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 Menendez of Paducah, Kentucky found himself disabled by the illness that literally sucks the energy out of it's victims.  The illness caused Menendez pull out of the Elite 50 series and meant that he would lose out on his last chance to qualify for the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.  Wanting desperately to get back into the sport, Menendez signed up for Bassmaster Southern Open Series and won the first event, despite being too weak to practice for three days, and having to sit down during the course of the event.  Menendez capped a great recovery by qualifying for the Open Championship and then finishing 5th in that event, locking up one of the last 5 spots in the 2006 Classic.

5. The Professional Anglers Association PAA-On March 28th, something that many in the media felt would never happen, did in fact happen.  Anglers at a BASS Tour Event, voted at an evening meeting to form their own angler organization.  For the first time, professional anglers had a collective voice, that seems destined to include a professional tour in the future.  The PAA has already had it's influence felt, two major changes to the sport are attributed to what the collective voice of the PAA stands for.  

First, although the BASS Elite Series was in no way endorsed by the PAA, it is clear that the influence of the angler group caused BASS to revamp it's tour format, several times during the course of the year, with BASS finally agreeing to "recognize the PAA as an advocacy group."  The 2nd major change influenced by the PAA is the FLW Elite Series which was created as a way to give anglers new options in the world of tournament fishing.  In less than a year the number of professional level events has increased from 18, (6 BASS Tour, 4 Elite 50, 1 Bassmaster Classic 6 FLW Tour, and 1 FLW Tour Championship,) to 27 events.  While some may not attribute these changes to the PAA, the group certainly has played a role in the changes that have taken place.

4. The Bass Federation-In late November, a deteriorating relationship between BASS and the corporation formed to represent the nation's 40,000 or so Bass Federation members, TBF, led to a massive split between the two organizations when BASS officials refused to meet with officials of the TBF and then revoked the memberships of 7 TBF representatives.  The fallout from this action sparked votes and hearings throughout this country's several thousand Federation Chapters and has set the stage for one of 2006's greatest unknowns:  What will happen to the Federation in 2006?

All across the country, message boards are choked with posts from frustrated Federation members who seek information regarding the future of their Chapters.  Our November 22nd "On The Water" radio show had over 30,000 listeners log on and callers had to be turned away as Gary Bradford and Robert Cartlidge of TBF took calls and discussed possible outcomes of the actions taken by BASS.  This story will be one of the hot issues facing the new year, and we won't have to wait long, as TBF will conduct meetings in Florida during the BASS Federation Championship in early January.  Federation members should have a clear picture of the direction the Federation is headed after those meetings.

In what continues to be a developing story, BASS has apparently filled it's Elite Series, the above statement implying that BASS has met it's goal of 100 anglers.  In what may have amounted to the longest holding of one's breath in the history of the world, BASS claims that it has filled it's controversial new tournament circuit.  The Elite Series, the high dollar entry fee tour that replaces several other versions kicked around by BASS throughout much of 2005, has taken several months to fill, as anglers "didn't ring the phones off the hook" the first day deposits were taken.  However, little by little, the top names began to trickle in and on October 29th, two of the biggest hitters in the sport, and two of the biggest voices in the PAA, Kevin Van Dam and Tim Horton sent their deposits in, which brought a legitimacy to the series and further positioned the Elite Series as the series of choice for the big guns in 2006.

This story of course in also one which must be played out.  Professional tour anglers have been promised the world in exchange for their investment, however good or bad, right or wrong, all eyes will be focused on this tour as we watch it play out starting in March.

2.  BassFan's Top Gun-Like them, hate them, (we like them,) BassFan.com put it's money where a lot of our mouths have been and stepped up to the plate with an innovative programmed aimed at finally matching the top bass fishing stars together in top level tournament.  In August, 25 of the nations top bass anglers, as listed on it's own poll, participated in BassFan's Top Gun Tournament held in Texas.  Brent Chapman won the $100,000.00 first prize in the event that featured a participation fee paid to all anglers.

ProBassAnglers.com congratulates BassFan for having the courage to bring the nation's top anglers to a single event, in what we hope might serve to be the template for future tour events hosted by independent tournament organizations, such as the PAA.

1. Kevin Van Dam-Having a tournament season that may just be the most prolific ever, Kevin Van Dam Closed out the major events of 2005 to show why he is considered to be the greatest angler in professional bass fishing at this time.  Winning three of the toughest events of the year, Van Dam won the Lewisville (Texas,) E-50, The Wissota, (Wisconsin,) E-50 and the 2005 Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburgh, to cap one of the most impressive runs in the history of professional bass fishing.

Van Dam's amazing run, tops the end of the season run by Brent Chapman, who won back to back $100,000.00 pay checks by winning Top Gun and the Busch Shoot out.

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12/24/05 Aluminum Boat Fans Take Notice Mark Burgess is a Yamaha Boat Rep from the Northwest as well as a professional angler who has fished both FLW and BASS events.  When FLW Outdoors announced it's new FLW Series, Burgess saw it as an opportunity to pull off the ultimate marketing campaign.  In his work with Yamaha boats, he represents of course Skeeter bass boats, but he also represents G-3 Aluminum Bass Boats.  "G-3 has made a lot of progress with it's aluminum bass boats, and has reached, I feel, a point where it has a product that will run with any fiberglass boat."

Last Summer in our meetings with Yamaha, we kicked around an idea of putting one of our G-3 Aluminum bass boats to the ultimate test, running one of them on tour.  "I will be fishing the new FLW Series from a 2006 G3 HP200 19 foot, all welded aluminum bass boat, powered by a Yamaha V-Max HPDI 200 outboard."

An aluminum boat with a 200 horsepower outboard?  Burgess says the boat will fly, however he expects the real advantages to come from other areas.  "The entire boat outfitted with a motor and all my tackle weighs almost 500 pounds less than my Skeeter bass boat.  I am expecting tremendous savings on fuel, as I tow the boat behind my Suburban, and as for boat gas, an aluminum boat with the efficiency of the V-Max outboard, that boat will burn a fraction of the fuel that a fiberglass boat will burn."

Not wanting to sound like a commercial for the company, Burgess has assured me that he loses nothing on the fishing end, using this boat.  When I asked him about wind, he told me that he was installing a 36 volt Minn Kota system which should keep him in one place.

Needless to say, this will be an interesting test.  One thing the aluminum boat can't do, is get all pretty'd up with metal flake and all, but if Mark proves that he loses nothing in performance or fishing, it will be kind of hard to ignore the savings on fuel.

Just one more reason to get excited about the pro tours this coming season.

12/23/05 The Federation. Big News!!!-I can't tell you, it's off the record!  I can tell you this however, at January's Bass Federation Championships meetings will be held between BASS and the Federation Presidents.  This would most likely represent BASS' last chance to communicate what it would intend to provide for the Federation as far as member benefits.  The Federation Presidents will then meet amongst themselves and will be presented with several sponsor proposals from companies who understand the value of 40,000 bass anglers.

I am told that Irwin Jacobs will be one of those who attend this presentation meeting and terms of his proposal will then become public knowledge.

"The Bass Federation is going to be a stand alone entity.  It will not be married or under the controlling influence of any sponsoring company or organization, just like your Brush Pile suggested on December 7th," stated my anonymous source.  "Each state will have it's own power to negotiate deals that meet the needs of it's membership."

You Are Running Out Of Time-to make predictions for 2006-Do It Now!

12/21/05 Just Doing Some Cal-Q-Laten. I think I know why my friends in the Northeast are willing to go out to a little shack on a frozen lake, drill a hole in the ice, use a tiny little wire hanger as a fishing rod, and wait for a bite.  It's called desperation.  Desperation is setting in with ol' Nighswonger, MAN I WANT THE TOUR SEASON TO GET STARTED!!!!

But, since I can't control that, I decided to withdraw into my numbers, the statistics if you will, for the upcoming season.  I have asked readers on this web site as well as those on several message boards that I read to make predictions for 2006, so I figure that I probably better do the same.  Here are a couple to ponder:

First, in 2006 we will have far more six digit dollar winners in professional bass fishing then ever before. 11 BASS Elite Series events, 3 majors, 1 Bassmaster Classic.  6 FLW Tour events, 5 FLW Series events and 1 FLW Tour Championship.  Throw in 1 BASS Busch Shootout winner, and of course 1 BassFan Top Gun winner as well.  If my math is correct, those numbers add up to 29 chances for anglers to earn $100,000 or more in prize money alone in 2006.  This does not take into account that finishing inside the cut in a few events will also put some anglers into the $100,000 range.  Last season professional bass fishing had 1 Classic winner, 4 BASS E-50 winners (I know Van Dam won the Classic and two E-50's,) 6 BASS Tour Stop winners, 1 FLW Championship winner, 6 FLW Tour Stop winners, 1 BASS Busch Shootout winner and of course 1 BassFan Top Gun winner, (OK Jay, there is your love.)  If my math is correct again, that would be 20 chances for anglers to earn $100,000 or more.  29 in 2006 compared to 20 in 2005?  I'd call that growth for the sport of bass fishing. 

Next, I believe that Greg Hackney will continue his dominance of the sport of professional bass fishing.  Folks might remember that Hackney won our ProBassAnglers.com Angler Of the Year award in 2005 as the two tour angler that fared best on both tours.  Last year that meant that Hackney performed consistently in 12 tour level events, six on the BASS side and six on the FLW side.  This season he will fish only the BASS Elite Series, (at least that is what I have been led to understand,) but since that it a 14 event series counting majors, he will show why he is the man over the long haul.  Other anglers have been successful in the shorter 6 event series of last year's pro tours, but Hackney has already demonstrated that he has what it takes in the long series.

12/19/05 BassZone.com With just about 10 full years of being on the internet, BassZone.com has something in common with ProBassAnglers.com.  In 1995, when ProBassAnglers.com was known as the WesternFishingNetwork, Mark Jeffreys was busy launching his vision of bass fishing coverage, BassZone.com.  Needless to say, the sport has changed dramatically in the 10 years that have followed, and now today, Jeffreys is poised to launch, what I believe will set the new standard for reporting the sport of professional bass fishing.  

In the sneak peek that I have been offered, I can tell you that as a site which relies on first hand information from other news sources to post stories that I post, BassZone will be to this sport, what the AP (Associated Press,) is to world news.

I am also proud to announce a working relationship with BassZone as I will air, tournament updates live from behind the scenes at tour events, on my Tuesday radio show, as provided by BassZone correspondents who are at the events.

The other thing that BassZone shares in common with ProBassAnglers.com is a passion for covering the anglers that make up the professional ranks.  Providing yet another forum for anglers is a big part of what BassZone is about and ProBassAnglers.com is proud of our association with BassZone.com

This Tuesday night, BassZone creator, Mark Jeffreys will be on my radio show and we will talk about the world of bass fishing as we see it.  It promises to be a unique roundtable discussion and one that you will want to listen to live, and one that you will want to call in and be a part of !

12/15/05 The Calm Before The Storm? I have talked with my spies, and everything seems to be shut down for the holidays, as well they should.  But let's take a look at the unsettled business.......

•  The BASS Elite Series, with its monster entry fees.  There were a lot of skeptics, this writer included.  According to BassFan, the BASS Elite Series has drawn 87 entries, far more than I had it pegged with, although in making our lists and checking them twice, I have discovered that BassFan's list is missing at least a couple anglers, as Fred Roumbanis and Bradley Stringer are not on it, so push that number closer to 90.  We hold our breath as we wait to see how that plays out.
• The FLW Series, with it's more liberal allowance for anglers to promote themselves, has signaled the start of a bass fishing Civil War.  With a far more reasonable price tag, and events stacked up on top of BASS Elite Series events, if this isn't a declaration of war on the part of FLW, I don't know what is.
• What in the world is going to happen with The Bass Federation?  There is a Presidents meeting scheduled to correspond with the Federation Championship next month in Florida.  Will Federation members know then which hat to wear?  (I still say they should wear all of the hats!)
• The PAA, perhaps the quietest force in the bass fishing world the last few months.  What will 2006 unveil for them?  A new tour?  Will there be any calendar dates open for a PAA tour?  I know that July 4th on Lake Perris, (in California, not France,) is open for an event.

It seems to me that with each of the questions above, there is tremendous potential for the sport of bass fishing.  If the Jolly one can bring the gift of clear thinking this Holiday Season, 2006 could be an awesome year.  There are some really big, Big, BIg, BIG things that could happen for the sport if all involved can just curb their egos, take a deep breath and see through the smoke of spite and ill feelings.  If we can all just get on with our missions, as long as those missions are not destroying the other guy, there is tremendous potential.  But for now, it is very quiet out there.  The calm before the storm?

12/12/05 Gift Ideas For The Holidays  Is the angler in your life frustrated at always placing way low in the standings?  Does his self esteem suffer at always going to the weigh in stand, empty handed?  Are his feelings hurt when other competitors catch more fish then he does?  This Holiday Season, give the gift that will surely put a smile on his face, and a limit in his live well, by going to CheetahLures.com, (no not a real web site, this is a joke!)  

Just in time for the Holidays, Cheetah Lure Company has assembled our greatest assortment of "fishermen's friends" ever.  For the low, low price of just $1,950.00, (about the entry fee of a pro tournament,) you can give our "Cheetah Kit" to that special angler.  Included in the Cheetah kit are the following fishing aids that no angler should be without:

• 3 Industrial Truck Batteries that deliver enough pulses per second to bring fish up from depths of 10 feet
• 2 Fishing pole shaped industrial shocking rods, (insulated at the handle of course.)
• 1 Large net with 15 foot handle, (3 piece handle.)
• 2 Pair, industrial rubber gloves
• 1 Boat Grounding Kit, (to avoid embarrassing electrocutions.)

No more messing with tangled gill nets.  No more having to tie your limits to a stump, only to have another angler find them.  No more awkward cages or barrels.  What about the annoying partners?  What is he going to say when you scoop him up a nice 20 pound limit?

Remember to come to our web site www.CheetahLures.com and read the testimonials from our Pro Staff.  Now you can fish like a Cheetah too!

Lion Scales-Want to catch a 30 pound largemouth bass?  How about an eight pound bluegill, or 1,200 pound catfish?  With the new weigh in device from Lion Scale company, you simply adjust the multiplier to the factor you want and you will catch the lunker of a lifetime.  Available only through our web site, www.CheetahLures.com

12/09/05 Oh Brother, Better Call The Waaaaaambulance!!!!  Well now, there is nothing better than a good old fashion pissing contest to really make yourself look like the pillar of strength and confidence.  In recent weeks, what once was the un-talked about, kept out of the media, "we knew it was there, but they never admitted it," professional jealousy shared by the two major tournament organizations.  Sure it was evident, in that neither organization liked to give the other organization any credit by referencing an angler's accomplishments in the other organization.  Sure they liked to call their champions, "World Champions."  Of course they would forbid anglers from displaying the other guy's logo at their events.  But at least it was subtle.  At least we didn't have to listen to all of the crying!

Lately the opposite is true, in fact, we can't get these guys to SHUT UP!  I'm not going to trace the roots of where this all started, but suddenly, it's open season on the other guy.  Suddenly, it's if you fish their events, "I'm going to take away your company sponsorship," it's an entirely new form of Corporate Raiding, stealing anglers from the other organization.  In the old days, one organization would not even mention the other, now they belittle the other guy's icons, they throw their own anglers under the bus for looking at what the other side has to offer, and quite frankly, they look pretty stupid doing it.  What is that old saying?  "It is better to let people think you are foolish, than to open your mouth and prove it?"

BASS continues to throw their guys out in front of stupid comments, using Ray Scott and his great reputation and accomplishments as cover for the ridiculous Federation maneuvers recently.  Ray has looked bad, especially if the reference to malcontent Federation members as being "Cancers" is really within the contents of how Ray used the words.  

Irwin Jacobs, in his BassFan interview left no doubt that he would like an additional 50,000 customers for his boat companies, and he mixes no punches with his "sending Ray out to pasture, (of off into the sunset,)" comments.

Most recently we have the "Defending Ray Scott" letter.  FOR CRYING OUT LOUD FOR THE SAKE OF PETE!  IF YOU ARE DEFENDING HIM, THAT MEANS YOU THINK RAY DID SOMETHING WRONG!  Don't you guys get it, to publicly acknowledge comments like those is to admit they bother you!!  So who is next under the bus?  Oh, it's good old Rick Clunn, I wonder how he will be discredited by the other side?  Oh, here comes comments from Bill Dance, I bet the other side accuses him of trick photography on his television show.  Attention Bassmaster Pros:  "Get in line for your chance to be thrown out in front of some really dumb moves.  You'll have to back the company, you'll have your reputation soiled, but at least the poor choices we are making are down played, because you are showing your support."

Really gives you a lot of confidence when writing that $55,000.00 Elite Series check.

Hey tournament organizations, go back to denying the other guy exists.  Treat your own little world as though it was the only one in the galaxy, and stop all of this public crying.  Our two major tournament organizations look like a couple regional buddy tournament associations, with their "we're better than those guys," moaning and groaning.  I'm going to call you a waaaaaambulance.

12/07/05 Independence!  Since I tend to give my opinion whether anyone wants it or not, why should I change when it comes to the Federation?  I won't, here is what I recommend The Bass Federation should do in regards to recent communications from BASS Headquarters.  Rather than break from BASS or join FLW. Instead of going to the PAA or saddling up with the first bass boat company that comes down the line, I believe that The Bass Federation should remain 100% independent.   I mean, not a single partnership should be formed with anyone, who might try to "reel you in."  Instead of joining with someone who is looking to strengthen their own demographic position, The Bass Federation needs to stand on it's own two feet.

This is not to say that The Bass Federation should stay away from FLW, BASS or the PAA.  The Bass Federation is in a golden position to work with all of these groups, and should use it's own membership numbers to work in and out of these organizations as it (TBF) should see fit.  Here is an example of what I am talking about.  Each of the three major groups, FLW, BASS and the PAA will see a need to conduct youth and conservation activities.  If they don't now, they will at some point.  TBF can contract to have it's grass roots chapters organize and conduct these activities.  TBF and only TBF has experience doing this, and would be of great value to all three tournament organizations.  The same can be said about assistance with tour events, or championship events.  Once again, TBF should contract with the tournament organizations to bring it's members in to help conduct these events.  Bass tournament organizations must walk a very thin line in the communities where major tournaments are conducted.  Local residents are not always thrilled that the nation's top bass pros come to their lake, and catch all of their fish.  TBF can contract with the major tournament organizations to conduct conservation projects, thus creating tremendous "good will," (maybe a term that some of the tournament organizations do not understand, it means "good spin!")

I also believe that to partner up with a boat company is a mistake.  There are many Federation Chapters that are located near ProCraft, Nitro, Stratos and Champion dealerships.  If TBF accepts a partner or sponsor, then it sells it's sole to a boat company, which will have it's own alliances with one of the tournament organizations, and the demographic, which is the Federation's most marketable tool, will be lost on one company.  Rather than partnerships or sponsorships, accept advertising, for creating impressions in club newsletters, signage at events and places where the Federation is doing it's good work.  It is fine to allow for example, Ranger Boats, to sponsor a National Championship, but don't accept exclusive sponsorships, don't let a single company purchase the demographic, rent it to companies.  Nothing alienates a member faster than having a single boat company dominate the association.  If I run a ProCraft in an association that is owned by Ranger, then I am a second class citizen, you can try to deny that, but that is how it trickles down.

These are very exciting times for TBF.  Tremendous opportunities are available.  The shoe is finally on the other foot.  Instead of the Federation needing an organization to sponsor and conduct it's activities, the way I see it, the exact opposite is in effect.  Work with everybody, embrace all of the organizations, and this includes regional trails and events conducted by smaller organizations.  TBF needs to be a free agent, a sub contractor if you will.  Anything TBF contracts to lend it's name and manpower to will instantly become a credible venture.

Federation Chapters are voting in the few weeks on some very important issues, (opportunities as Irwin Jacobs likes to call them.)  As a Federation member, make yourself familiar with the benefits available, and how they will help your club.  Independence is what the Federation has had all along.  Recent rifts between BASS and the Federation have developed because the Federation is starting to see how much influence it really has, as is BASS.  

Stay independent, exercise your free agency. 

12/06/05 Way To Go BASS!  Back in November, Disney invited a herd of non-endemic corporate executives to come down to Disney World to participate in the Executive Experience, a two day conference that included  networking events, leadership activities, teamwork building skills, problem-solving and to engage in risk-taking skill sets.  Their class room........a bass boat.

Also included in this conference was an invited list of many of today's professional bass anglers, including Bassmaster Classic Champion, Kevin Van Dam and Angler Of the Year, Aaron Martens.  The Execs were put through a morning of intense bass competition, this wasn't a party, fishing behind the pros, so that they could get a first hand look at what bass anglers do.

