One less bassmaster angler

Really sounds of money issues, this was all too common in the past. One of the reasons the BPT was formed was to protect anglers that made it to the top a little more from having to bow out after a rough start.
https://www.bassmaster.com/news/carriere-miss-remainder-season

Doesn't sound anything like money issues to me

look at his finishes

I have no inside info like some might but I agree with you that it doesn't sound like money issues specifically.

Prayers sent for him and his family on whatever the issue might be!

115K over 5 years gotta be tough.

Wonder if he still qualifies for the Bass Pro "Open"

Same thing I thought.

When i see what 90-98% of what kinda income the "pros" get......i realize how much some people just love tournament fishing regardless of the costs.

I barely been bass fishing under 10 years...but when I started i wanted to go pro!!!!............cuz I thought it was like golf and all other major sports!!! Bass tournaments are essentially poker tournaments....almost literally the more you break things down side by side! LOL im serious....think about it 🤔

Trip Wheldon/BASS/the organizations are the rake

There must be some good sponsorship dollars out there for a lot of the unknowns.

How the heck do you average $25K a year and stay afloat? Not just to pay expenses, but to live life and support a family?

The money isn't in tournament winnings.

I was his judge the first day in 2018 at Travis and though he struggled he did catch one fish that got him on the stage at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic Tournament. His whole family was with him to root him on.

I believe he said that he guided both fresh and saltwater when not tournament fishing.

I wish him well on coming back to the sport.

Now that would be the life imo! Sure youre not gonna be the richest man in the world....but hell. Living around/at a lake, staying booked up, being able to choose when you work, entering the local and bigger derbs when they come to town and likely cash a check in them, while having all the time you want/choose to dedicate to your family......sounds like a pretty sweet gig/life 🤷‍♂️

that's an average year for Barrett on ray bob

Me neither. Sounds like family is more important than fishing for him at this time.

I’ve only won 2 big tournaments and gotten a piece of a bunch of little ones. Trust me I had to do the math for the bps deal. I drove a bassboat for the first time in 2008 lol. I’m a noob.

Don’t sweat it. The IRS doesn’t frequent the bass section....much.

Trip is gone

Your wife's boot up your [censored] because the bills aren't getting paid is a family issue

I think he is still hanging around and helping mold his future replacement

^^this right here^^

Seems to be a re-qualification issue and just pulling the plug a little early. He would not have requalified for next year.

Making a living on the BASS trail is tough, not only financially, but on your home life. I qualified for the Classic my first 2 years, but, was on the road 110 days without any pre-practice, and was still guiding 160 plus days a year. Whether it’s a financial decision or not, it’s still personal reasons. I hated being on the road, and not being able to enjoy my property on Fork.

You accomplished something all bass fisherman would be proud of Mr. McCarty. Most of us can only dream of qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic, much less twice! I remember your name and also David Vance fishing BASS many years ago!

Are they going to do a cut after this year? I wouldn't think yet but really no idea. Their field has only grown to 100 this year, when they would pull tour cards in the past the field was over 110 I think.

I know a few guys who dug a big financial hole for themselves fishing the Elites.

got a little mancrush, huh?

Another few gone http://www.bassfan.com/news_article...withdraw-from-last-2-events#.YNP4LX5Ombw
The BASS model is flawed and guys who know they are going to lose the tour card at year end are not going to pay entry fees for the events left

You realize the "no entry fee" BPT tour quietly had to pay entry fee's this year and they were more than BASS's fee's correct?

I think he means, these anglers at BASS that are dropping out, aren’t paying for the tournaments that they are skipping. For example, 10 tournaments and they claim “medical exemption” and only fish 6 tournaments, they aren’t paying for the 4 tournaments that they are missing.

I don’t know if that’s true or not, I thought they had to pay upfront for all the tournaments. In my head, they are only saving the travel fees (gas, hotel, food, etc). He might be right though with the medical part though.

Heck, I know a bunch of weekend hacks that make that much fishing smaller trails.

