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The Brush Pile: It's The Hot Stove League Of Professional Bass Fishing. The Brush Pile is an up to the minute rendering of what I know about the bass fishing world, (no jokes, please.) Whether its a live update from one of our pro correspondents or just something that I came across. If it is something that I think you will find interesting, you will find it here.....in the 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.

Paid Testimonial-In reading the following link be aware that the testimonial involves a product advertised on ProBassAnglers.com

07/24/08 Spies Like Us-De-Nile ain't just a river in Egypt, however that is what you will get if you start asking questions about this stunning little detail. As you know, besides being the S.P.C.B.F. (Self Proclaimed Commissioner of Bass Fishing) I also collect intelligence using high tech listening devices installed at BASS Headquarters in Celebration, Florida.

What is the detail? Apparently BASS is planning on doing away with Bass Federation Nation Divisionals. Does that bother you? Does anybody care? Hello, are you out there? You see two years ago, when ever I posted Federation commentary my e-mail box would light up, and I would get threatening band width e-mails from my IP company warning me that I was over the limit. Now? I don't know, does anybody care?

I'm just assuming that if the Federation Nation Divisionals go away, that would also mean the logical end of the Kid's Classic, (are we still calling it that?) Perhaps even the whole youth program, I don't know, just speculating.

If this does bother you, start asking questions, maybe an e-mail to old Celebration is in order or call your State Rep and see what he has heard. I've always tried to help the Federation guys (sorry that's what I call them,) whenever something that affects their interests comes along. This would certainly seem to be one of those situations.

New From Cheetah Fishing Products-That's right the same company that brought you the "Lion Weigh Scales," and the "Betty Won't" fish measuring board, (found next to the "Willie-Go" boards in your tackle shop,) is now bringing you the newest in high definition video games. "Elite Pro Tour Fishing" is the most realistic bass fishing video game ever produced. Written for one to four players, the game was supposed to debut at ICAST, however Chief Executive Marty Stowins found himself locked in his hotel bathroom during the ICAST show, and never was able to attend.

Realistic graphics are just part of the action. Player one is always the professional angler who gets to choose from several lakes to compete at. Player two is the co-angler assigned to the pro. Here is where it gets interesting, player two's job in "Elite Pro Tour Fishing" is to try and keep player one, the pro, from catching any fish. Player two can, cast in front of the boat to the pro's water, eat the pro's good luck cookies, hook the pro in the ear with a buzz bait, step on the pro's rods and at the advanced levels, can "unlock" the pro's livewell, allowing player two to release fish the pro has caught, so life like, you'll swear it is the real thing! But we are just getting started. Player two has dialog buttons and can say things like, "What should I use?" "Do you have any food?" "You wanna see some pictures of my children?" and at the more advance levels, "I kicked XXXXX's butt! Yeah! I'm a Pro-Co."

Add a third player to your game and now you have the pesky GPS waypoint guy who claims to be watching, and then on day two gets to race to the pro's spot before the Pros blast off in the morning. Fun, fun.

Add a fourth player to your game and now you will have a smart-bass editorial writer who typically takes every subject a bit to far and is very caught up in trying to be funny all the time.

Fun for boys and girls, you will love, "Elite Pro Tour Fishing." Give it to someone you really love......to frustrate.

Just Wondering -Did BASS just put an end to various angler success measuring indexes? I mean, can BassFan's World Rankings still be accurate if FLW has Co's and BASS Elites have No's? Can BassZone's Media Poll hold any credibility if the BASS guys don't have to deal with co-anglers catching some of their fish, while FLW Pros still do? How about the ProBassAnglers.com Angler Of the Year? If the guys fishing the BASS Elites have no interfering interrupting co's is it fair to compare FLW Tour event results with BASS Elite results? I don't have the answer, just wondering.

Knock-Knock-Whose there? Interrupting Co-Angler. Interrupting Co-Angler who?.....MOOOOOVE, I've got another one! Get the net!

07/17/08 Spot For Co-Anglers In The Classic-Well, I guess THAT won't happen now, although that apparently was a plan on the drawing boards. Yeah, that' right co's, apparently before Co-anglers were dropped from the Elite Series the plan was to eventually create a spot in The Classic for the top qualifying Co-Angler, somewhere around the 2014 Classic. Here was the proposed order, 1st, the AOY from the WBT, which is already on the books. Next, the top Junior Bassmaster was going to be given a spot in the Classic. A couple years later, the winner of the DOG AGILITY CONTEST at the ESPN Outdoor Games was going to get a spot, and then CO's it was going to be all yours! Now? Not!

I don't hate people who are Co-anglers. I am the first guy to say that safe boating means two in a boat. However, I love this sport, and I enjoy following the pros, and how they do. It is compelling, it's what we'd all like to do. When a Co interferes in an event, it is a travesty, which a Co does if he or she makes even one cast.

As for the argument that Co-anglers fuel the bass fishing industry? I'd say that probably the 40 or 50 thousand bass anglers in bass clubs around the country who spend 8 to 10 thousand dollars on fishing each year push the industry forward a bit more than a few hundred Co-Pros. If you want somebody to really be mad at, read my friend Kevin Short has to say on the subject.

Great Move-BASS adding Northern Opens. Hey Co's there you go, Co-Anglers are still part of the Opens.

Did You Notice?-With the ball being in the BASS Court, it is BASS that scheduled three tour events on top of FLW Tour events. Gee I sure wish these two "competing brands" could help fans of the sport out, by not scheduling on top of each other. Oh I know the line, "we do not blah, blah, blah, blah, what other organizations blah, blah, blah, blah." Too bad we can't force the execs into a room somewhere and force them to do things in the names of the fans! Sounds like a job for the S.A.C.B.F. to address........I think I just did.

07/15/08 Zero'd Wait-Ah, one of my favorite times of the year, the mid summer classic, and this year it's at Yankee Stadium. I WAIT all year for one of the coolest exhibitions going, the home run derby. Chicks may dig the long ball, but so do I. There is nothing like watching the moon shots leave the yard, nothing like watching a true hitting stud, tee off on a helpless "fat ball," nothing like the sound of maple, (or ash) on cow-hide. It is beautiful.

I'm usually involved in some activity that takes me away from the festivities but not tonight. Tonight, I have the time and a rare moment when I have control of the control. Life is good.

So I tune in. I watch the first couple guys come up and knock a few out of the yard. Six is looking like the number to beat. A couple guys flame out, 3 knocks, and 5 knocks. The guys with six are looking better all the time. Berkman, and Morneau blast eight each out of the park, suddenly six is looking "iffy." Braun bombs seven, watch out guys with six.

Then comes Josh Hamilton, a guy who has faced his demons and seems to have it going on. He brings his 71 year old high school coach to pitch for him. Dude goes through eight like they are butter. More, more, on and on, when is guy going to wear out? Finally, the dust settles, Josh Hamilton has hit 28 home runs in the first round, unbelievable!

Berkman and Braun hit six and seven respectfully and are out with a total of 14. Morneau hits 9 he has 17 after two rounds. Hamilton hasn't even hit yet and he still has double the number of Berkman and Braun. Does Hamilton even have to swing in his second round? Again, unbelievable.

Oh say it ain't so. They are going to zero the totals of the final two hitters? Oh, no, this is a bad dream. When did FLW contract with MLB to put on the home run derby? Here is a guy, Hamiliton, who hit 28 home runs in the first round, 11 more than his nearest competitor hit in two rounds, and he is going to leave all 32, (he hit four token home runs in the 2nd round and then got bored, and shut it down,) on the docks for the championship round.

Is there any chance that Hamilton won't hit the most home runs tonight? Yes, but it is a very small chance, and Justin Morneau will really have to crush them to make up a 15 home run difference. (32 to 17)

Yet, if Justin Morneau hits just one more home run then Josh Hamilton in the next round, he will win. If Josh Hamilton's 71 year old BP pitcher tightens up and can't throw any fat ones, Josh Hamilton will lose.......

Hamilton lost, ran out of gas. After all those bombs all he could do was hit 3 out. Vintage FLW Tour, I hate this.

