Stratos 16ft 355v . I still fish tournaments . I wish I could afford a new boat . The prices are unreal.
I like your videos Randy. Been fishing all my life. Never could figure out the Bass fishing phenomenon. After mastering my tarpon and redfish techniques it puzzles me even more.
@@JeffBattleFish pretty funny ... I bass fished when I was young then turned to offshore blue water fishing for 25 years - even ran a offshore charter business for marlin and tuna for a while before selling all that and going back to bass fishing 3 years ago. You know what we used to call the size of largemouth bass that 99% of all bass fisherman catch? BAIT ... my first world record yellowfin tuna (325.8 lbs) was caught with a live 5lb skipjack tuna. I'll bet half the guys who subscribe to this channel have never caught a 5lb bass ... that's perspective 😬
Once again another Excellent video 👍. Randy hit the nail on the Head. It’s all Big Business anymore. Were only fishing 🎣 keep making the videos. We Blue collar. Hard working Americans need to hear more realistic. Anglers like your videos
It is more than elite, it is top 1%, Very few families can drop $100K, much less $200K+ including the truck & Best electronics. On top of it, as you have said the skills are diminished and in my mind so has the thrill. Give me the angler in a kayak and a traditional depthfinder and I'll bet he has more fun and loves fishing for his entire life.
For once I kind of agree with you the reason it is the way it is is because if it was cheap there would be 20000 people show up to try and qualify it would be impossible to pull of
NOT an ELITEIST Sport at all for me because I DONT Fish Bass Tounaments
I enjoy fish MORE all by myself
This is why I like fly fishing, no electronics, minimal equipment. You can be good at fly selection or just good at walking to find unpressured fish. I hope they don't make a lot of fly fishing tournaments in the mountains. That would suck.
Well said, brother
Randy, it's not just pro bass fishing. I'm 74 now and just can't afford fishing anymore.
It's $2 per hour just to park near the beach or piers out here in Los Angeles. The license
is over $60 per year plus saltwater permit. Then you have to buy bait which has gone up
to crazy levels as well. I'm a serious catch and release fisherman. Just love the sport.
I still own 15 rods and reels plus 6 tackle boxes full of plugs, crank baits, flukes, scampi's
tails, twin T's and more. It costs me at least $25 to go fishing now. It's a bummer man.
The 1/2 day or 3/4 fishing boat have an $80 ticket just to go out for a day plus the parking
fee, so your looking at $100. I had a bass boat when I was younger but sold it due to a $20 launch fee plus gas inmy truck and boat. To me this is crazy. As a Veteran and a senior citizen us old guys should get a break so we can keep up our hobby. Love your videos Los Angeles
WOW MAN ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO !
Come on Randy, Say something positive. You need to get rid if the hate.
18' with 150 and electronics are 50-60k plus a tow vehicle another 20-30K so your still priced out.
Well said Randy
That was my dream
That's exactly my life .well it was till 9yrs ago Randy is spot on.
I lost intrest 😢
Affordability for the future pros could also be subsidized with a Scholarship Type fund, that BASS and all the fishing industry vendors contributing to help find talent. This is what most professional sports do, yes I understand most are pulling from colleges, but the same aspect would work scouting tournaments. All Sports are elite, that is why they are playing at top level. Some come from economically challenged backgrounds, that is why there is funds to find top talent. This also allows said vendors to keep producing top products. Just a thought.
I've been trading for a new Ranger about every 3 yrs , so each time I traded I only had to come up with the difference, each boat I always had the latest n greatest on the boat , I fished tournaments starting in 1984 , and fished till 2018 , RedMan , Golden blend bfl Everstart Stren Toyota series and a few bass opens . I now have a 2023 Ranger 520 it was over 100,000 with electronics , your idea sounds like it's something guys could use for a stepping stone to move up , a throw back circuit, but that would leave a guy like me out with a 250 . But I'm sure lots of guys would fish a circuit like that . I like the no FFS in a tournament also , even though I have FFS on my boat but I'm pretty bad at using it to catch bass .
Not a big fan of randy but he is absolutely correct in every way of what he is saying.
I pretty much came to that conclusion many years ago, me & my wife both worked, had babies and was able to buy a second owner Skeeter w Yamaha motor and I hate a blast with it. I used it for 14 or 15 years. Nothing but buddy tourneys but hey, I enjoyed it. I would LOVE to see you get a reliable, sufficient boat & motor and make a statement… you have the skills Randy, you always have. Do it.