The afternoons consisted of sessions in which the Execs broke down their typical day, and using the morning's bass tournament as a model, explained to the group, anglers included, how the on the water experience was very much like a day at the office.  "It was a fascinating way for these corporate executives to examine their own work days, through the eyes of a bass angler," stated Pro Angler, Lucy Mize, who, along with her husband, BASS Elite Pro, Jimmy Mize, attended the workshop.  "It was interesting, for example, to listen to professional Meeting Planner explain, how changing lures, because conditions have changed, talk about changes that he might have to make, when something unexpected comes up."

So, essentially, two groups, about as diverse as they come, Professional Bass Anglers and Professional Corporate Executives met on "uncommon ground," to take a peek at what the other does.

This may be one of ESPN/BASS' greatest moves of the new era.  If this is the kind of thing we can expect in the future, then the future may in deed, be bright.  The new entry fees are breath-taking, however, if the promises are kept, the high entry fees, would seem to be an investment that an angler simply must make in himself or herself.  "While I don't think anyone walked away from these two days, with new wrapped boat deals, I know that I have made some contacts with people who could very well get involved with some kind of partnership surrounding fishing," noted Mize.

Smart thinking here on the part of the officials at BASS, educate the non-endemics about our sport, while providing the anglers with workshops, networking and opportunities to learn about the corporate world where they must market themselves.   

Lucy Mize told me this afternoon that the experience proved to be invaluable to her, stating that "as anglers we need to learn about this segment of the business world, these are the kind of contacts that we need to reach as promoters and as anglers."

I have been one to call out BASS on a number of things this past year, however in this case, BASS has clearly hit a home run.  Perhaps other organizations can do things that will help it's anglers learn more about the corporate world.

United Bass Federation-The web site that was launched recently comes from a man who lives in Virginia, (bet you wonder how I got this information Rick,) he apparently has no link to the current Federation vs BASS question, unless, perhaps he is a Federation member.  He also maintains the web site bassinsight.com.  There were rumblings this week, because the name United Bass Federation was a name considered at one point for The Bass Federation Inc.  This web site, however, does not appear to have any play in the ongoing saga.

Another gentleman, this man from Oklahoma purchased the name FLWFederation recently, so it appears that we have a wave of people purchasing likely names in the event that someone may want to buy these names at some point. Oh brother!

12/05/05 While Some Rant, Others Roll...While many of us are content to spout off on the Federation issue, there is a group that is quietly, at work doing some interesting things.  My source describes himself/herself, as someone who is not interested in the issues at this point, as much as what will be in place when the situation finally reaches a conclusion.

Here is an interesting looking web page, that is only that, interesting, at this point.  http://www.unitedbassfederation.com

There have been some rumblings about Skeeter and Yamaha, although nothing that I can present as fact, (HA!  did you see how I did that?  I said it, but, I don't have any conclusive evidence!!!!  Now you can tell your buddies that you heard.....Rumors!!)  It does make a lot of sense, Skeeter/Yamaha have been one of the most proactive companies involved in tournament bass, until they were knocked out of BASS, it is a sure bet that they would like to be involved some way, some how.

Mass Mailings-I have reports that BASS has begun contacting individual Federation members via e-mail.  If the intent is to side step the State Presidents, that would be a lot of e-mails.  More importantly, it would also signal what may be a desperate attempt on the part of BASS to salvage it's relationship with members of the Federation.

Two Meetings-It seems that in the last several days two meetings of major significance have taken place that once again throws the BASS/Bass Federation story into the spot light.  The first meeting, involves officials of BASS being summoned to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to meet with officials from Mercury, which is a major BASS sponsor and the owner of Triton boats.  This meeting was top secret, and it's content not divulged, but does it have to be?  I mean, let's think this story through carefully.  The major boat and motor buying demographic in the country, 50,000 who will buy a boat and motor, safe to say within the next 5 years?  I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I doubt that BASS officials were being congratulated for the way they have handled this Federation issue.  Sounds to me like it might have been a good old fashion spanking.

Next we have the Ranger Boats meeting taking place in Arkansas.  Ranger Boats is still a sponsor of The Bass Federation which means the officials formerly recognized as Division Representatives of The Bass Federation were in attendance.  Now, let's see, it was a Ranger Boats function.  Who else might have been there?  Forrest Wood?  Sure, but he doesn't own Ranger Boats anymore......Ha!  Irwin Jacobs had what is being termed as a very positive meeting with Representatives of The Bass Federation.

The information coming out of both meetings is very tight lipped, even with my best set of adjustable pliers, I wasn't able to make sources talk.  One thing seems for certain however, if you are sitting near a fan, make sure to move to the up wind side, because in the next day or so, the Schmidt is clearly going to hit it.

Letter Mailed To All Federation Presidents...To read the letter mailed out to all Federation Presidents by The Bass Federation, click here.

12/01/05 Say It Ain't So.......-So accustomed am I to seeing Takahiro Omori in just about any championship event, that I was shocked to read a couple of days ago, that he is not qualified for the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.  Wait a minute, this is Takahiro Omori, 2004 Bassmaster Classic Champion, a contender for the BassFan Top Gun Championship, qualified for the 2004 and 2005 FLW Championship, and four Classics.

Omori, has kind of quietly become a household word when it comes to championship fishing events, and yet he is on "one serious bubble" to make the 2006 Classic, having finished 33rd on Tour last year, and 12th on the E-50 Tour, (top ten qualified to fish the 2006 Classic.) Takahiro is fishing the BASS Open Championship this week at the Alabama River out of Prattville, with a chance to earn one of those five Classic positions, but even that is kind of a fluke.  Omori, because of scheduling and because he was using the events to tune up for the 2006 season, was only able to fish two of the three events.  However, in those two events, (1st at Norfork Central Open and 3rd on the Red River Central Open,) he earned enough points to qualify in the last qualifying position for the championship.

Omori is championship caliber, he has proven that over his 13 year career.  I'm not normally a betting person, however, with so much on the line......who would you pick to finish in the top five and claim one of the five Classic spots?  No Takahiro in the Classic?  Say it ain't so!

11/28/05 Brody Of The Lake Revisited-So smart guy, you waited and watched, you counted the days.  I bet you were really frustrated that the hurricane caused an event to be rescheduled, because that made you wait a little bit longer.  But at long last, the final event came and went, and like a buzzard circling overhead, you finally had your carcass to rip apart.

When Brent "Brody" Broderick began yelling foul this past Summer, he created a storm that for a few weeks shook the floors and rattled the windows in at least a couple of organizations.  BASS had just changed it's collective mind again, and was going to create the present Elite Series that seemed to over look the fact that Open Tour anglers in four regions had been promised 110 positions on the BASS Tour for 2006, and, even if the invitation was still extended to these 110 anglers, the $55,000.00 entry fee was going to make it impossible for most of those who would qualify to be able to fish the 11 event series.  Brody's point, that no matter how you spun it, Open Tour anglers were getting the game changed right in the middle of their season.   Brody noted that he as well as other Open Tour anglers, had signed up for this year's events, with the intent of realizing a dream by qualifying for the 2006 Tour, after all, that's the way it was advertised.

At the time of Brody's campaign, Brody sat in 9th place on the Southern Open Tour and was two events away from earning an invitation to the BASS Tour for 2006.  As fate would have it, the last two events were not good to Brody, tough fishing and some equipment failures crushed his "dream season," as he finished out of an Elite Qualifying Position for the 2005 season. 

Recently, I noticed Brody being "bashed" on a couple of different internet message boards and it occurs to me that the "scum-sucking, rubber-lipped carp" that made the comments about Brody not making the cut on the Southern Tour has missed the entire picture.  Whether these Brody Bashers didn't get it or simply needed to somehow make themselves feel adequate, by kicking a good man when he was down, let me spell it out clearly so your SpongeBob intellect will allow you to finally get what Brody was talking about.

First of all, Brody has never been simply about Brody.   He is an angler, who found himself on the verge of reaching something, (the BASS Tour,) that he had set as a career goal, (hey SpongeBob, do you have any career goals, besides boasting to your friends about how you ripped that guy on some message board, is that career success in your book?)  

Anyway, Brody came to realize that everything he had worked for, everything that he was on the verge of reaching and everything that was advertised had been changed, by BASS Corporate Change number 102, (not the actual number.)  Feeling ignored, insulted and picked on, Brody stepped up and not only voiced his concern, but "yelling from the mountain," he touched nerves in both BASS and the PAA.  Abrasive? Yes.  Effective?  Definitely.  Would BASS have allowed the Open Tour anglers to participate without Brody's R.A.N.T.s?  Probably, at some point, you know for a while there, no one was really sure how many would sign up for the Elite Series, but BASS wanted to make sure that most of 110 promised spots were passed on, the $55,000.00 entry fee saw to that.

You can say what you want about Brody.  "Free spirit, abrasive, pain in the bass!"  But if you do say these things, I bet it is because he made you uncomfortable by the things that he pointed out.  This past Summer we were in the midst of learning that the sport you and love was spinning out of control, and the world as we knew it was never going to be the same.  Brody took chances, he put himself on the line, not knowing if he would be blacked listed, taken seriously or deemed "a malcontent" having his membership canceled.  The point is, he had the nerve to stand up to the powers that be and challenge them in the court of public opinion.

Did anything good come of it?  Jon Bondy and Robert "Doc" Merkin are two Northern Open anglers who are taking advantage of their opportunities, and will join the Elite Series directly from their positions on the Open Tour.  Did Brody's message open the door for them?  Maybe, maybe not.  One thing is for certain, as BASS shot from the hip this Summer, there were a lot of questions left unanswered, and one that certainly was not certain was what would become of the 110 promised tour invitations?   Opened doors or not, Brody called BASS on it's changes and gave names and the faces to go with those names of people that could have been affected by the abrupt moves.

I'm addicted to internet message boards.  I have about five that I read religiously each day, and so do all of the leaders in this sport.  Even the guys who tell you they don't read the internet, really do read the internet!  Most are just too smart to post comments.  From what I have read I would say that about 95% of those posting have legitimately good posts, meaningful stuff.  The other 5% simply attack to tear apart,  perhaps trying to compensate for some inadequacy.  Hey, maybe this segment is the demographic that BASS is trying to reach with those CIALIS commercials!?!?!?!

11/25/05 Flying Below The Radar-is a letter addressed to all FLW Team Boat anglers that essentially says that if they decide to CROSS over and fish the BASS Elite Series, they will lose their FLW sponsored deals.  Apparently, the deals that FLW Anglers have with sponsors such as Chevy, Kelloggs, Lays, Banana Boat, Snickers and Castrol are not negotiated by angler and company, rather they are handed out by FLW Outdoors.  

But you already knew that right?  FLW has always made it crystal clear what their mission is, they are a marketing company, and the ultimate sponsor, WalMart, gives FLW a tremendous advantage in pursuing the non endemics that are sold in WalMart.  This still is fine.  They have never hidden the fact.  It is easy to see why an angler, struggling to make it in the bass game, would be very excited to land one of the FLW deals, because in the world of FLW, they are good deals.

FLW however, has crossed the line in revoking the sponsorships of anglers that have crossed the line and signed up for the BASS Elite Series, as well as the FLW Tour.  It is a bothersome set of circumstances that an angler, any angler should be dictated to as to where they can fish and where they cannot.  We are very well aware of the tedious rules that both BASS and FLW have regarding their logos on shirts and boats.  However, why should enterprising anglers get punished if they switch a decal when they fish a different organization's events?  Furthermore, if an FLW angler does fish a BASS event, isn't' the FLW company getting more exposure without additional expense?

The comment that sponsors have always driven the decisions of anglers when it comes to deciding which tours to fish, is a true fact. Plenty of guys select events where they can do the most good for their sponsors.  Triton guys should be fishing BASS, however they do not lose their deals if they also fish an FLW event.  It is a blatant attempt to push the little guy around.  To keep him tied to a single brand, not allowing him to explore his own talents, opportunities and career path.

It is quite obvious that FLW's goal is direct competition with BASS.  Not wanting to allow anglers to cross over and fish both, and the also rather obvious fact the FLW scheduled it's first three FLW Series events on top of the BASS Elites series events, really only hurts the most important people involved, anglers and fans.

Mother used to tell me that driving was a privilege, not a right.  It seems that the same analogy is appropriate for one of the FLW sponsor deals.  However, why should a guy be penalized for doing more than is expected of him?

11/23/05 I Don't Get It-I was in a Bass Federation Chapter back in the early 1980's.  Our club was a mess.  We never agreed on anything, someone always had a gripe about the lake we were fishing or who he was paired with.  Our meetings always went way too long, because someone was complaining about something.  There was about as much solidarity in our club as there is in a sports bar when 12 TV's have 12 different games on at the same time.

So explain to me how last night the overwhelming sense that I got from callers and e-mailers was support for the Bass Federation Representatives and President. We had State Presidents call last night, and every single one of them supported what The Bass Federation Reps have done in asking the State Presidents to hold membership fees until an accounting can be provided.

The Bass Federation is made up of clubs right?  Just like the club I belonged to right?   How in the world can 40,000 club members all agree on one thing?  This isn't supposed to be this way.  Disharmony, and controversy is supposed to happen.  What about being divided and conquered by the smart guys at ESPN. Don't you understand that this is the tactic that BASS has been using.  Divide and conquer?  Jeeze Federation guys, you could at least cooperate, your supposed to fall apart over all of this!

Official Recognition-Today, November 23rd, 2005, ProBassAnglers.com is announcing that from this point forward, The Bass Federation is officially the people that we recognize to be the true model of what this sport is suppose to be.  The prototypical Federation member will pay $15.00 for a crank bait, $35.00 for a swim bait, jigs in every possible color that crawdads can molt into.  They think nothing of dropping $350.00 for a rod and reel combo, they all own or desperately want to own a boat.  They like trucks, and each and every one of them will make a religious pilgrimage to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri, before they die, for to die before this pilgrimage would be not have lived at all.  Furthermore the prototypical Federation member loves community service, (I believe these folks are part of those "thousand points of light," that George Bush Sr. once talked about,) they serve their communities and they believe in our youth.  

So mark this date on your calanders, official recognition of these people as the true bass anglers, the true fishing fans, the true back bone of this sport.  By the way, I want that demographic.  I want to sell $15.00 crank baits, $35.00 swim baits, and jigs in every possible color that crawdads can molt into.  I accept The Bass Federation as the real the collection of bass anglers that I represent.  I hope they accept me. 

Irwin Jacobs-I got called out on one of the message boards yesterday.  Some guy said that I should be IJ's payroll because all I do is BASS BASH.  Well, come on Irwin.  Do something stupid will you. I can't have guys accusing me of being on anybody's side, I can't be Lonesome George if I am on someone's side.  Mr. Jacobs, maybe you could cancel the EverStart Championships, revoke someone's membership, sink someone's boat, do something.  The sad truth is that there really hasn't been any injustice to R.A.N.T. about lately over at FLW, or maybe there is but the stuff coming out of the other camp has been such an easy target.

To those of you who feel that I don't fairly crack on FLW.  They are not perfect by any means.  I would love to get on them about allowing anglers to do more self promotion, but do you know what?  When I look at that web site, I see guys with Strike King embroidery, I see Fred Roumbanis' Okuma Boat, I see Art Ferguson in his Triton shirt, THAT'S SELF PROMOTION BABY, and I see more of it on the FLW site than I do on the BASS site.  Oh sure, Kevin Van Dam has his Nitro shirt prominently displayed, but he is the Bassmaster Classic Champion for crying out loud.

The problem with FLW is they don't claim to be one thing and do something else.  DO YOU KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING THAT IS IRWIN!  How do I call you guys on something, when you are not hiding anything?

Just know FLW that I am watching, I have been called an apologist for FLW.  I can't have that.  Consider yourself on my watch!

Act Like You've Been There Before-So you spend the better part of five years working and building, searching, refining, polishing and shinning this radio show thing that you believe in so much.  You finally work up the resolve to become a call in talk show, progress is good. Then on your biggest night, the night when the spotlight is on you, the night when you have primed the pump by bringing on two guests who are in the midst of one of bass fishing's greatest controversies.  The very night when the history of bass fishing is likely to change forever what happens?  You fumble the stinking ball!

On The Water with Keith Nighswonger, my humble attempt at a radio show has usually maintained a weekly listening audience of between 10,000 and 12,000.  They don't always listen to the live broadcast, quite a few like to use the archive so they can listen when they have the time.  Others like to down load it and listen over their MP3 players, and a significant number, as many as two thousand per month, like to listen via the mobile broadcast network, (mymbn.com-cell phone radio!)  Oh, and don't forget the loyal listeners on the few traditional stations scattered across the vast landscape.  When 30,000 of you logged on last night, you pushed our machines to limit and we fumbled!  I am told it was a band width problem, that we can handle 30,000 listeners, all logged on at one time, but last night, the numbers kept growing and growing and growing until people were shut out.  I began receiving the hate e-mails about five minutes into the show.  My first caller was a guy who somehow made it past our screeners and told me ON THE FREAKING AIR that he couldn't get through to the show.  That gentleman stayed on hold and listened over the telephone.

To everyone who tried last night, I say, I am sorry.  I had no idea, and since band width is an expense, I figured, you know, why pay for extra band width.  If you promise to keep trying, I promise to purchase more band width!

Last night was awesome!  Thank you Federation

11/22/05 It Makes Perfect Sense To Me.-Sometimes I can be as dense as Tungsten.  Here all the time I was worried about BASS missing out on the important demographic that was The Bass Federation.  All of those anglers, tailor made to be sold crank baits, spinner baits, plastic worms, jigs, swim baits, rods, reels and bass boats, and I thought that BASS had just made a colossal mistake, alienating themselves from that group of 40,000 strong, bass tournament fishing people.  Boy, am I a dolt!

BASS is far smarter than I have been giving them credit for.  They have the vision, they know what they are doing, they know where they are going and they are systematically taking out one obstacle after another to get to where they want to be.  How could I be so bass ackwards in my thinking when the answer was right in front of me from the beginning?

BASS doesn't really even want to market themselves to real bass anglers anymore, because, as tough as it is to admit it, there is more money to be made selling to non endemic advertisers then there is nickle and diming themselves with a jig or worm company.  Shoot, even the boat companies don't want to pay cash, they want to trade boats for advertising, as though that were some kind of currency, and while that can generate money, it's a lot more work trying to sell a boat.  BASS doesn't want to be in the lure and boat business, they want the easy money, they want to market to the same demographic that buys NBA Basket Ball, The X-Games and The Bachelor.  These are the people who buy Big Macs, drink Pepsi, eat Doritos, shop at Walmart, (ah, hmm, on second thought, strike that last one.)  They want the people who play Madden Football on X-Box, listen to gangsta rap, and think that bass is something.........

"that makes your woffers buzz, when the beat is bumpin, " shout out my name cuz this sucka's jumpin, I'm telling you rhymes that I know are stumpin, you can't stop me cuz your head is thumpin."-word.

Sorry, sometimes the gangsta part of me just gets going, and I got to bust a rhyme yo.

Anyway, I get it.  The key for BASS is simply to get more eyes on the television screen.  That's it, the bottom line is the bottom line.  Get an audience of 5 million, sell the carp out of it, and in the end, it doesn't matter who is watching  the show, because the advertisers will be so main stream, that virtually any audience of 5 million will be the right audience for the show.

Wow, all this time, I thought bass fishermen were especially vulnerable to Erectile Dysfunction, (my youngest son still thinks it is reptile dysfunction,) now, after hundreds of jokes, I learn that the joke is on me.  It's not that bass fishermen need Cialis, as much as it is a main stream American problem, I get it, it makes so much sense to me now!  It's not that bass fishermen may be watching, see the Cialis commercial, and suddenly get the inspiration, (relax, you have 36 hours,) it's that anybody might be watching to see what those silly, break dancing, tough talking bass pros might do this week, and see the Cialis commercial and they might get inspired.

When you try to make a show that caters to bass anglers, you really limit who your advertisers can be.  Pretty much jig and worm companies, maybe and outboard motor company, oh, hey, I hear those bass guys love those Vienna Sausages and that beef jerky.  Shoot, it's gotta be hard to market to these die hard fishing guys, you can't just put main stream commercials on a show like that, and expect it to have an affect.

Thank you BASS for being patient with me while it took me so long to finally figure things out.  I clearly understand now, why you wanted to dump that Federation.  A messily 40,000 anglers, who do nothing but complain that they don't get any respect.  40,000 malcontents who, while it might be a little uncomfortable in the short term, will allow us to rebuild and come out with a newer, stronger Federation.  Yes, it now makes perfect sense to me.

This Just In...BASS just fired me for comments that I made that have been deemed  "conduct detrimental to BASS, its members and the sport of bass fishing."  Shoot, I knew it was only a matter of time.

