Keith Nighswonger's Brush Pile

Those who have followed the Brush Pile for a while have noticed the change in tone of this column.  The author is experiencing his own, personal Renaissance.  Once writing solely for the pure love of fishing, the Brush Pile has evolved, so to speak, into a fan's perspective, (this fan,) of what is right and what is wrong with professional bass fishing today.  

With my unique forum, I have the privilege and the responsibility to write the things, that many insiders in the world of Bass Fishing want you to know, but couldn't dare say themselves.  I write the truth as I understand it, and my approach is such, based on the available information.  Right or wrong, the Brush Pile is opinion, love it or hate it, just make sure not to miss it.  To sound off  click here.

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3/08/06 Gerry, Where's My Read Letters?-This is a test.  Darn, that "dog-gone" read letter function simply isn't working.  Everybody knows that if you want it "read," then you better say it in "red."  I took all of the necessary steps, sold my sole to the mailing list, but still, no love.  If I don't get my red letters, how will I stand out?  How will I maintain my status?  My identity?

It's all about the attention.  If I don't have red letters, I won't draw attention to myself.  I will blend back into the pack, I'll be just another anonymous person, with nothing that makes me stand out.  Gerry where's my red letters?

How will I gain head lines Gerry?  How will I attract attention?  Who will care about me?  How will I get my love, my props, my chee? Gerry, I want people to know that I am special, GIVE ME MY RED LETTERS GERRY!  

What if? (Gulp,) what if the cameras won't follow me anymore?  What then?  Why, why if I don't get my red letters Gerry, don't you see, I will have to rely on my sub par writing skills to generate interest.  People will only read my posts if I'm good, Gerry don't do this to me!

OK, I know how to play this game.  Jerry, if I don't get my red letters, then I become yesterday's news.  If I have to rely on my fishing, then I become last week's news.  No red letters, eh, Jerry?  I'll show you.  I will create the news, I will be the news.  I'll create such a stir that you will lose sleep at night dreading the thought of not having a camera on me.  You'll want to put a camera on me 24-7.  You'll want to film me doing my tackle at night.  I'll make other anglers mad at you, because you always follow me.  Yes, I will be the show.  When guys come in with 70 pound limits this week, I will still be the story, I will make my own red letters Jerry.

Gerry, I'm only asking for some simple red letters.  Thank you!-Keith

3/05/06 New World Record-How ironic that Bass Center Host, Byron Velvick was "sighing with relief" that his world record for a three day bass tournament of 83.05 was still intact after the Bassmaster Classic was held on Lake Toho last week during the major portion of the sight fishing season.  Apparently unknown to Velvick and others is that Friday, the day before, on Lake Amistad in Southwestern Texas,  the Texas Federation State Championship had just been completed and Trent Huckaby, a West Texas Rancher and journeyman tournament angler had just put the lid on not only the Texas State Championship, but a new world record for a three day tournament.  Huckaby caught five fish limits of  32.60, 29.94 and 23.15 in route to a three day total of  85.69.

The Texas State Championship format is throw back format to "the good old days," when anglers went toe to toe in the same boat.  "Each angler was supposed to have control of the boat for half of the day.  I had three partners who allowed me to fish my fish, so I suppose that I was fortunate," stated a modest Huckaby.

Huckaby is no rookie to tournament competition.  He has fished BFL's, Texas Trail's and Stren Series events since 2000, as well as several Open and Invitational events on the BASS side sinc 1989.  Huckaby's catch must be regarded as a world record, the fish were weighed on certified scales, and observed by the very backbone of the bass fishing system, the Federation.  There is always so much attention paid to the pro events, with cameras and media there to cover the cast by cast action.  It figures that the record would be broken in a Federation event.  However, the record was still broken, and just as the record for Largemouth Bass, which  most likely will be broken by someone sitting by a pond soaking a night crawler,  the record for biggest three day total, has been shattered.

Huckaby needs to enjoy his notoriety quickly because the Bass Elite Series will be at Lake Amistad next week.

3/04/06 The Fuzzy-Today's picture of George Jeane Jr. has some paint effects applied, for no other reason than I thought I would see how it looked.  I saw this trick in magazine one time, where effects were used to block off the name of a company that someone didn't want you to see.  I thought is was kind of a silly thing for the magazine to do until I saw it done on a television show as well, NO IT WASN'T ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF SHOWS, it was a fishing show.  Anyway, I don't like it, I think it takes away from the moment, and I think it makes ProBassAnglers.com look kind of like of second rate publication.  At least I didn't use masking tape.

Robert Townsend-Be sure to check out The Stump, our newest editorial column.  Robert Townsend is an ex military, Federation member with a lot of things to say.  I finally got tired of him hammering me all the time, and suggested he write his own damn column, and he took me up on it.  He has a lot of insight on the Federation and plans to sound off issues that affect the common angler.   He has a razor's edge and he does his homework, unlike some other columnists. 

3/02/06 In The Interest Of Being Fair-It needs to be pointed out that FLW makes a practice of mentioning angler accomplishments throughout that angler's entire career, not just his FLW career.  BASS apparently doesn't do their homework, as some of you accuse me.  Luke Clausen, (pictured in his Triton jersey from a year ago on the Bassmaster web site,) was introduced as winning  $145,000.00 throughout his career at the Classic, when of course he has won a significantly larger amount in reality, ($577,000.00 from FLW.)  The FLW web site recently introduced Clausen as the youngest pro to eclipse the million dollar in earnings mark and also as the Bassmaster Classic Champion. 

The games some people play. 

A Good Read If you are anything at all like me, (I pity you,) then you enjoy a good on the water with a pro story.  BassZone's Dru Smith posted this today, click here.  

3/01/06 Mike Ike....In what most assuredly won't be the last we hear of it, the fall out over Mike Iaconelli's melt down has begun.  It was announced yesterday that Ranger has dropped Mike Iaconelli from it's professional team.  According to BassFan.com, Randy Hopper, the President of Ranger Boats made a statement that essentially withdrew Ranger's sponsorship of Iaconelli based on Mike's conduct at the Classic.

OK, fine, all is fair in love, war and bass fishing however, I can't help but wonder if there are other factors at work here.  Oh, don't get me wrong, Iaconelli made a "bass" out of himself, which cannot be denied.  But still, with the present landscape of our sport, isn't it just a little ironic that Ranger is the FLW Tour's boat, while Mike Iaconelli is a BASS Elite Series Pro?  All I want to know is did Mike's commitment to the BASS Elite Series, make the Ranger decision a little easier?

Do you see the politics here?  The present landscape was created by the tournament organizations.  In the last year or so we have seen Greg Hackney, and Aaron Martens both solid Ranger guys, slide over to Triton, while we have seen Luke Clausen, who ironically won the FLW Tour Championship as a Triton/Mercury Pro cross over to Ranger/Yamaha, (and win the Classic,) and of course Ron Shuffield, a former Triton/Mercury Pro, has announced that he will be a Ranger/Yamaha Pro from this point on as he is going to fish FLW and not BASS.  

With pros having to decide which tour to fish based on the boat they drive, or the truck they pull their boat with, credibility in each tour is compromised.  How can either organization claim a World Champion, when they are both so hell-bent on pushing their sponsor's pros to the forefront?  Do you know who Bassmaster.com has featured on their web site today?  Preston Clark!  Preston Clark, (Triton/Mercury,) who I think the world of, having met him this past week, however, he is the guy who didn't win, but  "Did Just Fine, Too!"  Both organizations are too deep into their sponsors and the fans suffer.  I will say this, BASS at least allowed Luke Clausen to represent his bread and butter.  BASS didn't break out the making tape or use "fuzzy photography,"  I'm sure Toyota didn't want to see Chevy on stage all three days.

Mike Iaconelli messed up, not only did he give his boat sponsor a reason to drop him, he also talked trash on the company (Triton,) that would likely have picked him up.  However, that being said, in this era of boat company-tournament organization alignment.  It is easy to see where politics could have entered the decision making process to drop Ike from Ranger.  The "We are a family oriented business," statement gets lost in the fog of boat company-tournament organization politics.  I invite YOUR comment.

2/27/06 My Final Thoughts On This Year's Classic....Luke Clausen gets the job done, and the start of what will surely be a new era in Bass Fishing gets under way.  New trails, new formats, bigger events, more opportunities, there is no looking back now.  As I leave Florida and have a chance to reflect on what I just experienced, there are a few thoughts that come to mind...