I could not agree more Randy!! I would love to fish tournaments myself but unfortunately I can't afford to. I fish from the bank at my home lake everyday and I guarantee you that I catch as many and as big of fish as anyone around here. Cave Run lake is my home lake in KY. It's more of a muskie and crappie lake but I put it to em on the Bass for the type of lake that it is.
I talk to quit a few fisherman and I'm just starting to hear ( if I'm going to spend so much money to go fishing, I'm going to bring my fish home) this one young man got mad at me for turning a limit of Bass back on night.some are saying it's the only way to get the prices to go down,is if other's can't catch as many they will quit and the prices will go down.and most of them have FF fish finders.
I commented on a livescopers video the other day & they got super hostile. Just like you said before, they just lose it & go offf it’s so funny they all get so mad.
That's why I like the international tournaments everybody has the same set up
Never take what you have for granted. The vast majority (of people in general) do not come from that kind of wealth. Let's all just hope those (kids) who do come from that kind of wealth know just how fortunate they are. The fact of the matter is.. deep pockets can definitely help make life a lot easier.
Lots of organizations try to help control costs. Motor sports organizations will use control tires and limits on money spent on motors with a rule that lets a competitor buy your motor out of your car if they want it, and you have to sell it to them for that pre set dollar amount. So there are ways to help stem the cost. But ultimately you need tournament organizations to care more about the sport than they do the money they are making and I don't think any of the current bass fishing organizations leaders are willing to give up the money they are putting in their pockets.
I remember when bass was on in the 80s most of the anglers had full time jobs and fished the 6 tournaments a year because they would let it slip out in an interview that they left work early or something to practice, pretty cool back then
I do like the idea of smaller boats and motors and equipment. Randy maybe it's your calling to start a new tournament trail with your ideas and get backing from some companies you might have connections with that could help you start a new organization with youtube coverage to begin with hopes of bigger and more avenues down the road.
I’ve been that po boy. I own a lot of tackle, and it’s costly. My boat is a 198 ranger tin boat, but I can’t see the cost getting cheaper. It’s only going to get more expensive
Life isn't fair. I do admire your passion, although sometime misdirected.
Need an update vid on aoy standings for costas and bfls
Randy. You should start ypu own tournament series. You can rant and rave all day long but its clear no real changes will be made. If just do your own tournament series the way you envision as an example to others.
they are all turning to kayak tournament fishing and you can tell cuz livescope and 20000 worth of crap on your kayak is a must for professionals now as well. cheaper but for the guys that wanted a cheaper way to compete well it isn't kayak fishing anymore...
It’s all about the money for sure your right there’s a lot of people out there that could compete but don’t have the money to do it sucks
Real talk
Im not convinced that the bass and mlf are solely responsible for the cost. Inflation and interest rates have ruined everything. Boat companies are taking advantage of their consumers aswell. Everyone wants what they cant afford. I hope prices go down in the near future and everything becomes much more affordable.
I love the fact that you have taken this approach/stance! 😊 I believe, that a lot of "older" anglers [in the sport 🎣] have forgotten what it took, for them to get where they are now! 🤔 And, if they're at a highly professional or "elitist" level, feel comfortable with that status quo, and would not be very open to change at this point! 🤨 What you propose [with limits and restrictions], would go a long way in "leveling the playing field" to the 'Average Joe', who's just starting out in the sport! 🎣 And just to echo something you mentioned, is that the "Controllers" in charge of these "Tournaments/Events", MUST do their part, not just on enforcing sanctions, but with making it financially doable! 🙄 But, just because I agree with you, (and I do! 💯%) unfortunately won't make it so!..😑
I really don't think the electronics companies NEED to have their products put on display by the top level pros. I think people would discover those new sonars anyway if they indeed work, which of course they do. So, I agree with your scenario of limiting electronics.
Electronics companies need dedicated fishermen to test the products. That's professional fishermen.
As always, nice video Randy. Hey Randy, wasn't it in the early Bassmaster Classics that you were limited to "X" amount of pounds of tackle to use during the tournament?