11/21/05 The Surest Thing In Bass Fishing-One of the hardest things to do in this industry is to sell advertising space.  Smaller businesses, who need exposure, but are very careful with spending, larger businesses have the luxury of money, but they are also besieged with choices, and Mega Corporations who have their own medias, make it a very competitive situation.  There is also of course the confusing demographics, the customers, the consumers of fishing products, who are so diverse that a campaign to target all of them is virtually impossible, because those who bass fish come from all walks of life, all ages, and all socio-economic levels.

With all of that being said, it occurs to me that the one group in this country that is truly identifiable as consumers of fishing products would be The Bass Federation.  No matter what walk of life these people come from, they have voluntarily identified themselves not just as casual bass fishermen, but as tournament fishermen, whether it is at just the club level, or as is the case with Texas Federation President, David Wharton, full time professional angler.  

Now, these Federation anglers will all have the following things in common:  They either own a boat or desperately want to own a boat, and will do whatever it takes to own a boat at some point.  They will pay $15.00 for a crank bait, or even $35.00 for a swim bait, if they believe it will help them improve their fishing experience.  They think nothing of dropping $350.00 for a rod and reel combo.  They like trucks, and each and every one of them will make a religious pilgrimage to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri at least once in their life, so they can someday die, knowing that they have seen a glimpse of heaven, (with BPS in many cities, these folks do not have to go all the way to Springfield, although that is the original store, it has always seemed to me to be more like a Bass Pro Shop City.)

Their numbers are not clear, partly because at the grass roots level, anglers join clubs with every new month's meeting, however between 40,000 and 50,000 seems like a fairly accurate estimation.  40,000 to 50,000!  Talk about a sellable demographic!  An organization that could claim to be the mouth piece for these anglers would seem to have a pot of gold, which it could offer to companies that sell boats and motors, $15.00 dollar crank baits and plastic worms.  It would seem like a group the size of the Federation would be a great asset to anyone looking to sell sponsorship or advertising.

However apparently not.  BASS seems to think that it can do without The Bass Federation, because by dismissing the six Division Representatives BASS has in a sense, alienated themselves from this proud, grass roots organization.  The six Division Representatives are not some rouge group of "malcontents" as they have been so eloquently described as being.  They are the elected body of representatives, that the presidents of the state federations have elected to represent The Bass Federation.

Companies like Motorguide, Quantum/Zebco, Triton and Mercury don't need to worry about today, they are already established.  These companies need to worry about customers in ten years, or twenty years.  That's right, where do their customers come from in ten or twenty years?  I'll tell you where they come from.  I met nine of them last weekend at Angler's Marine in Anaheim, California.  They ranged in age from 8 to 13 as they were the competitors in the California State Finals of the Casting Kids competition which is put on by The Bass Federation.  Within the next 10 to 15 years, each of these children will get that bug, which means they have got to buy a bass boat, jeepers, my eight year old already has the bug!  It's one thing to take a kid fishing, it is something completely different to introduce him to the ins and outs of tournament fishing, and what it means to be a competitor.  Only The Bass Federation does this.

But BASS is growing the sport, expanding the fan base, introducing the sport to a wider, more extreme audience.  ESPN Saturday morning programming is being expanded so that they can reach a newer, "hipper" fan.  I'm sorry guys, but you have missed the boat.  ESPN is spending so much time and money trying to reach a fan that will never be "heart and sole," only casual at best.  The Bass Federation quietly started 10,000 to 15,000 little fires this year.  I don't know how many children were introduced to bass fishing at Casting Kids events at State Fairs, Sport Shows or Boat Dealerships, but knowing that these events take place in virtually every state, put on by numerous local chapters, overseen and operated by Community Service Leaders, (oh yeah, that is another function that The Bass Federation serves,)  I am led to believe that these "little fires" that I have spoken of will turn into full blown, burning passion for bass fishing.  I know it consumes the Nighswonger house hold.

Apparently the point of no return came this past November 1st when BASS officials learned that The Six Representatives of The Bass Federation, urged chapters to send their monies only to their State Presidents, until BASS could provide an adequate accounting of where this money would be going.   Rather than "show them the money," ties were severed, and nobody knows where this thing goes.

Well, here is where it goes.  While some people might miss out on chances to compete in the Federation Championship, and some Federation spots in the Bassmaster Classic might be forfeited, a large majority of the Federation will go back to their club meetings on the first Thursday of the month at Frank's Pizza Parlor, and plan next month's club tournament.

11/19/05 A Real Kick In The BASS!-Yesterday, November 18th 2005, was another of historic days that we have seen develop this year.  In a couple of statements, BASS first divorced itself from the Big Six, (Federation Divisional Representatives,) and The Bass Federation Inc. declared itself independent of BASS.  The moves, amounting to the equivalent of an "all in" in a hand of poker, will probably decide the fate of the Federation as both sides are gambling on which side the membership of the near 50,000 club angler organization will side with.

Normally in a card game, the players know the cards that they have in their hand, and today, Western Division Representative Gary Bradford told me that "we are acting totally at the direction of the State Federation Presidents who understand that the plight of their state's Federation Chapters is much bigger than a $5.00 a year per member increase.  Most clubs require club constitution changes before increasing fees to their members and many of the clubs have already collected their dues for 2006, and cannot legally, per club constitution, charge members any more money.  This plus the fact that Federation Presidents have always voted new increases in, nothing like this has ever been mandated."  

The Division Representatives believe that they know the cards they are holding.

The decision to call "all in" came in the form of an e-mail letter to Federation members today by Don Rucks, General Manager of BASS.  In his letter, Rucks noted BASS' refusal to recognize the Division Representatives and revoked the memberships, of the six Division Representatives, thereby dismissing them from any and all jobs they have had that involved BASS events.  At the heart of this matter is a recommendation by the six Divisional Representatives that clubs send their money, ($15.00 per club member) to the individual State Chapter Presidents who would hold the money until a January meeting in which a further decision could be made as to which direction the Federation should go.  In a phone discussion I had with Gary Jones of BASS today, he said "the Divisional Representatives are putting the entire membership in jeopardy, holding the Federation membership hostage.  If that money does not get turned in, insurance doesn't get renewed, and their members cannot attend the Federation Championship in January."

With six spots for Federation Anglers in the Bassmaster Classic and with the January BASS Federation Championship, BASS believes that they are holding some powerful cards.

The real culprit in all of this?  The former ownership of BASS who may have sold ESPN something that it did not own to begin with.  The Federation Chapters of the United States.  While on the surface, it has always appeared as though the Federation Chapters of this country were BASS property.  Federation Chapters, Bass Clubs, are civic minded, community service organizations whose members just happen to like bass fishing.  The confusion surrounding who the Federation belongs to centers around the fact that the Federation is active in support and staffing for Bassmaster Classics, Kids Casting Contests, lake habitat building, political lobbying and tons of other things that have been interwoven with BASS over the years.  BASS has enjoyed its relationship with the Federation and no doubt has used the near 50,000 membership group in securing big dollar sponsorship and other perks that a large member group could bring to an organization, all the while, believing that it (BASS) owned the Federation.  At the same, the Federation, has acted in support of BASS, and enjoyed the benefit of the BASS name in being affiliated with the BASS brand.

So the cards have been dealt, the bets have been laid, and the hand has been called.  It's now time for us to see who has the "nuts."

To read the statements issued by both groups today click here.

11/17/05 Anglers Still The Largest Sponsor Of Tours-While big strides are being made, it seems that anglers are still the largest sponsors of all three major tours at this point.  On the BASS Elite Tour, based on a 100 angler field, the angler's entry fees make up $5.5 million dollars of the billed $11 million dollar field, and that number will likely swell as soon as the co-angler entry fees are announced for the Elite Series, making the angler investment, clearly more than 50% of the pay back amount.  

The FLW Walmart Tour is listed as a $7.6 million dollar field of which 200 pro anglers and 200 co-anglers pay entry fees which total approximately $4.08 million dollars of the payback amount.  

The new FLW Series, billed as a $6.5 million dollar tour sees pro angler and co-angler fees total some $3.4 million dollars, again, more than half of the pay back money is coming out of the pockets of anglers.

What does this all mean?  Well, while the sport is progressing, a vigilance still needs to be in place, that's what I do.  It also means that since anglers still pay more than half of the prize package, they are in a sense, the tour's biggest sponsors.  It also means that any company that sponsors and angler, on any of the tours has a stake, be it a small one, as to how it will receive dividends from it's sponsoring of the angler.  The small companies that sponsor the anglers, then, are in reality, sponsors of the tours, and should be allowed their platform, via their anglers.  The anglers must have an avenue to self promote, if they are to legitimize themselves, and to have any chance at sponsor dollars in the future.

In the end, progress yes, but only a patch for a problem that needs a full time solution.  Sure it may appear that anglers are signing up for these three tours, but be careful how you interpret what the anglers really feel.  Do not consider angler signups as "ringing endorsements," for the various tours.  Instead consider what they are.  They are professional fishermen.  Fishermen need tournaments to secure sponsors, for the time being, this is what we have.

How will we know when we have made the big time?   The day that no entry fee tournaments become the norm.  The day when a group of anglers are paid an appearance fee for participating in a tournament.  And finally, the day when an unbiased group, such as the PAA, (so they are biased towards anglers, that is not bad!) puts on it's own tour.

They're Here!  "Guess who just hit town today, those wild-eyed boys who had been away," otherwise known as the Federation Big Six, (the nickname that I have dubbed the six federation divisional representatives.)  Yes, the Big Six are in Florida for meetings that were originally scheduled between them and BASS officials, but were subsequently canceled, for "unknown reasons," well after airfare and lodging had been booked.  So what are these Divisional Reps going to do in Down Town Celebration, Florida without any official meetings to go to at BASS HQ?  Are they going to Disney World?  NO!  They are holding their own meetings.  Did you know that a certain former owner of the NFL Vikings has expressed a willingness to work with the TBF?  (The Bass Federation Inc.)  I'm telling you, say what you will about Irwin Jacobs, but the TBF represents 45,000 potential Ranger Boat Owners!

Anyway guys, the Big Six are in town, perhaps you can check with the local Holiday Inn to find out where they are staying, and maybe start a positive dialog with these guys.

After a couple of e-mails from BASS HQ today, and a cell phone call from members of the Big Six, I am starting to understand the levity of the situation.  We have all heard about the proverbial, "two ships passing in the night," well, in this case, BASS, one of the ships is actually in town, probably a few blocks from BASS HQ.  Extend a hand, show a sign, send up a flare, throw down a life preserver.........but don't let an opportunity like this get away!

I will keep you posted on the Federation Meetings or lack there of the rest of this week.  But guys, they are in town!!!! 

11/15/05 More On The Federation, (aka TBF The Bass Federation Inc.)-This story doesn't seem to want to go away.  Yesterday, I quizzed you on the organization that is 42,000 strong, (I was corrected today, it's actually 45,000,) and you finally got it after I presented a rephrasing of the question.  BASS it just takes you longer to figure things out doesn't it?

The latest word on the street is that BASS/ESPN is sending a 25% fee increase to the federation chapters throughout the United States.  Included in the 25% Increase is no, (as in a 0%) increase in club benefits.  Now it is possible that BASS has not increased fees in many years to the Federation, so a fee increase might even be a reasonable request.  Here is the problem, and this folks, is the perception of the Federation members that I have talked to in the last few days. BASS/ESPN has essentially turned it's back on the 45,000 members recently, ignoring requests to meet with Federation leadership, "organizing our sock drawers," or "sewing buttons on ice cream," or whatever lame excuse has been used.  You know what we say about perception, here in the brush pile......Perception is reality. Given the perception that BASS/ESPN is ignoring the Federation, to suddenly come back with a 25% increase in fees, is well, hard to stomach.

I'll say it one more time....BASS/ESPN, the Federation is your main demographic, not the break dancing gangsta doofisses, we see on Saturday morning TV.  Before you zing any fee increases on the Federation, patch up your differences, extend a hand, do something for nothing, (which is what the Federation stands for anyway.)  Then, after you have made up to the Federation, then, you can discuss a fee increase with the 6 Federation district reps.

Cheating In Bass Tournaments-How do you cheat in a bass tournament?  Given the incident on the Red River at the Central Open last week in which an angler, (you can go to the other web site to find out his name,) allegedly admitted to cheating in a bass tournament, in which he was subsequently arrested and issued a life time ban in all BASS Tournaments, it got me thinking, how would you, how could you cheat in a bass tournament?

The people that I talked to, I can't tell you their names, they are anonymous sources, which if I reveal their names, they will not longer be anonymous sources, and worse off, they will stop passing me tips of where to look for my proof.  So take it or leave it.....have told me that the angler in question had a four pound bass tied to fishing line that was attached to a stump.  The fish was discovered in pre fish by another angler, it was reported to authorities, it was marked and then returned.  When the fish was weighed in during the tournament, the angler was popped.

I still want to know how do you cheat in an event where your co-angler is not your friend, but a randomly selected partner.  How could you cheat with an angler in your boat who might turn you in or refuse to sign your weigh in slip?

It is simple, here is how you do it.  First, you must acquire some tournament winning size fish,  that already eliminates me from the mix, I have never been able to do that.  Next, you take about a five foot length of 20 pound test mono, tie on a hook, and hook that bass in the upper lip.  Now, tie that fish off of a stump or stick or something, BUT PUT IT IN A PLACE WHERE OTHER ANGLERS WON'T FIND IT!!!!  Remember, it is critical to hook that bass you are going to cheat with in the upper lip.  

OK, tournament day, and you still have to fool your partner.  You come up to the stump that you have tied this big fish up to, you make a long cast to the stump with a diving crank bait.  Be sure that the cast is near to the stump, but beyond, because you want that bait to dive down to where your 20 pound mono has the big fish anchored.  Now, cranking, you should begin to feel that sensation of the bait running up against something, that would be your line that is holding the fish.  If you keep cranking, that crank bait should run up the line towards where your four pound fish is.  Remembering that the fish is anchored to the line, as you crank, your bait should move closer and closer to the fish at the end, as you begin to feel the bait making contact with the fish, you swing aggressively, and snag the fish just on the inside or outside of the mouth, the fight is on, "oh man the fish is all tangled up in fishing line."

Would you get away with that?

11/14/05 The Federation-Here's a question for you, what is made up of 47 individual corporations that represent over 42,000 shareholders?  OK, here are some clues:  They like to fish for bass, are devoted to their communities, they run charity fishing events, help put on kid's fishing events, and they are the back bone of not one but both of the two major tournament organizations.  What, you still need more hints?  Who are you B.A.S.S.?  OK, OK, since you are BASS and are prone to needing help on important matters, I will continue.

PAY ATTENTION NOW, I'M LOSING MY PATIENTS!  Who are the people, that more likely will, than won't come into contact with the general, non fishing public?  Who are the people that represent our sport, and are at the very grass root level of our sport?  In other words, BASS, when the impression of the bass angler is made on a person, who is likely to make it?  This group, 42,000 members strong are the lead demographic for your organization, BASS.  They are the prototypical customer for all of your advertisers, BASS, yes, including CIALIS, although that is a cheap shot at these people after all they do for you.  They buy gasoline BASS, they buy beer, they buy oil filters and they buy boats, although don't let Irwin Jacobs know that there are 42,000 boat buyers up for grabs!

You still don't know who I am talking about BASS?  Oh wait a minute.  Let me rephrase the question for you BASS.  Here, try it this way.  What is the 42,000 member group that you (BASS) think you own, and treat like a wet newspaper on a rainy Sunday morning?  What is the name of that group that volunteers to work Classics for you, puts on Kids Casting Contests for you, plants habitat in lakes across this country and yet you still treat like CARP!?  OOOOHHHHHH, the Federation, that's right, I knew you could get it, like I said, with some help.

I spent this weekend at the State Finals of the Federation's Casting Kids competition with a group of some of the best people that I have ever met.  These people are Federation members from a local Federation Club.  The patients and time that these true gentlemen spent with the young children who were involved in the competition was amazing.  As I watched the competition, it dawned on me that these men, who were volunteering their time on a Saturday and also on a Sunday were giving up, College Football, the NFL, their own families and of course, they were not fishing either.  These guys were doing community service, the same as Rotarians, The Lions Club, Kiwanis and the local Moose Lodge.  What was the motivation for these guys?  Were they getting paid, or some kind of comp on lures or something?  NO!  They were making sure that the children of THEIR COMMUNITY were being properly introduced to the outdoors and more importantly fishing.

Next week, Representatives of the 6 Federation Regions will travel to Florida to meet with BASS' top brass to discuss the future of the Federation.  The only problem is that this meeting, scheduled several months ago, has been canceled by BASS, as "several key members" of the BASS Administration will be "out of town."   Plane tickets have been purchased, tickets that cannot be returned are now being held by several of these representatives

BASS, here is an opportunity not to screw this up.  These representatives are coming to talk to you.  Talk to them, and listen.  Get their input, and make decisions that don't come off as "fly by night!"  Many of these people are still loyal to you BASS, although that loyalty is being tested when you ignore their leadership.  Just remember this BASS, because your sponsors do.  That demographic that you are trying to reach, you know, the one that is typically likely to buy gasoline, beer, spinner baits and yes, Cialis.  They are right in front of you, they are the Federation.  Don't forget those guys!

11/09/05 Let The Games Begin!!! Let's see here now, it is mid-Fall, our favorite pros have spent an anxiety ridden last two or three months trying to figure out the RIGHT PATH TO TAKE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!  You know, do you mortgage the family farm and sign up for the Elite Series? (BASS) Do you sign up for the new FLW Series? Do you fish the FLW Tour?  Or do you do some of each, all, both, neither?  Decisions, decisions, hey, it's only a career!

Then there has been the "will work for entry fees," campaign that these guys have had to secure during the small two month window.  "Hey, how would you like to be the title sponsor of a bass pro?  It's only going to cost you $100,000.00!"  Yep, those kind of decisions get made in about five minutes........It is staggering to me how many of the pros that I have talked to, that signed up for the BASS Elite Series without first securing the wrapped boat sponsor that they must have.  But what is a guy going to do on such short notice?  That's right, sign up, and hope someone says yes at some point, that kind of reminds me of my high school prom strategy:  "Start asking girls in September and hope that by May, someone says YES!" 

Some of that still goes on, deals are being finalized, all along the way the game continues to be defined.  "This is the future Keith, this is the future.  It is happening right before our eyes!"  Bill Wicker is our resident historian, and he is well qualified speak on the subject, you see, Bill Wicker was bass fishing before there were plastic worms.  Bill Wicker was bass fishing when HE WAS the electric trolling motor, "grand dad would hand me an oar, and I would row the boat slowly around the pound, when we got all of the way around, it was grand dad's turn to be the trolling motor."  Bill Wicker was bass fishing before BASS was a twinkle in Ray Scott's eye. Bill Wicker is adamant that Bass Fishing's glory days are just ahead of us, and his comment that the future is happening right now, is a clear symbol that every step forward we take from here on out will be a fresh step in the sand.

We need to turn these guys loose, send them out on the lakes, let them start breaking down water, it's game time!  Think about this, we have three big time tours waiting for us in 2006.  I can't wait for January.  PLAY BALL!  Man my sock drawer is going to get way unorganized.  Happy Birthday Bill Wicker!

Here is something else.  BASS, despite rumbling, bumbling, stumbling, and mumbling has created a standard for sponsorship that never existed before.  Take it from a guy who does this every day, when trying to sell advertising space for a radio show, a company is going to try to severely low ball you every time, I mean nobody wants to pay too much for something, how much is "air" worth?   "Well, our budget is already set for the next 10,000 years, but how about some crank baits, we've got some real purdy ones."  

Consider this, the fishing industry has long abused the logo, hell they make you buy their hats so you can promote their name?  Where is the sense in that?  Companies that operate in the fishing industry are so smug, they don't need to advertise, they don't need to pay an angler, they have product to give.  The problem is that so many anglers in this country have acted like a company is doing them a favor by giving them a bag of plastic worms for an endorsement, or a couple of crank baits if a guy wears a logo in a big time tournament.  Well, intentionally, by accident or by divine intervention, BASS has changed all of that now.  With a $55,000.00 dollar entry fee, BASS has forced the professional angler to become a professional salesman.  That entry fee is so large that it forces an angler to ignore the lure of pretty crank baits, or flashy spinner baits as barter for their promotional services.  There isn't a lure company in America that can now say to one of the Elite Series pros, "if you wear our patch we'll give you a life time supply of plastic worms."

Like what BASS is doing or not, what they have created is a dramatic change in the way pro anglers can approach potential sponsors or vice versa.  It is now widely clear the absolute bottom line for full exposure on the Elite Series Tour is $85,000.00.  If I am an angler, we are not even going to talk, unless a potential sponsor has the intent of offsetting some of the five figure expenses I will have next year.  This does take us out of the dark ages.  This does create an unbalanced playing field, however now it is the Elite Series angler that holds all of the cards.  As Bill Wicker likes to say, "the future is happening right now Keith, it is right here!"