• Congratulations to BASS and everybody involved in putting together a very exciting event.  Yes, that arena was full on Classic Sunday, standing room only.   I couldn't begin to estimate how many people were there, but if you can come up with the capacity for the crowd, I will say it was filled.  To any  who might think that folks won't come out to a Bassmaster Classic anymore, you were wrong.   
• Call it luck, call it fate, throw out which ever cliché you would like to use, my experience as Luke Clausen's observer on day two is one that I will not forget.  In an era where showmanship, controversy and tantrums seem to be the style of the hour, Clausen's demeanor on the water reminded me so much of a young Denny Brauer or Larry Nixon.  When Luke landed that near six pounder on his third cast of day two, he didn't scream, he didn't roll over on his back, and he certainly didn't break dance.  He simply uttered "Yes!  That's the way to start the day," and he went back to work.  Watching Luke systematically pick apart and dissect each patch of lily pads, it occurred to me how very little luck actually played in his victory.  If anything, the bass that broke Luke's line on day two was lucky.  The rest of the competitors were lucky that Luke missed a couple of good fish that day or else we might have been able to go home a day early.
• Mind boggling.  The only way to describe JM Media's attention to detail in their broad cast preparation.  If you followed the Classic via the web, you had access to some pretty good up to the minute details of who was catching them and who was not.  In the booth I was able to look how they coordinated catches, locations and angler movement.  The technology is impressive, but how these guys use the technology is even more impressive.  It was announced in the daily classic shows which of the Kiss Chain's lakes surrendered the most fish.  JM was able to capture this information with their BASS Tech GPS systems.  It was announced today at the weigh in that BASS uses this GPS information to return every fish, not just back to the launch site in Toho, not just back to some isolated stretch somewhere in the Chain, not even to the actual lakes they were caught in, but back to the actual GPS coordinates where they were caught.  Personally, to me that is going way beyond the call of duty.
• I saw two lure innovations that impressed me at the Classic show this week.  Neither of these companies advertise with me, but I would like them too.  I got to witness up close and personal, Mann's new "Hard Nose" line of plastic baits.  The "Hard Nose" portion of the bait refer to the head or front section of the worm where the hook is inserted and where the weight comes in contact the plastic worm.  Time and time again, Luke Clausen pulled that Hard Nose worm through the clumps of lily pads, crashing the weight and head of the worm he was using into the stocks that anchor the pads to the bottom.  Luke explained the hard portion of the plastic was crucial for him, because to use a regular plastic worm, would be to have the plastic continuously pulled down as the bait passed through the thick stuff.  I also saw the new Florida Rig tungsten weights from Tru Tungsten.  The weights feature the familiar screw to hold the weight to the plastic lure while you work a bait through thick cover, however the Tur Tungsten weight features a nickel titanium spring, (memory alloy,) that stretches, bends and always returns to it's original shape.  The advantages to this weight were obvious to me, the flex of the ni-ti spring, will allow the bait to swing when fight a fish, making it more difficult for that fish to throw the hook.  Also without the nylon shaft that other Florida Rig weights have, there is less chance for a bass to work your line along that edge, damaging the line's strength.
• The Federation, Federation Nation, TBF or what ever we are calling them these days filled in as always.  Down at the boat yard, early in the morning, see the Federation guys all in a row.  This guys do countless, thankless jobs that make this event possible.  Anything from volunteering to be observers, (the top job as far as I am concerned,) tow vehicle drivers, chase boats, (guys who relay film shot from a boat to a waiting helicopter so that JM can begin to edit the afternoon's show, or even the two guys who had to carry the 20 foot wide Mercury banner to make sure it was in the backdrop when BassCenter was on the air.
• Speaking of twenty foot Mercury banners, Yamaha parked about a 27 foot, center consoled, totally wrapped, Yamaha boat right behind where Bass Center's broad cast booth was set up.  This was done very strategically.  They waited until the 5 or 6 hour process of setting up the booth was completed and then they moved the boat right into the back ground, grow up guys.
• Ron Shuffield's grace in the interview room, and on stage, knowing this would be his last Classic, no parting shots, just good old fashion manners.  The same for Larry Nixon, and George Cochran.  No burned bridges, just moving on.
• Florida Bass, and Florida Bass fishing.  It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.  Yikes, these fish move quickly.  I believe that an angler from Florida might learn to make adjustments better than other parts of the country because it seems to me that in Florida, at least this week, that barometer really rises and falls quickly.
• Kevin VanDam is a killer, plain and simple.  He was the only angler to increase his weight each day going 14-02 on day one, 14-15 on day two and 15-07 on day three. VanDam fished the kind of tournament that often results in victory, however he simply didn't have the monster day that several who finished ahead of him had. Clausen (day one 29-06,) Morris (day one 18-07 and day two 18-14,) Shuffield (day one 18-15 and day two 21-00,) and Scroggins, (day two, 28-06.)  In any regular tournament, VanDam wins with this performance.  Bottom line, we came a lot closer to seeing him win his fourth straight pro level event and second straight Classic, then most people realize.

2/20/06 Classic Brushpiles-For the next week or so, Brushpiles will be coming to you from on location at the 2006 Bassmaster Classic, to read "Classic Brushpiles," click here.

2/17/06 Your Cards And Letters-You have been busy lately sending cards and letters, and I must admit to being a little overwhelmed.  Today I thought I would try to address your comments of the BASS/TBF/FLW/Federation/Club/State Presidents/Federation Nation/"To Be Or Not To Be" issues, (opportunities as Irwin Jacobs calls them.)  Click here, and I will try to sort them out!

2/14/06 Mike Ike-Little Marty Stevens was given an assignment over the weekend, and being the fierce little six year old that he is, refused to back down from the challenge.  This drawing of Mike Iaconelli break dancing represents Little Marty's evolution as an artist.  Notice the commentary inserted in the drawing. Notice the lower torso, and finally, notice the shoes!  Oh and by the way, that is not bad for your first attempt at drawing a bass boat!

He still likes to draw his fish with a smile, which I take to mean that he is sticking it to the P.E.T.A. people.  His message, simple:  Bass would rather be caught by people who care about the waters, put back more than they take out and raise awareness to environmental issues.  Yes, little Marty has a lot more going for him than just artistic talent.  

When I talked to Marty about this drawing he shrewdly remarked, "can I have a dollar for this one, it took me a long time."  Now I am getting it from all directions!  If you would like to look at Little Marty's gallery, simply click on the picture-enjoy!

2/12/06 Why Can't We Be Friends-I have been racking my brains, (and that doesn't take much racking,) to figure out what I did to make the good people in the FLW communications office angry with me.  I have complied with the new photo policy, (read here if you want,) I still cover the events, and I still consider FLW Tour events in the criteria of my ProBassAnglers.com Angler Of the Year results, even though it is a major pain in the bass to add up 1st round and championship round weights, so that I can distribute the weight points in my calculations.

I just get the feeling, that the people in that office are somehow angry with me.  The latest thing that makes me feel like you don't love me anymore is the sudden absence of the "self congratulatory" press releases that you used to send me on a daily basis.  I miss the "patting yourself on your own back" messages that I used to get.  At first I thought, maybe the Fuji Film pros weren't getting out to schools to do assemblies any more.  Then I thought, wow, maybe there aren't anymore Chevy Trucks Pro Nights at dealerships along the tournament trail.  I even thought that maybe Walmart wasn't running the live weigh ins anymore for those who can't afford their own internet access.  But then, a curious thing happened.  This week's FLW Tour stop at Lake Murray went down, and I realized that I wasn't getting the FLW Press Release.  It is the same one that BassFan and BassZone gets.  The one that we all have to edit down so it doesn't sound like a commercial, (funny thing about that public, they want their news to sound like .......news, instead of an infomercial.)

I also notice that I am not getting the friendly Monday morning phone calls anymore. (OK, I consider it a phone call when you are returning my call!)    We used to have some really good conversations about the world of bass fishing, and life in general.  But now, that part of my life is a dark void.

I miss the friendly banter, making fun of Jay Kumar and some of the really good inside stories that you used to share with me, in fact, I even started my "Yes, You Did Say That File" and began saving all of my e-mails so that when some of these anonymous sources that come to me with outrageous stories, attempt to deny what they said, I can remind them later on that, "yes, I did in fact, hear it from you."

These are people that I still consider friends, although I get the impression that they don't appreciate my half-bass attempts to bring a little humor, a little satire and a little truth to the wonderful world of bass fishing.  I still for the life of me, can't figure out what I said or did to make you feel this way.  Was it when I said something nice about BASS?  Is it the silly cartoon pictures of anglers? (What I am going to do, tell Little Marty Stevens, age 6 that he is fired?)  Or is it that you now consider me some kind of competition and the FLW policy on competition is to crush it like a bug?  Well, I guess you can just call me the Caw-caw-rowsh from now on, although, that might be a slight improvement from what you have been calling me, yeah, I heard about the Keith Nighswonger dart board in the coffee room!  (By the way, Caw-Caw-Rowsh sounds best if you think about Al Pachino in Scar Face when you say it.)

But I won't stop loving you!  You'll see.  Someone will screw up.  Something will happen that will take you out of my spotlight.  BASS will change some rules again, maybe blame Gary Klein for one of their mistakes.  Perhaps some pro anglers will appear nude in a TV commercial, or maybe Evinrude will bring back the thong!  Maybe your organization will do something really terrific like showing anglers how to market themselves, or bring in health coverage for your tour pros.  Yes, I can see it now, your organization will establish a pension plan for these anglers!  Or how about this, you take all of the money from the early deposits and early entry fees that anglers pay to get on your tour, so many months in advance of the event, invest it in some kind of growth venture, I think Irwin knows something about doing this, and provide these guys with larger pay backs, or maybe even yearly salaries, at least for the guys who are on your sponsor's teams!!!  Oh, that would be cool.  You would get a lot of love from me for that guys!

But for crying out loud, I hope I hear about it.  Without those press releases, I'm left to make up the news for myself.  Can't we please, still be friends?

