I don't have a problem at all with the no info rule concerning waypoints, areas, etc. I never thought it was right that those guys could roll up to a lake and already have predetermined spots to fish because of local's advice. The main reason I was of this opinion was the fact that KVD, Swindle, Ike, etc (the cool kids) will always have more access to better information than the rookies.
Here is where I disagree with part of the no information rule. First, I think it's a safety issue. I personally spent time in the boat with an elite this past March on Rayburn showing him around. The main thing was he wanted to know how to run the lake and where the "safe" and "not safe" areas were. Just spending a half day with him allowed him to break down the lake so much faster because he was informed on what areas of the lake had hazards. Secondly, these guys are out there trying to build a fan base. They are trying to gain followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. This obviously is part of the sponsorship game. Now these guys can't hang out with the locals and make friendships like they could in previous years. Yes, I understand they can still sit by the campfire with the local guys and visit, but it's not the same as before. In previous years, these anglers came to a lake and became a local for a given period of time. Of course, they were searching for information, but it gave them a common ground with every single person at the lake. This established friendships that could potentially lead further. If nothing else, it gained more "likes" on their Facebook page and more "followers" on their Twitter account. Now, it's just not going to be the same.
I get what the veterans of the sport did. With social media and so much networking available, these younger guys are able to get tons of info whereas in the past it took the veterans years to get. You can look at the results of the tournaments, and it's not as lopsided as it was 10-15 years ago as far as veterans stacked at the top. It doesn't take near as long for a rookie to make a name for himself as it previously did. The new guys have access to way more info than the old dudes did!
Good, bad or indifferent, the rule is there. I do feel for the newer guys that have never been on the Sabine. The veterans definitely have an advantage there simply because of the safety factor of running the river. I couldn't imagine never been on there, launching my boat and knowing I needed to explore 100+ miles of water without knowing a single tidbit of information as far as where the sandbars are, where those sunken shipwrecks are, etc.
Change is inevitable. Maybe this will turn out to be a great thing for BASS. We will have to just sit back and see.
One last thing - BASS Live still rocks! I get nothing done at work on Fridays during tournaments!