11/08/05 R.A.N.T. It's a term coined here recently, and one that I would like to expand on if you will indulge me. Rightfully Advocating Notable Thinking is the art of the commentary.  Carefully chosen words, laid out in a manner that exposes one's take on an issue or event is as much of an art form as painting, sculpture or any other form of writing.  You see, a carefully applied R.A.N.T. brings the public to your point regarding an injustice or a good, and if you really have it going on, you may take the reader with you to your side.

For the last year and a half here in the Brush Pile I have laid out my R.A.N.T. to your amusement and you have told me how you feel.  Sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes, you have accused me of not doing my homework, but the point is you have been engaged, it is addictive, can you really go to work, school or fishing without first checking to see what Nighswonger said this morning?

Now it is your turn.  If I have done my job, I have set the example for you that I want to get in return.  Yes, it is your turn to R.A.N.T.  I am looking for reader rants, and I want them now.  If you see something in the world of Bass Fishing, or even remotely related to the world of Bass Fishing, then you need to sound off.  It doesn't have to be something wrong either. Sometimes we need to know when things are right, as much as when things are wrong.

Why is he asking us to do this?  You might ask.  The Brush Pile has become the place on the internet for bass fishing editorial.  Some of this sport's biggest names read this column daily and I believe they need to hear you as well.  Our new RANT PAGE has been created so that our readers can sound off.  I will warn you, there is no room for weakness here.  Just because you take the time to write "how you feel" it doesn't mean you are going to make the page, but, if you're willing to try, then I am willing to read.

Judging from the e-mails that I get, I know the talent is out there.  The big question is your resolve.  This page is going to allow you to have your voice heard/read.  If you decide to lay out a RANT, all I ask is that you come with it strong.  OK, whose first?  click here

11/05/05 OK, Now I Am Confused-Just when I got my "bling-bling," my new diamond studded front tooth and the new dragon tats on my biceps, I turn on ESPN to watch some serious gang-banging bass fishing and I what do I get? THE FISHIN HOLE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!   I can't win for losing.  First, you tell us that we are no longer the audience that ESPN is looking for, and you pound that into us each week, with the new "hip hop, chopper riding, monster garage line up," and then, just when you had me turned to the new hip gig, you slip in a Fishing Hole?

Come on guys, the Fishing Hole is NIIIIIIIICCCCCCCEEEE television.  Jerry, let me help you with your image.  You need to get rid of that soft spoken monologue that you do, don't you know, the viewers are younger, harder and meaner.  I'm just afraid that they will "cold smoke you," with your easy going, Southern hospitality, man that is the kind of thing that gets eaten up in the mean city yo!

As I watched this morning, I kept thinking to myself, "OK, surely at some point I will have to cover my six year old's eyes and ears, as you "bust a cap off in someone's bass."  And then it hit me.  "Oh no, you wouldn't, you couldn't."  I thought, "he is going to grab that weenie dog, bait him up and go monster bass fishing with him-the horror!"  I felt slightly ashamed as I sat their waiting for you to hook up and throw poor Fido to the monster bass, and yet, strangely, I couldn't take my eyes off of the TV.  It was as though I couldn't watch, yet, curiously, I could not take my eyes off of what I thought was going to happen..........But nothing did.  My fear that I would witness this horrible event, quickly turned to frustration as nothing happened.  This nice, gentle, man, with his life companion, a happy, little, waggy-tail dog,  just spent a leisurely couple of hours, (in TV time,) FISHING!

Jerry, this just won't work.  I mean it did today, because, you know, we thought you were going to do something unbelievable, but I guess you really did do something hard to believe, you just fished and you were charming.

While you pulled off that kind of "nice" stuff today, I think you better concentrate on your image, I really do.  Next week, sport some baggy pants, hanging low, boxers a-showin, and a beanie, pulled way down over your ears.  Get to the gym and start pumping like there is no tomorrow, and put on a tight muscle shirt.  And for Pete's Sake, you didn't even yell on your show today, nor did you do any kind of hip-new dance moves.

I guess the question I really want to ask you Jerry is "WHY IS IT OK FOR JERRY McKINNIS TO BE A KIND, SOFT SPOKEN GENTLEMAN ON HIS SHOW,  while the recent Bassmaster Line has been,  "those guys, (who aren't Skeet, G-Man or Ike,) are likely very awkward on camera. How entertaining would it be to watch a guy that won't talk?"  What's good for the anglers should be good for the producers of the Bass Fishing Shows.  If a guy has to "thug it up," or break dance to get on TV, I want to see you sporting some brass knuckles and lose the Oscar Meyer Winner Dog, what you need is a Dobberman!

Oh By The Way.......Charlie Moore, your sister kicked your bass today!

11/03/05 Yahoo!  Two Rookies Commit To Elite Series!-John Bondy and Robert Merkin are the first two anglers from the Open Series to accept invitations to spend $55,000.00 plus untold further amounts to join the BASS Elite Series.  In past years, Toyota has sponsored a Rookie Of the Year award.  No word yet on whether this will continue in 2006, however if it does, it will keep within the BASS Elite Series standard of paying 1 out of 2 places.

Biting The Hand That Feeds Me-I can not remain silent on this issue any longer.  In keeping with the spirit of this column, I feel that something must be said about our very own Universal Visionary, Keith Nighswonger.  While, I admit, that I may not be the easiest employee to deal with, my mission has always been pure, protect the people that make this sport great.

I take great issue with Nighswonger's comments regarding my so called failure to uncover the apparent plot to create news via the "self-interview."  You may have read recently that BassFan's Scot Laney editorial piece of October 28th, disclosed that some, unnamed web sites are using a new form of journalism where the editorial writer interviews himself, lobbing easy, company line, questions to himself.

To these charges that I missed the story, I say, GUILTY!  I missed it!  OK, does that make you feel better, I missed it.  I won't however, be judged by the likes of Nighswonger, whose closest connection to bass fishing is that he once accepted a couple of bass that died in a weigh in pen at a tournament, took them home and made a sandwich of them.  This small brained, self proclaimed Universal Visionary, (what is that anyway?) He spends more time gardening than he does fishing.  He spends more time on his collection of rubber bands from around the world," than he does within the actual fishing industry.  In fact, his entire reason for owning this web site is to promote his various projects within the Gardening Industry.

Yes, quite frankly I have taken some subtle shots at him in the past, however after his comments which appeared on this web site last weekend, I demand that he retract the following comments that are both reckless and totally off base:  

"I am condemning the work of ProBassAnglers.com's own editorial writer, Keith Nighswonger for being so busy fooling around with that mindless ranting and raving that he does, that he completely missed this story.  It is foolish acts like these that can make a news outlet number two in a hurry, and I assure our adoring readers, that I will deal with Nighswonger very soon."

11/02/05 Florida, We Still Might Have A Problem-Folks who read this column may well remember "Brody Of The Lake."  You remember, when BASS did flip-flop number 2, or was it number 3 this past Summer?  Anyway, Brody alerted the bass fishing world to the plight on the Open Level angler who had been promised as many as 110 tour cards, (if you count 30 for each of the three regions and 20 for those rotten step children in the West.)  

I checked in with Brody on Monday, and discovered that a new obstacle is in place for the Open Level Angler, that was promised so much back in the Spring, only to have it seemingly yanked away by the startling changes that took place after this Summer's Bassmaster Classic.  The following are excerpts from his letter:

"Well, I'm sitting 26th in the points on the southern tour. With one more to go at Toho. The Top 30, you know, get a card to the Elite. Unfortunately I do not believe a single Open Angler will be able to move to the next level. We just don't have enough time to sell a sponsor."  

Now, not all of this is BASS' fault.  At least two hurricanes have caused postponement of a couple of Open level events, causing the Open season to extend well into November, and past, the November 1st due date for deposits.  A wise man once told me that "90% of something is better than 100% of nothing," so I am sure that if one of these Open Anglers, walks into the lobby of BASS HQ in Celebration, Florida with $55,000.00 that he will not be denied entry, however, Brody does have a good point.  How does an unknown angler secure funding and a wrap at this late juncture?

Brody continues, "We still will not know for 2 more weeks the list of Open Tour Anglers that are even qualified for the Elite. You can't really go out and sell yourself and the sport to a company if you are not qualified for it.  The Open anglers are stuck. Maybe the Northern Boys had a chance to get something because their season was over several months ago and everyone knows if they where qualified or not." 

Brody makes his final point when he asks, "Will there be any Rookies on the Elite Tour? If not most of the field on the Northern and Southern Tours would be considered rookies. It's a Shame. This has happened on purpose. They eliminated us by the time factor, Hey Brody you and all your Open Anglers can have your cards but it will be too late to use them because you will have about a week to come up with $27,000 after Toho."

It does appear that the plight of the Open Angler has again been swept neatly under the rug.  Initially the high entry fee undoubtedly knocked many from the chance to step up to the next level.  Now it appears that a time constraint may also make it difficult for Open Level Anglers to reach the Elite Level.  BASS found itself in a jam this Summer when it decided to reconfigure it's reconfigured, reconfigurations.  "We want a small tour, with only the top anglers.  Ooopps, we did invite all of those Open Anglers, what if 50 or 75 of them decide to exercise the option we gave them when we were taking their entry fees for the Opens last Spring?  Well, we will just price them out of the market, and if that doesn't get rid of all of them, we will push them up against the dead line."  

No, I am not blaming BASS for the hurricanes.

Come on Keith, how many of those Open guys were really going to fish the Tour if they qualified?  We may never know.  I kind of feel like if one guy doesn't get his shot, then things aren't right.  I suppose you might say that the principle of the matter is what counts here.

10/30/05 That Collective Sigh Of Relief  you heard late in the day Friday was coming from BASS Head Quarters in Florida as both Kevin Van Dam and Tim Horton made their commitments to the Elite Series.  With Van Dam and Horton in the field next year, the Series is virtually set with "The Big Guns" all signed, sealed and delivered.  There was a lot of talk, there was a lot of posturing and there were several, shall we say, threatening e-mails sent out, warning anglers "not to miss this opportunity," however, you know, the panic button was about to be pushed, and that BASS officials were most likely hunkered down in the basement, watching the clock tick precious seconds away.   I just hope that Horton and Van Dam, waited until 4:00 PM or so EST on Friday before making their calls, (that is actually kind of mean for me to say that, so consider that last statement retracted.)

What this means however, is that BASS has won its "stare down" with fate.  It has looked total destruction in the eye and it is total destruction that has backed down.  It has succeeded in it's daring attempt to create legitimacy for this new elite format.  Everything has worked out just as BASS had hoped for.  The high entry fee and long tour schedule has forced those out who simply could not commit the time or money to doing this tour thing full time, allowing the Elite Series to be the smaller, 100 boat field, that pros have asked for.

However BASS, don't spend too much time patting yourself on the back.  This Elite Series thing works for one reason, and one reason only..........The Anglers.  If you don't get the Greg Hackneys, the Aaron Martens, the Denny Brauers, the Tim Hortons and Kevin Van Dam then you have a circus.  If instead of getting the top names in professional bass fishing, you ended up with 80 to 100 "regular guys" maxing out their credit cards, BASS, your boat would have been sunk.  So much was on the line, and out of your control.

In the end, the anglers have once again saved the organization.  The BASS Elite Series is going to be the most amazing step forward since Ray Scott made his "hair brained idea" for a Bass Tournament become a reality.  Was it the masterful handling of the situation?  Was it the behind the scenes manipulation?  Was it the calm, cool resolve of the officials calling the shots?  No way........It was the anglers.

BASS from now on do us all a favor.  Do more than recognize the PAA.  Make representatives of the PAA part of your decision making process.  You almost ruined the sport that we all love.  Do we forgive you?  Time will tell.

ESPN-BASS Tech-I have been watching BASS Tech a lot lately because it comes on early out here in the West, (6:30 AM instead of freaking early like BASS Center and Loudmouth "RIP.")  The more I watch the show, the more I ask myself, "what is this character 'Chigger' doing on the show?"  This afternoon, I was driving around town, running mindless errands, when it hit me like a ton of bricks, a real punch in the stomach, an innuendo that quite frankly, I thought had left television in the 1960's.

I went to the ESPN web site (http://espn.go.com/outdoors/tv/s/g_tv_desc_BASS_Tech.html) and found this description of Chigger's character:  

"Chigger Brumbalow: What can we say about Chigger? No one's really sure what he does or why he's here, but we do know when he's here. We do know that according to him that "A clean shop is a happy shop" and when there's heavy lifting to be done, he grabs a broom and heads to the other side of the room. He's an agreeable sort, though, and we're not quite sure if he gets paid or not, so we'll keep him around."

In an article on the State of Missouri's conservation web site, (www.conservation.state.mo.us/,) Natural History Biologist, Nina Bicknese, describes Chiggers as "an ugly little creatures, about 1/150th of an inch in diameter, that bite us in skin pores and hair follicles in parts of our bodies where our skin is the thinnest, such as the crotch, and arm pits."  

What parents would name a child "Chigger?"  That's right no parent would.  Which means the name of this character was given to him by the creators of the show, who clearly want to portray this man in a condescending, second class citizen, manner.  Chigger represents the person who was looked down on in the school yard, or in the work place, (as he is on this show,) by his classmates or co-workers who need someone to poke fun at so that they may elevate themselves, making themselves feel better about themselves.

Thank goodness that "Chigger" is an Anglo-American on this show and not of a minority race, or else his treatment on the show would clearly reek of racism, perhaps it does anyway.  Again I ask, why the name "Chigger?"  I doubt that harm is intentionally being done here, but it is being done.  I am sure the folks who put this show together think it is cool and funny to have some guy bumbling and stumbling around the shop.  Why do we laugh at Chigger?  Does he make us glad to be us and not him?

10/28/05 A League Of Their Own  The recent WBT event at Lake Lewisville proved beyond a doubt that they are out there and every bit as serious about our sport as men.  A Woman's professional league opens the door for new revenue streams, as Corporate America understands all too well that dollars spent marketing to women are often far more effective than dollars spent on men.  Case in point, who in your family is most likely to walk into a place like Sam's Club, or Ralph's, (grocery chain,) or any other "family products" retail center?  Exactly.  Men may not want to admit this, but a Woman's League might just be the best thing to ever happen to Men's Bass Fishing, in terms of advertising dollars that can be attracted, once major non-endemics discover that Women also fish competitively!

Donna Biondi of Oklahoma is a Pioneer, having just competed in the first Woman's event at Lake Lewisville. You can read about her experiences in her ProTourJournal....... Read Donna's ProTourJournal.

10/26/05 Roumbanis Swinging For The Fences!  Fred Roumbanis, who used to make his home in Auburn, California, and now lists his home address as "AnyTown USA," has kept a ProTourJournal on this website for two years.  During that time we have followed him from one end of the country to another, experienced his highs and lows, and generally gotten to know this likeable fellow as he sets out in conquest of his dream to be a full time tour pro.

His first season (2004) he fished the FLW Tour and had several strong events, but in the end, managed to finish 101st in the points standings and missed out qualifying for the FLW Tour in 2005.  No problem, he qualified for the BASS Tour via the Western Opens and fished last year on the Bassmaster Tour, where he finished 133rd and struggled for much of the season.

Wanting to get back to the FLW Tour, (he is a Ranger owner,) Fred missed out on a chance to qualify in his home region, (Western,) so he set off to the Northeast and fished that EverStart Region this season, where he won an event on the Mississippi River and found himself in third place going into the last day of competition on the Detroit River.  "I figured that I only needed to catch one fish that last day, and that really was my mind set," Fred told me yesterday, "When we launched the wind was very heavy, and it took me 45 minutes to get to my first spot, that I couldn't fish because it was directly into the heavy wind.  My non-boater caught four, but I had to hold and couldn't fish the spot.  I decided to run to area that I knew would be protected from the wind, and even though the fish were smaller there, I knew that I would be able to catch a few and protect my spot on the tour next year."

In making the run to his next spot, battling 4 four waves, Fred's non-boater tapped his shoulder and said, "I just saw a dead body, we have to go back."  Fred immediately hit the "man over board" function on his GPS unit and sure enough found the dead body, that apparently had been weighted down, although not well enough to keep it submerged.  "We called the police, and then got wrapped up in an investigation, and our day was through, and so was my season."

Fred fell out of contention, and did not make the FLW Tour.

This Summer, however, Fred received one of the Golden Invitations to fish the new BASS Elite Series, you know, the one with the $55,000.00 price tag.  He has accepted, already turning in his deposit, and making the biggest commitment he has made in his short career and a tournament bass pro.  "I don't completely know how I will pay for the whole thing yet, but I have to do it.  Okuma will wrap my boat, and I will find a way to finance the season, but this is what I am going to do, and I figure that being gun shy is the sure way to miss out on my opportunity."

October 25, 2005 

On The Subject Of Editorials-If you are going to stick your neck out and throw your own two cents in, you had better be right, or you will surely get pounced on by the sharks that lurk in the shadows, waiting for you to make a mistake......by the way, that is why I always make sure to be right whenever I rant on!  So now, that we have got the "me always being right," thing straight between us, let us proceed on to Jay Yelas, who recently submitted his own "state of the union" address, which has brought him the wrath of many who lurk in the shadows of internet forums, waiting to pounce on a misplaced verb, or accidental contradiction.

You can agree or disagree with what Jay said in his original letter published on BassFan, however there is one comment that I have read several times in regards to Jay's strong commitment to his faith, that I believe is the cheapest of cheap shots, and one that I will dispel in this rant of mine. 

The comment that I have read several times now, goes something like this:  Jay has no problem throwing the "greater moral values" thing out there, yet he participates in gambling every time he goes fishing.  That's what bass tournaments are, they are gambling........

Bass Tournaments Are Not Gambling!  OK, maybe the way you and I fish them, they are gambling, however, gambling involves playing odds, the luck of the draw, the roll of the dice, waiting on luck.  The modern professional angler has evolved into an efficient machine that is fully refined to eliminating as many aspects of chance from the mix as can possibly be eliminated.  If you are one who believes that Tournament Bass Fishing at the pro tour level is gambling because you are just fishing for other angler's money then I will say to you, that you have never watched Aaron Martens sit in his boat in a motel parking lot for three or four hours, meticulously doing his tackle, making sure that every little item is adjusted and taken care of.  If you think bass fishing is gambling, then you never sat and watched Tom Monsoor sharpen jig hooks until mid night before a big event.

When Jay Yelas launches his boat to compete in the first day of a tournament, he is akin to a NBA basketball player, (although those guys play indoors, in a comfortable environment, and never get rained on.)  Will Shaq O'Neil make every shot he takes? (No way,) but he has tuned his body and his mind to give him the best chance to succeed.  Will Jay Yelas catch a bass on every cast? (Bill Dance will, just watch his show,) Of course not, but he has also tuned his mind and body to give himself the best chance to perform.  If you or I go out to fish against Jay Yelas, he will smoke us.

Oh there is some luck involved in bass fishing.  If I come in with a five bass stinger that has five, two pounders, I weigh ten pounds.  If you come in with your five bass limit, but you have four-two's and six pounder.....You beat me!  It's still not luck, you just did something to entice a bigger fish to bite.  Figure out what that thing was that you did, and you are going to win the tournament.  Duplicate what you did and you are going to win a lot of tournaments.

As for the comment about Pros fishing for other angler's money, you got me there.  We still have entry fees, and the anglers  themselves are still the biggest sponsors that any tournament organization has going for itself.  That day however, is coming.  The day when we finally see a no-entry fee tour.  

October 24, 2005 

Log On, Then Call!-Bass Fishing Fanatics will have a rare opportunity to talk live with Tim Horton Tuesday Night, 9:00 PM cst.  How to catch more fish, the landscape of the fishing world and what's new with the PAA, are all topics that will be on the table.  Do you want to talk to Tim?  E-mail us your contact number and we'll call you when we have a spot in the rotation! 

News Makers-Don't you just love it when "News Web Sites" interview their own?  I mean let's pour over this for a minute.  I love the illusion that these sites try to create, as though "we are CNN and have hundreds of company personnel, so we gave 'Billy-Bob' his big break and allowed him to interview our CEO, or our King or our Ultimate Visionary for crying out loud."  