2/10/06 Bass Club Politics-I must admit that I have become bowled over by the federation issue.  FN, (Federation Nation,) TBF, (The Bass Federation,) BASS, FLW, BassFan?  I simply cannot keep up.  What I do know is that there is a pool of anglers, as many as 45,000 that consider themselves to be Federation Anglers in some respect of the word, and I would guess, probably another 30,000 or so who belong to various bass fishing clubs not affiliated with "The Federation,"  probably another 50,000 or so who fish buddy or team events, and then there are those guys who just plain like to fish for bass.   

In the last week alone, I have received e-mails from frustrated federation anglers from Maine, Ohio, Utah, Colorado and Wisconsin each presenting their own version of the same melt down that seems to be going on all over the country.

Internet boards of course are jam-packed with posts about various issues pertaining to the federation, and it is the same story, lots of confusion, very little direction.

This is turmoil, and I apologize for not understanding the issues any longer, it's just that for every state, it seems the issue is different.  I simply cannot keep up with the 40 to 50 directions this thing seems to be going.  I love the conversations that I have with federation anglers from across the country, but I admit, I don't understand.

Here is what I think is at the root of all of the problems.  Simply poor communication, and before you say "yeah, that's what we have been saying all along....." let me just remind you that when you point your finger at someone with a complaint, four of your fingers are pointing right back at you, (at least three fingers are, that thumb really messes things up sometimes.)  The way I see it, those on the side that are saying, "BASS never communicated with us," may not have ever really made it clear what they wanted to know to begin with.  Those state presidents who went to Florida to cast votes may not have clearly communicated with the constituents they represent, the bass clubs themselves.  Wait just a minute.  The bass clubs themselves may not have been clear enough with the state presidents, when they gave the presidents the OK to go to Florida and cast a vote.  The individual members of the individual clubs may not have made their individual points of view clear to the clubs presidents and so on.

I used to belong to a federation chapter in Southern California.  I joined up because I wanted to fish tournaments.  I must admit that the club was run by a faction of long time members who, when they decided to go into an "executive session" would often come out with new rules, new partner pairings, and  sometimes the lake we were going to fish got "changed" at the last minute for any number of reasons, but that was life in the club.

One of the comments that I have made from the first moment I became an observer of this entire ordeal is that the whole think smacks of bass club politics, at least the kind that I am familiar with.  From the top on down to the individual club member we are all guilty of not communicating.  But here is where it gets complicated.  In every bass club I was ever in, we never, that I can recall, voted unanimously on anything.  It was always a 12 to 10 vote, or a 17-5 vote or a 13-9 vote, the point being that when it came to voting, the club was never going to please everyone.  

So, here we are.  TBF-FLW?  BASS-Federation Nation?  State federations melting down, divided by votes, divided any way you look at it.  I don't buy the divide an conquer theory, as I have said, this demographic, if in tact, is still the strongest demographic that we have in bass fishing.  No organization in it's right mind would seek to divide this if it could have it in tact.  It is simply the unraveling of a group, no group is not an accurate word to describe the federation, "federation" is probably the best word to describe it.  It is the unraveling of a federation that suddenly has choices where it never has had them before, and it is unfortunate that the collective voice of this federation is now divided.   

It sort of gives you an even greater appreciation for what the founding fathers of this country were able to accomplish, they however did not have a choice.  Their decision was simple, band together against the King and be free, or submit to being under a ridiculous mercantilistic system that would surely stifle the colonies.  

The states of course banded together to fight the tyranny, however the real issues were suppressed.  We got our revolution, we won our own independence, the United States was now united.......at least for 50 years or so, because as you are well aware, we didn't solve the issues that would divide us just half a century later.

The present federation issues are deep rooted.  Distrust, jealousy, knee-jerk reactions, factions, surprise back room decisions and lots of drama...................................................................It really does sort of sound like my old bass club.

2/08/06 How The West Was Lost...-I may not be the person who is most in tune with his own home region but I have been reading e-mails and making observations lately that are a little troubling regarding the part of the country where I live.  Since everything we do these days seems tied to which boat and motor package we run, conspicuously missing in the West are national level events, or at least regional level events tied to a national tour that provides incentives to anglers who run Mercury outboards and or run Triton Boats.  Wow Nighswonger, why would you single those two companies out, why not the other ones?

Answering my own question, (you have to do that when you talk to yourself, because if I'm not talking to me, then loneliness will surely set in.)  BASS is obviously tied to both Mercury and Triton, and has decided, at least for the time being, not to venture West, after having given it a go since 1997.

To this point, Mercury has been the strongest outboard line in the Western United States, and the West has certainly helped drive Mercury's national sales over the last three or more decades.  Marine dealers like Anglers Marine in Anaheim, California, Nixon Marine in Wala Wala, Washington, AIM Marine in Lakeside, California, and Tempe Marine in Tempe, Arizona as well as countless other shops have built Mercury's sales and position as the nation's top outboard company. 

That however can change.  FLW has committed tremendous resources to it's Stren Series in the West and was rewarded recently when over 250 boaters signed up to fish the first Western Stren Series event at Lake Havasu.  At the heart of the Stren Series are some serous incentives that grab the attention of every red blooded bass angler, who is willing to fling his or her hat into the ring.  Consider this, in addition to the "Ranger Cup," a series of incentives paid back to owners of Ranger Boats, there are also Yamaha and Evinrude "Contingency Awards" available to the owners of those motor packages.  All said, the amount of money available to the angler who runs a Ranger-Evinrude package is significant.

Once again, I will try to walk you through the logic here:  If I am going to buy a bass boat, I must at least entertain the fantasy that I will compete in bass fishing events at some level, whether I ever do or not.  The bass boat is too specialized to really work effectively in any other type of fishing.  That being said, it is amazing that a single bass boat is ever sold, but they are.  Hundreds of us believe, hope, dream and fantasize that we will fish competitively, at some level.  So we shell out big time!  Now, if I am going to purchase this boat, which will take me 15 years or so to pay off, won't I look really carefully at which boat and motor package afford me the best opportunity to play this game?  Won't I consider the incentives found in the FLW Stren Series as part of my boat purchasing decision?  Even if deep in my heart, I know I will not compete at that level?  YES.

OK, what other option do I have?  Well there is that Triton company, with at least seven new dealerships in the Southwest alone, and I have heard good things about Mercury outboards.  OK, but what about the love?  Where is the national tournament organization that is supporting the regional angler who hopes to make a run at the Elite level some day?  Can I honestly expect to have a shot at the national spot light fishing out of a Triton/Mercury package, coming out of the West?

This is where it gets tough.  At least seven boat dealerships have signed up to sell Tritons in the last couple of years.  Triton is heavily advertised, and generally well marketed........to the rest of the country.  Out West, it's a ghost town.  These boat dealerships will, if un-watered, (unsupported,) dry up like so many Western tumble weeds and simply blow away.  Does a boat or motor company need a nationally recognized tournament trail to be successful regionally?  No, not really.  Regional trails are supportive of individual dealerships.  However, when the stakes are as high as they are in Triton-Ranger wars, or the Mercury-Yamaha/Evinrude wars, yeah, it makes a difference.  When the national tournament associations are battling it out for supremacy it matters.  It just might be "How The West Was Lost."

2/01/06 The PAA After One Year-March marks the one year anniversary of the reemergence of the Professional Angler Association, the angler advocacy group, sometimes thought of as "that pain in the BASS that keeps making us change our rules."  To grade the PAA on it's progress over this first year, I spent some time going over some of the more impressive changes that I have witnessed this year and I have evaluated whether or not these changes would have occurred had the PAA not been in existence.  The list of things that come to mind have PAA influence written all over it.  While we may never know for sure where an original thought came from, it also occurs to me that "who cares where that original thought came from, as long as the thought came along and was acted upon.  

The following list of changes that I see in the sport, have I believe, a heavy dose of PAA influence within it.  If you can come up with more changes, that I forget to mention, be sure to "let me have it!"

• FLW Series-While it is doubtful that Irwin Jacobs would consent to any venture that did not provide increased value for his companies, never the less, he still brought the new series to our attention after a series of meetings held over four days, by two of the PAA's most respected members, Jay Yelas and Mark Davis.  The result, 200 new spots on a major tour for pro anglers, who in the wake of changes at BASS, were left "high and dry," unqualified for the FLW Tour and because of the extreme time involved, expense or sponsor commitments, unable to fish the BASS Elite Series.
• BASS Elite Series-While not endorsing the Elite Series, a number of BASS Elite Series rules are consistent with goals of the PAA.  One must believe that concepts such as "smaller fields," and "the ability to use an angler's own equipment, such as his boat and motor, over a longer course of the tournament," is clear evidence of the PAA's influence.  Another obvious PAA influenced concept is the idea that there should continue to be, "no entry fee," events, and the Bassmaster Majors fit that goal as well.
• Angler Education-While BASS has received a great deal of praise in this column, well deserved by the way, for it's recent commitment to helping anglers understand the business side of fishing, it should be noted that the PAA has from it's inception, promoted the concept of helping anglers learn to be better in the business arena.  The PAA's Angler Curriculum, available on it's web site, read here, helps anglers with everything from seminar presentation to contacting sponsors.
• More Fish Initiative-While perhaps something that will be noticed in it's second or even third year, the "More Fish Initiative" is a movement that the PAA is involved with in which it has partnered with several major companies in an attempt to raise one hundred million dollars towards the building of fish habitat all around the United States.