Id like to hear each and every Pro Anglers story. How they make it work. Im sure in the end they end up with alot of debt
Hate to tell ya but, it's not just the upcoming and coming anglers. It's also people such as myself that is a working man that's been doing it for 30+ plus years that's also fished the Bass opens as well as Toyota series and had to pull because of finances and I've had some great finishes and checks but it still not enough. Hell, my first ever Bass open in 2020 I was 2nd going into the final day, didn't adjust to the conditions finished 6th and still collected 12k. Between that and sponsorship money, I was set for 2020. I was like, here we go, I gonna make it, I can do this. Bam, sponsorship money got harder and harder to get no matter the results, the country did a complete turn around, covid bs, prices of gas food etc sky rocketed, and everything became a struggle just to live and to this day, after fishing 2 Toyota series this year, cashing decent checks in both, I'm struggling to survive. Health has gone south. Haven't been able to work. Etc, etc, etc, so I know how it feels to make a decision like that. IT F***ING SUCKS. It hurts to even write this message because I absolutely love the sport of tournament bass fishing and it's absolutely gone to hell just as this country. Something has to and must be done to fix and repair the country, and the sport of tournament fishing. It's absolutely obscured what is going on in today's society.
Agreed
I throw a white spinner on my now 59.99 abu blackmax.. I feel elite! Lips ripped everytime I go out.
Right on Randy, dial it back!
diesel cost more like 100k, GMC Sierra AT4X starts at 80k
Thanks the way it was when I fish tournaments
The Bass tournament paradigm has changed so much that back in the 70s one of the popular pros said , when asked what is a professional bass fisherman, that anybody with $300 and a boat can be a successful pro bass fisherman. Now compare that, when talent was 100 percent the indicator, to todays spotlight computer geek fisherman. Me and my son used to fish tournaments , now we fish catfish for relaxation and family fun. There are no Daddy Warbucks in our family.
Here’s the thing and this is what makes professional bass fishing not a true professional sport and most professional sports you get paid to participate in bass fishing you have to pay to participate so of course as the prices of everything goes up it’s gonna leave a lot of people behind and that’s not fair. That’s just how the world is these days.. but it also makes me realize the bass fishing is not a professional sport. It’s almost like gambling in a way I mean and I even felt like that when I tournaments for years many years ago because you never guarantee that you’re gonna come out with money at the end of the day.
When you hit a certain level of skill you will get paid out in 70 to 80% of LOCAL tournaments . You are surprised when you dont get paid. I was there when I was younger and had more time to fish. Was a blast.
It's always been about money. EVERY tournament fisherman is there for money only. It's not about fishing, it's about endorsements and how much I can get. My husband and son watched bass tournaments on TV all the time. Not anymore, too commercialized. They still bass fish for the enjoyment.
I agree 100% Randy. It’s sad and discriminatory that the only way a young kid can fish the elites, basically has to have family money. The sport is pretty much going to turn into little rich kids, fishing and having fun, who come from money and don’t need the money anyway. Sad to take away a kids dream. After all, you just have to know FFS to become an elite.
This year the international 8u baseball classic came to my area. My grandson was chosen to play. It was very cheap to play. Just hard work.
There was a kid who was chosen for his team. He had been playing with a bat his parents paid $300 for because it would go further than a normal hit. He tried using it during this tournament, he was told by officials, it was not a US legal bat. These are 8 y/o kids and they have to follow rules for a level playing field.
I’m just pissed at what this sport has turned into. Bassmaster isn’t going to change anything. But many people won’t watch it, I won’t anyway. Just sad to see a kids dream crushed because they don’t come from mommy, daddy, grandma or grandpa’s “money”.
Yes
Randy your right - but it’s not just bass fishing but all sports across the board . The best players in basketball, soccer , football get scholarships to prestigious sports high schools - it cost a small fortune to play on travel AAU teams and go to tournaments. It’s AAU that makes the money. Nick Bolleteri sports academy ( it has been sold and has a new name ) in Bradenton Florida to go to school there is 80,000 most of the parents buy condos next to it .
Seem like most guys could find or borrow an older bass boat with 2D and old truck, a few rods and some tackle and maybe sleep in the truck or somebody's floor. But swinging the thousands in entry fees for a seasons worth of tourneys, that's gotta be tough for a young angler. Not to mention food and gas, etc. Guess, to get rich, you got to BE rich. Thanks for the videos! 👍
Are you going to start hosting/managing tournaments/start your own organization???