There are several sites that do this, including this one, (although I have tried to make it so obvious with our Ultimate Visionary that even folks who are fans of the SEC will get,) but it is a joke, and perhaps the thing that is most funny is that these web sites think that you and I fall for it.  You may recall last week that I discussed the "new wave" Professional Tournament Fan.  They are educated, professionals who can see through a charade, and "won't get fooled again," by tournament organizations, or other media voices who attempt to sell us a company line.  You know what the problem is.  These organizations think that because you and I watch Bill Dance catching all of those fish in a half hour, that we fall for the trick photography, the set up hook sets and the multiple camera anglers.  "If those donkeys believe that is true, then they will certainly believe it when I interview myself, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

James Hall, Editor of Bassmaster Magazine, is the latest to "consent to being interviewed by himself." http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=b_feat_bmc_whatcha_talking_about_James_Hall  

Although the interviewer is listed as "Bassmaster.com" guess what!  JAMES YOU INTERVIEWED YOURSELF! OK, maybe their actually was another person in the room writing down the answers, but maybe, just maybe, you had some questions you wanted someone to ask you, so you decided it would be OK to just do it yourself.

I'll tell you what it is.  It's safer.  James what you wrote, or what was written, was an editorial, not an interview.  Oh, I know you have "Bassmaster.com Staff" listed as the interviewer, but go back through and read the, ah, interview.  Now, take away the "Bassmaster.com:" re word the "lobbed questions" to read as statements, and what you have is an editorial.  Now, here comes the scary part.  When you write an editorial, you leave yourself wide open for criticism, and it's all you.  You can't blame or push blame off on the interviewer, because it's all on your shoulders.  I should know, I'm not smart enough to interview myself, or I wouldn't have to deal with half of the baloney that I get after one of my rants.  But it comes with the territory.

You are unhappy with Jay Yelas.  I think it is safe to say that BASS in general is unhappy with Jay Yelas, which is another reason that Bassmaster.com should not interview the Editor of Bassmaster Magazine on the subject of Jay Yelas....Duh!  We know where your slant is coming from!  Write an editorial!

Right or wrong, Jay Yelas expressed himself through an open letter to BassFan.com, (by the way Jay, what's up with that?  Where's my love? Those guys interview themselves all of the time!  Don't get me started!)   It was an E D I T O R I A L ! ! !  He laid his gripes out on the line, and he has taken his lumps and praises for it.  Hey, I know, maybe Jay can get his own web site, and conduct an interview with himself.  Jay Yelas, being interviewed by the JayYelas.com staff.  I can see it now.  

Fans of professional bass fishing are too smart for this.  Next time, write an editorial!

OK, let me have it.

October 21, 2005 

Happy Birthday Dad!!!-Thanks for taking me fishing! 

Taking The Good With The Bad....Today you favorite bass pros across the country are making decisions that will not only affect their 2006 tour seasons, but perhaps their entire careers.  With today being the registration deadline for priority entry into the FLW Series, many pros, had not completely decided as of last night, and may be flipping coins this morning.  Given the historic note that goes with this decision, I thought I would comment of some of the things that are good, and some that are bad about our favorite sport.

5 Things Right With Bass Fishing

• There are more opportunities then ever for anglers to make a living in bass fishing.
•  The professional bass fishing fan has evolved from the inarticulate, back woods, "Billy-Bob" to the sophisticated, educated, professional, who keeps statistics, understands the issues probably better than those in charge of the sport, and sees through the bias that has kept his ancestors in the dark and under the thumb of this sport's leaders for so long.
• There are corporate leaders with the capital who believe the sport is worth investing in.  Like it or not, the money being pumped into bass fishing right now, does eventually find it's way into the pockets of anglers at some point.
• Web sites like BassFan, BassZone, and ProBassAnglers.com still have editorial authority to call it as we see it.  Forums and call in radio shows still allow the fan a voice, and the big boys read it.  If a fan cares enough, or if a group of fans care enough, their voices can be heard, and opinions read.  Industry leaders from the professional anglers themselves, to the leading voices within the bass fishing media, to the actual leaders in the board rooms, read this web site and others, I know, they e-mail me when I cross the line.   CEO's and other decision makers who run the sponsoring companies also read these web sites, and believe me, what people say in the forums on the shows and other medias, make a difference is shaping how the money is spent and where it is spent.  Not all the sweeping changes have been angler generated!
• There is a PAA and it is attempting to create what this sport needs more than anything else:  A Angler's Tour, that allows an angler to fully promote himself/herself.

5 Things Wrong With Bass Fishing

• The nature of bass fishing today is that corporate dollars want to "sponsor" fishing trails and events which implies some editorial control, which leads to the bias that we anglers, must cut through in order to clearly view our sport.
• The sport of bass fishing is led by a Corporate Raider both willing and able to consume any asset that is deemed weak or available and a parent company that is so large it cannot see below it's own waist line, thus missing at least half of what makes it's organization go.  In both cases the bottom line is the bottom line.  I am all for capitalism, however in the interest of profit, there is an ethic and an inherent bias that I'm not sure is good for the sport. 
• The boat our favorite pros fish out of is largely going to determine which circuit an angler is going to fish.  We will see Triton anglers fishing BASS and Ranger, Stratos, Champion, and Skeeter/Yamaha pros fishing the FLW events.  So, it will be on rare occasion that fans will get to see all of the big boys competing head to head.  Perhaps BassFan's Top Gun will survive this after all.
• The values ethics and family friendly environment , once associated with bass fishing have been compromised in the name of reaching a target audience to market products towards.  As a result, we see a clear distinction between the "showmen" and the "traditional guard" that was in place before and helped establish a standard which many of us, "forty and beyond," still cling to.
• The major television block, that is dedicated to fishing shows, is still broad cast early on Saturday mornings.  Please figure this out.  We work our "basses" off each week so that we can be at the launch ramp on Saturday mornings.  You wonder where your ratings are?

October 19th, 2005 

In Case You Missed It-I am now Professional Bass Fishing's Self Proclaimed Commissioner.  As for my first move, I am ordering FLW to reexamine it's dates for the new FLW Series.  Three out of the first four dates for this series are in direct conflict with the BASS Elite Series and could cause a division amongst fans as well as anglers.  As we watch these two heavy weights go "toe to toe" in a blatant attempt to upset what the other is doing, (read recent statements from Don Rucks GM of BASS and Irwin Jacobs, Universal Visionary of FLW Outdoors, in which each organization mentioned the other,) it occurs to me that the only people who will suffer are the fans.  Anglers will choose the tour or series they want to fish, and we will end up with fields that are not complete, as in missing participants that could be there.  I will expect this revision to be posted within the month.

As for the "we already run so many events," complaint. Reschedule some Walleye events, or some King Fish or Red Fish events.  "But those events are already in place, the anglers are already planning around those dates..."  Listen, if bass anglers and fans of bass fishing can put up with the changes that we have had to endure over the past year, then Walleye, King Fish and Red Fish anglers and fans can deal with some changes that are still six months in the future.

(Wow, it feels good not to pick on BASS for a change-Doougghhh!)

Please don't forget the fans.

October 17th, 2005 

I'm In!-OK BASS, you've got me.  In my little warped fantasy world, I have spent the last week or so imagining the dilemma that qualified Elite Series pros must be going through in these final weeks before the dead line for entry is due.  I've looked at every nook and cranny, I have read version 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 (BassFan gets the credit for labeling each version with a MicroSoft version number,) and I pray there will not be a version 4.0.  I have considered the cost of this 11 event series and figure that it will cost me $75,000.00, once I have figured in gasoline, and those little Vienna sausage weenies that we bass pros love to eat.  I have looked at what the added stress of me being gone for what is actually a double tour season, will do to my family.  I have weighed it all, and compared it to what I stand to get in return and I have decided..............to go for it.  Make me pro number 4, I'm in, here we go.

It is an absolute act of blind faith.  Can I trust you BASS?  I mean, after all, we have come to expect change after change after change.  How do I know that this latest version is the last?  How do I know that there aren't some "hidden agendas" within the wording of these new rules?  How do I know that I will be able to truly market myself via the avenues that you have promised?  I ask you BASS, can you give me a glimpse, so that I can finally get a good night's sleep?  I have read all of the letters, I have been through every lost link on that web site, I have familiarized myself with your vision.  I can't see it, but I trust you when you say "this is a tremendous opportunity."

Why am I willing to commit to this huge risk I hear the voices whispering?  Because I am an entrepreneur, I invest in growth companies, and in this case, the company is me.  I may crash and severely burn here, but the upside is so great.  If what you are telling me BASS is true, than I could never live with myself, having not given this a try.  The other new Series is attractive, it costs a lot less money, it is comfortable, it is safe.  But I know there is very little growth in that which is safe.  True growth occurs only in taking a risk.

We're In Also BASS-We are a small jig and spinner bait company that has worked for years out of a small machine shop in the industrial section of Birmingham, Alabama.  You don't know us, heck we aren't even members of BASS but my two partners and I have pulled every last loose coin from under the cushions in our couches and emptied our savings accounts to come up with the money to sponsor our guy in your Elite Series.  He qualified by finishing in 84th in last year's tour, (don't bother looking that up, this is all make believe!)  We're paying for his boat wrap and his entry fees, and $20,000.00 in fuel, lodging and food expenses.  BASS, we are "all in" on this one.

This is also an absolute act of blind faith.  Can we trust you BASS?  We can't afford $75,000.00 to sponsor this guy, and yet, with what you have promised.....we can't afford not to do this. For us, it is put up or shut time.  Come on BASS give us a sign.  Our guy forwards all of your letters, to keep us up to date, yet we need some kind of a message from you so that we know our investment is safe.  Tell us that you will create a two minute segment for each of the pros in the series.  Surely over the coarse of 11 Elite Level events you will have time to devout to the pros individually so that they can promote those of us who have paid their bills.  We know that we are not a sponsor of you BASS, but really, by paying a guy's way, that does makes us a sponsor of sorts.  Just let us see BASS, how our investment will come back to us.  We, also are looking for economic growth.

Conflicts-I've made some of these comments before and you have shot back at me with the "why should we care what the other guys are doing" reply, so now I am going to tell you.  First of all what we have now is the most amazing lineup of opportunities ever, and we are about to screw it up royally.  What is he talking about?  I'm talking about scheduling conflicts that are going to further divide anglers,  the industry, but most importantly the fans, remember the fans guys?  (They are ultimately the ones who make this go.)  

FLW Series, stellar idea, no, tremendous idea, brilliant, fantastic and on and on and on, you can fill in my quote with anything else nice you want to say about yourself and I will endorse it.  However........you scheduled on top of three BASS Elite Series events.  Why, why, why?  I know the answer, you don't need to respond.  But this is the screw up I am talking about.  Why divide the audience, when you can have it all to yourself?

FLW, your dates are tentative, so change the event dates of March 8, May 3, and June 3.  "We already have so many other events that there is no time left on the calendar."  Switch a King Fish or a Red Fish event, but don't run a major Bass Tournament on top of another major Bass Tournament!  AAAAAHHHH!  Shuuuuushh, I will not hear your excuses!

You know what I am?  I am Professional Bass Fishing's first ever, (self proclaimed as of now,) Commissioner of Bass Fishing.  Yes I am.  For my first moves as the new, self proclaimed Commissioner, representatives of all the major tours will meet and we will choose our weeks for events, in 2007.

FLW Tour, since you have all of you "stuff together," you will get to choose the first date for your first tournament in 2007.  BASS Elite Series, you will choose 2nd, FLW Series you will choose 3rd and while we are on the subject, PAA, you will have the 4th choice of dates.  Next, BASS Elite, you will have the 1st pick for your second event of the season, FLW Series will be 2nd, PAA 3rd and FLW Tour 4th, and we will continue to rotate until each of you has completed your schedules.  I am feeling comfortable with my new role.

Now, with all of these events going on, pros won't have to fish "minor league events."

FLW Tour guys will not have conflicts, BASS Elite Series guys will have no conflicts, FLW Series guys will have no conflicts and PAA will be able to do their thing.

Under this new system, we will have virtually a major tour event each week, what more could a fan want?   Guys can fish what they want to fish.  Kelly Jordon, Greg Hackney, Aaron Martens and those crazies can fish every week, and I believe they probably will.

Stop acting like babies and don't screw this up for all of us that are fans!

Feel free to e-mail me at Bass Fishing Commissioner.

October 16th, 2005 Company Memo...To those who have never met him, he is different.  Whenever the Universal Visionary talks, it is an adventure around here.  It brings all new meaning to the phrase, "duck and cover."  He isn't asking for interviews anymore, at least not lately.  Instead, he just posts company memos like the one I have included here.

October 14th, 2005 George Costanza...is one of the colorful cast members of the popular Seinfeld, (comedian Jerry Seinfeld's show,)  television show.  Known best perhaps, for his continuous string of misadventures, George is the loveable loser that hangs out in Jerry's apartment and orders Tuna Fish for lunch every day.  Yes, George is a character that never seems to get things right.  He is on the show because he is just one of the personalities that Jerry Seinfled has in his life.  

Over the years George has failed in one caper after another.  Running out of a smoldering apartment, knocking over old ladies and children in the process,  accidentally assuming the persona of an extreme white supremacist when the limo that he and Jerry commandeer is waiting to take the man to a hate rally, buying the cheapest wedding invitation envelopes possible, killing his fiancé when the envelope's glue proves to be toxic, getting arrested for "criminal indifference" when he observes a mugging and does nothing about it, and of course perhaps his signature calamity, the episode where he is "caught" by his mother.  George Costanza, is a professional loser.  It is what he does best.

However, during the course of two seasons, Costanza wins our admiration when he makes a startling announcement that he is tired of being a loser and that "from this point forward, will take every idea that comes to mind..............and do the opposite."  He starts by immediately changing from his usual routine of ordering Tuna Fish for lunch, to the opposite, Poached Salmon, because, "Tuna swims down current, and Salmon swim upstream."  He then walks up to a beautiful woman at the counter and instead of lying to her, telling her that he is a successful architect, he proclaims, "My name is George, I'm jobless and I live with my parents," and from then on his luck changes, and George enjoys the "season of George," where every move he makes, contrary to his initial thoughts, turns to gold.

BASS is George Costanza.  Think about this past eighteen month string of bad decisions.  Busch Patch Fiasco, Flawed point system.  Failing to see the value in Fish Fishburne as an emcee.  Fired The Angler Advisory Committee, (or they resigned due to BASS indifference.) Tour Changes, more tour changes, still more tour changes.  Knee-jerk reactions, an image make over and moving in a direction that alienates the people who are the very foundation of the bass fishing world. 

Yesterday, ESPN/BASS removed yet another layer of their credibility when it was announced that Loudmouth Bass was being canceled.  Say what you will about the show, personally, it is a pain in the bass for us folks on the West Coast, (4:30 AM, is a rough deal.)  However, the show hosts, Jay Kumar of BassFan and Mark "Z-Diddy" Zona had license to call it like they see it.  Given the current state of affairs with BASS, it was a bold move, allowing the show hosts to criticize the parent company, as it stumbled all over itself.  An even bolder move was allowing the Loudmouths to even mention FLW on the ESPN show.  I have never understood the concept of a BASS Fishing block of shows being aired early on Saturday mornings.  Let's examine this closely BASS......who is the target audience......could it be........FISHERMEN?????  Guys, fishermen work their basses off each week so that come early Saturday morning, they can be at the launch ramp when first light breaks over the hills.  You know what, this is going to free me up.  I have spent way too much time lately trying to keep up with the bass fishing world by watching these shows, when I should be FISHING!!!!!

Here is my recommendation for George Costanza, er, BASS.  From this point forward.  Whenever an idea, policy move or personal decision comes along.  Take the idea that first pops into your mind......and do the opposite.  You see BASS, this way, bad decision after bad decision will surely become great idea after great idea!  This advice is free.  You clearly have the resources to do a wonderful job, but either you are listening to bad advice or you simply want the thousands of us who love the sport, to just go away.  BASS do the right thing, take every idea you think is a good one........and do the opposite!

October 13th, 2005 Big Tuesday!...Finally, a couple of moves made by the Tour Organizations that the PAA can at least be favorable about.  I'm glad to hear that the PAA is still going forward with their own tour ideas, which I still believe will be announced soon, the "chatter" is heating up and I expect that we haven't seen the last of the announcements.  "Wait a minute Keith, this new FLW Series, isn't the save all-end all?"  It is very good, (oh great, now I'm talking to myself,)  it is going to keep a lot of the names that you and I know and respect on the water.  I do believe that Irwin Jacobs stepping up like this will afford a lot of anglers a chance to keep going in the sport.  Yes it is very good.

However, the anglers need a tour that is theirs, and they still don't have it.  The BASS Elite Series is looking to create images and characters.  Marketable personalities are what will drive that Series.  That's OK.  It is made for TV Bass Fishing and for that reason, what makes good TV will dominate the format.  FLW is still about marketing FLW, that's also OK.  But hey, PAA, anglers still need a tour that is completely about them.  Far away from corporate sponsorships which taint broadcasts, and publications.  When the PAA finally has an angler's tour, which is not tide to creating X number of television shots for boat brand A, B, or C, then we will have something.

But, yes, "Big Tuesday," was a good day for anglers.

Thoughts Going Forward-(The Scary Part, But Hey, It's Almost Halloween.)

• Don Rucks, (BASS)-Show the players (and their investors/sponsors,) that you can be trusted.  Give some kind of assurance that as one of the country's Elite Anglers, each will get time to create the brand recognition that they need to create.  Investors need to know their anglers, in their boats and with their brands displayed, will make the broadcast.  Give the player a chance to say "look at this, for $55,000.00 you are going to get $100,000.00 or $200,000 worth of television exposure.   I think a lot of guys can sell that!  Make it part of each show.  We always love to use that NASCAR Model.  You know why that works so well?  It is because those cars keep going around in circles, each lap the cameras pick up "Home Depot," as the familiar orange car flies by. Major impressions.
• Don Rucks, What is the best deal out there?  The BASS Elite Series is! If you can convince the anglers that they will get the exposure.  A one hundred angler field where the top 50 makes at least $10,000.00?  Those are good odds.  It figures if you make the top 50 half of the time, (5.5 times out of 11) you have survived without going broke, and since you had someone underwrite the costs you actually made some money.  But Don......The anglers need to trust you.  Writing threatening letters does not endure you to these guys, who basically are trying to decide to bet the farm, or play it safe.  Step out from behind the curtain, where you pull all the levers and push all the buttons that control the "Wizard Character" you play, and let the guys know they can compete safely.......and this thing will work.
• Finally, being that it is almost Halloween.  Don, do you know what the scariest thing is out there right now for the tournament world?  It is a tour that does exactly what you claim your Elite Series will do.  Nothing else can compete with what you have proposed.  If it works, there will be nothing like it.  Make it work!

October 12th, 2005 Only A Fool Would Comment At This Time........Here I Go!-It's 1:00 AM West Coast Time, (which means you guys in Florida are getting up to hit the morning bite,) but I can't sleep.  It has been a day of staggering changes to our sport and I am not sure I will be able to sort the whole thing out, but I will try.

I think Mark Zona summed it up the best today when he said, "how can you not like something that gives anglers more of a chance to earn a living fishing?"  To me, that comment nails the issue straight ahead.  The point is, and the only point is, FLW Walmart Series, BASS Elite Series, FLW Tour, PAA Tour, they all give more guys a chance to make a name for themselves in this "Fish Game."

No doubt, I will dive into this over the next few days, I will analyze every sentence, that's half the fun, but the bottom line is, there are now more chances for guys to fish.

Quick Thoughts:

• FLW Walmart Series (5 events starting in March.)  >That collective cheer that went up at about 1:00 PM est today was from the Bass Boat Dealerships throughout the United States who just got their anglers back for the boat show season.  Now, pros will be able to work boat shows, earning themselves between $500.00 to $1,000.00 per day, and let's watch boat sales.  I am willing to bet with more pros in the booths, and on the fishing tanks, that dealerships will sell more boats this year than in recent years.  For those that don't realize it, missing from boat shows in the last several years are the biggest names in the sport who are usually fishing tournaments during boat show season, (January through March.)
• BASS Elite Series-This series doesn't need 100 anglers to be successful.  Think about it, this is a made for TV tour.  25 to 30 anglers could pull this off.  These anglers will be top tier marketing experts, as they will be the ones who have successfully sold themselves not only to the TV cameras, but to the non-endemics that we have said we needed for so long.  Critics can bash all they want, (there has been much to bash at BASS,) however, this will be the tour that makes the inroads into serious non-endemic money. In 10 years, all bass fishermen may owe a debt of gratitude to the "Mike And Likes" who were brave enough to buy into this program.
• Be all of that as it may, these are still tournament organizations who will always see their bottom line as the bottom line.  There will still be edicts dictated to the anglers, who may have won some battles today, but still are not autonomous (that means independent or self governing SEC Fans.)  The PAA still needs to be a player in this game, it still needs to continue to voice angler concerns and above all, it still needs to have it's own tour.
• By the way, SEC fans, please don't be hurt too much by the comment above, it's all in good fun.  I recognize that "you all" have one or two good teams in that conference.  Fight On!  USC #1 ........for now!  

More To Come-I know you are counting on me to figure this thing out, I will.  Over the next two or three days we will look at the pros and cons of each tour option, as well as who is fishing what.  This is going to be fun!