No doubt there are other aspects of the PAA's influence that can be pulled out of the structure of today's bass tours, and the bass scene in general.  The fact that we have not seen an announced tour or even received notice of exact dates of PAA events yet, is only a testimony of how slow things work in the building of corporate relationships.  There is however no doubt that no move is made by either of the major tournament organizations without considering what the position of the PAA would be on the particular matter.

It has been a fast year, with possibly more changes to the landscape than any other year on record.  Looking over the changes, the PAA's influence is clearly noted.  Change for the better is change for the better, it doesn't really matter where that change came from, as long as it came.  2006 will be the best year ever for those who wish to make their livings as professional anglers and the PAA's influence is at the heart of each matter.

1/30/06 Thank You BassFan.com-for keeping tournament results archived so people who want to check pay backs from events that are now mysteriously missing from "other web sites" may do so.

Simply Calling It As I See It-It is amazing at how fast the bass fishing landscape can change.  Last night, I spent the better part of an hour reading Brush Piles from this past Summer through Fall, and man did I slam BASS, and man, did FLW fly through all of that turbulence without so much as a bump.  I recall thinking, geez Nighswonger, FLW just must be about perfect because, around every corner, I found something else that bothered me about the way BASS and ESPN had blundered through several issues.  Through it all, for FLW, it was business as usual.

I recall the pressure that was placed on BASS whenever FLW raised it's payouts, while keeping it's entry fees well below what those Elite Series events were going to cost.  $10,000.00 paid out down to 50th place in an FLW Tour event, when on the BASS Tour a 50th place finish most likely paid below the profit line.  I recall when Irwin Jacobs remarked "no comment" when I asked him if FLW would soon announce the world's 1st  one million dollar first place prize in a professional bass tournament on my radio show.  Three days later, he made that announcement at the FLW Championship in Arkansas.  BASS was taking a beating.  There was of course the first day that deposits were taken for the Elite Series, and Skeet Reese was the first to sign up.  Two weeks later, it was still the Skeet Reese only tour.  Then FLW went for the kill, seeing a demand for tour level events with a more reasonable price tag, FLW announced the FLW Series, and word spread that anglers were flocking to the new series in droves.  Along with the new series came "them fightin words" aimed at Ray Scott and others associated with BASS, not to mention some nasty parting shots aimed at some of the anglers who had been FLW only, and had enjoyed FLW sponsorships and now wanted to fish the BASS Elite Series in addition to the FLW Tour.  FLW seemed to be going in for the knock out, while BASS seemed to be on the ropes.

And then a curious thing happened.  The Elite Series filled.  To this day, I don't know for sure that anybody knew for sure that it would, (oh they'll tell you they knew it would......... sure.)  But fill up it did.  When Kevin Van Dam and Tim Horton signed on, the collective sigh of relief could be felt from sea to shinning sea.

And then another curious thing happened.  BASS has made good on its promises to help anglers reach professional status in more ways than just their fishing.  The new BASS Classes have been well received by literally every angler that attended them.  Anglers are being taught how to pursue their own big money contracts and in many instances are being helped behind the scenes with demographic information, letters of recommendation and are even being helped with their power point presentations by the people who have put together BASS Class.  But you have only heard about this here.  Why?  Because there was no self-congratulatory, "patting ourselves on the back" press release sent out to all of the media agencies.  I discovered these classes because an angler told me about them.  The point being that this behind the scenes stuff was not supposed to be in the media. 

The landscape has just changed again with one of the competing organizations setting a standard and daring the other to follow.  This time however it is BASS that is positioning itself as the industry leader in terms of what it is doing to help it's anglers promote themselves, and in turn the sport of bass fishing.  Suddenly FLW is faced with the cold, hard fact that while their pay backs are good, all they can really offer an angler is a pay back, a standard wage of performance, but not a chance to be an entrepreneur.  BASS, with it's television show format, professional classes and vast resources has created an arena for bass anglers that is unlimited in terms of how a pro can promote himself/herself.  Sure BASS has paybacks at their events, but with BASS today, a savvy pro can negotiate incentives into personal sponsor agreements, such has extra pay for each cut made or television appearance, and I don't buy that "BASS/ESPN has only it's darlings that will get all of the TV time."  BASS, JM and ESPN have made it clear, that the anglers who take the time to polish their presence will get all the time due them, if their fishing performance is equal to the task.  For the first time I am hearing comments like "we understand that our anglers make our tours, and we need to help them," coming out of JM headquarters and BASS.  To FLW I ask, what are you going to do to keep up?

Oh Nighswonger, That's Just Sour Grapes! (Maybe, "I" better call a wambulance!)  There, I saved you having to say that.  In case you don't know, or haven't figured it out yet, FLW recently sent ProBassAnglers.com a rate card and informed us that starting immediately we would have to begin paying for the pictures that we were formally welcomed to capture and use in our web coverage of FLW events.  You know, the pictures that have Kelly Jordon in a Walmart shirt, instead of a Skeeter/Yamaha shirt!  At first, I thought perhaps because I had dared do the unthinkable and actually complimented BASS on something it had done, that I was being punished.  However, after checking with my fellow Bass Media Brethren, I discovered that BassFan.com, and BassZone.com have received similar rate cards via e-mail.

What could FLW be thinking?  I don't know BassFan's or BassZone's monthly impressions or visitor count, but I do know that their numbers must be quite impressive.  I am sure that if you added the numbers from those two sites, not to mention other sites, that the number of impressions generated from non FLW web sites would far out number what FLWoutdoors can produce.  In marketing its events, FLW can count the web traffic generated by other non FLW web sites, and I am sure it will continue to do so, because the numbers are impressive.

So, now FLW wants "competing web sites to purchase the pictures used in the coverage of FLW events?"  THE COVERAGE OF FLW EVENTS?  Hey, FLW, read this slowly:  Don't think of what BassFan and BassZone do as "coverage."  Instead, think of these news web sites as  promoters of your tours, yes promoters.  The news, the coverage that comes from the organization's web site will always be filled with organizational bias.  Your credibility comes from the media that reports the news without bias, without agenda and without having to worry whether it offends some sponsoring company.  In short, the media makes you legit!

Now, I will not speak for the other web sites that promote FLW bass tournaments by providing media coverage, creating legitimacy for your events, but I will speak for myself.  I care deeply for the anglers who fish FLW events, they are some of the best people that I have ever met.  I will continue to cover FLW Tour events, in support of the anglers, but I will not pay to promote FLWoutdoors.

1/26/06 Better Call The Wambulance Part II-A lot has been made recently regarding pros who fish the "less than pro level events," and take spots in big tournaments that could be had by "regular guys."  In 2004, Pennsylvania Pro, Dave Lefebre missed winning the FLW-BFL All American by a scant two ounces.  In recent months we have seen big name pros like Bobby Lane of Florida, fishing the BASS Federation Championship, and South Carolina's Jason Quinn fishing the Bassmaster Series Championship.  Former Classic qualifier, FLW Tour winner and two time All American Champion winner, Jeff Coble of North Carolina just recently claimed a spot in this year's Bassmaster Classic and the $100,000.00 top prize for winning the Bassmaster Series Championship in Florida.

"Big time pros fishing against us little guys?  It's just not fair."  (Note-Coble, while a pro by pedigree, not the dog food company, does not fish the pro tours, saying, in a recent BassFan article, "he just doesn't want to do it.")

Quit your crying.  Here is the point, plain and simple.  If there is a big time reward, be it "dough-ray-me," a Classic spot or FLW Championship spot, your "little guy's" event, isn't, (a little guys event.)  If you have big time prizes on the line, you better check again, it is a big time event.  A spot in the Classic is a spot worth pursuing at any level, a chance at $100,000.00 is to some, worth putting up the with hassle of getting there, besides, it boils down to catching the fish, not who can hit more targets, or drive faster or who has more patches on his shirt.

Where I live in California we have a couple tournament circuits that do not allow anglers who have won money at the professional level to compete in the events.  What is that?  The Easy Money Tour? (EMT)  Are these events for grown men who still have training wheels on their Harley Davidson's?  Are you so intimidated that you only will fish for the money of others who are shaking in their boots also?   I am a big time dough-nater in local team events in Southern California.  We show up on Saturday and Sunday mornings, plunk down our entry fee and go after it.  If Aaron Martens happens to be in town, YEAH, HIS REAL SWEET HOME, Alabama, then we are all just fishing for second place, no big deal.

So why don't all the pros try to qualify for the Classic via the Federation?  Why aren't all the pros signed up for Bassmaster Weekend Series events across the country?  Where was Kelly Jordon when this past weekend's Choo-Choo Division BFL blasted off from Goose Pond Marina? (Don't worry Choo-Choo guys, you didn't miss it, there was no event this past weekend, I was just making a point, you have until February, I checked.)

Answer-the top pros were doing other things.  For a professional angler, making the Classic via the Federation is about the most inefficient way of doing it that you can imagine.  Having to deal with the club politics, the local events, the regional events and finally the national event, is too time consuming, too expensive, and quite frankly not worth the effort for most pro anglers.  It is a road designed to bring club anglers to a higher level.  Qualifying for the Classic via the Bassmaster Weekend Series is also an extremely inefficient way for a pro to make the  Classic.  By the time a pro works his way through the locals, regionals and finally the championship, it makes the angler's other job, competition in Pro Level events, pretty difficult.  So, for the most part, that is why Denny Brauer hasn't been showing up to your club meetings lately.  That is why you haven't been able to draw Larry Nixon as your boating partner at the BFL, and that is why most certainly you won't have to worry about Takihiro Omori "jumping your honey hole" in the next Bassmaster Weekend Series event.

