Moderators, I wasn't sure where to post this. Move it if need be.

 

I've noticed in pictures of several Elite rigs that there were no visible registration numbers? It may be the same for the mlf boats that actually belong to their pros, I haven't looked.

 

 

In my new B.A.S.S. Times, there's a picture of Joey Cifuentes boat on the cover and in an article about his Elite win. No registration numbers, same for Logan Latuso, Derek Hudnall and Ike's boat on the cover of Bassmaster magazine. Does anyone know why? 

1 hour ago, volzfan59 said:

Moderators, I wasn't sure where to post this. Move it if need be.

 

I've noticed in pictures of several Elite rigs that there were no visible registration numbers? It may be the same for the mlf boats that actually belong to their pros, I haven't looked.

 

 

In my new B.A.S.S. Times, there's a picture of Joey Cifuentes boat on the cover and in an article about his Elite win. No registration numbers, same for Logan Latuso, Derek Hudnall and Ike's boat on the cover of Bassmaster magazine. Does anyone know why? 

 Not sure but I did see Scott Martin talk about having to get registration numbers for his new tour boat before the first event this year on one of his videos 

 

 

Not sure how much things have changed, but it used to be that guys with memo boat deals ran paper dealer plates (registrations). With the memo billed deal, the dealer arranged everything, and you didn’t have to pay for the boat for a year. As such, you technically never owner the boat, hence no state registration, so when you sold the boat at the end of the year to pay for it (before getting your next boat), you could sell it as a ‘new’ boat since it was still owned by the boat company, thereby making purchasing and financing for your buyer easier.

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

Not sure how much things have changed, but it used to be that guys with memo boat deals ran paper dealer plates (registrations). With the memo billed deal, the dealer arranged everything, and you didn’t have to pay for the boat for a year. As such, you technically never owner the boat, hence no state registration, so when you sold the boat at the end of the year to pay for it (before getting your next boat), you could sell it as a ‘new’ boat since it was still owned by the boat company, thereby making purchasing and financing for your buyer easier.

Back in the 80's my next door neighbor fished whatever B.A.S.S. Opens were called back then. He was on Bass Cat's regional team with a memo billed boat. It still had to be registered and has TN numbers on all his boats. Things may have changed since then I guess.

11 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

Back in the 80's my next door neighbor fished whatever B.A.S.S. Opens were called back then. He was on Bass Cat's regional team with a memo billed boat. It still had to be registered and has TN numbers on all his boats. Things may have changed since then I guess.

Talked to one of my friends this morning that writes for Bassmaster and asked him. He contacted a boat company and asked them about it. Here’s the reply:

 

“Believe, by law, you must display registration numbers on the hull.

 

I run a permanent dealer tag, but still have to display the number on the hull and tag on the trailer.

 

Would suspect those guys are lazy and haven't put the numbers on or they're betting they won’t get caught and not registering the boat so they don't have to pay sales tax.”

Here is a pic of my friend Yusuke Mizayaki’s boat when he fished the elites and kept it at my house while he made a trip back to Japan.  Notice the registration numbers.  Some of the pros boats, say from Bass Pro were at one time registered in Missouri no matter where the pro lived.  Boat deals have changed a lot over the years so current requirements could be different. 

56 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Talked to one of my friends this morning that writes for Bassmaster and asked him. He contacted a boat company and asked them about it. Here’s the reply:

 

“Believe, by law, you must display registration numbers on the hull.

 

I run a permanent dealer tag, but still have to display the number on the hull and tag on the trailer.

 

Would suspect those guys are lazy and haven't put the numbers on or they're betting they won’t get caught and not registering the boat so they don't have to pay sales tax.”

I doubt that, a guy just got DQd after winning 100k for not having a fishing license. With photos of every boat, don’t think they could avoid getting caught 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I doubt that, a guy just got DQd after winning 100k for not having a fishing license. With photos of every boat, don’t think they could avoid getting caught 

Who knows - different orgs, different rules. Aaron Martens fished and won a FLW national tour event without a valid fishing license and never was penalized by the org. If you go to the Bassmaster website and look through their 2023 boat wrap gallery, numerous boats don’t appear to have reg. numbers attached. Why would they publicly promote/show that if it somehow broke their rules? Just passing along what I was told until someone comes up with a better explanation.   

59 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

a guy just got DQd after winning 100k for not having a fishing license

Last September, 2 anglers including Jacob Wheeler were fined for using 2 lines at Mille Lacs in Minnesota here.  Only one line is permitted on inland waters here during the open water season.

 

I don't know if its the organization's fault for not informing the anglers of this rule, or if it was the angler's fault.  MLF did release a statement that the anglers admitted to a violation and paid a fine.  It was all on TV and caught on camera plain as day.

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

Last September, 2 anglers including Jacob Wheeler were fined for using 2 lines at Mille Lacs in Minnesota here.  Only one line is permitted on inland waters here during the open water season.

 

I don't know if its the organization's fault for not informing the anglers of this rule, or if it was the angler's fault.  MLF did release a statement that the anglers admitted to a violation and paid a fine.  It was all on TV and caught on camera plain as day.

I remember that one, it’s not the tournament organizations job to make sure they follow all the rules. They can’t go out there setting people’s houses on fire either, but it’s not MLF’s job to police that 

13 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

it’s not the tournament organizations job to make sure they follow all the rules.

I agree, but I think generally they inform the participants what they can and cannot do based on the state they are fishing in.  I don't know if MLF informed them of this change because they were in MN or not prior to the event, and honestly we may never know.  I have to imagine that the two anglers didn't know.  I highly doubt they would purposefully break the law while on camera...and I think this would also apply to watercraft registration numbers being displayed.

 

Regardless, not knowing is not good enough.  They paid their fines and moved on.

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I agree, but I think generally they inform the participants what they can and cannot do based on the state they are fishing in.  I don't know if MLF informed them of this change because they were in MN or not prior to the event, and honestly we may never know.  I have to imagine that the two anglers didn't know.  I highly doubt they would purposefully break the law while on camera.

 

Regardless, not knowing is not good enough.  They paid their fines and moved on.

Yep, we have to understand and follow them all on a Tuesday after work, so do they haha

Again, this was in the 80's through the mid 90's when I sold my house. My neighbor's memo billed Bass Cat's were all his boats. He owned them and had to register them in TN. It might have differed between manufacturer's, his boats were sold to him at cost, same with his outboards (he was on Mercury's team). He just had a year to either sell it and then pay it off, or keep it and pay it off. 

I don't know what the deal is, it just caught my eye that the boats mentioned didn't have registration numbers. Maybe it has to do with where the angler lives?

Bradley Hallman did a boat video earlier this year talking about memo boats and how it used to be that way, but very few are in that position now.  Most pros are buying their boats outright and selling them at the end of the season.  It doesn't explain the registration numbers, but its information.

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Bradley Hallman did a boat video earlier this year talking about memo boats and how it used to be that way, but very few are in that position now.  Most pros are buying their boats outright and selling them at the end of the season.  It doesn't explain the registration numbers, but its information.

I'll have to look up that video, thank you @casts_by_fly

1 hour ago, volzfan59 said:

I'll have to look up that video, thank you @casts_by_fly

I think it was this one

 

 

@casts_by_fly, I watched the Hallman video that you suggested. Good video, even though it didn't answer my question, it was very informative.

Thank you