October 10th, 2005 All Of These Experts-I don't intend to make the Brush Pile a column where I answer reader e-mail, (this is not "Dear Abby,") I normally prefer to do that privately, (yeah, that's right, I answer my e-mail,) however, your comments recently  have inspired me, so here is your 15 minutes of fame!

"Tex," of Alabama, (you have got to be kidding me, I am going to start checking IP addresses,) included the following as part of an e-mail he/she?  Sent over the weekend:

"You love to sit around and bash BASS and the FLW tour. You are like all these  "self pro claimed experts" on the internet who don't even fish at the BFL or Weekend Series level who just want to rant and cry about the direction the elite level of the sport is going when it doesn't even remotely pertain to them. If it doesn't affect you , why bring it up?"

I'll tell you why I bring it up, and while I won't speak for the others, I think I know why they bring it up.  "Tex," we are FANS!  The word FANS comes from the word FANATIC which is what you must be if you spend your time visiting half a dozen internet forums each day, when you should be working for that pay check you spend each week.  Why do we "spout off" as we editorialize about the direction the pro tours are going?  Because we deeply care.  Why should we want to have our voice heard/read in regards to the rapidly changing landscape of professional bass fishing?  Because we have a stake in it.  The sport is growing and with that growth we become even more interwoven in it.  It is emotional to us.  When we see pros act in a manner that doesn't represent our sport, our society, in the proper fashion, we rant and rave about it.

The truth be known, is that if I had to rely on the 1000 or so anglers out there who fish at the BFL or Weekend Series level or above as my listeners/readers, I wouldn't have much to go to advertisers with.  The fact is that the overwhelming majority of the several thousand people that read this page everyday do not fish a major tour.  Who do you think buys the tackle that we see in our tackle shops?  Tour pros? Regional pros? BFLers?  Of course not, that number is a very small number, certainly not big enough to sustain a billion dollar industry.  It is the thousands of other people out there who are passionately attached to their favorite pros, and glom on to every tid-bit of information regarding the pro tours that they can get their fingers on.

Who are these people that cruise the internet forums, read the web columns, listen to "On The Water with Keith Nighswonger" on their cell phones each week and spend countless hours keeping up with the pro tours?  They are "All Of These Experts" that can't get enough to that good bass fishing stuff!

October 10th, 2005 Francis, I Do Fish-Reader Francis of Alabama e-mailed wanting to know if I fish.  Yes, Francis I do get out on occasion.  "I'd like to see you with a picture holding a fish," he said in his e-mail.  Well, Francis, here is the picture you asked for.  (Thanks to my buddy Charlie for letting me hold his fish for this picture.  Francis didn't say they had to be fish I caught!)

-By the way Francis, I never met anybody from Alabama named Francis.  (Oh yeah, click on the picture for the poster, Francis!)

October 8th, 2005

The Plot Thickens-"Keith, this is Jamie Wilkinson of BASS.  I am the Director of Media Services for BASS"

"Yes, sir, what can I do for you?" I responded, preparing myself for the onslaught.

"I was wondering, could you tell me the name of the FLW angler who was contacted by BASS about the Elite Series?"

"I really shouldn't divulge the name." I said, wanting to keep the confidence of those who confide in me.

"I understand.  I read the Brush Pile and other sites on the Internet to keep up with what fans are talking about.  I read that piece you had about BASS contacting FLW anglers for the Elite Series and I wanted to check that out, so I have been talking to our people and what I have come up with is that BASS is not inviting anglers from other tours to join the Elite Series.  It's just not our policy at this time."

Jamie Wilkinson was about as down to earth and cordial as anyone I have ever met in the Bass Fishing world.  He didn't rip me for my rants, which is more than I can say for a lot of you out there.  He had a genuine interest in the story and where it may have originated from.  In talking to Mr. Wilkinson I was not put off nor was I talked down to.  It was a conversation between two people who deeply want to see the sport go in the right direction, I must say that I was impressed by his sincerity.

During our 10 minute phone call we touched on a few of the issues, ("opportunities" is what Irwin Jacobs calls them,) that plague professional fishing these days.  Above all the thing I liked most about our conversation is that Mr. Wilkinson understands that bass fishing isn't just about anglers and their families anymore.  He understands that there are thousands of people out there who feed on this stuff.  Thousands of people out there who follow the tours, and thousands of people out there who are frustrated because the landscape has been changed drastically several times.

I see hope.  Though I just met Jamie Wilkinson today, I see hope.  He seems devoted to the cause and I see hope.  I have never met Trip Weldon, but his comments this week on FishFactory.com and Bassmaster.com provide me with hope.  Admitting that mistakes have been made is the first step towards progress, and I can respect what Trip Weldon has said about that.  

I have been one of the most outspoken critics of BASS over the last nine months.  My frustration has not been about its trying to change, it has been about leaving so many people in the dark.  Don't think for a minute that this doesn't matter to BASS.  They want to get it right.  My hunch is that there may be some more changes in future, the system still needs some tinkering.  In the short term there may still be some ranting and raving, (gee I hope so,) however with people like Mr. Wilkinson and Trip Weldon on the job, I believe there is still hope.

Bradley Stringer To Fish Elite Series, If......I also had a conversation with the Accidental Tourist himself, Bradley Stringer out of Texas today.  You might remember Bradley is the gentleman who found himself thrust into the lime light suddenly, last December when he won the BASS Open Championship on the Ouachita River, earning himself not only a Classic bid, but a tour invitation as well.  Knowing that he may never get the chance again, he dove in face first.  He was not expecting to be a BASS Tour Angler in 2005, and while he struggled on tour this year, he is living to fight another day.

Bradley called from the road today.  On his way to Arkansas to fish the rescheduled BASS Central Open event he checked in to tell me that he received one of the 242 invitations to fish the Elite Series in 2006 and he will be fishing it, ........................if the deal he has pending with a major non-endemic comes through.

If the deal he has pending with a major non-endemic comes through. Here is where I call out out to BASS, ESPN and JM.  Guys, please create the format that will let these guys market themselves to non BASS companies, and please ensure the anglers that they can promise television coverage to their sponsors.

The television time is what really matters in this situation.  Rather than take up some of the space that an angler has to market himself or herself, place BASS Sponsor information, super imposed on the edges of the television screen.  Those ads can run continuously along the edge of the our televisions.  In the meantime, give the anglers their boats each day, give them control of their uniforms and I think suddenly the gaps that exist out there begin to go away in a hurry.  A guy like Bradley can walk into his non endemic company and say, look, we are going to be on television every week, full exposure, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of exposure for $55,000.00 plus expenses.  

I made the comment that Irwin Jacobs could put a "world of hurt" on BASS if he creates an alternate FLW Tour next year.  Well, the same can be said about BASS.  If BASS decides in can open itself to the kinds of marketing I mentioned above, BASS could levy a blow to FLW.  After several months of getting beatin up in the chat rooms and message boards, BASS still has time to do the right thing. 

October 6th, 2005

One Is The Loneliest Number-BASS apparently saw the need to let us know they had a taker.  Skeet Reese apparently is the first qualified Elite Series angler to put his money where his mouth is.  It was announced on Bassmaster.com that Reese paid his deposits for the 2006 Elite Series in late September.

Just wondering........Will they let us know when the second guys signs up?

Related Story-It seems that BASS may be recognizing that they will struggle to fill 100 spots on their new Elite Tour.  A report says that BASS has begun contacting FLW anglers that run non-endemic wrapped boats to see about their interest in competing in the new Elite Series.  At least one current FLW Tour angler has reported being contacted by BASS about the possibility of fishing the BASS Elite Series in 2006.  This angler has not decided whether to accept or decline the invitation.

Now It Gets Interesting-So Irwin Jacobs is thinking about making something available to anglers who cannot swing the $55,000.00 Elite Series commitment.  Interesting.  Talk about the straw that could break the camel's back.  Apparently, the "supply the demand" FLW creator knows a deal when he sees it.  Suppose Irwin offers up an alternative tour to those who are put off by the $5,000.00/ 11 event schedule that BASS has proposed?  Are there any takers?

One And Counting. It appears that Skeet Reese is still the only angler signed up for the 2006 Elite Series.

October 3rd, 2005

No Comment-In the year or so that I have been writing this column I have heard the term "No Comment" made several times.  Recently I asked Irwin Jacobs if he was on verge of announcing Professional Fishing's 1st one million dollar prize for an event.  His comment?  "No comment."  Two days later, there it was.  Before that it was a conversation I had with Kevin Van Dam in which I asked him if the PAA would have a tour in 2006.  You guessed it, his comment, "No el commento."  Since that time, the PAA has insisted that a tour is coming at some point.  My latest "No comment" came Saturday morning when I caught Gene Ellison at the Airport in Boston, and I asked him if there was any truth to the rumblings that the PAA would soon announce the dates of the 2006 tour and if Bass Pro Shops would indeed be the title sponsor.  His comment, everyone together now, "no comment and no comment."  Wow, a double no comment, you know its coming now!

Jay Yelas eluded to a PAA tour being announced soon in his BassFan interview last week.  This, along with the powerful PAA press release of last week regarding the BASS Elite Tour, (read here,) and the double "no comments" from Ellison makes me feel like it is a lock.

So, given that a PAA tour will happen, my mind got to wandering, (actually, my mind never stops wandering, it just keeps going and going and going...)

What Might This Tour Look Like?-Assuming that contracts that are multi year, might not allow a number of big sponsors that would like to jump to do so for next year, (perhaps the following year,) let's say for the first year of this new tour, anglers fish for their own money, after all, they are used to doing that, it might be OK especially if they are not told what clothes they have to ware and which gangsta doofus they are supposed to act like.

Next, a 100 angler field would be established, and since BASS has established that these pros can afford to pay a $5,000.00 per event entry fee, why not stay with it, however since there will be no restriction on what anglers put on their shirts, and boats, each event will feature a filmed introduction of anglers and their boats, with each angler given the camera at least once during the season and used at other times in magazine and television spots, besides normal tournament coverage.

All right now, 100 anglers multiplied by $5,000.00 means a prize package of $500,000.00 per event.  Here is how that might break down:

1st Place $90,000.00  2nd Place $40,000.00  3rd Place $ 30,000.00  4th Place $20,000.00 5th Place $18,000.00.  6th Place $15,000.00  7th Place $14,000.00  8th Place $12,000.00  9th Place $11,000.00 and 10th Place $10,000.00

Places 11-20 get checks for $9,000.00.  

Places 21-30 get checks for $8,000.00.

Places 31-40 get checks for $7,000.00.

The idea is to get through the season, to show potential sponsors that it is for real, and to keep as many anglers alive to fish again another season.

The way things laid out last tour season, on the BASS Tour 37th through 150th place was a losing money deal.  36th place, ($3,000.00) is about break even based on the entry fee of $1,925.00.  About 75% of the field lost money at a BASS Tour event last year and it doesn't mean that 25% made money at an event, it just means they didn't lose money.

The way things laid out last tour season, on the FLW Tour, 60th place was the break even point, ($5,000.00 based on $3,000.00 entry fee.)  That means places 61-200 lost money at an FLW event, for a losing percentage of 70%.

The format above, while still not what a pro tour should be, would at least ensure that 40% of the field would make money, while leaving 60% in the losing money category.  It should be noted that the BASS and FLW's pay back includes sponsor money.  The proposed pay back for an "angler's money only event," assumes no sponsor money would be available.

The ideal scenario of course, would be to have a tour with zero entry fees, however for the PAA, that time is still a way off.

What Lakes?  Since I am running off on this, we will make it a six event tour schedule

• Lake Mead-BPS Las Vegas NV
• Table Rock Lake-BPS Springfield MO
• Lake Lanier-BPS Savannah GA
• J. Percy Priest Lake- BPS Nashville TN
• Lake Toho-BPS Destin, FL
• Grand Lake-BPS Oklahoma City, OK

As for the dates, the rules, the code of ethics, the magazine, the television show, the home office, the payroll for the home office, the stationary, the weigh in stand, the mobile tournament event vehicle, the non boaters and office supplies...................No comment!

September 30th, 2005

Ah, We Just Got Fooled Again.-At the risk of pouring even more gasoline on the fire, I think it is my duty to to point out to that ESPN/BASS did it to us, and did it to us badly.  Earlier in the week, I went on about how what we see on television is simply the product of what they want us to see.  They, the "we know the formula for television success people," decided that you and I should see Gerald Swindle and Zell Rowland, nearly come to a melt down over a fishing spot.  It made for compelling viewing, and you and I bought it like soup in a deli, (I don't really know what that is like, I have never ordered soup in a deli, I just heard a guy say that once.)

Alan Clemons, of the Huntsville Times in Alabama, (http://www.al.com/outdoors/huntsvilletimes/aclemons.ssf?/base/sports/112789917291500.xml&coll=1) points out that "Gerald and Zell actually patched things up over a beer that night."  

Zell actually confronted Gerald on the bus from the lake back to the resort, that afternoon.  "I think I made him understand my point," Zell told me. The beer that night was simply a further mending of the moment.

The trouble is that ESPN/BASS wasn't there to capture the moment when the two sat down to mend fences.

ESPN understands all too well how to create image, how to create personalities, and they understand how to lead an audience down which ever path it sees fit.  ESPN also understands that it doesn't matter what the people say, as long as they keep saying it.  

You did it, I did it, we all did it.  Did what?  We got sucked into ESPN's plan.  Create some controversy, stir up the pot, and then sit back and enjoy the fall out from the drama that THEY created.  Gerald and Zell were just the characters.  A good guy, (they don't come any better than Zell Rowland,) and the bad guy, (actually, Gerald Swindle is a really good guy, who to quote some of the lingo, has been "played" by ESPN.)  The theme, was get the people talking about it.

Lord did we talk about it.  It was powerful fodder on half a dozen forums that I check, I wrote about it, called it "telefishin," do you see what we did?  We fell into the trap.  That show created such a stir that we just couldn't stop talking about it.  I was a little embarrassed to be a human after reading some of the racially tainted posts that people made.  Those folks at ESPN must really think that was cool, getting all of those people to fire out the insensitive comments that were made on some of the forums.  "Wow, look what these people are saying.  We (ESPN) manipulated them into saying that, aren't we bitchin!"

You remember the opening to Monday Night Football last season, when Terrel Owens was being seduced by that Desperate House Wife?  Look, now I'm talking about it.  Or how about Janet Jackson's "equipment malfunction" at the Super Bowl.  These kinds of things are well planned out, well orchestrated by those in charge who know that any news is good publicity.

We just got fooled again.

But maybe not.  Maybe this is what happens when those in charge get so cocky, thinking that they know how to curve public opinion, and how to create image, that they lose touch with their target audience.  Maybe, you and I won't buy into this spin.  Maybe, the PAA tour will come along, get us back to what we loved about the pro tours and finally put down this dieing horse.  Then, after all the life has been sucked out of it, maybe we'll see it for sale on E-Bay or at a garage sale.

September 28th, 2005

The Iaconelli Rule-Rule #25 received by anglers this week states in effect, any damage caused to a BASS provided boat, as in the boat provided for the final day of fishing in an Elite Series event, that is deemed by BASS officials to be "the anglers fault," again, as in via rough treatment of the boat, will be at the expense of the angler.  I don't have confidence in the BASS interpretation of "angler fault."

Let's just call this what it is.  The Iaconelli Rule.  This stems back to this Summer's Classic when Mike Iaconelli "beat up" the BASS provided Triton boat in his attempt to get into an area that had become closed due to low water.  Say what you want to say about Iaconelli, attempting to run a boat foolishly,  however BASS cannot have this both ways.  If you provide anglers with your Sponsor Boat to use, you have to expect that an angler is going to try and win the tournament.  Does that mean jumping a sand bar to access back water?  While not what most would consider safe boating, if it is something the angler would do in his own boat, who is to judge?  Draw the line at the point where the boat operation constitutes breaking the law.  Or, if you are concerned about the way these guys handle your boats, give them back their own boats for the entire event.

Lets go back to the 2003 Bassmaster Classic, day two, with Iaconelli in second place and seriously on good fish, (yeah, he won that Classic, but almost didn't.)  On the way to his spot, his BASS provided boat malfunctioned, and it nearly cost him the chance to win that Classic.

My question to BASS is, if we are going to penalize guys for mishandling BASS Sponsor Boats, what are you going to do, when one of your boats, malfunctions, costing an angler a chance to win a Classic or Tour event?  

"We will just put that angler in the Camera Boat."  I don't remember seeing anywhere near 50 camera boats at the Championship events I have been to.   

September 27th, 2005

Keep em in the dark-OK, you know what?  BASS may only want those quarter panels and prime spots on angler's shirts to display BASS Logos.  That would seem like a lot of BASS Logo attention, but who can argue with the organization wanting to have its name and logo in most of the TV footage?  I can't.

So why not tell us BASS?  Why are so many pros being kept in the dark regarding what the intended use of the space on an angler's boat is going to be?  I would love to write in today's Brush Pile that BASS is going to use that prime advertising space to place only the BASS corporate logo, which of course would not be in conflict with any pro's sponsors, unless, that angler was fishing two tours and happened to be on the team of an FLW Sponsor.  I imagine that FLW might be concerned about a giant BASS Logo on the side of one of their sponsor's boats.  Of course nothing that a little duct tape wouldn't take care of, and pros don't get to use their boats on the televised rounds anyway.

BASS when you keep people in the dark, their minds begin to wander.  Images of deceit and contempt can't help but to creep into the mind of an angler, when not all of the information is being distributed.  Human nature is what human nature does.  When we don't get the whole story, our mind is very good at creating that story, right or wrong.

The professional anglers who have qualified for the Elite Series will continue to wait patiently, not wanting to topple the apple cart by voicing their frustration, about what truly is a unprofessional situation.   We saw what happened to George Cochran, when he spoke out. 

The release of information regarding the planed use of space on their boats and their shirts is of the utmost importance to these people who must be able to plan ahead 12-18 months.  I however, won't wait.  There is no good reason to keep anglers in the dark, that is of course unless you simply don't know.  Lost is all of the commotion on internet forums this week is what could certainly be the reality that BASS itself, doesn't know what it wants to do with the space.  Until then it simply will be "the blind leading the blind."

September 25th, 2005

Telefish'n-Bush Shootout vs Top Gun, competing networks.  I only had time to watch one, so I opted for Top Gun this weekend.  I did get a chance to watch Bass Tech and the replay of the Match Fishing Championship.  E-mails to this site and blow ups on several of the forums this weekend indicate a strong disapproval of several of the anglers who "star" in the various programming provided by several networks. 

"Net talk" has been fierce and quite defaming.  The new term, "Mike and Likes," referring to Mike Iaconelli's primal screams, and the "Likes," referring apparently to anyone else viewed as "working it," in terms of an angler's showmanship.

Didn't get a chance to see the Busch Shoot Out this weekend, but I was aware of the "stand off" between Gerald Swindle and Zell Rowland over some prime fishing space.  Several of the recent BASS televised events, have depicted controversy between anglers and elements of these confrontations have made the telecast.

"Made The Telecast!"  Read those words carefully.  You see we some times forget that what we are watching has been created in a little booth for us.  Yes, oh yes, these things have happened.  However, the order in which they have happened and the context of how they have happened may be completely different then how the event comes off on the telecast.  We have a habit of believing what we see, and that very thing is what is being used to paint a picture that we are supposed to buy.

The fact that you see two anglers having a confrontation over a fishing spot stems from two things:  A) The confrontation did take place, and 2) Those who produced the show wanted you to see it.  Make no mistake, what you see on Saturday mornings is exactly what those who produce the shows want you to see.  If it's yelling and screaming, break dancing or angler confrontations, understand that those who make the shows think that it is the most compelling use of their video tape.  Perhaps it is the media that is out of touch with what the average bass fishing fan wants to see, or perhaps the average bass fishing fan is out of touch with reality, as in "Reality TV."  Whatever side you fall on, remember, there is nothing spontaneous about a pre recorded fishing show.  If it has been in a production booth, whatever is being played for you to see, comes from an angle of what "they" want you to think the game is.  So before we bash the "Mike and Likes," let's remember the words of the famous gansta rap star, Ice T- "Don't hate the playa, hate the game." 

September 24th, 2005

Business As Usual, Just Another Kick In The BASS-Earlier this week, qualifying anglers for the new Elite Series began receiving information on next year's new series.  As reported on BassFan, and confirmed by my own anonymous sources, (I love to say that,) the requirements are shall we say, rather eye-opening.

I am in danger here of going into a full on rant, so I will be careful, however because the information that is trickling out of BASS is so problematic, it might make the confusion that has shrouded this tour over the past six months, look like a 1st grade picnic.

There are a few things with the angler's wrapped boats and shirts that catch my attention immediately.