Oh By The Way-Steve Bowman is not my source for the No-Co's next year. He is my source for the BFC (Bank Fishing Circuit)

07/13/08 BASS Announcement-This week in Las Vegas the sports fishing industry will unveil the newest products for the market, it will be a virtual angler's toy story. The annual ICAST show takes place every July and is open only to vendors and distributors, and of course, the media. Several media companies have booths at ICAST so that they can be right there where the action is. BASS has attended ICAST for many years and recently has taken to using ICAST to make big announcements. This year will be no different as BASS will announce a format change and schedule for it's 2009 BASS Elite Series.

One thing BASS will not announce is that it is changing it's format to include a two day qualifying round which will be followed by a zeroed weight championship round.

BASS will announce that co-anglers will no longer exist at the Elite Series level. There have been too many incidents of late involving pro-co relations and it is clear that co's are having an affect on the out come of professional tournaments. The pros have asked for this for several years, and yours truly has been asking for this pretty much since the first BrushPile was published in 2004.

In place of co-anglers in Elite Series events, look for a new "Bank Fishing Circuit" (BFC) to be announced. While the new rules are still a bit sketchy, it appears that anglers formerly known as "Co"s" will set off from the launch site of Elite Series events each morning ON FOOT, and will have the entire shore line of Elite Series lakes to comb for their share of each day's weigh in. ProBassAnglers.com has learned that a strict, 8 foot distance must be observed by all contestants so as not to encroach. "If a fella can poke another fella with his 8 foot flippin stick, the other fella's too close," stated our unnamed source. (Understand that our source DOES have a name, it's just that we didn't want to put Steve Bowman on the spot.)

In an unrelated story, ProBassAnglers.com has learned that Fred Chompin a disgruntled former Co-angler, will announce on his web site CosAreTheReelPros.com that he is forming a group of former Co-anglers who will attend all future Elite Series events to walk the banks and throw rocks, bang on cow bells and hurl insults at Elite Series pros in a desperate attempt to keep the status quo at all Elite Series events. When reached at his home in Shitash, Wyoming, (pronounced Shi-tash) he stated, "Cos' will not be denied their right to cause an affect on the out come of pro events!"

FLW has already announced their 2009 schedule which includes stops at Lake Guntersville, February 12-15, Table Rock, March 12-15, Lake Norman, April 23-26, Beaver Lake, May 14-17, Kentucky Lake, June 11-14 and Lake Champlain, July 9-12. What should be of interest at the ICAST show next week is whether BASS will have the nerve to NOT schedule any events on top of FLW Tour events. A number of BASS pros fish as many of the FLW Tour events as they can, when those events do not overlap with BASS Elite Series events. It would be good for the sport if we could see the likes of Jordon, Bifle, Iaconelli and other BASS Elite Series pros go up against the likes of Dudley, Clausen and Hibdon. BASS has an excellent opportunity to do the right thing in this matter.

One thing is for certain, next week at this time, we will have some interesting stories to ponder.

07/06/08 Dean Rojas-In the name of trying to survive on the pro tours, it clearly is about so much more than simply catching fish. We have seen anglers do a number of zany things to draw attention to themselves, we have seen marketing stunts, we have seen helicopter lures and we still certainly have not seen everything yet. All in the name of trying to make one's self marketable to potential sponsors. But how do you do it? How do you really do for sponsors what they desperately need you to do, sell their products? How many guys display logos, and patches for companies and products, yet when the cameras are off, when few are looking, out come the real "go to" baits? Answer-quite a few.

These guys are professional, they know how to do it right. Display the lure, or the rod and reel in pictures taken for magazines. Make sure you have some of the lures tied on to rods that are strapped to the deck of your boat, and even make sure you toss your sponsor's baits a few times each day. But when it comes down to catching em, you have to go to your aces, no matter who makes them!

Dean Rojas is an angler that has figured out what it takes to do all of the things a sponsor needs you to do. Very few other anglers, perhaps none today, have been able to generate the indisputable evidence that he produces, which supports the products that he endorses. I'm of course talking about his frogs. I know that Dean has put a lot of time and effort in developing his tactics, designing his baits and educating his public about these baits. I also know that Dean undoubtedly has some special modifications that he adds to the baits he uses. But when I watch Bassmaster on television, and when Dean Rojas is in the final 12 cut, you can bet we will get a couple shots of Dean hooking up on that frog of his.

When other anglers endorse a certain jig or crankbait, the ESPN cameras can't possibly capture the details of the lure so that we can know without a doubt, "oh yeah, it's one of those," can't happen. That angler can be throwing any crankbait, especially not one he endorses, how will we really know? But when Dean throws that frog, we know it, we see it, we believe it and most importantly, we buy it. Dean is one who has recognized what ESPN cameras can do for him, and he has worked up a tactic, that includes the bait, and all of the other important tackle that he uses, and he sells it hard as we watch on television.

Dee Thomas developed a technique called flippin. Dee fished in an era where there wasn't the television coverage that there is now. Still, he helped sell tons of flippin sticks not only for the companies that he worked for, but for every company that makes bass rods today. Dean Rojas is selling frogs. Admit it, would you have an entire tackle box of frogs, if not for what Dean has showed us? I think not.

Rojas presents an excellent marketing model that more anglers need to pay attention to. Dean hasn't won for a long time, but he does make top 12 cuts, and when he does, we see him catching big fish on that frog.

07/01/08 Tour Stats-After the most recent Elite Series event, the numbers paint several interesting pictures.

First of all, in the race to go 11 for 11 (as in 11 checks earned in 11 events,) Todd Faircloth has earned a check in each event so far this season. With a tenth place finish at Old Hickory, Faircloth is 9 for 9 and has pulled within 12 points of Kevin VanDam in the AOY race with just two events left. Bryan Hudgins continues his mastery of the top 50, as he earned his 9th check in 9 events. Hudgins has an amazing 7 events where he has finished between 34th and 50th place, which means Hudgins is one pro who has literally caught one crucial fish in each one of those 7 events between 34th and 50th place. How many times have you heard a pro say "I just needed one more fish?" Clearly, Hudgins has been able to put that crucial fish in the boat in each of those events. Hudgins brings all new meaning to "living on the edge." Mike McClelland is now a solid 9 for 9 in Elite Series Events. And how about Skeet Reese? The 2007 Angler Of the Year has not set the world on fire in 2008, yet he has managed to earn a check in all 9 events. What is missing for Reese this season are the top 12's that he had last season on such a regular basis. With only one top 12 this season, Reese has still positioned himself for a shot at a second straight AOY Title as he is only 142 points back (in fourth place) with two events to go. If Reese could catch fire the way we have seen him do it in the past, he could make a serious run.

As for those going the opposite way, Mark Tyler finally washed the skunk off, as he earned his first check in 9 events. Still Paul Hirosky and Randy Allen have yet to cash a check. Two pros have left the tour for financial reasons, Matt Amadeo and Bobby Myers, while Greg Gutierrez has left to support his wife who is ill.

The Red And Black Numbers are showing the financial struggles that two thirds of the Elite Pros are having, which begs the question, how realistic is it to think that one can join this tour and survive for the long run. When you see names like Bifle, Brauer, Crews, Hackney, Iaconelli, Martens, Swindle and Mike Wurm in the red, it has to beg the question, of what are you thinking when you invest that much money? ($7,000.00 per event, a very conservative estimate.)

What Should The Right Number Be? On a tour that is made up of 106 pros, should the profit/loss ledger be 30% profit and 70% loss? When the pro payout pays down 50%, (ok, 50 of 106 earn a check,) shouldn't the red and black numbers be more like 50%-50%?

Inflation Is Crushing Tour Pros-While real economists might not be willing to admit that inflation is our economy's number one problem, inflation is certainly the number one killer on the tour these days. Consider this, many of us count on a COLA, (cost of living allowance) built into our pay structures each year. The way a COLA works, is that wages are structured to reflect cost of living increases which occur each year. If the average level of prices increases 2.5%, the COLA causes your wages to go up by that amount in addition to any raises you might be eligible for. That keeps us ahead of price increases so our standard of living might get a little better each year.

There are no COLA's in professional bass fishing, in fact today's pros are operating off of the same pay structure that was in place when the Elite Series started in 2006. BASS will tell you that they haven't increased fees, this is true, the entry fee for the 2008 Elite Series Season is the same $55,000.00 that it was back in 2006 when this whole shootin' match got started. What is different about the 2008 season compared to the 2006 season? Really, do I have to spell it out for you? G A S prices. The average cost of an Elite Series event in 2006 was about $6,500.00. Compare that to the $7,000.00 to $7,500.00 that it costs to fish an event in 2008. The pay structures haven't changed, but the costs have. In 2006 the average price of a gallon of gas was $2.90 in June. Compare that with June of 2008, where the national average is $4.09.

