I’m sure most won’t believe this, but this was the first year in many years that BASS even had my viewership. I am glad that the majority of the guys at BASS are newer. These BS exemptions that kept being made up to keep the older guys on the series irked me. I have felt like for many years, they needed younger/newer faces in there. I read most of the magazines published and these “jacking my job” articles in BassAngler magazine that the older pros did, pizzed me off. I understand that they get mad when people would hold jump their spots and rightfully so, but some of these clowns felt like they deserved to have the entire lake closed off just for them. They have brought that arrogance along with them to the BPT and they can keep it over there. I don’t think they will fail as a series, but I don’t think they can succeed in making it big time either.

Josh has a great point about the sponsorships too, it will become a game of who has the trust funds. Just way too many guys & kids (thats for Beartrap) trying to make it as a “pro”.

I'm amazed at people that like to come on here and flaunt their stupidity. Amazing. Yet funny.

Looking back @ the 80's and 90's when I was doing the tournament game at my peak participation rate; at least around my circle of friends, there is probably less than 1 % of the folks from back then still doing this. and its probably been that way for nearly two decades. Some got bored but for most it was the cost. I'll have to admit the cost kept me out way longer than I had planned, especially after everything tripled in price in the mid 2000's, for the Average Joe there's just no way they can do this with boats costing between $50k to $100k plus, fuel cost more than doubled since I done this last.
I make a good living but this still won't be easy for me. The way things look I will be running a used rig costing somewhere between $30k and $40k or a new aluminum rig with a 150 hp motor. On the aluminum rig I can take it to a pro level rig out and have somewhere around $45k tied up in it, a base 19 foot glass/composite rig will cost that much or more. I'll tow it all with a used truck that's paid for with 170k miles on it. Before everything exploded in price I could do this with a new top of the line boat and new to newer tow vehicle and not break a sweat.
It isn't just the economy that caused the cost to jump though I think getting away from the 150 hp rule inflicted unintended damage as well. The bass tournament sanctioning bodies could reintroduce this rule and cut cost but then you'd have the biggest train wreck boating/ boat manufacturing has ever seen.
I'd have to agree there are probably are way to many tournaments and organizations, but back when this sport was going strong in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's these same sanctioning bodies would probably have to have entry limits.............

Your are so full of bs .. did you get a boat that you talked about for years and have you entered a tournament yet that you have said one day for years you might do ?

If the 2 leagues tried to go back to the 150hp rule you woukd have more anglers upset about it than happy about it. Especially these days when $10,000-20,000 of the cost of a new boat is accessories anyway. Very few want to go back to 1987 withhand control TM, Eagle depthfinders and pistol gripped rods.

This is very simple. As someone who’s company has been involved with NASCAR as our main advertising stream MLF is like NASCAR. Give the sponsors the most media coverage which has a better ROI than sponsoring an angler or anglers in a format in which very limited media coverage is available. You rely on said anglers to be the promoter of your product/service via their social media, face to face interactions, so on. Just yesterday at lunch MLF was on at the restaurant we were at. When’s the last time BASS was on during your lunch on a January? I love BASS, I’m a lifetime member but they became complacent. Sure MLF needs to make tweaks along the way but the business men and anglers behind MLF will make it work and grow. As a company if we were looking at sponsoring a fishing format, MLF is where we start simply because of the media coverage. For our ROI NASCAR is still king.

I've got a jon boat right now that I'm practicing out of and I have entered the FLW/BFL as a non boater this year in the Cowboy division. I'm also entering the tournaments in the Okie Division. I've also set up practice course in my back yard and front yard to bring my casting skills back to what they were and better. I work out 3 days a week and study bass fishing in my spare time. I got the last yougin' gone off to school so now I'm free to do what I want. I've got to get one more thing taken care of and it's on. BOAT TIME! Slim 285 what do you have going on?

Working out!??? Dang!

I get a pack of Hostess Zingers on the way to the lake 4-5 days a week and I thought that was a solid plan...along with a couple Diet Cokes.

The first cowboy division has come and gone .
I will fish the same thing I have for years. Me and the little misses will enter CAST northeast . She packs a great lunch and if we cash a check it makes it even better.

I wish I knew how to post pictures, I’ve done some pretty cool stuff already, I’ve built a new man cave that will hold two boats, finally finished that Jon boat I’ve been working on for forever, and I got to go deep see fishing of the coast of Dauphin Island, Alabama the past summer. I’ve been enjoying being ME again, no more dance and cheer to pay for. I’ve got to pay off a couple of bills and the man cave gets another boat........I’d do it now but I’m trying to cram retirement in the mix as well........

Add 1 more Diet Coke and it will zero out the Zingers.

Can’t mess with my routine.

A little off topic and thinking out loud here. On January 1st, Spectrum decided to change extra for the Outdoor channel and other fishing channels. Unless you were aware of this, then those channels were not available. I wonder if the viewer numbers will drop in January.

I meant "Charge extra"