Like Carl Jocubsen said on Mercer's pod cast a few months back, "everyone is right and everyone is wrong" when it comes to FFS. This debate has been going on for 2+ years now. As Clark mentioned, BASS is the steward of the sport. Until they do "something", nothing is gonna change. There is simply too much $$$ involved.

I understand his frustration with FFS in general and I also understand his frustration with the composition of the panel that BASS has put together to "study" this situation. All he is asking for is a balanced panel.

The devisiveness of this issue is quite similar to the devisiveness between the right and left in this country. No one wants to do the right thing......and the right thing is to be open minded about it and LISTEN to the other side and come to some kind of compromise. Right now, it's black and white and this issue needs some Gray in the worst way to find some kind of balance at the professional level. As far as the private sector goes, it's here to stay unless someone like TPWD says otherwise.

Yes, the old New Balance crowd is angry, BUT if you listen closely, there are a lot of BASS anglers who are not "olds" who want it gone as well. Lets not always make this a old vs young thing, especially with the Elite guys because its not always entirely true. Most will not come out publicly because they have "deals" with the big 3. Wes Logan just said it last week after his wreck on Champlain. He also said there are many younger than him who want it gone.

I like FFS, I have nothing against it, but at the Elite level, I personally feel it has no place. If most of the elite field wants it gone, how does BASS ignore this??

The best idea I have heard. Announce the schedule, have a random draw, 4-5 FFS and the rest No FFS. Another idea I thought pretty wise, have a way to turn em all off at a certain point in the day. If we have the technology to see a 2 lb fish at 30 yards away, surely we can devise a way to turn em all off at the same time right? Vary those times from day to day or have the Marshalls turn em off and verify they are off at a certain time. There are ways to do this and keep everyone happy or at least halfway happy.

Again, I pose this question....How can an organization allow something if over half of its participants (maybe even more than that) oppose it?

It's so funny how if u r against FFS in tournaments u have no right to ur opinion!!! The FFS crowd will blow up and try to belittle u for having one!
Kinda makes me wander who the scared ones r?? Ya know!

I like Wendlandt, but he kind of went off the deep end with all this. He was one of, if not THE, very first guys to have the original panoptix and had livescope way before everyone else got good with it. Think about that, he’s had it longer than just about anyone on the planet, and probably had a competitive advantage until everyone else got up to speed. I would assume he was learning more about bass behavior just like Rick Clunn said he has, and it was fun right up until everyone else did too.

I really didnt have an opinion on FFS until reading all the stuff in this forum... it didnt affect me.. Ive never used one, never seen it used in person... but did buy a graph that it could be hooked up to.. after reading this thread... I am now of the opinion that FFS would be the equivalent of letting a golf pro use their heel to make a tee in the fairway... just another tool.

What you say is very true, I am sure he helped sell a lot of those units to casual fisherman over the years from his TV show. There is nothing wrong with that. I am sure he will continue to do that (if he can now). Is there some hypocrisy in his statement? yeah I would say so. But, in his defense, I dont think anyone saw what we see now. Obviously the technology has gotten even better....so much now that it isnt "a tool"...it is "the tool".

I’m 65 years old and I have FFS , here’s my take if the older pros can’t figure it out they need to learn how to use it when they were young they out worked everyone else in learning how to cast better, flip , pitch , and read the maps, and sonar of the times , IMHO I hope it does not get banned if they ban it then what else will they ban next when someone doesn’t like it or know how to use it. I have always heard the top pros say time on the water sounds like they need to put more time in , instead of being on vacation for the next several months.

Can you say Hypocrite?



Oh wait there is more!

"Garmin Panoptix LiveScope Key to Winning Bassmaster Angler of the Year Title

Elite Series pro Clark Wendlandt relies on Garmin Panoptix LiveScope each and every time he takes to the water. Throughout the 2020 season, LiveScope played a key role in Clark winning the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. Watch as Clark explains how Garmin electronics greatly aided him in catching key fish throughout the season."

FFS was great when Clark was one of the only ones to have it and that put most of the rest of the field at a distinct disadvantage.

I have always thought Wendlandt was the stand up type, but it's funny when the pressure is on how one's true character shows itself.

Andrew Upshaw and Ike and Van Dam and several others have already said this. Upshaw said the sport is in a bad place. I suspect we regulars have no idea. And the Tours are probably deathly afraid of losing sponsors.

He responded exactly to this. No gotcha here. He can fish with FFS but he doesn't think it is real fishing. It's very much a tunnel view.

What a bad look lol he just became a dirt bag

Owning tackle shop I hear and see I hate/I love all day long! Here are a few things I always say

You cant compare fishing to any other sport out there because its the only one where we have no control over the outcome (fish still have to bite)
What is the difference watching a guy working a ledge with a crankbait vs someone scoping a ledge with jighead minnow None!!!

The Bassmaster events on Lake Amistad, Lake Falcon & maybe Lake Fork are still on a island by themselves without FFS!!! The events up north with and without have a little weight difference Top 10 over years as well

But I could care less if you love it or hate it myself. I think its dumb to ban something because not everyone agrees with it, he likes mustard, I like ketchup. Lets get rid ketchup!

So, you’re saying he’s a Canadian???

Pizz on all things Canadian

lol I thought you and Al shields were pen pals.