It sounds like you have a passion for it and a great desire to bring it back for the people and joy.
I believe Virginia has Jon Boat specific tournaments. However, they are super low entry fees and low payouts. A way to have fun with no stress. Not sure what the specific rules are either... as I know I have seen those guys with scope on some YT channels.
That is life there are no guarantees.
All sports take money, America gives you the opportunity to make that money, takes hard work
Its like Nascar..Nascar became a money sport! You cant go down your street and pickup a nascar basketball and take it to your local park! Problem is with Nascar, NFL, MBL, NBA is they dont understand the power of the smaller boat and the well power behind it! They want to convince you they know! But they really dont know! Its the soul searching of every sport that makes it a great sport! When you cut corners in any sport it no longer is a sport! God Bless you Randy!
It reminds me of NHRA. The same teams competing in top fuel and funny car. Because no one else can afford to compete because of the expense. Alot of kids out there with alot of talent that just can't afford it because of money or who you know.
Well it really hurts the high school kids. Parents can’t afford them high dollar boats like some can , maybe in my area about 5% of the population can where I live. Good luck trying to get this turned around , then kids at a disadvantage just have to be smarter and learn fishing more and put the trolling motor done an get to fishing an hope you can out fish all the ones that have high end trucks and boats.
The only way I can see a level field happening is these pro series will have to start making the winnings be lowered down to the winner gets $5,000 and only pay down the to the top 10. Then the entry fees would be like $150 or $200. Make it where the restrictions for a boat goes down to 16’ and 50hp boats. The boats cannot be more than 19, and 150 hp engines and limit a boat to only 2 graphs or whatever you want but 2 graphs.
Then you would see that no person could ever be a professional fisherman because they would have to get a “real” job to survive.
Here is the deal, this is why you have buddy tournaments or bass clubs. Win those $1,000 tournaments and save every penny until you can move up. Let’s look at real life again here. We see people living in +$500,000 homes and fancy trucks or cars. They did not start out that way, they had to earn it by working hard and better than the next person. Same with be a pro in fishing, go out start small and earn your way to the top. But everyone has that chance but you will have to earn it.
There will always be the exception as with anything, but you may have all that fancy stuff but that does not equate into winning because you have all that, you can only earn that by hard work.
BASS has a built in formula for that, you finish in the lower part of the points you lose your spot on the elite series. Simply put, you have to stay good and money cannot do that for you, your talent does that.
I have seen many hammers never reach the elites because they have decided to not save, save and say money to upgrade. They win a tournament and go spend it the next day on beer, food, women or just stupid stuff that will not give them the needed funds to grow into getting better equipment. I did not start out in a +20’, 250 hp boat, I had to save all my earnings to do it, but guess what I did and have that now….but my talent is not good enough to be in a pro series. So talent to me is the most important part, not the equipment.
My vacation this year i went to Wheeler lake for the elite series tournament, it was pretty cool BUT i about fell over when i seen the boats on display at the weigh-ins they had a new bass boat for 85k it was over 600 a month for 180 MONTHS......THATS A MORTGAGE ON A HOUSE! i realized right there i was wasting my time even considering making a go of becoming a "pro"....ill stick to the railroad
Agreed , Hunting and Fishing
NASCAR works races similar to what I hear you say. All the cars are regulated to be equal. Therefore, the result is the best driver and team wins instead of just the best car.
Create divisions. Open, Limited, Classic, and kayak divisions
I feel like it always has been.
All dreams are not available to everyone. Life doesn’t work that way. I don’t like what is happening at the Pro Levels but it is what it is and it is and you can’t stop it. I can see the pro level imploding in the next 10-15 years.
I agree , yes, except once it went to 6 th graders as Juniors, through high school, it became this way! Parents will do and buy anything for their kids. The last I believe of the dead, gone type was Matty Wong. He was nation champ and made it to elites the old way.. those days are over!
WTH are you talking about? We can't say KVD is the GOAT because someone that lives in a tent in Wyoming can't afford to fish professionally, hasn't proved a damn thing, but thinks he's better than KVD so we have to give that credence?
