Elite series answer to no co-anglers

This just in BASS announced that instead of co-anglers they will be using Marshals in the back of the boat. People who want to pay $100.00 per tournament to oversee a pro in following the rules for days 1-3, final day all pros will have a cameraman in boat. People will be required to take a rules class and get to know the rules in their entirety, but it doesn't say anywhere that you are tested on the rules which doesn't seem right to me. Any way just wanted to give a heads up, it also says for your $100.00 fee you get to hang with the pros for an event which is probably their wed. mtg. and you would get some sponsor things. Doesnt seem like a bad idea but I think they should consider having people take a test of the rules online or something before the tournament starts.

I know this is going to open, or should I say re-open a whole can of worms, but I really see where these pro's are coming from. I fished as a co-angler for a few years, but never at that level. I just think if I were a pro (my entire income came from fishing and performing well) and have earned my way to the top level (some slide in, most have earned that spot) I would not want to share my fish with another angler in the boat. Many of the guys on the elite tour, are not your big name fellows, and really depend on tournament checks to just stay in the possitive and stay on tour. Also, Many of todays co-anglers are not just people that want to fish tournaments but don't have a boat - some of these guys are professionals or close to it, and extremely good anglers.

Now in the FLW they use nets, and having an extra help with netting a fish can be a huge help. But on the BASS Elite tour, I don't see any benefits of the pro's having co-anglers.

There are plenty of other tours, tournament organizations, and opportunities available for someone to fish as a co-angler. I would love to be a quarterback, but I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to alternate snaps with Peyton Manning.

[QUOTE=Col Forbin;344199]I know this is going to open, or should I say re-open a whole can of worms, but I really see where these pro's are coming from. I fished as a co-angler for a few years, but never at that level. I just think if I were a pro (my entire income came from fishing and performing well) and have earned my way to the top level (some slide in, most have earned that spot) I would not want to share my fish with another angler in the boat. Many of the guys on the elite tour, are not your big name fellows, and really depend on tournament checks to just stay in the possitive and stay on tour. Also, Many of todays co-anglers are not just people that want to fish tournaments but don't have a boat - some of these guys are professionals or close to it, and extremely good anglers.

Now in the FLW they use nets, and having an extra help with netting a fish can be a huge help. But on the BASS Elite tour, I don't see any benefits of the pro's having co-anglers.

There are plenty of other tours, tournament organizations, and opportunities available for someone to fish as a co-angler. I would love to be a quarterback, but I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to alternate snaps with Peyton Manning.[/QUOTE]

I know a few guys who have been "blessed" to fish with a couple, that one jap pro who wouldn't even talk to the guy and drew a chalk line in the boat and told him not to even think about throwing past it.and roland martin who threw a fit about being with an ametuer. Sure sounds like a fun time to me.

$100 out of my pocket for a 3 day boat ride and to make sure they follow the rules, oh....and net their fish. I think thats crap. They should pay to get officials for that. Not for me. Sound like the baby sitter paying to watch my kids. That aint gonna happen!

This has got to be one of the biggest jokes to happen to Professional fishing. Watch and see if their membership doesn't drop over this action. I already dropped mine, but it was due to another issue. My main concern over the Professional Tournaments vs. the other circuits is that the Pros follow the Spawn as it occurs across America. Most of the other Big Tournaments don't do such a thing, due to be more condensed to a general area of lakes.

I'm not a Pro by no means at all, but if I could fish on the main Pro circuit and fish Spawning water or Pre-Spawn for that matter I feel I could get a check of some type.

Might take some hits for my opinion, but that's just it, my opinion only as I see how the Pro Circuit is run.

I felt the removal of co-anglers was a slap in the face to the B.A.S.S. members that built this organization. The Pro's have started believing the hype of how great they are. I didn't care about how co-anglers take their spots or whatever because they are fortunate enough to be fishing for a living while many up and comers would fish this series without any gripes or complaints. It's their choice to fish as a Pro deal with it!

The new deal seems like a good deal to me if your fortunate enough to get with a good guy. If not that would be a long event. Can you leave?:) I do see a potential problem of rule interpretation by a Marshal. Are they going to screen you as to how intelligent you are? I mean what's the standard?

This will last until the first pro, who acts like a jerk and enteres the "gray area", gets tossed by a guy he treats like crap during the event reporting him. I would think they should be able to remember "where they came from" and at least be able to be "professional" enough to what to help others make it as a "Co-angler", especially someone who has been around the game as long as Roland. I guess this all goes back to what has been said on this, and many other forum posts, about how bad "society has gotten and I can't believe how some people act.....". Just goes to show that pro's may not be as good, following the spawns, as they are portrayed or they would welcome competition (and subsequent growth of the sport) instead of stiffleing it to keep out others. I know it makes me think differently of them when I read about certain ones actions and the way they treat people in the boat with them.

Rob Appleby
502-689-5528

if you look at the dates of the tourneys and when they are held, there are very few spawning tournaments . usualy pre and post spawn tournaments.

[quote=MsgMills;344267]This has got to be one of the biggest jokes to happen to Professional fishing. Watch and see if their membership doesn't drop over this action. I already dropped mine, but it was due to another issue. My main concern over the Professional Tournaments vs. the other circuits is that the Pros follow the Spawn as it occurs across America. Most of the other Big Tournaments don't do such a thing, due to be more condensed to a general area of lakes.

I'm not a Pro by no means at all, but if I could fish on the main Pro circuit and fish Spawning water or Pre-Spawn for that matter I feel I could get a check of some type.

Might take some hits for my opinion, but that's just it, my opinion only as I see how the Pro Circuit is run.[/quote]

Are you talking about the Elite Series this year?? They didn't have any spawn tournaments this year. 90% of them were post-spawn The only one you may consider a spawn tournment would have been the Kissimmee Chain and that was only a few spawners here and there. They didn't start the season until March and their first two tournaments were in Florida. The spawn is well over by then. Same goes with the two Texas Tournaments.