However........if you want professional rewards......and Classic spots, $100,000.00 pay days and television time, certainly constitute professional rewards.  You better be prepared for who shows up.  Big time pros are attracted to big time rewards.  Once you sign up for a big time deal, you better expect a big time field.  If your not ready for this, you might start to get dizzy.  You might start to feel faint.  The excuses are going to stat rising up in your throat........Someone is going to have to call you.............a wambulance.

1/24/06 Our New Policy-The best thing about a policy is that you can always change it.  In fact, you can start a policy and then decide you don't like the way it is going, and then turn it around.  In light of some recent photographic policy changes, an old friend, one that you and happily I, haven't heard from in a long time, weighs in on changes in policy.  click here.

1/23/06 How Can You Do That Nighswonger?-Instant response, I love it.  The ProBassAnglers.com-Angler Of the Year standings have been up for about 5 hours now, and I already have an e-mail accusing me of having a screw loose, (THANKS MOM!) The question is, how can Kelly Jordon, Tommy Biffle, Mark Hardin and Chad Grigsby place higher in the PBA-AOY then they did in the actual event?  At the FLW Okeechobee event, Jordon finished 4th, Biffle 7th, Hardin 6th and Grigsby 9th, yet, as you can read, these anglers are all higher in our standing than in the actual event.

To understand how this could be, one must understand that FLW events zero the weight of the top 10 anglers going into the championship round, where as, BASS events use a cumulative system over four days.  As a result, in FLW events, the strategy is different.  Anglers doing very well on day one, often hold back and "save" fish for the championship round, where as in BASS events, no fish are saved, because the weight is cumulative over the four day event.  FLW events are actually two tournaments in one, with the second tournament, days 3-4, counting for all of the marbles.  Needless to say, strategy in an FLW event is different than that in a BASS event.  Both systems have merit.

Our ProBassAnglers.com criteria scores points for anglers based on the angler's place finish, (the top 25% of an announced field size, the top 50 in FLW events, with 200 entries, and the top 25 in BASS Elite Series events with an announced field size of 100 entries.)  We also award points based on 3 points per fish caught in an event, so 20 fish over four days is equal to 60 points.  Finally, weight points are awarded based on how much weight an angler catches.  Kelly Jordon's four day total at Okeechobee was 59.15, by the way, the biggest weight of the entire event, which gave him several more points for the event (166.15) then the second place angler, Chip Harrision, (121.10.)

With so much prestige riding on every event, with precious PBA-AOY points resting on every fish, every pound, every ounce, with the eyes of the world watching this competition, do we expect that our AOY rules will change the way anglers view that preliminary qualifying round in future FLW competition?????????No. 

1/21/06 Not Hate'n, Appreciate'n-Travis, John, Dominic, Pat and Arthur, thanks for the e-mails but you missed the point of the Thursday's Brush Pile when I wrote that "there is no word on whether Primal Screaming 101 or Break Dancing For Bass Pros" would be part of the curriculum of BASS' new BASS Class seminars.  

"Why must you media guys continue to bash Ike?" Was the theme of at least five e-mails that I received in response to my latest Pile.

Clearly you guys must be Brush Pile Rookies, (BPR's) otherwise you would know that ProBassAnglers.com published Iaconelli's ProTourJournal back during the 2003 Bassmaster Classic.

You might also recall that several months back I made the point that in my household, I have a nine year old who is a fishing machine that would also rather fish than breathe or eat. When it is his turn on the television, he chooses to watch fishing shows.  I also have a seven year old who likes to fish, however he likes to play computer games and do other things.  He is not that interested in watching fishing on television, he is actually quite indifferent to it.  That is until Mike Iaconelli catches a fish.  When Ike catches a fish on television and let's out that primal scream, Mr. Seven Year Old comes bolting down the hallway to observe the oddity and stays riveted as long as Ike is on the show.  There is just something about Ike that captures that seven year old's attention, and for that, Ike, I am thankful.  Don't change.

Heaven help you if you decide to pull into a stretch of water where Iaconelli is fishing.  You can't see him, but you can hear him every time he puts one in the boat.  That has to start to bother competitors, especially when they are not catching the fish very well.  Do you think Iaconelli ever just let's out a scream when he isn't catching fish, just to make those around him, think he is?

Travis, John, Dominic, Pat and Arthur, thanks for the e-mails, but I am a big fan of Mike Iaconelli, I thinks he brings flavor to the sport, he is colorful, and we eat it up with a spoon.

Artist Rendition? You might have noticed the "artist rendition" on the front page of ProBassAnglers.com today.  FLW has decided not to allow the free capture of photographs from it's web site at least to ProBassAnglers.com and sent a "Rates Sheet" to us yesterday.  Not wishing to over spend our budget, we have hired 6 year old Marty Davis from the Millwood Elementary Art Department to create artist renderings to replace the photographs we have used in the past.

1/20/06 Credit Where Credit Is Due-OK clowns, get your "he's just a BASS honk" e-mails and bulletin board posts ready, because here I go.  Nobody has been more critical of the way BASS has handled events during recent months and over the last tour season, than I have, (well, OK, a couple of you have been way off the board lately.)  I have been out spoken in my R.A.N.T.s and have complained of the way some anglers have been treated.  It is time to give credit, where credit is due.  The story, broken here yesterday, regarding the angler seminars being conducted by BASS and JMOutdoorsMedia is the step that I have been looking for from the tournament organizations. BASS Class represents a turning of the corner by a major tournament organization. I believe that BASS is poised to set itself apart from all of the others in terms of what it now is doing for it's Elite Series anglers.

I have complained for some time now that tournament paybacks are somewhat tainted, because in the end, the expense of entries, travel, lodging, meals and oh yeah, the overall cost of fishing begins to drain even a $10,000 payback.  These pros are paying mind boggling entry fees, and even if a guy manages to net, (pardon the pun,) $6,000.00 or $7,000.00 per month, that is hard earned, fast spent money.

BASS Class is going to provide anglers with something they desperately need: Training.  A lot of the anglers fishing know how to ask a company to provide a few jigs and spinner baits, but how many of these anglers know how to approach a major non-endemic to ask for NASCAR money?  I have been told by George McNeely, the Director of Communications for BASS, and now by Steve Bowman of JM Medias, that this first seminar represents the first of a series that anglers will have the opportunity to participate in.  An entire curriculum is planned to take place throughout the year, designed to help anglers market themselves better.

Curious to me is the fact that this has been kept on the "down low," by both JM and BASS.   "We didn't want this to be a media event," noted Bowman.  "Jerry and BASS wanted to provide this for the Elite Series anglers as a way of showing our commitment to them."  Strangely missing from all of this is the infamous PR.  As so often is the case in this business, press releases (those infamous PR's) and patting one's self on the back did not accompany this which to me lends even more credibility to the story.

For the first time that I can remember, the angler is being brought along as more of a partner in this "growing of the sport," as well they should be, because without the anglers, we really don't have a sport.  Schooling, polishing, and helping and angler create a brand for himself/herself is what this sport, perhaps still in it's infancy in terms of where it is going, really needs.  As so often happens in the sport of Professional Bass Fishing, one organization makes a bold move, such as offering paybacks of $10,000.00 down to 50th place, which forces the other organization to match the bold move.  Here is hope that other organizations will follow suit, finding ways to teach their anglers how to better market themselves in the future.

As of this writing, JM says that it has 25 of it's Elite Series anglers signed up for the first seminar.  I can think of a lot anglers that this will benefit, I hope they take full advantage.

As I mentioned yesterday, somewhere along the way, let's bring some of the major non-endemics in and show them what wonderful, articulate spokes people classes like BASS Class have created.  I can see where this can go from here, and it looks very positive.  It is time to give credit where credit is due.

1/19/06 Continuing Education-As the bulletin at the top of the Brush Pile says, I am here to say the things that others won't or don't.  When anglers whisper questions to me, concerns or just plain news, I start my digging.  Yesterday it was brought to my attention that BASS would be conducting a seminar in Arkansas for it's Elite Series Anglers.  According to my source, the seminar would provide anglers with information on how to market themselves to potential sponsors, and I was intrigued by the idea that a professional tournament organization would commit the resources towards helping their anglers become, well, PROFESSIONAL!

Wanting to check the source and to find out more, I contacted BASS Head Quarters and was placed in contact with George McNeely, the Director of Communications for BASS as well as ESPN's new NASCAR commitment.   McNeely confirmed what my source had told me, and provided the following bits of information:

The seminar is actually going to be the first part of an ongoing course of classes for Elite Series Pros called "BASS Class."   BASS Class represents BASS/ESPN's promised support for anglers who are plunking down $55,000.00 to fish the 11 event series this year.

The first class or seminar, takes place in early February in Arkansas and will help anglers better equip themselves to deal with television.  "One of the complaints most often heard is that the same anglers make the TV show all the time, and while TV time is performance based, the cameras do tend to play to those who are the most polished, and make for the best programming," noted McNeely.  "Our first BASS Class is an attempt to help anglers learn what they need to make themselves presentable and marketable in front of the camera, and we think that those anglers who take advantage of this opportunity will benefit a great deal."  There was no word on whether "Primal Screaming 101" or "Break Dancing For Bass Pros" would be part of the curriculum.  