@@christopher9076 exactly! This idea that everyone who fishes the Opens or BFLs is just nonsense. 95% of those dudes couldn't begin to compete with the actual pros on tour and they wouldn't last 1 season even if they were given a free ride into the Elites
I always thought spending $19.95 on a fenwick bass rod back in 1977 made me elite.
To be fair, that 20 bucks back then is equal to 200 bucks today, probably more.
@@smelltheglove2038 Right, and I actually think it was more like 1974. I bank fished and had one of the biggest Texas bass I have ever seen shake off at my feet! That rod an ambassador reel a jitterbug , crank bait and some purple worms was my complete setup ....always bank fished!
To me it’s pretty rich to have a $500 rod as well.
If you love it enough you’re going to do it
perfecrt example right here, im a big scott martin fan like many others, and the fact he made his career basicslly all on his own was a big part of it, startjng as a congler, being a guide, gettin his own sponsors and so on and his career speaks for itself, BUT with hillary, hes doin the exact opposite of what he didnt want roland to do for him. she was 16 being handed down his oel e year old 100,000 skeeter with all the tech money can buy and she started her own youtube and next thing, shes being sponsored by Pline, Lews, Favorite when scott was with favorite, and others, while at the age of 16 and having never fished a tournament in her life, yet theres hammers on lower level trails that have been at this game for years and get a sponsor to save their lives. social media and other things youve mentioned have turned this sport into what it is today
100% Agree- Making Bass Fishing NASCAR
I'm outta watching or supporting the Chosen Few
If not for this livescope crap id ruin myself on a newer boat, Big thanks to all the electronics companys!
In every sport the greatest of all time has never been discovered and never will be discovered. Fishing is no different. Theres anglers out there in all disciplines that are amazing anglers and you'll never here there name and they will never make a penny on it. I think people need to disconect from the tournament world for a minute and just go fishing. Ask yourself this, Would I fish as much as I do if tournaments did not exist ? Your answer will tell alot about yourself and your angling state of mind.
I agree the cost has gotten out of hand but it’s always been this way to some extent in pro fishing. Even in the 80s you weren’t going to get your start if you were dirt floor poor. Back then we didn’t see this influx of young anglers. Most guys were already established guides or business owners.
I see comments about every sport is this way but other sports those guys are payed through contracts 5 million 10 million and on and on. Most bass pros after expenses make the same as i do at the end of the year. Its not the same.
Simple solution, bassmaster needs to buy all the equipment for anglers. To qualify to get in the tournament with the big boats, you need to win the Jon boat invitational. No trolling motors no fish finders, you need to go out and place. Then you take the top 20 from that tournament set them up with the works and let them go out and compete.
It sure is, with similarities to the corporate world. When your time is up, you're done regardless of how dedicated you are or what you know.
Bass ended Casting Kids For the college circuit. No money comming from Ck kids so we"ll go after the kids and parents with money. Loved going around working with the local kids going to high schools teaching kids how to cast , flip and pitch.
Randy I agree it is an elitist sport and it shouldn’t necessarily be that way, but the fact of the matter is, that life just isn’t fair, I work 70-80 hours a week just to pay my bill and feed my family, I don’t have time or money for a lot of things I want to do in life, like travel around to fish and hunt, or just take my family on a really nice vacation, I love to have a big piece of property with a big pond and I could go on and on, the point is life will never be fair for everyone and that’s just how it is, you either have to except what you can afford or try to do something different to put yourself in a position that you can be wealthy, pretty much anything is possible here in America, but for some it’s much harder to achieve than others!
How can it become any other way??
I think holding back the big guys is the wrong approach. Why not channel that passion into creating your own step up tournament league even if it’s on kayaks or Jon boats where maybe the top prize is an entry level pro rig. You should check out Tiny Boat Nation. Don’t change the old way. Create a new way. Randy go lead the way you have a strong conviction and the time to apply it. Maybe you could help some of those young guys and kids.
GAMERS...!!!!!!
Another scenario is that you can afford a 100k boat but need to work 80 hrs a week to pay for it. Now you dont have time to fish! Then you need to consider saving for retirement and your kid's education!
Good point on who the “goat” is. Could be some dude poor as hell that could catch a bass in a mud puddle n wear out any pro
Why I fish yak tourneys with my subi. Never could have fished as many lakes if I had a boat. I'd have to stay local.
More fishing tips and less preaching!