I was looking through the pay back for Elite Series Events this season, and while $100,000.00 for a win is still an impressive number, and $30,000.00 is still a nice amount for 2nd place, I can't help feel that an angler who finishes 3rd, 4th or 5th is not really getting that far ahead of the red/black cut off. Here is the payback for 4th-12th at last week's Old Hickory event, looks a bit weak considering the costs of things these days:

As you can see, with $7,000.00 invested per event, this is not enough of a payback. When a pro makes one of the coveted $10,000.00 paychecks, he only nets $3,000.00, yet when he finishes out of the money, it is $7,000.00 down the drain.

Something needs to be down about the paybacks. Costs have increased a great deal since 2006, paybacks have not.

If you would like to compare Elite costs and revenues, check out the following archives:

Since I am becoming more and more political these days, I thought maybe I should include an editorial I wrote about a year ago. I think it still works, what about you?

7/15/07-Did You Sleep Well Last Night?-Did you sleep well last night? Were you able to go down to the local "coffee house," and enjoy a leisurely cup of something wonderful, while debating the world's issues with friends and strangers alike? Did you enjoy one of Hollywood's new block buster movies in a crowded theater? Or did you take in a ball game? Did you pack your bass boat full of equipment and "high-tail-it" up to the lake? Did you kiss your children good by and send them on their way off to school?

And when you did those things above, did you take a moment to sigh, breath deeply in and breath out in a long, loving release of knowing that "life is good?"

Well, if you were able to do any of those things above, then you must certainly appreciate what our armed forces are doing over seas, and especially in the Middle East.

I made the mistake of watching a network media news program last night, and this morning I am still ill to my stomach that anyone can have the nerve to say that we are wrong to be in the Middle East.

I want to make it loud and clear that I am neither Republican or Democrat, the Self-Proclaimed Commissioner Of Bass Fishing, (SPCOBF) doesn't have time for petty politics, but since I am here now, and fired up, let me just pass out a few "shame on you's." Shame on you Republican's who are now starting to waver on the once firm conviction you had in this matter. Are you forgetting that feeling you had in your belly the morning of 9-12-01 when you awoke to discover that it wasn't just some terrible dream? Why do you waver? Are you concerned that the liberal line in this country could vote you from power? And shame on you Democrat if you view this "war thingy" as a political advantage tool. You also awoke on the morning of 9-12-01, and discovered that you were not dreaming. Remember Democrat, you too, were fired up, it was a moment of unity unlike one we have ever had in this country, well, maybe Pearl Harbor, but that wasn't televised into the homes of millions.

Understand that you were able to sleep last night, go for a cup of "frapachinomocha," enjoy a movie in a crowded theater, and when you sent your kids off to school, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY about someone handing them a box of "cookies" and asking them to take that box of explosives over to those nice soldiers, because we are FIGHTING A WAR against people WHO HATE the fact that you are free to do just about anything you want to do.

The good thing about this war is that it is being fought OVER THERE! We are losing soldiers, but saving lives over here. We are disrupting operations OVER THERE which are designed to kill thousands OVER HERE! Pull out, scale down, retreat, give up, whatever you want to call it, and you will give the bass holes who want to kill you, time and room to do it. Speaking of bass holes, pull your head out of yours and understand reality.

Enjoying our way of life for the next 5-10 years may mean that a few thousand of us must give up our own lives to see that it continues. These people are heros.

"This is just about oil Nighswonger, and you know it!" War is about economics, ALWAYS. You like your lifestyle? It's expensive.

Being part of the "liberal media" I feel that it is part of my responsibility to present opinion when opinion needs to be presented. What qualifies "me" to make these statements? I DO, IT'S MY COLUMN!

Sorry if I have darkened your BrushPile this morning. I didn't mean to dampen your day. I did mean to strengthen your conviction.

06/28/08 Common Sense-"These are the times that try man's souls." -Thomas Paine. Who am I to write an essay on common sense? I suppose I have just as much right as anyone, given that I breathe the same air, eat the same food, love life just the same and want to survive just as much as the next guy.

Over the years that I have dribbled my thoughts in this column, I have on occasion dabbled with the concept of common sense. Usually it is to point out an injustice within our little neighborhood that we call the bass fishing world, however today, it is a much more macro interpretation of common sense that I seek to find a definition for.

Common sense says that you don't argue with people who are not flexible, not rational, blind to reality or just plain militant in their mis-informity, (did I just invent a new word? Mis-informity? I want the credit for that one!) As a result, those with a lot of common sense tend to stay quiet on issues that aren't worth arguing because the other side of the argument simply doesn't have the capacity to have it explained to them.

Common sense is more prevalent in this country than ignorance, it just remains quiet until something stirs it up, like, oh, say an attack on our soil by groups that hate us simply because we are free thinking and have a lot of common sense. Or possibly an election in which common sense is threatened. Those kinds of things tend to put common sense in motion.

Common sense says that you fight an enemy who will do anything it can to kill you, in his back yard, not yours. Do I have to explain this to you? I can sit right here at a desk in my office typing this without too much worry about a car bomb or suicide bomber stopping me......for good! The guy who posts threats, sends signals, transfers blood money for the bad the guys, has to upload his internet content while looking over his shoulder.

Common sense says that if you have a vast abundance of a resource that is being used by foreign governments to cripple your economy, you drill for it. Common sense says that you pump it out there, flood the market and bring those banana republics to their knees. (No, no, no, there are no bananas in the Middle East. "Banana Republic" means those countries are one crop economies, the crop happens to be oil.)

Common sense says that if you spent the last six months trying to discredit, expose, embarrass, prove unworthy, and defeat a candidate for president, those with common sense will see right through your facade, even if they only have a little common sense. To stand in front of us on the big screen, (I was at Walmart last night looking at the new televisions,) and show support for a guy you cast as the devil over the last few months takes a lot of nerve, or at least a BIG COMPROMISE! Who could you possibly hope to fool? Oh, sure, that makes sense. Those with out very much...........common sense.

I don't understand liberalism. I don't know how someone can look at the same things I see and have such different conclusions. I am not claiming a monopoly on virtue, simply, how can someone be so far off track?

I know it's out there, it lurks, just under the radar. No use wasting time trying to explain why Zebras are white with black stripes, (tip one over, and you'll see.)

In terms of common sense, the conclusions that I come to revolve around a fact that I believe common sense is actually quite common.......it just quietly goes about its business.

06/24/08 On The Water Confrontation; The Story You Won't Read On Any Other Web Site!-With all of the talk about water rights in recent weeks, it is a small wonder that we haven't heard about the following situation happening more often. The following incident took place recently and was witnessed by yours truly. The fact that the two anglers involved are actually good friends and regularly travel together to various locations begs the point that competition is fierce out there.

Let me set the stage. This competition is about the highest level there is. The characters involved are embarrassed that the confrontation occurred, and it, (the confrontation) has resulted in at least one of the anglers involved being suspended indefinitely from competitions in the future.

Angler one is on a sweet spot, the fish are biting and the action is furious. Angler two is just across the way from angler one, and angler two is not doing well. After watching angler one, load up for the ninth time in the last fifteen minutes, angler two can stand it no more and begins to move in. The following is an excerpt from the confrontation that occurred:

Angler 2-"I'm just going to fish right here," (He points to an area just next to Angler 1's honey hole.)

Angler 1-"You are encroaching! You sat over there, watched me catch these fish, and then you just moved in. GET OUT!"

Angler 2-"Listen, I fished here yesterday, and I didn't see you in here, how do I know you weren't watching me catch fish yesterday? I think you might be encroaching on me."

Angler 1-"Listen bassface, I'm gonna count to three, and then it's gonna be on!"

Angler 2-(Sticks a nice bluegil, about as big as your hand right in front on Angler 1, in fact, in reeling in the big fish, the line wraps around Angler 1's line causing it to break!)

Angler 1-"SON OF A B......." (Angler 1 punches Angler 2 in the ear, as they both stand there on the bank)

Angler 2- (shrieks and begins to cry out loud, falling on the ground to add dramatic effect.) "Daddy, Justin punched me in the head!"