McNeely went on to say that things like, how to work in your sponsor's products, how to present yourself in a professional manner and how to promote yourself through the lens would be part of this first BASS Class seminar.

McNeely also announced that a second BASS Class would be held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic in late February.  This second seminar would be designed to help anglers learn how to better market themselves through the media.  "Working with the media represents free advertising for sponsors, and an opportunity to promote yourself as well as those who pay your way.  "Some anglers are very, very good at this already, however many are not.  We have 110 Elite Series anglers and we want to try and help them market themselves, we are keeping our promises," noted McNeely.

Keeping promises.  What a refreshing thing to hear.  Back in December BASS invited anglers to attend Disney's "Executive Experience" which was a "mingling event," that put bass pros and business pros in a boat together and later in a seminar room together.  I applauded that event just as I applaud BASS Class.  I have been pounding for some time that these guys, (tour anglers,) need some kind of help on how they can better market themselves, because guys are going to die without this help.

Suddenly, this entire Elite Series deal takes on a different meaning.  Suddenly, the $55,000.00 plus another $30,000.00 takes on a different shape.  Let me put this thought in your minds.  When you reach a point in your profession where you cannot grow any more without a degree, what do you do?  You go back to school.  Perhaps you need a BA, a College Degree.  Maybe you have milked your undergraduate degree about as far as it will take you, and now it's time for a Masters?  We all see the value of more education, in terms of the dollars and cents that it adds up to.  What did you pay for your College or Master's Degree?  In today's dollars it would be about $80,000.00 to $90,000.00, (depending on where you go, I know, I know you can get your degree on line for $150.00 a unit.)

In the future, I would like to see job fairs, just as a university puts it's graduates in touch with the business world.  I am starting to believe that this will happen.  

It is time we woke up to the fact that Bass Fishing isn't about going out in a boat and seeing how much beer you can drink.  It is a professional sport with some serious money involved.  The unestablished pros who have committed to this series are taking a big chance financially.  However, as more and more resources are made available to anglers, as the organization offers chances to learn about marketing, and most important, if the anglers take advantage of these classes, (nothing is ever guaranteed, even the highest college degree in the land does not guarantee you a fortune, education will always be about what you do with it,) we can begin to see how this Elite Series becomes more than just another tournament trail, it becomes more than just more fishing events, it becomes a Master's Degree on mastering the industry......Continuing education.

Florida Bass Adventures-Steve Boyd's guide service, Steve being the guide that provided such an awesome experience for my family when we were in Florida recently, can be reached through his web site,  http://orlandobassguide.com/

1/18/06 DOUGH!-Nice job Nighswonger, you ink the guy that so many people say is going to have a break out year to do the radio show and then you blow it!  My appologies to Steve Kennedy as well as those of you who tuned in to listen last night.  We had a few problems which I am to blame for, and couldn't pipe my audio through.  Yeah I fumbled.  We will try to get Steve back sometime soon.

Solid!-Congratulations to BASS on landing one of the more worthy sponsors that I have ever seen involved in the sport.  Theragenics Corporation is a leading provider of a device for a therapeutic process called "Brachytherapy," which is involved in the treatment of prostate cancer.  The device, which provides a "seeding process," represents a "minimally invasive treatment" for prostate cancer patients.  We have seen some "interesting" companies introduced to the sport in recent years, however Theragenics represents a company that is so far off the beaten, traditional path, yet it's products hold such an important use for all people, not just those who fish.

BASS has taken some ribbing, teasing and down right heat in this column in the past for lowering standards in the pursuit of M.O.N.E.Y. (is there such a thing as lowering your standards for money?)   I think it only fair that they be congratulated on this new partnership.  Do you see?  There are lots of non endemics out there that just perfect for the kind of people who love the outdoors and love to fish.   There are plenty of companies out there who we wouldn't have to worry about when the commercial comes on the TV Saturday morning, with little children in the room.  Congratualtions BASS and congratulations Theragenics, welcome to our world.

1/16/06 Observations-Having spent the last several days in Florida, where by the way, I couldn't find a wireless signal to save my life, (lucky for you,) I have these observations to make about the sunshine state, BASS, The Federation, and generally the bass fishing planet.

• I knew I was in the right place when I pulled out of Orlando International Airport in my trusty rented mini van, and as I was leaving the airport loop, I looked at a small expanse of water off to the side of the freeway on ramp and noticed a four wheel drive pickup pulled off to the side of the road.  The next thing to catch my eye was the man fishing the pond from the bank as hundreds of cars flew by at 70 mph.  Of course the thing that sealed the deal for me was the fact that the guy was reeling in a two pound bass, and bouncing it on the bank as I drove by.  "Yeah, this is where I belong," I said to myself.
• I know there is much controversy with BASS and The Bass Federation these days, and I know that some decisive steps have been taken, but so help me, the Casting Kids Competition is one of the best things that I have ever been a part of.  Our 8 year old son, is a fishing machine and 24 hours a day this is what he wants to do.  Needless to say, most 8 year olds are into Sponge Bob and video games so around the school yard, fishing just isn't that cool.  Well, for five days, my son was around 90 or so other children just like himself.  The Casting Kids Champions from the other states in the country.  I enjoyed being under cover, as Seth's dad, watching this kids interact with each other.  Listening to their fishing stories on the many bus rides that we took.  Congratulations go to Stacy Twiggs and Joy George, the BASS officials who pulled off the organization of the events and coordinating the 90 or so families that attended the competition.  Congratulations of course, to the children who were their individual state's champions, and to the families who were willing to put off work and other things to give their children a week that they will always remember.
• The Federation people that I met were some of the most down to earth, good people, that I have ever come in contact with.  But I knew this going into the week.  Families, parents who actually parent, people who care deeply about the sport and the outdoors.  These are people who want their children to grow up not taking nature for granted, in fact not taking anything for granted.  They are not into entitlements, they are hard working and supportive of their families, which includes other Federation members and their families.  I learned a lot this week about the Federation, and why the recent issues have blown up so dramatically.  This Federation belongs to these people and they care deeply about it, much like you might care about events that would affect your church or your community organization.  These folks pretty much just keep to themselves, taking care of their business, until somebody comes along and messes with their business.  I really think the Federation is too complicated for big corporate businesses to understand, and this might account for recent issues.  To begin to understand where they come from, one must really go to where they come from.  Having lived with so many of these Federation families over the past week, I can see that there is much more to the Federation than just fishing.
• I have never seen so much water in all of my life.  Every tenth of a mile on the highway is a different body of water, each looking just plain bassy.  I can't believe I came into town with a fishing rod.  I already explained about the guy catching a bass inside the airport.  I don't think it would be possible to fish every body of available water in a lifetime.  
• On our last day in Florida, we took our boys fishing and we caught two and three pounders all day long, (in the middle of the Winter, following a harsh cold front!) Steve Boyd of FloridaBassAdventures, (FloridaBassAdventures.com 352-536-2827) is the guide I hired to take our family out for some Florida Bass Fishing.  To give you an idea of what an awesome experience it was.  Steve took us to Crooked Lake, a 5,500 acre lake that was full of 2-3 pounders willing to eat a Shiner nearly on every cast, (we didn't catch one every cast, but we could have.)  Steve's understanding of structure and bass movement was impressive as he had us around fish all day.  While Steve might have liked us to catch a Florida monster, it was important to us that our boys were able to catch some fish, and catch fish they did, it was a blast.  What sets Steve apart from other guides that I have known and hired is that his temperament is well suited to working with anglers of all abilities.  He is set up to take people out who are into town for Disney World and are looking for a break from all of the Goofyness.

1/12/06 Vote-Having backed themselves into a corner, put both feet in their mouths, and burned almost all bridges leaving out of town, BASS and it's Federation Nation has a problem.  Late yesterday the State Presidents again met with The Bass Federation and a vote was taken on the status of forward movement.  34 presidents in attendance had the authority to decide where to pledge their state's loyalty.  Of the 34 with the authority to do so, 30 have decided to stay with The Bass Federation and 4 chose to join BASS' new Federation Nation.  15 other presidents in attendance did not have the authority to make decisions and will return to their states to present information and will decide at some point before February 1st.

BASS' new proposal sounds interesting, however at this point, in order to salvage a relationship with 30 states who have remained with TBF, and the other 15 who could easily side with TBF, it would seem that BASS would need to try and reconcile with the TBF and the Representatives that BASS had "refused to recognize" and  whose memberships BASS has canceled .  Ouch, that is a lot of crow to eat, that would be one painful reconciliation, but the way I see it, BASS must make the effort.

Now, while outreach to the TBF would be painful, officials at BASS need not worry about being shunned by TBF representatives.  While at a personal level, these representatives may be hurt, angry, outraged, vengeful, and just plain stomping mad, they still are representatives of many thousands of people and in that position, must act in the best interest of those people.  While personal agendas have been allowed to interfere and perhaps create the mess that is the Federation, TBF cannot allow personal feelings to interfere with what is best for its members.  So BASS, while it will be no fun, begging for forgiveness, I am sure there is a way to deliver an olive branch.  TBF must accept the peace offering because BASS' program does have benefit for some TBF members.

