jrhennecke

I am not thinking the most popular more of the overall skill of the anglers.

Is there a pro whose style you have really tried to emulate? Or was it a family member or friend that influenced you?

Embroidered duffle bag

Bass Angler's Guide is the best I have come across. Bassin is ok also.

Hillarious Sam

Comparing the plight of the coanglers to the NFL, NBA. MLB, or any other "professional" sport doesn't work. There never have been amatures competeing along side professionals in any of these other sports. http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=b_Member_Benefits No one is saying that every member of BASS joined to fish as a coangler in the Elite Series. The fact is it was a benefit that any member could have utilized. For the guys that planned to fish or wanted the opportunity to it is a big deal. As far as calling people out for whining. I would be careful cause folks could think you are whiner.

Very nice!

Because that was one of the benefits you recieved when you joined BASS.

That is a pretty awesome gesture in an era when customer service seems to be an afterthought.

Makes no difference the rules were the same for both competitors. The coanglers had a right to be there as much as the pros did. Every competitor paid their entry fee. Tournament entry was a membership benefit.

Great job!

Because he created BASS and has always been viewed as a "regular" guy I am suprised also that he has said nothing. The fact that he sold BASS has nothing to do with it. If anything it should give Ray the freedom to share his opinion. I would love to hear his honest opinion. If I remember right didn't he have something to say about the Federation fiasco? I believe that what is so irratating to fishermen like myself is that we grew up with and supported BASS. It was an orginization that brought us all together wether you were a weekend warrior or a pro. The last couple years the ESPN people have left us out to dry.

Welcome back!

Congratulations. Great fish!

Welcome back!!

The BASS has created the Elitiest series. There is truth to the point that other pro athletes don't have amatures competing against them. That is what made the series special. Amature anglers had the chance to fish with arguably the best fishermen in the world. It created a bond between the pros of a sport and the people who support them. Something you could not get in other sports. How many times on this forum alone has someone advised an angler who wanted to start tournament fishing to join a club then fish as a coangler? It is true that there are other circuits that a coangler can fish. The cooangler will survive. There are no opens or invatationals in the west. Thank god for the FLW. The greats from the past fished with coanglers what makes these guys so different?

Welcome!

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/news/story?id=3492085 This is just another example of how ESPN is ruining BASS. I can't believe this is the organization that Ray Scott started or the way he would want it to end up. First the fiasco with the Federation, the complete ignoring of the West Coast and now the death of the amature angler. They should get it over with and rename the organization Professional Bass Anglers Assosiation. As far as these pro anglers that are pleased with the decision let me remind them were they started and who it is that makes them "Elite". How many times have you heard one of these pros say they got there start as a coangler? And it is the weekend/ coangler that buys products from these pro's sponsors and allows them to make the living they do. It's sad how these folks have forgotton that.

Thoughts and prayers to you brother.

You were robbed! It does sound like you handled it better than I would have though.

Awesome weekend!

Miller Lite in the bottle.

Very nice!

Welcome!

Burley is right. We can't worry about what PETA thinks. There is nothing we can do to make those people happy. To them there is no difference between dead coyotes on a fence and any one of us fishing. If the hanging of those coyotes keeps others from killing his livestock or making it any harder for the farmer to make a living then more power to him.