Professional fishing will ever put on a “low-tech” format tournament? I understand that people want to see fish caught, and electronics help catch fish. But fishing is starting to look like an e-sport sometimes. I’m sure sponsors would push back, but I’d love to see it.

A sportswriter I follow has a few tennets of the business of football to explain the happenings in the league.  "deadlines spur action" is one.  In this case, the line is "When the question is why, the answer is money".  Just follow the money.  Tournaments exist because guys compete for money.  Money comes from sponsors.  

Was it more exciting when we got to watch someone offshore stare at open water?

1 hour ago, Macropterus said:

Professional fishing will ever put on a “low-tech” format tournament? I understand that people want to see fish caught, and electronics help catch fish. But fishing is starting to look like an e-sport sometimes.

Not sure what you mean by this.  Like no electronics at all?  I'd be very hesitant to even launch my boat and throttle down without at least basic sonar to see how deep it is.  Running aground into a reef is not THAT fun.

I don’t believe you’ll see it. There’s too much money involved with the sponsors for anyone involved to give it up. 

Fair points! I don’t have a boat, so I’m sure a lot of the appeal is lost on someone like me that doesn’t know what he’s looking at. @Tennessee Boy Not really, I guess we all know what the real solution here is… buzzbait and frog-only tourney ✊

Last year at the Elite event on the Sabine River 42,448 fans showed up.

 

Y'all think they came to see those puny bass weighed in?

 

How much money y'all think the sponsors made?

 

How much word of mouth advertising did those sponsors get?

 

Just because the anglers aren't allowed to use foward facing sonar doesn't mean the big 3 won't be there.

 

Point is for this event to be successful ya gotta get the fans out.

There maybe enough interest in a retro Old School derby limiting 2D sonar only event if the top names competed.

Some lake types are not suited to Forward Scanning Live Scope Sonar so it depends on lots of factors.

California major bass tournaments don’t draw large numbers of fans, it’s all about prize money with little angler name recognition.

Tom

 

No

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Last year at the Elite event on the Sabine River 42,448 fans showed up.

 

Y'all think they came to see those puny bass weighed in?

Aint no big bass in the Sabine. - Catt ?

8 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Was it more exciting when we got to watch someone offshore stare at open water?

Exactly. So many people say they are mad because the anglers are staring at a screen. I fail to see how the viewer experience would be so much better if the anglers were staring at the waves 

I agree. It’s here to stay. like putting toothpaste back in the tube..ain’t happening 

Nope, too much money involved.

Imagine if they went to an old school little or no electronics format. Then when Randy Blaukat got his teeth kicked in, what would he blame it on?

I think they may do a one off event a year. Kind of like pro motocross where they have two stroke only races. A lot of the big names do not show up for that though.

1 hour ago, Darnold335 said:

I think they may do a one off event a year. Kind of like pro motocross where they have two stroke only races. A lot of the big names do not show up for that though.

I'd watch a once a year "senior" tournament. 

Seth Feider had a pretty realistic take on this in an interview on Dave Mercer podcast. Basically said what others are saying it’s all about sponsor money. About all they can do is have a couple tournaments at certain lakes where you have other as good technique options, flipping, top water, etc. 

With the exception of this years elite event in okechobee, a tournament with no electronics is basically anything in Florida 

I only speak for kayaks not bass boats.

I was involved in kayak bass tourneys and I wish that that there would be a tournament series thats only human powered kayaks.  I have no issues with fish finders, but man some of these guys show up to Yak tourneys with gas motor on the back, spot lock trolling on the front, so much stuff they cant drag it if they had to.

I have no issues with what you do with your boat, just always thought it would be cool to see those tournaments as well as human powered ones too..

On 6/23/2023 at 10:35 PM, TnRiver46 said:

With the exception of this years elite event in okechobee, a tournament with no electronics is basically anything in Florida 

I think that’s even stretching it. Okechobee would have been the place that you would have said that ffs would be no use. Then look at this years tournament. If there is water deeper than about 4-6’ then I think there will be an application for ffs and other electronics. We might not know how right now, but someone will figure it out. 

no. eelectronics companies put way too much money in the organizations pockets.

On 6/23/2023 at 10:37 AM, Macropterus said:

guess we all know what the real solution here is… buzzbait and frog-only tourney ✊

^just the way God intended 

 

A low-tech tournament would be cool to see, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for it. Given how sponsors and money form the backbone of tournament fishing, I think electronics are here to stay.

 

Having said that, I hardly even follow professional fishing. The stuff they do in tournaments is not my speed; it’s practically a different sport in itself.