The pro's don't make their money on winning tournaments. It's their sponsors that pay the bills but it certainly helps with sponsors to win a couple of tourneys.

I got a PM from BigOfloridouche and he was telling me that the guys dropping out of bass was not only sponsorship gold, but also was helping to make BASS stronger. He is in the know you know.

when I was his judge in 2018 he said that he also guides on both freshwater and saltwater. So I imagine that he is surviving despite his poor showings in the elites.

My boater was pulled up next to him when I did that a few years before, I think it was his rookie season, he was in a meat and potatoes 18 foot Nitro no doubt he was on a shoestring budget. He is a great young man and commend him for chasing that dream but I am surprised he made it 6 years in the elites.

Wish him the best of luck no matter the reason that he’s out.

Young man? He looks late 50’s! I wish him the best.

Getting real close!

Well he fished in 60 tournaments and was "In the money" 29 times so less than 50% he got a check.

Not hard to figure out that he is paying $3K+ to enter each tourney and not getting paid 1/2 the time is a losing battle.

That doesn't take into consideration all of his other expenses either.

A few others are taking off too.

http://bassfan.com/news_article/10284/three-elite-anglers-withdraw-from-last-2-events#.YNTQc0xOmUk

Tour life must be tough, he was born in the 1990's , if that don't make you feel old IDK what will. I will say the BPT guys don't look as stressed that TV money must be nice.

BPT guys wear makeup don't they?

Buddy Gross moved his family into his mom's house his rookie season if he hadn't won 1 Tour event they'd probably still be living with his mom. At some point most people will put family above all else as in this case.

BPT entry fees for 2021 $3,648,000 for 8 tournaments, payback for 8 tournaments plus Red Crest $7,199,120. Then you have the Cup Events that also pay.

After reading the article not sure how you came to the conclusion that is it a money problem. Sounds like he is doing the right thing and taking care of family.

My kids and my wife come first, that's why I decided not to fish professionally.

and you suck at fishing..... there's also that

Bet he knows how his reel works .

Your just reading the OP, the lastest departures are absolutely about money

I don't know you guys but that's damn funny.

Not to point out obvious but until someone has a ton of money it's always about the money one way or another.

Even if they say it isn't.

Would this open up a spot for the amateur Ray Roberts angler that crushed the pros when they were here?

Nothin but hammers up at RR

That was a big part of it too, but family mostly.

If you are at the bottom on the standings with no chance at making the Classic you might take a medical exemption if you are fighting through a medical issue. Start fresh next year. Sounds like most intend to be back.

https://youtu.be/rY0WxgSXdEE?t=5
https://www.bassmaster.com/garrett-paquette/yes-it-hurts

I'll be curious just how deep the cut is for the 2022 Elites.

They already said it will be 23 anglers, if any opens guy declined invites then they will work backwards inviting back cut Elites

Man just read that article, that poor SOB is gonna dish out the cash for the 9 Opens next year. Hope that young man comes from money.

yes

He has a pretty good list of reputable sponsors. I would bet he isn't paying any of those entry fees.

Fished with him a few years ago on St. Clair. Good guy and a very good fisherman. Best of luck to him going forward.

I bet he is

When will we find out?

Should have already been but they may sorting out legend exemptions or something. Remember they didn't cut anyone during 2020 covid year so this year will be double the amount they normally cut. 12 opens qualifiers and 1 bass nation = 13 replacements in a given year so do the math. Its a large percentage of the field thats going to get kicked out, and it should be, the depth of field is weak since the split and this is how you strengthen it.

How is it flawed? If you suck and dont cash checks then.. you should be paid anyways? There should be turnover at that level.

They shouldn't be paid for non performance but droping out early definitely hurts the payout for the other anglers who continue to fish, this is a problem MLF doesn't have.

You sure about that? Looks like they paid down the same amounts all year.

https://m.bassmaster.com/bassmaster-tournament-schedule

The Anglers pay the entry fees well before the event. I believe it needs to be paid in full before the season even.