Angler 1-"Shut up you whinny baby!" (Angler 1 makes a cast back to the honey hole, now that order seems to be restored.)

Angler 2- (Quickly assesses that Daddy is not coming to the rescue, decides to take matters into his own hands. Starts from about ten yards back, picks up a full head of steam and pushes Angler 1 from the back straight into the pond, where Angler 1 falls face first into the honey hole. Angler 2 learns a valuable lesson about momentum, as he cannot put the breaks on fast enough and goes in right after his older brother.) "$#^&*(#@!!!!"

The tournament director, (dad,) handed down a stiff penalty on this one. Both anglers have had their weights disqualified, and Angler 2 is banned indefinitely from fishing bluegill tournaments on our local pond.

06/18/08 Whose Space Is It Really?-Right in line with the newest rage in bass fishing, you know, the bent rod pattern, is an new emerging pre fishing technique called the "drive by." Drive bys have been in the news lately as pros have complained about spectators on one day that become competitors the next day. Yes, right here in the BrushPile, "yours truly" has been quite vocal about anglers who scout out their fishing holes by watching pros catch fish during competition, and then come back to fish those very waters the next day.

What is drive by? A "drive by" is a technique used by poachers who drive by a pro's fishing spot, hit the "man over board" instant way-point device on the GPS unit, and have an instant "hot spot" for later on or tomorrow.

But not so fast Mr. "I have a monopoly on virtue." It was pointed out to me recently that locals who stake out the spots that pros are using, are not the only "bad guys" in this "whose spot is it really" issue. No, ask around the docks at an Elite Series event and you will get some choice words about the one's that really bother the pros.........OTHER PROS! That's right, I said it. There have been so many postings on bulletin boards, (do they really call them bulletin boards anymore?) Editorial columns, in depth, hard hitting articles exposing what these people do, but nobody wants to admit that EVERYONE DOES THIS, and that includes some of the guys that you and I cheer for each week. Shocking?

I'll tell you what is shocking. Technology is shocking. We have under water cameras that can show me all the fish that won't bite my offering, we have satellite GPS that can tell you where you lost your keys, and we have the ability to casually cruise by an angler who is catching them one after another, punch a couple of buttons and then, "WAW-LAW, I found this place in practice!" Do the pros steal each other's spots? I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Is there such a thing as too much technology. I don't know that. But do I know that the camera phone coupled with web sites like "My Space" and "U-Tube" have proven to be a dangerous combination, where one absent minded slip in the locker room can turn out to be months of humiliation on the internet.

Like the camera phone and it's ability to create reputation destroying moments which live forever on the internet, our beloved GPS makes poaching and spot jumping much easier these days. I refuse to place all of the blame on locals who are looking for new spots. Some of the loudest complaining pros on tour may need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves, "do I ever?"

ProBassAnglers.com Angler Of the Year-For those of you who were worried that the new criteria for ProBassAnglers.com's Angler Of the Year would tilt unfairly to one organization, (as in the FLW guys will run away with it because blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,) fear not. The tables have balanced, the Elite Series Pros have taken over the top ten. Relax, the PBAAOY is a marathon, not a sprint! Updated PBAAOY

Perfect Scores-Eight tour stops, and eight checks. Here are the guys that are making a comfortable living, just making checks at each event. Todd Faircloth, Bryan Hudgins, Mike McClelland, and Skeet Reese. What would be more difficult, going 8 for 8 or going 0 for 8? Mark Tyler, Paul Hirosky, Steve Daniel, and Randy Allen have yet to earn a check. Let's hope one of these guys wins an event before the season ends. Read Elite Color Coded.

06/10/08 My Space-Another tour stop, another event where elbow to elbow fishing was the name of the game. Hey, that is something we have in common with NASCAR, elbow to elbow. Those corporate dollars can't be too far behind.

At least in NASCAR, the other elbows you are rubbing are the elbows of fellow competitors. As today's professionals get better and better at finding and catching fish, so also, do the poachers. It wasn't too terribly long ago that there would be a few boats out on the water watching the pros catch fish, but for the most part, pro anglers were left alone.

Today's local anglers are getting smarter and smarter when it comes to fun fishing. No longer do you have to work hard by going out and finding your own fish during the course of a day. Today, hit the ramp on Saturday morning, after a nice breakfast, remember those Elite Pros can't leave the dock until the star spangled banner is played. Then, cruse around the lake until you find a guy who is really catching them good. Then, begin marking GPS coordinates and cross referencing trees and rocks on shore, so you can exactly triangulate YOUR SPOT where you want to fish on Sunday.

When Sunday rolls around, you better get an early start, hey, you never know how many other locals are out doing the same thing you are. Can you imagine how shaken your nerves would be if you were to do all of that great research on Saturday, only to find out that somebody else jumped the water that you were trying to jump. Talk about being frustrated and angry. It's enough to make one's nerves get all........shaky.

Another nice thing about poachers is that they are becoming bolder and bolder, and even more confrontational. "Excuse me, but I am fishing for $100,000.00 and I have been working this spot all week. Would you mind if I came in and tried to catch a few?"

I still have my ugly little fantasy about making the Bassmaster Classic being on Lake Perris, (my home bath tub,) on the Fourth of July, (even better, they have drained half the lake to do dam repairs!!!!) That would make those pros really have to work hard.

One thing is for sure, the pros will adapt. So will the poachers. Get off of my space!

Red, Black Updated-Trying to make cents (and dollars) of all the numbers in bass fishing? Check out the updated red and black numbers for the Elite Series. Granted, I don't have receipts, and I certainly am not an accountant, but all things considered, this is a pretty accurate break down of whose making it, and whose not. 2008 Elite Series Color Coded.

06/09/08 Tour Update, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly-With a minimum of $45,000.00 invested in the Elite Series Tour so far, BASS E-Series pros are beginning to see the writings on the wall. With 7 events in the books, make or break seasons for several pros are clearly broken at this point, as there are many on tour today that will need Jeremy Starks' miracle performance on Wheeler in one of their final four events to get above water and to salvage not just a season, but possibly a career. Don't hold your breath.

For the first time in history, BassZone and BassFan have got it right. Both BassZone and BassFan of course have their own versions of ranking professional anglers and both have listed Kevin VanDam as the top angler in the land. I think BassFan has made KVD "King Of The World." Today they are finally correct, as Kevin VanDam has taken the lead in the ProBassAnglers.com Angler Of the Year race. VanDam, as great as he is, has never held the lead in this, the most prestigious Angler Of the Year race in the universe. Read ProBassAnglers.com.

The Good-Todd Faircloth is from a different planet, where fish bite on every cast. Todd has earned a check in every event, and is absolutely in the zone. Stay away from Todd, his heat will burn you! Bryan Hudgins, WHO IS THIS GUY? Hudgins in the proverbial "living on the edge" angler, as he has also earned a check in every event, and seems to always fall just on the right side of 50th place, he has five events where he has finished between 35th and 50th. Mike McClelland, "checkeroo bonzai!" That's right, he is also 7 for 7. Oh yeah, Skeet Reese, having a lousy season at 7 for 7 in the check category. Read Elite Color Coded.

The Bad-Mark Tyler, Steve Daniel, Randy Allen and Paul Hirosky, 0-7, how long can these guys survive?

The Ugly-Rick Ash, four sub 100th place finishes, threatening to break Jimmy Houston's record for most sub 100's in a season. Zell Rowland, also four sub 100's including three straight.

06/07/08 PAA Delivers On Initial Promise-One of the issues discussed in those early moments of the New PAA was the concept of angler insurance, most notably the fact that many professional anglers were without it. While millions of Americans do live without health insurance, one is always left thinking that financial ruin could be just around the corner if injury or illness were to strike.

I just received my PAA Member Discount/Benefit Folder in the mail and I must say that after glancing through the packet, it does seem that the PAA has delivered on it's goal to assist anglers with some of the basic necessities of life, comprehensive health insurance. I can remember a discussion I had with Kelly Jordon a number of years ago in which he brought up the fact that many anglers on the tournament trail who were trying to succeed at this game, were attempting to do it without health insurance. That literally meant that one rouge wave at Lake Champlain or anywhere for that matter could not only end an angler's season, but could require that angler to pay for hospital costs out of pocket, and you simply cannot recover from that kind of cost on your own, not in this lifetime.