• Yes, you get to use your own boat in this series, however, you must give up the rear quarter panel, both live well lids and half the windshield to BASS, for their use, which we may assume is for BASS sponsors, that much, the intended use of the quarter panels, has not been explained by BASS as of yet, which allows suspecting minds to wonder.  
• The angler's name must appear on the side of the boat near the rear quarter panel.
• An angler must save the upper left chest, the top back of the shirt and the tops of both arms for BASS's use.

Comment: Jerry McKinnis you are the master of the photographed angler and a statistics freak.  You know that 23% of the average air time is from the camera in the back of the boat.  You know that 18% of the air time is that shot, when a guy puts a fish in the live well and you know that 58% of the air time is spent on shots that capture that rear quarter panel.  You know that every camera angle will hit those key spots.  

The rear quarter panel.  You make sure to place the angler's name right next  to the BASS Sponsor Quarter Panel, giving the illusion that the angler endorses what's on the panel.  That makes a strong impression!

Comment: Every time that angler puts one of his fish in the live well, BASS Sponsors get the impression.

Comment: Since you don't let them use a net, fish are swung into the boat, leading back to, you guessed it, the rear quarter panel, that has that angler's name right next the BASS Sponsors.

Comment: You put camera crews in the back of a pro's boat on the final day of competition.  You are putting BASS Sponsors names on the back of Pro's shirts.  When you film from within the boat, that's right, it is always at the angler's back.

Comment: Still photos for web sites and magazines are often from the chest up.  Oh, yeah, you got that also, the angler must give up his upper left chest for BASS Sponsors.

My next thought is, let me get this straight, "anglers fishing the new Elite Series get to pay BASS $55,000.00 so that the angler can wrap his boat at the quarter panel, the live well lids and the wind shield area, presumably with BASS Sponsor logs, so that should the angler get onto the television programming, most of what the audience will see is BASS Sponsor logos.  Then, when the tournament is finished, the pro angler gets to drive that boat all around the country as he travels to the various 11 tour stops, yes, they will be regular rolling bill boards.

Did you know, that a mobile billboard that is on the road all day, can make up to 100,000 impressions on the drivers that see that billboard?  What are wrapped boats?  They are mobile billboards.  What is even more laughable is that the pros get to pay for the gas to drive around the country making impressions for BASS.  Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a mistake.  As one who attempts to sell advertising based on the number of impressions that my radio show and web site make, I understand how to count impressions.  I can just imagine the following discussion between BASS and a potential sponsor.....

"Not only will you get that exposure at the tournaments, but we will have 100 Elite Tour Pros driving around the country in their wrapped boats with your corporate logo on the side of it.  Each of those anglers will be making up to 100,000 impressions each day which creates, you guessed it,  1,000,000 extra impressions per day, and the anglers pay for the gas to do it! HaHaHaHa...(sinister laugh)"  Nice job "math-lete."

Getting Ahead Of Myself?-Before I go too overboard, BASS does deserve the benefit of the doubt, I have not read a thing that says the quarter panels, and wind shields and live well lids will have BASS sponsor logos on them. Maybe BASS will just require a big, giant BASS Sticker on the Quarter Panel.   I cannot make the claim that BASS intends to do the things that I have mentioned here.  However, since BASS's intentions are being kept fairly quiet, I think it is fair for us to expect the unexpected.

Ambush Marketing-Also included in the BASS letter is a comment about something called "Ambush Marketing."

"BASS reserves the right to limit the number of non-BASS sponsored boats in an effort to control ambush marketing."

Comment: Yeah, BASS should know about ambush marketing.  As far back as I can ever remember, BASS has made it's pros wear the BASS Patch, (remember when it was redesigned recently?)   Every pro has to wear that patch.  That is why whenever I read Western Bass, or Western Outdoors, or see an FLW weigh in, every pro level angler that is photographed has that BASS patch on his shirt.  Talk about ambush marketing!

September 19th, 2005

Come On BASS-I thought I was being put on.  In fact, I reacted in anger to a source that has tipped me off to a number of big stories over the last couple of months.  "What are you trying to do to me, get me to make a mistake, discredit me?"  I couldn't believe what he had sent me, thinking it had to be a "chop job," where some web geek makes a phony web page to make a web site look bad.  I was angry because I could have easily been taken in by a fraud, and I would have looked very bad, not to mention I would have led a crusade based on a false document.  Wanting to be diligent about this, before I published, I checked, and I checked, and I checked again, but I could not find the page.  It was then that I decided that someone had tried to set me up.  Someone was obviously trying to manipulate my commentary.

You see, I just couldn't believe that a mistake this big could be made, (please BASS, tell us this is a mistake!  Tell us, that your web guy builds pages the way the rest of us do, buy copying a template and simply changing the written content.)  Tell us that you unknowingly have Busch Beer and Cialis ads on your Youth Pages!

I think most of us will forgive, simply chock this up to a mistake, but come on!  The Youth Page is for children!  Surely there are child friendly companies that could post ads on the Youth Pages.  

Children know about beer.  They see it consumed by adults and develop a natural curiosity.  Seeing these ads placed on their pages, the message is sent, "go ahead and drink."  It is kind of like the way that the tobacco companies have targeted their age group....8-13 years old.  Children don't know about Erectile Dysfunction, it is a condition that the pharmaceutical companies are trying to convince our wives that we suffer from.  Perhaps BASS might like to hire Barney The Dinosaur or Winnie The Pooh to write an article explaining to children what this is.

I'M NO DOCTOR, BUT IF MEN CONSUMED LESS BUSCH BEER, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR CIALIS!  

BASS you have had your problems recently, and this certainly doesn't help.  I am sure it is mistake, but please take down the beer ads.  And for crying out loud, fishing is supposed to allow us to forget our problems.  BASS do you really think the men in your target audience want to be reminded that they only have 36 hours?  That's a a lot of pressure!  It is not something children need to be introduced to.

As to my source.  Please accept my apology.  I believe that the BASS web site is using some kind of banner ad rotation.  When I looked the first time, I didn't see what I have seen since.  When I could not immediately find the banner ads, I thought I was being played, being manipulated.  I have since found the following three pages for you folks to check out....(you may have to check several times because these ads roate.)

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=bass_media_casting_kids

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=bass_kids_events

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=b_casting_kids_letter

Captured Page

September 16th, 2005

Get Out Of The Garage-Educating Lure Manufacturers.-"I use only the finest plastic from the deep plastic mines of Bora-Bora, that's what makes my plastic worms the best."  Face it man, you are making plastic worms.  You know you the have edge on the competition  as you sit there in your garage, methodically pouring worm after worm, thinking, "I'm the best, I give life to these little creatures, I'm right up there next to God himself."

Your not off the hook either, mister jig man.  "I put eleven strands of blue in my jigs, and 7 fibers in my weed guard."

Face it guys, your garage is your factory, and you are building your empire, one worm at a time!

Why the brutal attack Nighswonger?  I'm just here to help.  First let's examine what you hope to accomplish.  Are you .....

• A) just in this so I can be out in my garage every night? 
• B) just in this so I can walk around at team tournaments and club events, acting like a major player?
• C) just in this as a hobby?
• D) just in this because I believe in what I am doing, and I want to be the next Strike King.

If you chose answer "D" read on.  If you chose any of the other answers beware, a lot of folks already know this about you.

If you did choose "D" ask yourself, "how are my customers finding out about me?"  If you tell yourself "there is nothing better than word of mouth," you are not being truthful to yourself.  There are many things better than word of mouth.  Advertisements that jump off a page, or flash on a screen or are broadcast over the radio, are better than word of mouth.  Having a bass pro that you sponsor do well in a tournament is better than word of mouth.  Having an angler demonstrate your product on the tank at a sports show, is better than world mouth.

"Yeah, I tried sponsoring a guy one time, gave him all the product he wanted.  I nurtured that guy, poured him strange and wonderful colors that he just had to have. Then he won a big event and promptly told the audience he was using an XYZ Swim Bait.  Just because they pay him, I'll never sponsor an angler again."

You gave him lots of product.  I wonder if his kids enjoyed a bowl of plastic worms for dinner.  Perhaps you should have used more discretion in selecting a pro staff angler, but no doubt, you should have had this guy on your payroll, after all, he was supposedly working for you wasn't he?

My point-If your dream is making it to the highest levels of acceptance in this industry you must invest.  If you act small time, you will always be small time.  Find an angler that is hungry and sponsor him.  That means pay him, he is an out of shop employee who will be scouting out business for you.

Invest, money that is, not product in promotional activities that will get you noticed by the people you are trying to reach.

Needless to say, I speak to a lot of companies that know they need to grow, but don't understand that growth costs money.  Invest!  If you believe in the product that you are making, if you believe in yourself, invest.  There are no magic plastic mines, there are no special formulas.  Getting your name out, especially on the back of a reputable angler is the way you create favorable impressions.  This is how to get out of the garage.

Thanks BASS And FLW-So you had to do it.  You had to put a regional event on top of another regional event.  OK, yes, it does make it harder of those of us who try to cover the results, but both groups do a pretty good job of sending out press releases, so I can the information I need.  But you had to put those two regional events on top of each other in the same region?  In the same state?

BASS fans and FLW fans are going back and forth this week about which series is the weakest and the strongest, but what I haven't seen, (that doesn't mean it hasn't been said,) is the fact that the two organizations really screwed up.  The BASS event at Lake Oneida and the FLW event at Lake Champlain are not only both taking place in the Northeast, they are both taking place in the state of New York!

The final totals have the FLW Everstart event drawing 168 anglers and the BASS event drawing 111 anglers.  People, do the math, 279 bass boat owners are competing this week.  279!  For a region that is pretty darn good to have 279 guys, trying to live the dream, fully invested in bass boat, motor and all the tackle.  However, because the organizations either didn't communicate, or because they wanted to "test the market," we have two events going on that have sub par attendance.  You know who suffers here,  the anglers.  The guys who have invested thousands.  The guys who would have fished both events had they been on different weeks.  The guys who win these events and then get to be "co-Champ" for a week.  The day in the sun, having to be shared by another guy who is having his day in the sun.

I know I will get notes from both organizations claiming that they had their permits in first, and so on.  Thanks guys.

September 15th, 2005

Beat Charlie Moore, again and again and again!-So I break the sacred Saturday morning rule and I get up at 6:30 AM this past weekend.  I turn on the TV thinking that I can probably catch part of the ESPN Saturday morning bass programming.  When most of you are watching Bass Center at 7:00 AM, or Loudmouth Bass at 7:30 AM, that means it is 4:00 AM or 4:30 AM in the FREAKING morning in California where I live, so if I want to be the diligent columnist, I must awake very early on Saturday mornings.  Well, this past Saturday morning, I blew it, slept in until 6:30 AM and boy did I pay the price.

Right there on the screen is a late 30's adult man, wearing his Boston Red Sox or Bruins, Buttheads or whatever that "B" is suppose to represent,  hat backward, listening to "gangsta rap," smoking a big cigar.  This is a fishing show?  This is Beat Charlie Moore.

I hear all about this curse, or plague being over after the Red Sox won the Series last year.  You know what, its not over.  In fact, the curse has spread to the rest of the nation.  For now you see, an even greater plague has been unleashed across our entire country......The Boston Sports Fan, who has won a world championship.  Please will someone please knock the Red Sox out of the Pennant Race?  I even find myself cheering for the Yankees.

Anyway, so here is Charlie Moore, rolling down the road, "maxin, relaxin, chillin like a villan, whose willing for a drillin."  (Word to your mother!)

His cell phone rings, and he gets the challenge, (as if,) He has to go to Florida to take on a Varsity Baseball Coach at the Stick Marsh.

It's hardly a fair match, Charlie Moore gets a fully rigged 20 + bass boat with all the trimmings, and the Baseball coach gets a rocking chair with a big fan attached to the back.  The rational is that the fan boat can go places where the tricked out bass boat cannot go.  Maybe.

The one thing the rocking chair with the fan cannot do, is run big water, which, is what the Stick Marsh became after the lunch break?  (A lunch break Charlie Moore?)

Needless to say, Charlie Moore was able to win because his boat could get across the 3 foot waves and make it to productive water, the Baseball coaches' shoe box with a propeller, could not, so coach was forced to fish in a duck blind.

I could beat Charlie Moore.  I would have him come to California and we would go Mullet Fishing.  The rules, each angler has to sit on the bank in a rocking chair, (no fan Charlie Moore,) and chum bread crumbs until the fish start schooling.

Actually, I admire Charlie Moore.  Here is a guy who is exactly what ESPN wants.  He boasts, toasts, he roasts.  He rants, he raves, and draws a lot of attention to himself.  He is "working it," as they say.

Tour anglers could take a few lessons from Charlie Moore.  Not that you have to be a repulsive Boston Honk, but charisma is what makes good television, and like it or not, we aren't in Kansas anymore......unless, you are in Kansas, and then in that case, you should disregard what I just said.  We market ourselves in many ways, the least of which now a days is fishing.

You need shtick as well as stick in the bass game going forward.  This isn't all bad friends, it's just that the quiet, reserved guy isn't as marketable to the non endemics, as guy who calls attention to himself.

Fear not, loyal masses, there is still hope.  Mark Zona, (Mad Love To You Z-Dog,) is a positive example of what television is looking for.  He is not the guy you want to hate, (Charlie Moore is,) in fact he is all about respect.  He is opinionated, (you have to be to call attention,) but still isn't afraid to inter the Zaney Zone.  If your worried that you won't fit into the Network's plans, take a look at the Z-Dog, and you will see there is hope for a real bass angler.

Mike Iaconelli draws a lot of attention, love him, hate him, you still watch him.

The Brush Pile, love it, hate it, you still got to read it.

Find your Gig yo.  "If the drive is fly, you got to buy."

I can beat you Charlie Moore, and when I do, were going to put our night crawlers in that Boston hat of yours.

September 14th, 2005

The Universal Visionary-Is taking over my column today.  He did not request an interview, he simply sent me home and told me he was taking my editorial space.  To find out what bizarre slant on life he has today, click here.

September 12th, 2005

Educating Anglers: My Three Rants-At what will surely become another of the "rants" that I am famous for, it is time for us to take a look at some of the problems that we anglers bring upon ourselves.  Much of what has been said lately regarding low tournament paybacks, "depleted sponsor opportunities," and other "issues" involving our sport can largely be traced back to "what the core of anglers" has traditionally accepted in the form of treatment from tournament organizations and "sponsors."

Rant #1-It is a time honored practice by tournament organizations to partner up with boat and motor companies.  The tournament organization then trades advertising for the privilege to purchase boats and motors at a deeply discounted rate. The boat and motor package then becomes part of the prize package for various bass tournaments within the particular organization.  Here is the trick-The tournament organization will make the claim that they are awarding $38,000.00 to first place, based on the the full MSRP of the boat, motor, electronics and trolling motor package.  That looks pretty good, this guy won the tournament and we awarded him $38,000.00

NO YOU DIDN'T!  The tournament organization claims to have awarded the winning angler $38,000.00 but in reality, the angler sold that boat for $23,000.00 because another guy, (who went to the tournament to buy a boat,) offered him cash on the spot.  I will not accept that the winner, should have held out and waited for more money.  That same guy who offered the angler $23,000.00 can go to his local boat dealer as well.  What's more is that the wining angler had to pay taxes on $38,000.00 because that was the announced value of the 1st place award.  This has been done forever. FLW, recently, has at least has taken to paying $10,000.00 on top of the boat they award at EverStart Events.  

No boat dealership is going to get MSRP for a bassboat, trust me.  If no boat dealership can get MSRP, how in the world can a tournament organization expect an angler to have a prayer at getting MSRP?  The boat dealership at least has a service department, and sales staff, the angler doesn't.

Bass fishermen know this goes on, yet we leave it alone.  We always have, will we always?

Rant #2-Sponsors:  For as long as there has been tournament fishing, there have been anglers who were ready to accept product in exchange for promotion.  I did it, as did most everyone else in tournament fishing.  "I wanted to feel like part of the team, I wanted to walk the big walk, look all cool, and all."  I don't do it anymore however, as I have learned the value of what I do.  Bass anglers need to know that if they place the sticker for a rod and reel company or a plastics manufacturer on the back window of their pick up truck, or if their boat has some kind of sticker on it, that these anglers are creating impressions.  Maybe as many as 100,000 per day.  That "mobile billboard" is worth money, and the angler should be collecting a paycheck for driving the vehicle around with the company logo.  

"I do it because my buddy owns the company, and I want to help him."  

If you would be willing to go pour concrete for your buddy's construction company while wearing his company shirt and while placing his magnetic signs on the side of your truck, while he collects the pay checks, then go ahead.  HE IS COLLECTING THE MONEY!  HE IS KEEPING YOU OUT OF THE PROFIT!  DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A BUDDY TO YOU?

Do you here that sound?  It is the collective gasp of dozens of small companies out there who make the claim that they are sponsoring bass tournament professionals.  NO YOU ARE NOT! If a company is only providing product, it is not helping the angler at a level that is equitable to what that angler is providing when he/she drives around town with a sticker on their truck.  Of course, nobody puts a gun to that angler's head and tells them to do this.  Anglers need to educate themselves to understand the marketing power that they have.

An angler that drives around the country with a wrapped boat is making close to 100,000 impressions per day.  That is worth coin.  An angler that makes the finals of a Bassmaster event and gets some television time has created a few million impressions and that is worth between $250,000.00 and $500,000.00.

Since so many anglers choose to accept free product in exchange for promotion, companies in this industry learn that they can cut back on pro staff budgets, which means they don't have to pay for promotion.  I don't know about you, but I can't feed my family on plastic worms and crank baits.  This is wrong!

Rant #3-Paybacks.  Because, "making a check" boosts my ego, I can accept a payback that amounts to less than my investment in the event.  Years ago, Angler's Choice came West, and I fished that tour, which I really enjoyed.  The pay back was down to 25 or so based on a 100 boat field.   The payback for 25th place was $500.00.  The entry fee?  $300.00!!!!  Gasoline was .95 per gallon, (and we were still unhappy,) and lodging with a travel buddy was about $100.00.  Guess what?   $500.00 almost covered expenses in a regional event.  Today we are watching as BASS gets ready to pay $500.00 down to 60th place.  Exciting on the surface, until you figure that with a $1,500.00 entry and another $1,000.00 or so in gas and lodging expenses, that $500.00 will just about get you home, (again with gasoline so high.)

"I like the feeling of driving home knowing that I cut a check, having finished in 60th place."  

I hate the feeling of knowing that I finished 25th in Pro Tour Level Event, (whatever that means now,) driving home knowing that I didn't break even with the $2,500.00 dollars that they paid me.

Again, anglers accept this as the way it is.  

Revisiting the Northern and Southern Tour pay backs, for the 2006 season, it appears to me that 25th place, (which pays $2,500.00) is going to be the break even point for an angler that has to travel any distance to make the event.  That means 26th through 60th appear to me to be losing deals.  Now if a guy lucks out and happens to live next to the lake where the tournament is being held, that would be a blessing.  But places 26th through 60th are losing to play in that event.  

From a business stand point, (which is what anglers have to become,) that is unacceptable.

As I said in my last rant, or was that a rave? Places 41st to 60th should not get paid, (it's like paying a worker below minimum wage.) That would free up something like $22,500.00 to be put back into places 18th to 40th.  That's right, 40th place could now be the break even point, and 25th could make a guy feel kind of good about doing so well.

"Pay down from the top, don't award so much to first place. "

Well now, here we have a problem, you see, we are giving a boat away for 1st place, and since we are claiming it to be worth $45,000.00 it's not really $45,000.00, it's more like $38,000.00.  SO IT HAS TO COME OFF THE BOTTOM!

Tell Me-sound off

September 7th, 2005

Payouts-BassFan had the new BASS Northern and Southern Tour payouts posted yesterday.  The new tours replace the old Opens.  The "tours" as we are calling them now, come with a $1,500.00 entry fee, (who says inflation is tame?) and feature payouts all the way down to 60th place!!!!!!!!

Looking at the bottom of the pay scale first, I always look at the bottom first to see what kind of money I might have "a blind squirrel's chance of making," if I was to fish one of the events, I notice that 56th-60th place pays $500.00, (who says no one ever helps anglers with gas for tournaments?)  51st to 55th place, pays $1,000.00, and 40th down to 50th pays back entry fees of $1,500.00.  Get ready now, because here it comes.

Paying $1,500.00 back is rationalized by saying, "hey you get your entry fee back."  Paying $1,000.00 back is a kick in the bass, and paying $500.00 back is a punch in the stomach.  DO THEY THINK WE ARE FOOLED BY THIS?  Going off of the scale, from places 39th up to 26th, the pay backs increase by a couple hundred bucks each rung of the ladder, until we get to 25th place where the payback is $2,500.00.  Do you know what 25th place is?  It's the break even point for someone who lives within a hundred miles of the tournament, sleeps in his/her car or truck, and eats "mack and cheeze" for all of his/her meals.  Everything below that point is a losing deal.

