So some kids gets on Facebook and post "I'm having a wildcat on Dead Lake next week" and 300 boats show up???... And 3 boats from Anytown USA High School show up with matching jerseys???... Who brings the scales, Uncle Joe??? I understand it's a club sports, but those colleges are giving the participants of clubs the approval to use their schools NIL, meeting space and facilities on campus... There has to be an organization behind all this... Dan

I agree that fisherman aren’t athletes, point being that there is always someone that’s better than the rest. McKinney isn’t always near the top, just because his mom has paid his way. What makes Jacob Wheeler better than all the others? He has a pure natural talent that 99% don’t have. Maybe it’s luck, but whatever it is, these kids that keep getting top 10’s have something that others don’t. Might be gaming skills, might be vision or patience; but they are better.


What do you guys think would happen if HS banned FFS? Do kids start dropping out, because they are now bored? (I don’t see that as a bad thing, being I’m an old)

My point has along been this. There is a huge barrier to entry with bass fishing, bigger than most any other activity. Even if you have an old truck, boat, and gear you still have several thousands of dollars invested and then you still have to pay to travel. What did you need when you signed up for football in high school? Cleats? Maybe a pair of shorts and tshirt.

So, with that said, we are not seeing who is best, we’re seeing who is most fortunate. This can be said to a degree in other activities. But I know of way more folks that came from literally nothing and are in the NFL than I know “pro” bass anglers. It just is what it is, we see a lot of the most privileged, not necessarily the best, and there are certainly outliers, but if Trey didn’t have the parents he has, I doubt he’d be where he is.

I think this has gotten overcomplicated. You said you played NCAA football, so I’m sure you’ll be able to easily understand this. In the last 25 years or more, you would have had to have gone through the clearinghouse to become academically eligible for d1 college athletics and you would have had to met academic requirements while in college to maintain your eligibility. The NCAA also has all sorts of other rules in addition to the rules the AD/university and coaching staff apply. It’s very organized.

Now, take a look at say, men’s college rugby. It’s not sanctioned by NCAA. You likely show up to school not even knowing what rugby is. You learn about the rugby club, you go to a meeting, meet the folks. They probably have some type of code of conduct and if you get out of line you probably get kicked off. The club president might have some contact at the intramural or rec department director, not the AD, it’s a whole different thing.

NIL? Club sports have always been able to raise money, most of it goes to covering travel or a pizza party.

I think what you’re forgetting is NIL only really affects the top tier of D1 athletes, you talked before about all 81,000 student athletes in d1-NAIA, we’ll go ask the NAIA kid about his NIL deal. Maybe they have some donors.

Mommy and daddy in conjunction with some sponsors are footing the bill for college fishing, for the most part. Which is why you see Timmy over there in a Jon boat while Johnny is in a fully rigged ikon.

The title of this explains this whole thread. "Good grief this is painful "
Minnesota has 30 post on this one thread.

Nothing but crusty old men crying that they hate change and let technology pass them by

The only thing painful is trying to read through threads like these. The horse should be dead by now.

At least Frank the Crank is all giddy inside, since his thread has gone 9 pages. He hasn’t had that kind of tingle in awhile.

true to form

Not all of us I have ffs and hope like heck it doesn't get banned (I am not good with it at all) cause if they ban it they need to ban a lot off stuff gps , 2d sonar ,waypoints, secret lures, secret spots, make every do the same thing just fish down the bank, give every one the same o s..t and see what happens.All of this is just my option to.

Geeez... All I asked was who's the sanctioning body/ organizer of high school fishing tournaments... Who's driving this???... It ain't Timmy and his iKon buying parents... Is it BASS???... I've seen their High School All American Team... Is it BPT/ MFL... or NPFL??? Or some independent organization???... Is it that complicated for a simple answer???... Dan

assuming you made your move to Georgia?