In it's partnership with Colonial Life, the PAA is helping make accident, cancer, critical illness and term life insurance available to it's members and their families. These policies also include ER treatment, cancer screening and other indirect costs associated with long term ailments such as heart attacks or strokes.

I believe this brings us out of the stone age and further emphasizes the fact that the sport of fishing is drawing the attention of major corporate interests who must clearly see the advantages of making inroads within the industry.

The PAA has also included some other interesting benefits in the packet that has just been sent out. Need sponsors or at least need a way to cut down on the expense of rods, reels and terminal tackle? The PAA benefits package includes very impressive discounts for PAA anglers on Quantum rods and reels, essentially allowing PAA anglers to purchase rods and reels directly from Quantum "nearly at dealer cost." Berkley offers similar discounts on Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Stren Line and Spiderwire. Strike King is offering "Distributor Pricing" on all lures and products. All in all, the savings for PAA members could really add up if one were to take advantage of the available savings.

Every tournament fisherman now has the opportunity to purchase health related insurance at very reasonable prices for himself and his family because of his association with the PAA, (women too, of course.) This makes one's PAA membership a useful vehicle for obtaining a vital piece of family security, and it something that has been a long time coming.

05/30/08 Quid Pro Co-Shocked is the way I would describe my feeling after reading your cards and letters, (e-mails,) that have come into ProBassAnglers.com. I thought surely I would agitate a portion of the population who would respond with e-mail letter bombs and other negative comments that I can use as part of my "total page views." Instead, a curious thing has happened........YOU HAVE AGREED! You're not supposed to agree! You are supposed to get angry, send me hate e-mails, tell me I'm off my rocker. What's worse than your pathetic agreement are your words of encouragement, "way to go Keith," or "man, that was well said," or "hey Keith, it's about time somebody said that." You were supposed to become incensed, send me a blistering e-mail, and then go to all of your chat rooms, and bulletin boards and trash me by saying things like "did you read the BrushPile? Is Nighswonger smoking crack again?" Don't you understand, I need the web traffic!

A curious thing has happened, the world of bass fishing is starting to recognize how important it is that we get rid of the co-angler, as it is today defined as. The e-mails I have received have been far and away in support of doing away with the co-angler concept as it is impacting the pro side of the events far too often!

So, being that I was not able read you into a fury with my last BrushPile, I think maybe it is time for us to once again visit the Universal Visionary's 2007 plan to form an ALL CO ANGLER CIRCUIT. Perhaps now the time is right. Read Here.

05/27/08 Pros And Co's-The Gap Widens-Bass fishing is a unique sport in that the biggest fans of the sport, get to ride shotgun with the top guns in the game. NASCAR fans don't get to sit next to Dale Jr, as he makes left turn after left turn. Fans of the PGA don't get to hand Tiger his 9 iron when he needs to "chip up to the green." Why then, should the biggest fans of professional fishing get to not only ride with, but fish with a pro? Why then, does a co angler have the opportunity to affect the outcome of an event? Why then, does a pro have to put up with someone who is trying to catch the same fish the pro is trying to catch?

The answer is complex for certain. There is the safety aspect, never go boating alone, we have seen too many instances where anglers have been killed or injured, and having a second person in the boat simply adds an element of safety. The credibility factor. A pro can't cheat as easily knowing there is a set of eyes in the back on the boat, so other competitors can rest easy knowing the competition is on the up and up. There have always been two anglers in the boat, although in the old days, it was another pro, as pro fishing events were pro vs pro. It is a very complex situation.

As the noose of expenses is being pulled tight around the necks of many pros, it is virtually assured that if it were left up to the Pros, a vote 208-0 would be cast in favor of getting the co-anglers out of the boat, (Elite Series and FLW pros voting.) I should note here that I have not conducted a sample of all pros, but I do have a collection of rather interesting points raised by pros in recent weeks. Consider the following, I have invited myself, er, the Self Appointed Commissioner Of Bass Fishing to comment on the following arguments.

"Today's co-anglers are more skilled and more aggressive than ever. Meaning they are catching more of our fish than ever. At an Elite event a typical pro has up to $8,000.00 invested whereas a Co is out $750.00 plus expenses. Our cost of business has now made it very difficult on all of us."

SACBF (Self Appointed Commissioner of Bass Fishing)-While the first part of this argument against co-anglers sounds like a genuine need to call the "WAAAAMMMMMBULANCE," the statement that co-anglers are becoming increasingly aggressive is an unfortunate reality. Co-anglers who attempt to show that they can out fish the pro must understand that they are not finding and fishing their own fish, so to fish aggressively is to help determine the outcome of an event. Co's cannot be allowed to influence the outcome of a pro event, and in almost every instance they at least have an affect on the final pro results.

"They are altering the outcome of too many of our events. Example if Elite angler A has a very skilled co-angler who catches his limit and Elite angler B has an inexperienced co-angler who only catches one fish, co-angler B's pro will have more fish to catch on later days."

SACBF-Again there is a "Waammmmbulance tone" to this anti-co angler argument, plus, co anglers are rotated each day, however the point is, co-anglers add too much "chance" to the event and our goal should be to eliminate as much "luck of the draw" as possible from pro events.

"We have a lot of our Elite anglers who are struggling to make ends meet. Then we have co-anglers that are going out to fish with the full intention that they are going to win their money back no matter what. This is creating a lot of tension."

SACBF-Pros and Co's do not compete with the same stakes in an event, yet each can affect the other's outcome. It is too easy to sabotage another angler's event on either side, pros can "back seat a co," and co's can do many things to damage a pro's event.

The following is a suggestion being circulated by a well known pro, read and consider:

1. Two possibly three days in the boat with the worlds best. The observer would get his pro partners weight for the day. So if he was in the top fifty then he would be allowed to observe on day three. Also the first 10 places pay $1000.00 each. Also have a big bass pot for the observers.

2. For those that do not make the cut they could attend a BASS University taught by 6 to 10 of our anglers who did not make the cut. Also this is something BASS could advertise in the local community and charge $100.00 a person for those not in the tournament. The $100.00 would cover the classes and a one year membership. Children 15 and under are free with a paying adult. This could be a new property that BASS could sell sponsorship for and build membership with. Also co-anglers who qualified for day three but would rather attend the classes can do so. (That means there could be some Elite anglers without observers- this has been done before in the Majors).

As far as the Elite anglers working the Universities we are already required for a certain amount of days. My recommendation on this is to pay the Elite anglers 500.00 for each day worked. This is well below most all our day rates, but is part of the trade off we can make to have these guys not fishing in our boats.

SACBF-I concur!

Follow Up-I have also received several comments of late from Co-anglers about being treated rudely by the Elite Pro they fished with. While there is no excuse for rudeness anytime, I sense that the level of tension is starting to mount and something needs to be done. While message boards will light up with cries of "those poor pros," or "poor babies," the fact still remains, you and I are fans because of the pros, not the Co's. Although I am considering starting a Co-angler fantasy league, as well as a Co-angler tour. The problem with the Co-angler tour is that once these guys are launched, they will ONLY be allowed to fish the marina, and if they cross to the front of the boat to work the trolling motor they will be disqualified, which means there will be a lot of boats blown up on the rip-rap on days when the wind is blowing in.

05/22/08 A Wonderful Opportunity (It's Time To Step Up!)-With a single "push" of a "send button," PAA Operations Manager, Jamie Hairgrove has opened the door wide for those of you who think your voice does not resonate within the walls of PAA Headquarters. Read the following press release to see what I am talking about:

The PAA is in the process of forming different committees to get input from our members in certain areas. One of the committees that we are requesting volunteers to serve is the TOURNAMENT SITE & FORMAT COMMITTEE.

The individuals on this committee would assist in exploring options for future functions and some of the items up for discussion would include: tournament sites, tournament dates, and tournament formats. This committee would not be limited to discussing only these items but other items regarding event functions as well.

Each committee will have a BOARD MEMBER as a CHAIR and there will be conference calls and responsibilities divided among the members. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact the PAA office by email at Jamie@fishpaa.com or by telephone at 270.527.2030. If you know of any PAA members that might be interested that are not on this email, please forward this information along to them as well.

