I don't care one way or another but you get an A+ for pot stirring

Watch Luke Dunkin with Watson on it, he said himself being on the BPT made him have the ability to get paid. Please gather facts before you post. Nothing worse than a man stuck in his feelers on the inner webs and posting from his emotions

Watson and MLFLW were made for each other. They needed big, new personalities to get MLFLW off the ground and on the map. They needed spice to go along with the old stale guard like Skeet, Biffle and Klein. Watson fit that to a T. Watson won the FLW Open on Norris Lake back in 2016 and would have been a player on either tour going forward... Boyd over promised, and now the bills are coming due... Watson isn't the only pro that got fat and lazy thinking they had a spot for as long as they wanted one... It'll just be how creative Boyd and the boys can get to save as much as the old guard with their new and improved Top 50 requalification formula... Dan

Watson is somewhat an enigma, he did win that FLW and has won AAA level events but there are years he seem totally out of his league fishing FLW Tour/BPT, and other years he has decent AOY finishs. He even said theres no way in hell he could qualify on merit for the Elites sereis. I think he just has lots of pots boiling, I think if he focused on fishing the could definiltely be a BPT top 50 guy, he just doesn't want to just focus on fishing.

I consider my self a Watson fan, but I don't understand his feeling of entitlement.

If you aren't one of the best at the game, its time to bring in fresh blood that may compete.

I listened to his Podcast with Dunking and it almost sounded like he believed all of the originals deserved the right to be there and there isn't room for new anglers. I just don't get that.

When professional athletes reach the point in their careers where they are no longer competitive they retire and younger more athletic guys come in and take their place. They aren't guaranteed a roster spot based on past performances. You perform, or you move on.

I disagree on not needing a feeder system. There has to be some type of way for new anglers to qualify for the top spot.



I do like the every fish counts for MLF with the cup events that they used to have. I agree it is more entertaining and better for TV. I just don't think a professional angler should be graded by how many 1-2 lb fish they can catch.

I don't want to watch MLB hitters hit bombs off of batting practice pitchers. I want to watch them hit bombs off a pitcher throwing a 100 mph fastball with movement or a nasty slider. But at the end of the day if the Anglers competing in the every little fish counts format are fine with the format, thats all that matters.

MLF is a lot like LIV golf. Even if you prefer the original tour, its hard to honestly dispute the fact it has brought positive change to the other tour AND has given more fishermen an opportunity to fish for a living. At the end of the day, I'm a fan of fishing. If bassmasters and the BPT are on the same day, I'm going to tune into Bassmasters. But if Bassmasters is not on and the BPT is, I'm going to watch the BPT, regardless of format.

The main thing I'm in complete disagreement with the BPT on, is how they have changed qualification methods mid-year. There have been anglers to qualify for the BPT and then after some changes, they were suddenly out. The rules need to be laid forth prior to a full season and followed for qualification into the next season. Why anyone would want to try to qualify for the BPT with these constant changes is besides me. Seems like its going to be harder to qualify for much fewer available spots and isn't going to attract the top talent. But it almost seems as though they don't want new talent challenging the old originals.

He and others left BASS to join MLF/BPT and were told if they stay in the top 70 AOY their spots are secure. Now 4 seasons in he and others are told by BPT that it's now top 35 AOY average. If you are not in or close to the top 35 AOY average at this point, you cannot change the results at the end of '24.

I like both BASS and MLF and I am glad they are going to back to the every fish format, that is what made them different.

Boyd has done a lot to advance tournament fishing at the top level, but this whole thing smells a little bit.

Just listened, they did not rake him over the coals as I expected. BD said it was a business decision that had to be made.

Tongue-in-cheek?

By that line of thought everyone involved in BASS and MLF owe all success they've had to Ray Scott. Including Boyd.

This seems simple. From the beginning Boyd and company sold the anglers a bunch of stuff they couldn't, and haven't come close to living up to. Anglers should've known better, whether pressured from peers, in-spite of BASS, or just gullible they all made their own bed, now they have to lay in it.

They all have options, whether it be other national trails, focusing on their social media brand, or finding another job. My personal opinion is that if my livelihood depended on an organization that has done nothing but deceive me from the beginning I'd be exploring different options......but that's just me.

Well in every other professional competition type endeavor the goal is to get the best in there. Nit play nurse maid to a bunch of old people who have managed to avoid a full time job for the most part. (Other than the pile if trust fund baby types). I agree 100 percent that a bunch need to take their spinnerbaits and move on.

Boyd's 5 D's of answering tough interview questions.

Watson wasn’t in BASS

He probably feels entitled to stay being an “owner”. If I paid for ownership shares in a company and then was told I was being sent packing, I’d be a little upset too. That’s why Watson was brought in before guys like Thrift cause they knew he had the money to buy into the company.

How did he fish in the Bassmaster Classic if he wasn't a member of BASS? Tell me how anyone can fish the Bassmaster Classic and not be a member of BASS?

Heck he even won an open not being a member I suppose.

I've always liked Watson, but I STRONGLY disagree with his feelings that they don't need a feeder system to bring new upcoming talent into their league. I think their product was already getting rather stale before they brought in some new guys like Ebare, LeBrun, etc. With that said, if their new rules require a newly qualified angler to make the top 10 their first year (like many seem to think it does) then they have essentially cut off all new talent by default. That is a big ask to come in and make top 10 your first year. Hopefully people are misinterpreting that new aspect of the rules. If not, the proper angler reaction to that should be and empty field in the invitationals next year, but we all know that will not happen. There will be a line of dumb young anglers fishing with daddy's money to chase the dream.