Please don't insult us by throwing $500.00 dollars at us for 60th place, and saying, "go ahead, get yourself something nice."  Better to add up places 40-60 and pay anglers down to 40th an amount that they can use to rationalize coming to the event in the first place.

But $500.00, $1,000.00 or $1,500.00 has to at least help doesn't it?  Yes it does.  It helps create the illusion that I can make it out here on this trail.  It looks good because, "we're paying down to 60th place."  What you are doing is killing them slowly.  If a guys doesn't make a check in the first event or two, maybe he quits, counts his losses and doesn't fish the last events.  Oh oh, that means we could be faced with fields that are not filled, when fields are not full, then we cannot pay back what we advertised.  That wouldn't be good for business.

Do you know what $500.00, $1,000.00 or $1,500.00 does?  It bleeds me from event to event.  It ensures that a guy is not broke after one event.  It makes sure that he broke after all four or five events!

"These guys are big boys and girls, they know what their finances are, they are old enough to make their own decisions!"  True that, but without them, we don't have tournaments, we don't have organizations and we don't have a sport.

I haven't won a lot of money in bass tournaments.  The checks that I have cashed are usually less than what it cost me to attend and fish.  It was always with mixed emotions that I accepted my $500.00 for having the "co-angler with the biggest weight award."  Tournament organizations still have a ways to go.  They must realize both what it costs to fish an event and that the fans of professional bass fishing aren't fooled when an organization pays $500.00 down to 60th place in an event where expenses are easily $3,000.00.

September 6th, 2005

Sticking My Neck Out-Yup, that's pretty much what I do these days.  I can remember back several months where all I had to do was talk to Dion Hibdon about what bass do during that transitional phase in the Summer when Fall's influence starts to re-charge them, or ask Denny Brauer why he changed from a jig to a tube, or to ask Kelly Jordon what he does to upgrade the size of the fish he is catching.  Yes, those were the good old days.  Recently however, I find myself riding the crest of a wave that I can't quite see over the top of, and its a little unsettling.  The landscape of bass fishing is changing drastically these days, perhaps due to growing pains or perhaps to the stress that occurs when we realize that what we say we are is no longer what we truly are.

Spurred on by the anonymous voices who talk to me "off the record," because to go "on the record" would be to risk their livelihood, I find myself writing to tell their stories because they cannot.  

What is it about me that makes me want to stick my neck out, give more than my two cents worth on the issues that plague our sport today?  What is it about me that wants to paint a "bull's eye" dead in the center of my forehead?  Or, as my mom puts it, "why are you the one who has to take on all of these issues?"

Because I care.  Read on.  I always admired Zell Rowland, Guido Hibdon, Denny Brauer, Rick Clunn, Jimmy and Lucy Mize and a whole bunch of other folks who would come out West to Las Vegas to fish in the US Opens in the late 1980's to mid 1990's when I fished those events.  These were people who were gentle, kind, humble and had a certain class about them.  They were well accomplished in their sport, well respected, and sought after by nearly everyone they came across at those tournaments.  And yet, they shook every hand, signed every autograph and took time over dinner to talk about their day on the water with just about anyone who came up to them.

I have since met other folks like them.  When I have traveled to ICAST, Bassmaster Classics and FLW Tour Championships, I have again come in contact with people like those that I have mentioned.  People like Mark Davis, Tim Horton, Gary Klein, Dave Lefebre, John Crews, Jay Yelas and again, many others.  Do you know what it is about bass fishing that I find myself drawn to?  It is the people!

The foundation of this great sport that you and I love so much was built on the backs of people, most of whom are folks that you would consider to be good role models for our children and good role models for our society.  Bass fishing has always been about sportsmanship, character, and fair play.  The image of the professional bass angler has always been that of about the best kind of people this country has to offer.  No gangstas, no posse, no smack talk.

What is happening then that is causing so much concern?  What are the problems?  WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL NIGHSWONGER?  

Once again, I will tell you what the big deal is.....Stress occurs in our lives when what we perceive ourselves to be clashes with what, in fact, we really are.  There is a segment of the bass fishing society that agrees for the most part about what I am saying here.  Ask yourself, what is the source of the problems that you associate with bass fishing today?  Is it all of the changes in tour format that we are witnessing?  I really don't think so.  Change can be very good, and some of the recent changes are quite positive.  The source of the stress that we are experiencing today is that a lot of those values that we once associated with Bass Fishing are being pushed aside in favor of an "in your face, smack attack."  

Bass Fishing is being challenged by a new brand of the sport.  It's more extreme, more "radical" and not necessarily better.   I am a watch dog, when I see "good" being pushed aside for "flashy and extreme," I am going to stick my neck out. 

September 2nd, 2005

Let's Design A Tour-I want to know who your think bass fishing's most credible anglers are.  Not just as anglers, but as humans.  I have placed this question on several forums across the internet.  Please give me one or two names, hopefully you can come up with a few more.  Send me the e-mail-submit here

To Fish Or Not To Fish...-"This whole thing is just terrible timing.  I am not faulting BASS or anybody, but given the circumstances in our economy, the devastation in Louisiana and in Mississippi, these changes just couldn't come around at a worse time."-Dion Hibdon

It looks like it is coming down to whether you qualify for the BASS Majors or just the Elite Series as to your feelings about the new BASS Formats.  If you have qualified for the the Elite 100 but are not in contention for the Majors, (places 51-100,) the $55,000.00 entry fee becomes very difficult to raise because according to the facts sheet on the Bassmaster Web Site, Elite Series tour stops have BASS Sponsored Wrapped Boats On The Last Day of Competition, thus, apparently no TV time for an angler's sponsor wrapped boat.  The Majors on the other hand, allow an angler to use their own wrapped boat on the Television day.

Kelly Jordon, Jason Quinn and John Murray confirmed that they will go for it, largely because they have the resources to do it, and because, as in Quinn's case, he has a wrapped boat deal which he can use to get him through the season.

John Crews has an interesting predicament, he is currently "on the bubble" for the Majors.  Crews is considering fishing the Elite Tour because if he can do well enough in the first five events of the Elite Tour season, Crews will qualify for the Majors, where some serious money can be won, and where a wrapped boat can create a lot of exposure.  Crews is still looking for the company that will wrap a boat for him and will pay his entries, but he says he has some leads.  Crews' dilemma is that if he falls out of contention for the Majors, (falls out of the top 50,) his value to a sponsor also falls, as he will not have access to the TV exposure in fishing just the Elite 100.  Crews is considering putting deposits down on the first five events and he will "wait and see."

Dion Hibdon fished both tours this year, however he has concerns that are far different than the others mentioned so are.  "I still work for a living doing seminars, and fishing an extended tour means I would have to give up some of the seminar money, maybe as much as $70,000.00."  Hibdon is concerned about the amount of money which must be invested before the first tournaments and is also very leery of the rising costs of tournament fishing, especially with the volatile gasoline situation. 

"This whole change has been bad timing for me and my family.  I don't know for sure what I will do, I haven't had time, since these changes were announced to even talk it over with my wife."

"They want deposits by October 14th, that makes it very difficult to put things together."

"My main sponsors, Ranger Boats, Evanrude, Chevy Trucks are big sponsors of FLW, so I am kind of tied to that trail."

"I don't have any disputes with BASS, I just have to decide what is going to be best for my family."

The Elite 100 schedule looks like some very good lakes, and there are a lot of good things, however I just haven't decided it I can swing it this year."

Terry Baksay, Zell Rowland and Darryl Burkhardt qualify for the Elite 100 Series.  To a man, each would like to fish it, however, being out of the top 50, they do not qualify for the Majors, which means any wrapped boat deal that they could put together would not have access to television time, which is a deal breaker for most corporate sponsors.  Burkhardt as you may remember ran a BowFlex wrapped boat and tow vehicle the last two seasons.  That deal has since run out, and with a change in personnel at BowFlex and since under the old BASS format, only BASS Sponsor Boats were on the televised coverage, the deal was not renewed.  

To fish or not to fish, that is the question.  The answer seems to revolve around whether an angler is qualified for the Majors or simply the Elite Tour.

September 1st, 2005

I Don't Feel Much Like Fishing-I spent a lot of time today running down interviews, checking with guys regarding the new entry fees, generally being a busy-body, (some would probably call me a pain in the bass.)  I have stuff to write, but it just doesn't seem appropriate to spout off, when so many good people in this country are suffering right now, it all came down on me when I tried to reach an angler in Mississippi and all I got was a "all circuits are busy" recording.  To anyone who has family that they are missing, to anyone who has been uprooted, to the people of New Orleans, to those folks in the Coastal areas, our prayers are with you.

I suspect that what will happen when we start to grasp the magnitude of the devastation is that slowly but surely we will begin hearing stories of heroism and courage. One thing I have come to know about this country is that we have a way of being real skeptics until a disaster strikes, and the chips are down.   That is when America always seems to shine.  We are all quick to criticize various things that we perceive to be wrong with America, but the minute disaster strikes, that is when we instantly galvanize, where enemies come to the aid of their foes, where for crying out loud, Democrats reach out to Republicans.  By the way, I believe that this is one characteristic of ours that dumbfounds our enemies abroad.  "These Americans hate each other one minute, but the second they are attacked or struck by disaster, they come together as one cohesive force."

I read where a Red Cross Chapter in Northern California, (Bay Area,) was looking to train volunteers to be sent to Louisiana and Mississippi to aid in search and rescue and other Red Cross activities.  According to the source I read, they had to turn people away.  That's what Americans do.

August 31st, 2005

A Retraction Of Sorts-Yesterday I "ranted," (or maybe it was a rave,) that BASS held a "run them off the stage if they aren't one of our sponsor's guys" mentality, when it came to TV and On Stage time.  A man who I respect, and is of tremendous credibility e-mailed me yesterday to say that he "would stake his life on the statement that no one has ever been run off the stage at a Bassmaster Weigh in for having the wrong logo on."

I used language that was too strong.  The point I should have made, is that I believe that in at least a couple of instances, guys were "hurried off stage," who didn't have tour sponsors.  Now, here is where I really want to be careful.  Is it possible, that I am just super sensitive, and while the non logo guy was hurried off the stage, and the BASS sponsor guy was kept up much longer, could that have a coincidence?  Yes it could.

My point?  If BASS will give the companies that sponsor Pros some fair coverage, then more of these companies will come in, when they see that they can get TV time.  I will say it again.  A company that spends $55,000 or part of that on an angler, is actually spending it on BASS.  I hope they get it!

Doing My Homework-Knowing that you and I are thinking the same thing, I set out on the quest that you want me to conduct.  I have begun contacting anglers in the Top 100 to find out what they are thinking about the tour next year.  The way I see it, a guy either has 55,000 reasons to fish the Elite Series or 55,000 reasons not to fish the Elite Series.

My first thought:  An angler that qualifies for the Elite Series, (at least in 2007, when the field will be just 100 anglers,) has secured a valuable commodity, and I hope anglers understand this.  Making one single cut in 11 events will be worth a minimum of $250,000 in TV exposure for the companies that they represent.  A company wanting to have an Elite Tour Guy in its stable should be prepared to "pony up!"

Now, who will fish and who will not?  I am not going to contact all 100 Top 100 Pros, but I will talk to 20 or so.  In my initial wave of phone calls, I did not find one guy who said he will not fish the Elite 100's.  Several doubt they can secure funding, but all indicated they would should funding become available.  "DUH" you say!  (Be careful, I'm in your head now, I knew what you were going to say!)

Here are some comments both on the record and off the record:

• "They expect us to put down deposits, which to amount to about $35,000 before we make our first cast!"
• "It wouldn't be as simple as having a company spend $55,000.00 on my entries.  I have a boat and motor deal that requires me to wear their clothing.  If Home Depot wanted to wrap a boat for me, I would need about $200,000.00 for the year to offset what I will lose from my boat and motor deal."
• Kelly Jordon says "I'm All In!  I love the fact that since we are fishing for our own money anyway, it might as well be more of it.  To me, 1-50 pays at least $10,000.00, that's pretty good odds.  I love the schedule, I think it's great."
• Terry Baksay says "I'm hopeful. That is a big bite, ($55,000.00)  I am trying to put together a deal right now.  I Know that if I don't, I am going to regret it in two years.  If I can raise the entry, perhaps even pay back some of the investment by splitting the winnings with a sponsor, I will consider the Elite Series. 
• Jason Quinn-"Most definitely I will be on tour next year.  I have a deal with Evan Williams Bourbon to wrap a boat and tow vehicle.  I would have had it this year, however we couldn't use our boats for the TV rounds.  I am in"
• John Murray-"I have always fished for money.  If I don't have it, I don't fish.  I don't have any sponsors that will be putting that kind of money up.  I will certainly fish both tours again next year.  If I run out of money, then I will stop fishing.  Yeah, I will be there."
• Zell Rowland-"I am not decided yet.  I will need to find someone to foot the bill.  I won't risk going broke.  I would love to be there, and will be there if things work out.  Its a little too soon to call."

There are the first five.  All say they would at least like to be there.  Three say they are there for sure, two say they are not sure yet.

Another tactic that was mentioned in my discussions yesterday was that some anglers will try to work with a sponsor the way Vegas Card Players work with their "investors."  A person, "an investor," fronts the money, and the angler splits winnings with the investor.  The anglers I spoke to yesterday are all eligible for the Elite Series and they all desperately want to fish it.  Funding will be the issue.

Here Is A Rumor-This is a rumor, though it came from a very reliable source. Expect to see two spots in the 2008 Bassmaster Classic for qualifiers from the Women's Tour.  I heard it from a good source, which I won't reveal, because if you reveal your anonymous sources, they aren't anonymous anymore, and they won't continue to share information.

August 30, 2005

I Woke Up This Morning-and before you say, duh Keith, this is what we have been trying to tell you all along, let me just say that the comments I will make today, are not random, but something that I have been kicking around for a while.  I don't know if my thinking is in line with the powers that be, but I think I get it.

BASS has done a good thing with its new Elite Tour, 100 angler field and monster entry fee.  What? You say, rubbing your eyes, is Keith praising BASS for this latest attempt to get it right?  The answer is yes I am.

As you well know, and as many of you have told me, I have been pretty tough on BASS over the last nine months.  The root of my "rants" (I was thinking of changing the name of the Brush Pile to "ranting and raving," but since someone wanted to make a movie about it or at least a Broadway Musical, I figured I had been better hang on to that name, at least until I see what kind of deal I can get,) has been BASS' inconsistency, (boy that's a stretch Nighswonger,) and the fact that the BASS Tour was killing a group of anglers that I have called Packman.  Packman is any guy who ranges between the 40th to 80th on tour.  I have felt that BASS has strung these guys out over the years, showing them a carrot, but always keeping it just out of their reach until they have been completely drained of any life.  I have felt that the BASS Tour kept these guys holding on to a razor thin glimpse of hope.  Mike Reynolds is a guy like this, although his story has turned out OK, but it was close.  Reynolds won the Clarks Hill Bassmaster Tour stop, and it came just in the nick of time.  As Reynolds put it, "he didn't know how many more events he could fish," as he was severely in debt.  The problem is, there are about 60 Mike Reynolds out there among a 165 angler tour who will not have their day saved by winning a tour event.  Those guys will crash and burn.  I have always felt that BASS didn't force them to see reality.  I always felt that BASS was only too happy to collect their $1,925.00 donation for each event.  To give them enough rope.

All of that changes now, as I present to you my own personal Renaissance.  

BASS did Packman a favor by cutting him from the trail.  First of all by limiting the number to one hundred, there will be between 50 and 100 guys who might have fished the tour that really didn't belong out there.  Sometimes we need someone to tell us "no you can't," when it is obvious to everyone but ourselves.  Second, the $55,000 that it will cost to fish the Elite Series will further convince some that they do not belong on this tour.  I know it sounds harsh, I know some dreams are crushed, but reality is very powerful here and the reality is the Elite Level in this country is pretty darn good.

By limiting the number of anglers on this tour BASS just assured itself of bringing a number of new sponsors to the trail that won't sponsor BASS directly, but in a sense they will.  Consider the Lucky Crafts, the Stirke Kings, and the Frogg Toggs.  Think about the Coca Colas, the Motorolas and the Yamahas.  None of these companies will be sponsors of BASS, but they will front the money or at least part of it for a number of professional anglers to fish these events.  What do they get in exchange?  TV exposure.  In a one hundred angler field, my guy has a great chance of creating some major TV impressions.  If a guy makes one cut, the TV time he will earn, will far exceed what that company's $55,000.00 investment could have bought them on TV, (although you could get a great deal on radio for that amount-hint-hint! "I know a guy who has a radio show!")

Now I don't know if BASS saw this vision or not, I know they talked about a smaller pool of anglers having access to more sponsor dollars, but in reality, the money will not be the angler's it will be put into BASS.  Some really smart guy, (it was me,) said that next year's $11.5 million dollar tour will see $5.5 million of those dollars coming from angler entry fees, making the anglers, the single biggest sponsor of the tour.  I believe I was wrong.  The single biggest sponsor of the tour will be literally dozens of companies, too small to be a sponsor of BASS, that are helping anglers pay their entry fees, adding to that pool of $5.5 million dollars.  These smaller companies will be investing in anglers that have qualified to fish a very elite tour, with a large exposure base.  Many of these guys are going to get that TV time for their sponsors.

You should know that the Evenrude Commercial that everyone thinks is so funny, had to cost, had to cost, AT LEAST, $250,000.00 to make and show.  "Fred's Custom Buzzbaits and Jigs" will never be able to afford that.  But if Fred wants a crack at making the big time, he can scrape up $55,000.00 or part of it to invest in an angler that might get him that exposure.  It is not a bad bet!  If that angler makes a cut, Fred will have bought about a quarter of a million dollars worth of advertising for $55,000.00.

What I believe that BASS has created here is a chance for the good old days when anglers could promote themselves and the companies that they represent.  I am very excited about what this can be.

Not so fast though.  Some things about the current BASS are going to have to change, before I will completely buy into these changes.  Here are some things that must change:

• BASS must change it's current "run them off the stage if they aren't one of our sponsor's guys" mentality at their weigh ins.  Recently, if you don't have one of the BASS sponsors on your shirt, you weigh your fish, and they nearly pushed you off the stage.  When one of the Citco guys shows up, its "hey man, tell us your life story!" BASS has to recognize that even though "Fred's Custom Buzzbaits And Jigs" are not a direct sponsor of the tour, they must be given their day in the Sun if the guy they have sponsored does well.  Because in paying the expenses of their angler, "Fred's Custom Buzzbaits and Jigs" is essentially paying into the largest pool of sponsor dollars, ANGLER ENTRY FEES!   This might even take an adjustment in the current mission statement to include an effort to recognize the little guys who are not tour sponsors.
• BASS has got to stick to this for a while.  The change it again spin, loses credibility quickly.
• BASS has got to stop deflecting blame for the mistakes that it has made over the last nine months.  I really think people will still buy into this new system, however BASS has got to grow up and stop thinking that we are fooled by ugly smear campaigns like the Gary Klein issue, (this was BASS' SCREW UP, and they painted it to make Gary look bad, that was just plain ugly.  Klein is one of this sport's great ambassadors, BASS should be kissing Gary's BASS!)  The George Cochran, Jimmy Mize thing at the Classic was about the lowest attempt at CREATING A CONTROVERSY as we have seen recently.  Don't tell me that wasn't part of pre production, you know it was.  "Hey let's see if we can start a fight between Mize and Cochran, at the weigh in, that'll be so cool!"  If that emcee came up with that comment about Cochran's reputation on his own, he should be fired!  Don't try to create drama, there is plenty of it to go around any way.

I don't buy the comment that the Elite Tour is only for Rich Men.  I don't know how anyone could buy their way into this group, YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY!  Being a professional angler has never been just about catching fish.  It has been about writing business plans, speaking engagements, selling yourself to sponsors.  You have always had to be a good business person.

What about the comment that some of the very good anglers in country will drop out because of expenses.  No they won't, they will drop out because of sub par performances and the fact that poor performance will be so expensive, that some guys will have to leave the tour only means that now we aren't stringing them out the way we used to.

What about the guy from the bass club who knows "I'm good enough to beat those guys on that Elite Tour, its just those darn PAA guys who have created this private money club for themselves!"  NO YOU'RE NOT!  Not consistently enough over the course of 11 events.  If you don't believe us, qualify for the Elite Series, then you can take someone's spot when they fall off the tour, and there will be plenty of guys who do fall off the tour, and then you can show us that you belong.

Clean it up and polish it a bit, the new, "new and improved tour" has great potential and really can become the Elite Tour out there.  BASS needs to stop thinking with it's "BASS" and take care of anyone who spends anything on this tour.  It all comes back to BASS at some point.

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