JOIN THESE ANGLERS and BOARD MEMBERS in making YOUR PAA ASSOCIATION THE LEADER IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY!

OK, here is where I see this going: There are a number of brilliant individuals who read this column, (not because they read this column, but because they understand it.) We have some tremendous bass fishing human resources available to be a part of this committee.

I personally would love to see guys like Butch Tucker, Brent "Brody" Brodrick, Brett Mitchell, Brian Carroll, aka Wacko, and David Taylor get involved. These are guys whose insight could be invaluable to the future of PAA events. Click on the this e-mail Jamie@fishpaa.com and let Jamie know that you are ready to get involved.

I believe this has the potential to be one of the big stories for 2008. The fact that the PAA, which has always played things quietly, and stayed within it's inner circle of board members, is now reaching out to all anglers is huge. There are some very strong candidates out there who could do a great job on a committee like this. I believe that the bass fishing community has the opportunity to grow due to the involvement of people who have been around this sport for many years, from the ground up.

05/22/08 Good News!-Just about anything that can go wrong for you on the water, just happened to Brett Mitchell, so you can safely return to fishing! Read The Mitchell Report.

The Self Appointed Accountant Of Professional Bass Fishing-Trying to get to the heart of just how much it costs to play this game, here is a look at how the pros are doing this season, could you survive on your winnings?

05/17/08 Interview With A Mad Man-Any time that a big time name in the sport of bass fishing needs to be interviewed, our illustrious leader, the Universal Visionary, beckons me to get on the job. His most recent demand however has pushed me to the edge of lunacy and beyond. Always wanting to be "so far ahead of the rest that you can actually see their tail lights," I submit, my most challenging assignment to date. Read if you dare.

05/12/08 Moby Dot-"Call me Ishmael." At one time or another in every man's life, the sea beckons. I ventured to Escondido to do my growing years and it was in that Northern San Diego County Hollow that I was stricken with "the fever." To be a jerk at one end of the line, waiting for a jerk at the other, I learned my craft at a young age. By age fourteen I yearned to join a crew and met up with a peculiar tattooed man named Queequeg. Queequeg was foreign and strange to me, but we soon became inseparable friends. Queequeg was a big bait slinger, and mentored me in the fine arts.

Restless, the two of us searched for a captain who would provide both a boat and spiritual leadership that would further our learning. Our search led us to a man named Ahab who agreed to share with us his boat in exchange for our crewmanship.

We soon learned however that Ahab was not after fish, as most captains would be. Ahab was after a fish, a fish he simply called "Dot," "Moby Dot."

If you have not followed the story of Jed Dickerson and his fishing crew, Mac Weakley and Mike Winn, then you have truly missed out on Herman Melville's story of the Great White Whale, personified in a Great Largemouth Bass named "Dottie." Northern San Diego County's Lake Dixon is just small enough that a couple of anglers could keep in touch periodically with a single bass, and "Dottie" was unique because of an unusual "birth mark" of sorts below one of her gill plates, and the other enduring characteristic about Dottie: She was a very big fish.

As their story is told, the great fish was caught by the Big Bass Crew three times, in three different years between 2003 and 2006 and weighed 19 pounds, 23 pounds, (a would be world record except that by the time Fish And Game made the scene she had lost some weight and was officially scaled at 21-11) and then once again in 2006 when, as the story goes, she tipped the scales at over 25 pounds, but because she was foul hooked, she was again released. Dickerson even claims to have seen Dottie swimming confidently earlier this spring.

For Dickerson, the relationship between himself and the Great, Rare Beast became somewhat of an obsession much in the same way that Captain Ahab was obsessed with Moby Dick. The exception of course, is that Dickerson never lost a limb to his Great White Whale, and while Ahab hated Moby Dick, Dickerson had nothing but respect and admiration for Dottie.

If you are noticing the past tense to this column it because Dottie was found dead on Friday by Park Rangers at Lake Dixon, who notified Dickerson. It appears that Dottie simply died of old age. Weighing 19 pounds it seems that the big girl dropped her eggs for one last spawn and simply ran out of gas.

If you would like to read the story as it appears on ESPNoutdoors.com, then simply click away.

05/08/08 Red/Black Numbers-A modification to our Color-coded Elite Series Events will now allow you to sneak a peak at the financial side of the tour. If you go out in the woods today, you may not believe your eyes. If you go out in the woods today, you're in for a big surprise. If you try to fish professionally today without a sponsor forget it. The list is a work in progress, it takes a while to estimate, calculate and celebrate. We started with the disasters, hey, you know you watch NASCAR for the wrecks and Hockey for the fights! Over the next few days, we will highlight the winners as well. Note-if you are from the IRS, these are only estimates!

I Should Have Known-A little bird told me yesterday that the "His Own Words" podcast that I raved about yesterday was the work of none other than Steve Bowman. I should have known. In the world of media, we, (as in I, and others) tend to forget that what the public wants to see/hear is not the talking head, question asking radio show or TV show host, it is the pro. Eliminate any evidence of a talking head, simply let the pro describe his day, make sure the cameras are rolling.....excellence, brilliant.

05/07/08 Elite Round Up-Looking at the BASS Elite Series color coded, one can see how the season is unfolding for the pros. After five events we are approaching the season's "hump," and we can see who is breathing easy and who is feeling the fangs of desperation.

Once again, we ask the question: In five events, is it easier to cash a check in each event, or to go OH for FIVE?

Eight Elite pros have made top 50 checks in each event so far this season. Ten Elite pros have yet to earn one. Bobby Myers has dropped from the tour citing finances. Besides the O-fers, there are also 15 pros who have cashed only one check, and there are 28 anglers who have only cashed two checks. Looking at the season from this stand point, one would guess that there are as many as 51 pros on tour who are on the verge of disaster. Things haven't changed. The ones that are zero for five have it the easiest. It should be clear to them where they stand. But this tour has a way of killing you slowly, one check in five events, two checks in five events, it's a slow death.

Not Going To Let This Die-I was watching a show on the History Channel about subterranean cities. Both the United States and the former Soviet Union have/had bunkers heavily fortified and 600 feet under ground where leaders could maintain operations in the event of nuclear attacks. It got me wondering if such bunkers exist in Benton, Kentucky, where FLW officials may be "hunkered down" waiting for the "fallout" from the Lake Norman event to dissipate. If they have internet service 600 feet down below the ground, I sure hope they decide to change the way they enforce their rules, the way they communicate with the public, the way they communicate with their pros, and while they are down there, living off canned foods, I wish they would change that silly FLW Tour format.

How Cool Is That? ESPNoutdoors has produced the best in depth video chronicle of a professional angler winning a tournament that I have ever seen in the "his own words," video pod cast of Paul Elias' record breaking performance at Falcon Lake. Paul is a guy that you have to root for, and being able to hear his own account of the event is priceless. Listen carefully to his story about the 10 year old pack of Jelly Worms that he almost left at home. It brings a whole new meaning to "angler intuition, and what goes in to our decision making process that sometimes starts long before we ever get on the water.

05/04/08 What Constitutes Fishing?-As the Self Appointed Commissioner Of Bass Fishing, I owe FLW an apology. It seems to me that in all of the rulings I have ever handed down, never have I completely defined what fishing really is. Now FLW is embroiled in angler controversy and I can't help but to feel just a little responsible for this.

"Responsible? Keith, besides the wise cracks, what do YOU ever do that could influence controversy with FLW?"

You see, as the Self Appointed Commissioner Of Bass Fishing I am expected to make rulings and be the "all knowing" authority of the sport. I have never ruled on what constitutes fishing, and what isn't fishing.

After a lot of thought this week, deep in the darkest corners of ProBassAnglers.com Headquarters, I have come up with a rather simple solution to this problem as well as others in the future. I must say that I got my idea from a bumper sticker I saw on the back of a boat trailer at my local lake.

The bumper sticker said it so profoundly: "That's why they call it fishing, not catching."

In the Greg Pugh incident, it is clear that he wasn't "catching." He was, however, FISHING. Tournament officials must look at the intent of his actions. He was attempting to catch fish, hence he was fishing. Standing on the deck of a boat with a rod in hand, or even moving along the bank with his trolling motor looking downward constitutes the attempt. Greg's own words stated that he would have fished had he found a big enough fish on a bed. He was fishing. Anything you do that aids in the CATCHING of fish, is FISHING!