Here is what I like about organizations like the TBF and PAA.  They represent anglers first and sponsors second.  Personal feelings have to be left out of the decision making process, because in the greater picture, the organizations represent the people who voted for their leadership.  In the end, the decisions that are made cannot be clouded by hurt feelings or other emotional responses that might be "knee jerk," sound familiar?  BASS, it is a little past the eleventh hour, it is late in the game, but there is still time.  Do you have the nerve to do the right thing?

1/11/06 ProBassAnglers.com's Last Minute Proposal To The State Federations  Things appear to have calmed down in Florida as BASS made it's "Federation Nation" pitch to the Presidents yesterday.  On the surface, the plan has plenty to offer clubs that sign up for it's programs.  On the other hand, when details of FLW Outdoors' proposal get out to the public, a collective gasp will be heard across the country as folks begin to realize just how badly Irwin Jacobs would like to work with the Federation.  BassFan, with it's new magazine and other on line services has made a pitch to The Bass Federation, and countless others would love to make a play for the affection of the 40,000 or so anglers who consider themselves to be Federation anglers.

The moment is soon arriving where the states will make decisions.  All the proposals on the table, considered, studied and mulled over.  Breaths being held in Florida, (BASS HQ,) Kentucky, (FLW HQ) and New Jersey, (BassFan HQ,) who will win?  Which organization's proposal will win the hearts of this country's grass roots bass anglers?  The suspense is killing me, or maybe it's just the late night chili burger. 

But wait! What's this?  State Federation Presidents, before you cast your vote, consider this one more proposal from me!!!  Hold The Press!  Nighswonger Makes Last Minute Proposal To State Federations!  I really don't have any fancy proposal to dangle, but I do have some advice.  Consider what I just wrote a second ago, you know, about the organizations holding their breath?  Suddenly the shoe is on the other foot, hopefully one that fits.  For years, these organizations have called the shots, they have been the ones who have told anglers what to do, now there is the opportunity to turn the tables, take the bull by the horns, or which ever cliché you would like to include.  This week when you have to make decisions, simply say yes.  Yes to BASS, yes to FLW, yes to BassFan, yes, yes, yes.  A refill on your coffee?  Yes!  Dessert?  Yes!  More of anything?  Yes, MORE OF EVERYTHING!

Stay with The Bass Federation Inc.  But sign up for everything.  It is going to come down to what your individual chapters want anyway, and within the chapters, club anglers are going to do what they want to do.  So why should the State Federations leave any organization out that wants to pump millions of dollars into the state's bass fishing resources?  They shouldn't.  Simply say yes, and give your individual clubs the right to pick and choose programs that they feel benefit their membership.  The collective voice of the State Federations still must be The Bass Federation Inc.  But that collective voice should just say yes!

1/10/06 Jilted Lover  What is the strategy behind telling a room full of State Federation Presidents that their 30 year old organization, will be run differently from this point forward?  What is with the public display of muscle pumping and intimidation, and while we are at it, "Federation By-Laws, we don't need no stinking Federation By-laws."  I mean, what is going on?  Are the federation chapters sticking around too long?  Are they just not getting the message?  Could it be that 40,000 or so Federation members in this country are just plain, too thick headed to see the rather obvious message that has been sent down the pike for the last couple of years?  It is always frustrating when the party you are talking to, simply can not take a hint.  In this case, the hint seems to be, "GET LOST, WE DON'T WANT YOU ANYMORE!"  

Yet, there they were, diligently in attendance, waiting to hear from BASS.  BASS, the organization that this membership has so willfully served over the last 30 years, and although recent actions on the part of "Mother BASS," might have seemed hostile and unfriendly, surely there must be some truth in the recent rhetoric, "we want you, we will give you a new, improved Federation."  Interview after interview, BASS spokespeople telling the membership how it will be new and improved!  I don't see it, and neither do the vast majority of people in that room yesterday.  Did you really say, "this is the new BASS, and things won't be voted on the same as in the past?"  Did you say that?

To most of the presidents attending yesterday's meeting, it must have been surreal, (wow, I have used that word two days in a row now.  Oh yeah, by the way, if you are going to just copy and past this column on your local bass fishing forum, let's get a cheap and shameless plug for this site, "you are reading the Brush Pile, found at www.probassanglers.com, America's Link To The Reel Pastime!"  OK, sorry about that, I have been reading myself in a lot of places lately that are not my own!

As I was saying, to most of the presidents attending yesterday's meeting, to actually see the mouth piece of BASS saying as much, in a tone that was clearly interpreted as antagonistic to those that I have spoken with, must of been a punch to the stomach to those who desperately still wanted to believe.  Ah, the jilted lover.  The woman you are in love with, simply doesn't love you back.  You keep buying her flowers and candy, showing up on her doorstep, and yet she doesn't have the decency to tell you that she is not interested!  Instead, she mistreats you, sends you hints that your love-struck mind simply doesn't grasp, plays you like a cat does a mouse before it finally eats it.  But, ah shucks, you love her, and while you don't understand why she treats you this way, you are willing to put up with her antics.  You need her to tell you just to leave and not come back! (Easy Nighswonger, careful, deep breath.)

Well, I think I get it.  BASS has shown this attitude before.  Anything with a collective voice does not have a part in the future.  Anything that has a brain and the ability to communicate rational thinking to others that think like itself, poses a threat to BASS, and BASS will do whatever it takes to eliminate it.  Why do we come to expect this kind of treatment?  Why do I expect, that today, when the new plan is unveiled that it will be another "take it or leave" proposition?  I'll tell you why, (you knew that I would.)  It is the predominant track record of BASS to do these things.  Yes, oh yes, this is the new BASS, and this is the way they do it.  They don't vote, they don't discuss, they tell!  Angler organizations?  Federation Representatives? What's next?  The Casting Kids? 

Somewhere else in Florida, The Bass Federation Representatives are dug in, waiting to address these same presidents with proposals and deals that will knock the world of Bass Fishing on it's, well, on it's Bass.  Stay Tuned, it's all coming down this week.

1/09/06 Jacobs Comes To Florida, Speaks To TBF  Wow, how surreal is this? Irwin Jacobs was in Florida this weekend making his presentation to The Bass Federation.  There has been much speculation that Jacobs would attempt to acquire the Federation, you know, lure the TBF into leaving BASS for FLW.  All of this during BASS' Federation Championship Week, it's like Darth Vader meeting with the Jedi Counsel, and trying to lure them over to the dark side, while the Rebel Forces slept, unsuspecting.....

OK, here is the run down of Jacobs' meeting.

• Yes, Irwin Jacobs made a presentation to the TBF, which the TBF will present to the State Presidents this week.
• Yes, it was a substantial offer that would bring a tremendous amount of money to the Federation pending acceptance by the state presidents.
• Yes, the offer is more than just money, it also involves spots in some FLW tournaments, however I can only guess what that means, and guessing wrong could start rumors and stir the pot, and well, that's just not me.  I'm not a rabble rouser or a trouble maker.
• Yes, it involves an exclusive deal with Ranger Boats, being the official boat of The Bass Federation.
• No, not all states must accept this deal with Ranger Boats, however a certain percentage of states would have to accept it, in order for the deal to make sense to FLW.
• No, and I think this is the most important point of all, The Bass Federation will not become property of FLW, it will still remain independent and will not be the FLW Federation.

Jacobs did not come to Florida to "lure" anybody away from anybody else.  It is time for folks to understand that TBF is a corporation with its own stock holders.  Jacobs and Ranger Boats are simply making a play to be the official boat company.  I am told that Jacobs' offer is a big time deal that is expected to gain the approval of the state presidents.  I am also told that we will know more as the week develops.  Oh, by the way, there is a tournament going on.  BASS is conducting it's Federation Championship this week at the Harris Chain and there are six spots in the 2006 Bassmaster Classic up for grabs.

Roumbanis Will Be Busy-Fred Roumbains, ProTourJournal correspondent and tour pro will also have full plate in 2006.  Roumbanis, who set out in 2005 to requalify for the FLW Tour, by fishing the FLW EverStart Northeastern series saw his hopes of requalifying fall apart on day two of the final event at the Detroit River, when he and his partner discovered a partially submerged murder victim and Fred was forced to sit through a police investigation and unable to fish.  "I knew that I had set myself up well, and that I only needed to catch a single fish on that second day."  Needless to say, Fred missed out qualifying for the FLW Tour.

Wanting to fish the big time, Fred accepted an invitation to fish the 11 event BASS Elite Series and has committed to that for 2006.  Hold the press!  Recently, Roumbanis learned that a spot had opened up for him on the FLW Tour, and being a Ranger Owner, he decided to accept, so he is off to Florida to get ready for the Okeechobee Tour stop which gets started in two weeks.

Roumbains' schedule, which would have been busy with just the eleven event BASS Elite Series, just got a whole lot more hectic.  Roumbanis' schedule is now the same as his sometimes tour roommate, John Murray.  Busy, Busy, Busy!

1/04/06 John Murray's Odyssey  Arizona's John Murray is going to be a Marathon Man of sorts this Summer.  As a Rangers Boats, sponsored angler, Murray has a strong loyalty to the FLW Tour, however as a Mercury Pro, Murray has a better chance to promote the engine company on the BASS Elite Series Tour.  Murray's home dealership, Angler's Marine in California is one of the top Ranger dealerships in the country, as well as one of the top Mercury dealerships in country.  This explains his choice of boat and motor.  So, what will he do?  Both.  "Yes, I am going to be busy," he told me Tuesday night on the radio show.