Greg Gutierrez, practicing with a friend, is fishing. Alton Jones, standing on the front deck while a co-angler operates the big motor so he can look for bed fish, is still fishing. KVD, same thing. It is fishing!

Is it cheating? No! Greg Pugh, Alton Jones, Greg Gutierrez and KVD merely committed rule infractions. Disqualifiable, YES. Cheating NO! (did I just event a new word?)

Attention Butch Tucker! Butch writes the best angler journals on the internet, but Butch is starting to get a little dramatic. Come on Butch, stop stringing us out, post that journal and stop making us come back for part two, part three, part four. You're killing us! Seriously Butch, Gerry should be paying you for those journals, posting them in 7 parts means Gerry gets 7 times the web traffic. For crying out loud Gerry, at least give Butch his own RED LETTERS!

04/29/08 Greg Pugh...Part II-By the way, judging from your e-mail, most that e-mailed me are actually only 2 or 3 degrees away from Greg Pugh. Being seven degrees away, I'm on a different planet. That's my entire point however. FLW has a responsibility. It's responsibility is to get the message out as clearly as possible. All we knew on Friday was that a buzz was making it's way around the tournament grounds at Lake Norman, and several internet message boards. Human nature, being what it is, truth gave way to rumor and innuendo, and "wala," instant character assassination. Unfortunate victim: Greg Pugh, a man that as far as we know, has always lived by the strongest of ethical codes, now cast into shadows of doubt. Why? Because investigations were on "the down low." What were we to think?

Thanks to BassFan, the story now appears to be out and clarified, at least from the perspective of Greg Pugh. We probably feel a little better hearing it from the "horses mouth."

Still, according to that BassFan article, and from FLWoutdoors.com, there has been no comment from the tournament organization, and that is not right.

"FLW can enforce it's rules in any way it chooses, it is after all, a private company that just wants to sell more boats."

"NUTS!" I say! (It's my new word,) "You've hooked us, we're in, we are fans, and we need to know!"

FLW has labeled itself a tournament organization, and as such, has created it's own herd of fans, which is why I will now have to go back into hiding, as there are some folk out there who don't like it when I criticize the organization. Since the public has such a giant stake in the results of an FLW tour event, FLW owes an explanation. FLW has created these fans, it has a responsibility to report. If FLW had issued THIS statement on it's web site on Friday evening, think about all that could have been averted:

"At the close of fishing today, it was brought to our attention that one of our anglers may have committed a rules infraction, (do you see how that removes the shadow of "cheated?") We are in the process of investigating these possible infractions and will post a decision later this evening."

Then later that evening, post a pod cast statement, (I know a guy who can do these pod casts for cheap,) by the tournament director which would have cleared Greg's name, and then "smart-basses" like me would have nothing to write about. Actually, yes I would. I would be writing that FLW handled the situation perfectly, and what a great professional organization they are .....blah, blah, blah. You know I would have had something to say about it!

It kind of reminds me of my old bass club days. Whenever we had a rules issue, the "governing board" would go into a closed door session, and produce a ruling. Heaven help you, if you weren't in that group of "good old boys." I never was. Bitter? YOU BETCHA! (Now you know where all of this venom comes from.)

Please handle these situations better in the future, your anglers deserve as much.

Not So Fast BassFan! As much as we are thankful that somebody out there was able to sort of clear this up. I, as the Self Proclaimed Commissioner of Bass Fishing, must once again throw a penalty marker and walk you back 15 yards. You used one of the ultimate "cheap shots" in journalism in your coverage of this matter. Furthermore, you used this "cheap shot" not just once, but twice in this matter.

BassFan in your initial coverage of this infraction, you issued the statement "Pugh could not be reached for comment tonight." That is a dangerous statement to make because it implies that the angler is ditching your calls, adding further conjecture that Pugh was guilty. "Pugh could not be reached for comment tonight." Are we to believe that he is on the run?

I understand why the statement was made. Deadline was closing in and there were already some posts on the internet. It is a rush to publish matter. We all want to break stories, but at what cost? The news service gets it's story, but the person in questions looks worse.

Thanks for setting the story straight 24 hours later, but even in that, you again dropped in the famous, "couldn't be reached for comment" reference when you stated "FLW Outdoors has not responded to BassFan's original request for a clarification of the ruling."

I'm not too worried about FLW, they can issue a statement on their web site anytime they want to. Greg Pugh on the other hand cannot. He must rely on the court of public opinion, and "rushed to judgment" statements like "couldn't be reached for comment" mislead readers into thinking there is something more to the story. Next time call my friend Dan O'Sullivan, he is at all of the FLW Tour events carrying the story for BassZone.com. Knowing Dan, he could probably drive to Greg's campsite or motel room and get the information, along with comments. I'm quite certain Dan would be willing to "help a brotha out!"

04/28/08 Seven Degrees Of Greg Pugh-After this past week's FLW Lake Norman event possibilities are circulating that the entire field of 200 pro and 200 co anglers could be disqualified. In what would be an unprecedented move, FLW may have to disqualify the event's entire field. If, as some have claimed, Greg Pugh was seen by other competitors fishing in an off limits area, the FLW Rule, (TR #1,) which states:

"Each competitor agrees to report any rule violations to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. Failure to report violations may be cause for disqualification."

Makes every angler who fished last week guilty of not reporting the infraction. THE ENTIRE FIELD NIGHSWONGER? How can that be?

Simple. The seven degrees of separation between every person and Greg Pugh. Let me explain. I was not a competitor this week, but had I been, I would have to be disqualified.

Since we all have a similar connection to Greg Pugh, that pretty means all of us should be disqualified, based on TR #1.

Seriously Though-Non of this nonsense ever needs to come out. If FLW would simply deal with uncomfortable situations publicly, the court of public opinion would never get a chance to try, convict and punish the angler. The problem with FLW's "secret policing" of this matter as well as others we have seen, is that we never get to hear what really happens.

It is an uncomfortable situation when a tournament organization must disqualify a well known pro angler for a rules violation, but do you know what happens when it is done? Instead of the angler getting a bad tag, instead of that pro's reputation being destroyed, instead of the organization coming out to look secretive and selective a rather strange thing takes place. The disqualified angler's reputation is actually protected, as it will come out in the ensuing interviews and discussion that the angler wasn't trying to cheat, but merely made a mistake and the organization proves that it's rules are real, and enforced. WHAT A CONCEPT!

BASS Tournament Director, Trip Weldon, has almost single handedly restored and preserved The BASS Elite Series' credibility by addressing issues that have occurred on the water with BASS Superstars. Alton Jones, Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, Gerald Swindle, Randy Howell, Mark Menendez, Greg Gutierrez and others have had their day weights disqualified or even been disqualified for an entire tournament because of infractions committed at Elite Series events. None of those anglers have suffered in the credibility department because as it was made very clear to the public, these anglers had committed infractions, not cheated. How do we feel about Greg Pugh this morning? He may or may not have cheated at Lake Norman last week. That is a crime because he has built a career around a strong reputation of being honest and an excellent angler. How do we feel about FLW as an organization this morning? FLW keeps information from the public and it's other pro anglers, so as far as the truth is concerned, we don't know what to think.

When things are left to the imagination, situations get spun about as far as the imagination can reach. As Smokey The Bear would say, "put out fires before they start."

04/25/08 The Bent Pole Pattern-Darn it, they have discovered my tournament success pattern. Yes, for the last ten years or so, I have made dozens of top 75's fishing the bent pole pattern. I would have never mentioned this, accept that with all the head lines these days, it seems I have been exposed. The pattern is really simple. You watch another angler catch a fish, or even better, several fish, you trolling motor over to the fellow, and crowd him off his spot. This used to be exclusively my own invention, but you know how those pros are. You really can't keep any proven technique quiet for too long. I never should have done those sport show seminars back in the late 90's. Oh well, I might has well tell you the rest.

Just as any with any other technique in fishing, the bent pole pattern requires the use of the highest quality gear. You want to be on the cutting edge of technology. WARNING, PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT-that's why I rely on my Bushnell Powerview 16x32 PowerNox, Binocular System, (PNBS.) A high powered pair of binoculars will allow an angler to be as much as half a mile away, and still be able to see what is going on. The use of binoculars is also very important when it comes to laying claim to "your water."