A look at Murray's schedule is enough to make you realize that yes in deed, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. 

• Jan. 18-21 - Lake Okeechobee, Florida, FLW Tour
• Feb. 8-11 - Lake Murray, South Carolina, FLW Tour
• Back to Arizona, he is having his boat wrapped for the BASS Season
• March 1-4 - Pickwick Lake, Alabama, FLW Tour
• March 9-12 - Lake Amistad, Texas, BASS Elite
• March 16-19 - Sam Rayburn, Texas, BASS Elite
• One Week Break!
• March 30-April 2 - Santee Cooper, South Carolina, BASS Elite
• April 5-8 - Beaver Lake, Arkansas, FLW Tour
• Two week break!
• April 20-23 - Guntersville, Alabama, BASS Elite
• One Week Break!
• May 4-7 - Clarks Hill, Georgia, BASS Elite
• May 10-13 - Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, FLW Tour
• May 18-21 - Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas, Bassmaster Memorial (Major)
• One Week Break!
• June 1-4 - Grand Lake, Oklahoma, BASS Elite
• One Week Break!
• June 15-18 - Kentucky Lake, Kentucky, BASS Elite
• June 21-24 - Lake Champlain, New York, FLW Tour
• One Week Break!
• July 6-9 - Lake Oneida, New York, BASS Elite
• July 13-16 - Lake Champlain, New York, BASS Elite
• One Week Break!
• July 27-30 - Lake Wylie, South Carolina, Bassmaster American (Major)
• One Week Break! 
• August 10-13 - Potomac River, Washington DC, BASS Elite
• Two Week Break 
• August 24-27 - Arkansas River, Arkansas, BASS Elite
• Two Week Break
• September 14-17 - Table Rock Lake, Missouri, Bassmaster Legends (Major)
• September 19-21 - US Open, Nevada, WON BASS

You would think with all of those breaks worked into his schedule, that he might try to fish at least one more tour!  

1/02/06 Looking For A Little Help  Did you ever want to do something that was just plain good for all of humanity?  Do you want to save the planet?  Do you feel a calling to do good, in a world of deep, dark conflict?  Well I can't help you there, but I do have this to offer.  I am looking for someone to help us with a sales campaign for 2006.  Among some of the things that this will involve are the following:  Marketing a new series of audio books produced by "yours truly," selling space on ProBassAnglers.com and selling air time for the radio show.

The media products that you will be selling are solid, having been in development for five years, however they won't sell themselves, folks need to be shown the advantages, and yes there are advantages.  The radio station that owns the studio where I record my books and radio show, has been impressed by recent show numbers and is assigning a guy from "sales" to work on my show.  No offense to the gentleman who has been given this assignment, but he doesn't know my listeners.  He thinks fishing is about drinking and watching a bobber, well, for some, I guess it is.  Personally, I feel the guy will set us back, as he really doesn't know the sophistication that we are dealing with in bass fishing.  So, if you will just please step in, and I can ask the station to put him back in his old job, which was selling radio advertisements for shows like "The Shakespeare Hour," "Fun in your garden," "Cooking with Thera," and "Politics for those who love Politics."

The position is commissioned and I encourage you to work it around any existing job you might already have, (I am not asking you to quit your day job.)  You can have all the patches and free plastic worms that come along with the Doe-Ray-Me!  In all seriousness, this would be an excellent way to look into the fishing business world.  We will furnish you with demographic information, and the resources you will need to do a "bang-up, cracker-jack job," (words used by our Universal Visionary which means "good.")

So, if you think you can sell air, time or space, you might be the right person for the job. If you would like to help, please send a letter about yourself, as well as a professional resume to this e-mail address.

1/01/06 (I wanted to be the first to write this, think of this as the early edition.) ProBassAnglers.com's Person Of the Year.  One thing that I am getting used to is that when I throw out a question or proposal, you folks always have an opinion.  Overwhelmed, is the best way that I can explain the response that I have had from our readers, as I intended to have this posted yesterday, but trying to read all of the e-mails, I put it off a day.

First, to the dozen or so of you who said that Keith Nighswonger should be Person Of the Year, your comments and words of kindness are appreciated, however it is like throwing gasoline on a fire, don't let this ego rage uncontrolled.  Keith Nighswonger is not a news maker, he just has a distorted way that he looks at the rest of the world, and besides, for Keith Nighswonger to win the award on Keith Nighswonger's web site, would sound sort of "fishy."  (Get it, that was a pun, this is a fishing web site, and it would be "fishy".......forget it.

Second, to those who made additional nominations, thank you for your insight, stories were brought to my attention that I had allowed to fly below my radar, and I feel richer, for now knowing about these stories.

Two additional people were brought to my attention by several of you, and while they do not win our award this year, they certainly are names worthy of being on the list of nominations.

Clay Dryer, is a man of tremendous spirit and courage.  That he courageously pursues introducing children to fishing and helping those less fortunate than himself is all at once, an admirable quality, however when considering his physical limitations, which, by the way are limitations only in the minds of those who are not Clay Dyer, makes him some sort of Super Hero.  I encourage you to read the two stories, to give yourself some insight into my newest Super Hero, No Arms, No Legs, No Problem,   and Clay Dyer.

Pam Martin Wells, winner of the first BASS Woman's event at lake Lewisville in Texas.  Certainly a pioneer, Wells, in accumulating 9 national titles, emerges from her victory as the leader amongst female anglers, as BASS and ESPN seem poised to bring women's tournament fishing to a national stage.  With sports like Tennis, and Golf already in a prominent positions within the American Culture of Sports, why not Women's Professional Bass Fishing?

And Now, The Award....With so much controversy surrounding the world of bass fishing today, it would seem that the Person Of the Year Award will likely land on the shoulders of a non angling executive of one of the organizations or perhaps an officer of one of the various factions trying desperately to regain control of the run away momentum generated by recent events.  Remember we are using Time Magazine's formula for their Person Of the Year, and Time Magazine has never used, "Nice guy," or "real friendly" as their criteria.  Unfortunate or not, the reality is that there have been many, non angler individuals who have had major impacts on the world of fishing this year.  The award is based solely on the amount of impact that this person has had on the sport.  So, without any more drama, the 2005 ProBassAnglers.com Person Of the Year is......OK, a little more drama, click here.  

12/28/05 (If you read yesterday, please skip down to number four.) A Year Of Triumph And Change:  ProBassAnglers.com's Ten Most Important Stories Of 2005  As 2005 comes to a close it is still unclear whether the year will be remembered as the start of big things or the end of them, as dramatic changes that have taken place still haven't completely played out.  One thing for certain, however, 2005 has been a big year for the sport of bass fishing.   Today in the Brush Pile, Keith Nighswonger takes a look at the ten biggest stories of the year.

10.  BassZone.com's Innovative Tour Coverage-In a story that has undoubtedly flown under the radar of most media outlets, (who else is going to tell you about another web site?)  The BassZone.com story is one that is still being written.  Launched in December of 2005, the rennovated site promises to provide some of the most detailed reporting in Bass Fishing.  

A dark horse story in this list of top tens, mainly because the tours have not started yet.  However,  ProBassAnglers.com has seen what BassZone's coverage will mean to this sport,  it's ability to produce first hand, live coverage from the scene will make BassZone the "Associated Press Of Bass Fishing."

9.  ESPN's Bass Center-While the first two stories on this year's top ten list are media related, ProBassAnglers.com feels that this list must include the attempt at mainstreaming professional bass fishing on the part of ESPN.  Starting in January of 2005, ESPN, as part of it's Saturday Morning Bass Block, launched "a hip new, inside look at the world of Bass Fishing."  Immediately the bass fishing world called foul, that ESPN would only focus on the BASS side of the sport, however, with full coverage of the FLW Tour, including a messy little attempt on the part of FLW to shut the Bass Center camera's down during it's FLW Championship event, the show has come off, for the most part as unbiased.  Corny sometimes, however unbiased.

ProBassAnglers.com feels that it is the reporting of bass fishing events, and other inside news, to a national television audience that is important, and to this point, Bass Center has passed it's tests regarding fair and honest reporting.

8. The New FLW Series-Perhaps the best example of the influence wielded by the Professional Anglers Association, after a meeting with Jay Yelas, and Mark Davis, FLW Outdoors announced a five event tournament trail that would take place in addition to it's FLW Tour.  The new FLW Series, features a much more liberal set of rules allowing anglers to use their own equipment and to promote their own sponsors.  Another nice touch to the new series is that it starts in late March, which frees up a lot of boat and tackle show time for the anglers who can now work these shows, and earn appearance money.

7. Hurricane Katrina-Postponement of a couple of fishing events aside, this hurricane and the damage that it caused to one of the most important regions in the sport has left, a long lasting impression in terms of the devastation it has left.  Several big name tour pros have gut wrenching stories to tell about their experience with Katrina, most notably Greg Hackney who took it upon himself to boat into New Orleans to rescue his father in law.  Paul Elias also found himself nearly at ground zero where the hurricane caused some of it's most severe damage.  There were countless others, many who cannot call the region home any longer.

6.  Mark Menendez-After a serious bout with viral meningitis, veteran tournament pro Mark