"Hey Bubba," dropping the trolling motor in, as I walk up to the front deck. "Brother you're on my water, I found here Monday, sat on it all day Tuesday, and I never saw you here at all."

Did you notice the strength and conviction in my voice.......Oh, that's right you are reading this. Well, just trust me on that one, I have a lot of strength and conviction, and a bit of self-righteousness to go along with it. You can't see my body language either, but my chest is puffed out, and I am standing tall. A big part of the bent pole pattern is convincing yourself, that the entire lake is your spot, should you want to use it, you in fact, have discovered this entire lake.

Another very important reason for using a high powered pair of binoculars is that only you can see what is going on. Your co-angler will have to trust you when you say.....

"Let's pack it up Barney, there's a giant school of fish breaking about 1/2 mile across the lake." Or "This isn't getting it done Barney, I want to go check that area about 1/2 mile across the lake where all those birds are diving on bait." You see, very convincing.

A slight variation of the bent pole pattern, and one that is an excellent back up pattern is the followed guide pattern. The followed guide pattern requires a lot of homework. While other pros are engaged in map study and pre tournament planning. The followed guide pattern requires searches of guide services that operate on the tournament waters. Then as practice for the event starts, you need to scout out the local "greasy spoon," get there early in the morning, and take a window seat. You want to be able to see each guy come in, taking careful notes of what kind of boat their in, so that you can later identify them on the water. Next, once you have established your mark, pay your check and leave the restaurant. Here is where a lot of guys make their mistake. As you walk through the parking lot, be sure to check and see what the guide has tied on, hey, just getting on his water is not going to be enough, at some point you are going to have to be able to catch this fellow's fish also, (unless you have a fish cage, but that technique as been kind of over used lately.)

Now, into your rig, drive across the street to the gas station and pretend to be filling your tanks while you wait for your guide, to leave the diner. The rest is easy. Follow him to the lake, follow him around the lake, use the "Powernox," take good notes.

Encroachment is an art form, it comes down to who can offer their "pissing contest performance" with the most convincing passion. Remember also that the angler whose water you are attempting to steal has probably stolen his share of water in the past as well, so if you can throw enough doubt into the matter, you can make that other pro start to doubt himself.

The bottom line here is that you have a two man, (sometimes there are women,) jury. Your co-angler and the other pro's co-angler. You must convince the two man jury, and get them on your side, because later, at the weigh in, regardless of how your spot stealing venture comes out, there is going to be the rumor and innuendo portion of the day. You have to at least win that part of the event. A good way to at least win over your co-angler is to offer this as you idle up on the other guy's spot:

"Oh man, that's Billy Joe Barns, that guy always jumps people's spots." You see how you have already planted that seed in your partners head? Pure art baby, pure art.

"Dog gone it Billy Joe Barns, are you gonna jump my spot too? Then you yell to his partner, "I'll betcha he told you he found all these fish in practice." Ah, perfection.

Well there you have it, the bent pole pattern. I hope I have been able to share some thoughts with you that will help you catch a few more fish. I'd like to thank my sponsors, ",Cheetah scales," their guaranteed to add weight to your livewell, and "Big Lion Lures," the baits that don't even need hooks.

When Things Go Right!-Mr. Mitchell had a rather nice experience in South Carolina recently. YOU WILL READ NOW!

04/23/08 Think Pink-BASS Elite Series Pro Kevin Short is an angler of interest because of all the anglers on tour, on any tour, K-Short knows how to sell it. What "IT" is may not register with every fan of professional fishing, but "IT" is there, and with Short, the message is loud and clear. I'm not trying to be cryptic, not trying to talk over anyone's head, but Short is the prototypical case study of why there is so much more to professional fishing then simply catching fish. Recently Short's fishing has stepped up to a new level. Qualifying for the 2008 Classic and currently being in line, (22nd overall,) to do that again in 2009, the puzzle pieces are coming together for the man in the pink sun glasses.

You might remember Short as being the angler who bucked all manly traditions when he wrapped his boat, his camper, (hence the name "Pink Vanthur,") and himself in the traditional fishing color of PINK! You can say what you want about men wearing pink, but have to admit, YOU LOOKED! That is the idea. It comes from the Iaconelli school of marketing that says you yell, you stomp, you stand on your head, you dive into the lake, you gansta it up, you do what you have to do to draw eyes to you, and if that means wearing pink, so be it.

There is of course a lot more to Short than simply his odd affliction with the color pink. He is also a good writer, and has never been afraid to share his opinion whether it be in his ESPNoutdoors.com column or on his own web site, kfshort.com. Last season, when he failed to qualify for a BASS Major on his own home water, he served as a guest commentator for BassZone's coverage of the event. He probably drew more eyes as a commentator then he would have had he fished the event. Once again, Kevin Short generates interest. He makes himself interesting, and as a fan, he draws my attention.

Short's e-newsletter is his latest marketing tool. After each tournament event, I, and every other media outlet, receive an e-mail from Kevin in which he lists a link to every article that mentions him, every picture of him and every standings that lists his name. After reading his last newsletter and clicking on each link, I counted no less than 35 separate impressions, page views and reminders that the "Pinkster" is leading me down the path he has chosen. If he has 100 people on his mailing list, that's 3,500 impressions per week, simply by sending out his newsletter. If he has 1,000 people on the list, that's 35,000 per week, if he has 10,000 on his list.......Wow, I better make sure I write something about him so I can get ProBassAnglers.com some impressions....I wonder what he charges for advertising? Think about it. Go to a tour event, a promotional appearance, do a radio show, each time you "do" anything, offer the folks a chance to get on your "e-newsletter list" and the number of impressions grows and grows.

I think you are starting to get where I'm going with this. When the angler can generate so much attention that it grabs the attention of the media outlet, when the media outlet decides, "wow, we need that angler to help our numbers, then it is safe to say that the angler has arrived as a promotional force. It is the side of fishing that very few anglers have mastered.

Interesting-Did you catch that ESPNoutdoors dedicated a significant amount of page space to the recent TTBC put on by the PAA? I believe that says something very strong. First, that the TTBC is a big deal. However more importantly, that ESPNoutdoors is above playing the game called, "if we didn't do it, it isn't important."

ESPN did cover last year's event, but it speaks volumes about the progress the angler group has made sense it first started three years ago. In those days, under a different management team, not only would BASS/ESPN not recognize the PAA, they wouldn't even pay attention to their own angler advisory group. Progress.

It should also be mentioned that the traditional bass fishing media committed more coverage to this year's PAA event, which again speaks volumes about the growth of the PAA. Both BassZone and BassFan had significant coverage of the event.

*editor's note-ProBassAnglers.com failed to send a live reporter to the TTBC this year. It seems our Universal Visionary felt that budgeting money to purchase "colored paper clips" and personalized "From The Desk of The Visionary" post-its was more important then sending a reporter to East Texas. Send you comments to "The Desk of The Universal Visionary."

04/16/08 How Did The PAA Choose It's Replacement Anglers For This Week's Event?-With this morning's blast off at Lake Fork, for the PAA Toyota Texas Bass Classic, I can't get over what a great time I had in Texas last year. I'm reminded by Lyle Lovett that even though "that's right, I'm not from Texas," "Texas wants me anyway," and whether Texas really DOES want me, I was made to feel that way.

Being the ever present watch dog, which is just one of my official duties as the "Self Appointed Commissioner of Bass Fishing," I felt compelled to ask some questions regarding the late addition of several anglers to this week's event. After seeing last year's success, seeing the fun, had by all, an invitation to this year's TTBC has been coveted by anglers from the Elite Level down to the Club Level. When it was announced that the PAA would again go to Texas this year, President Mark Davis announced that the format would be the same, four angler teams that would combine to fish against other four angler teams which made for a lot of excitement last year. Determining who would qualify for these four angler teams would be different.

The formula used by the PAA for this year's TTBC would include a field made up of 75% Tour Pros, using the PAA's qualifying criteria, and this year, taking 25% of the TTBC field from a unique qualifying event that would essentially allow ANYONE who was a member of the PAA to come down to Choke Canyon in February to try and qualify by earning one of 25 spots from that qualifying tournament.

The PAA qualifier was completed, the event was won by an angler named Jason Reyes, and he plus twenty four other qualifiers are in Texas this morning "shootin it out" with all the big boys.