Right on RW. All the electronic and 300hp motors in the world won't give you a edge if you don't know what you are doing and why. I can't see limiting equipment such as rods and electronics. Its not going to happen in the new age of tourney fishing anyway. Its not about fishing anymore, its sales and marketing. I would like to see some old school come back even though its not going to happen. Just two things would make it more fun for me  to watch. Limit the boats to 20', limit the motors to 150's again, no prefishing or outside help of any kind two weeks before the first day. I guess I am just nostalgic.

I read through this thread several times and could not stop myself from writing.  I am from the old school and a LIFE Member of B.A.S.S. Fished my first Bass Tournament in 1975.  We did not have all the electonics and fancy stuff back then.  However we all caught fish....amazing huh?

My point is the rods and reels we use today, the electronics, fancy boats and big fast motors are just TOOLS!  A good fisherman uses these tools to find or locate where the fish are or could be.  It takes years of reading and on the water study to get to the pros level.  The main thing that separates the "Pros" from everyone else is the ability to use these tools properly. To actually catch fish and put them in the boat on a regular basis under all kinds of pressured situations and weather.  Their dedication to the sport should be commended and complimented, as should Bassmaster Magazine. If it were not for these "pros" and the information they share, how many of us would be able to fish at the level we do today?

I have no problems with the pros and how they do what they do. Not by any means. But after reading this thread it got me thinking a little. Wouldn't it be interesting to see what a group of pros would do if  thown on a lake that none of them are familiar and see how well they do. Then throw in just as many average Joes that are also unfamiliar with the lake and see what happens. That would be interesting to see the results.  

KVD and many of the other pros are excellent anglers.They could catch 'em without the gizmos,but most  all of the pros are great so naturally they have to use "tools" to give them an edge.The distance between good and great is small in the big leagues so anything to give an edge is acceptable.These guys are playing for millions,and the competitive drive in these guys makes it a must to use the most state of the art equipment that they can get their hands on.

Hey, Boondocks, I see what you are trying to say. The pros DO have better equipment than we do. They got that equipment because they were better fishermen than others were when they had less equipment. If they took 20 pros and 20 amateurs and put them all in jonboats with 5-hp motors, 55-lb thrust trolling motors, and a livewell, for a 1-day tourny, the pros in general would outfish the amateurs. Some of the pros would be in the bootom 10, some of the amateurs would be in the top 10, but on average there would be more pros in the top 20, more ams. in the bottom 20. Why? Because there is no substitute for time on the water.

If a pro did bank fishing on his/her show, i think that it would be better then using all those electronics. Bank fishing is what most people do and begin with.

I'm sure before they were pro's or even heard of for that matter they got there start like most of us from the bank, a dock or a Jon boat.  What got them to where they are today is dedication and alot of devotion spent doing what they love.  

This is coming from a sponsered tournament fisherman who made around 8 grand last year (not much, but its a profit), the whole purpose of the pro's using these devices, are to get people talking about them. And they are clearly doing their job. How do you think these pro's who have never placed better than 10th in a tournament get sponsers? They are great salesmen! How do you prove your worth to sponsers? By promoting them, by either word of mouth, endorsements, or just plain whoreing your name out (see Roland Martin  ;D).  Bottom line, these guys can catch fish anytime, anywhere they want to. The real money for these guys is endorsements, appearance fees, etc. The tournament winnings generally arent even enough to live off of, let alone pay for the next years entrance fees, insurances, gas, etc.

I'm sure before they were pro's or even heard of for that matter they got there start like most of us from the bank, a dock or a Jon boat.  What got them to where they are today is dedication and alot of devotion spent doing what they love.

Ike started out fishing club tournaments in a jon boat. Now look where he is. All of these guys started somewhere at the bottom.

The use of varies electronics in the boats have no rules as long as they are not shockers.  As a FLW pro, I have to use everything that can help me compete with the other anglers, as they also have this cutting edge equipment on their boats.  Sure it can help you locate structure and I bait fish as well as the arc's of the larger fish that you might be looking for.  It helps you to locate, but you still have to figure how to make these fish bite!  I start working on my game plan about a month prior to the tournament.  How has the lake fished over the last ten years, getting out the maps and planning how to disect these body of water in just a few days,  Time of year, normal patterns, current conditions,  all of this plays into how to attack the body of water and the electronics are a tool to help you in this.  With the high standards of the other anglers and what they are capable of, you have to do everything you can to try to stay up with the best..

Keep it wet.

I had been away from bass fishing other than once or twice a year for 20+ years. In the late 60's-early 80's I serious fished local tournaments, read Bassmaster, and back then thought I learned a lot from Bassmaster. Last March I got back to where I fish 2-3 times a week, no tournaments but fish pretty hard. I also subscribed to Bassmaster to get back in touch.

What I have found is that Bassmaster and most all the fishing shows (Dance, R Martin, .....) are all more marketing oriented than teaching/fishing oriented. I don't enjoy reading 5 out if 6 pages or 20 out of 30 minutes of show that is all sales. But then again, that is how the Advertisers, Magazines, TV Networks, Pro's get their money. I plan on letting my Bassmaster subscription expire, I no longer watch most of the Bass Shows on TV, I simply like to fish will learn on my own and enjoy my days on the lake. Without all the commercial BS that it has gotten to.

Also feel much of what is advertised is designed to catch fishermen rather than fish.

JMHO for what it's worth and that ain't much.

JoshKeller and other sponsored pro's

Kindly list your sponsors in you sig line.

It tends to reflect poorly on ones credibility when a member makes recommendations without  fully disclosing their affiliations.

Thanks

avid

I was reading this on another site and recall this thread on about it. So, thought I'd post it. After reading that, it didn't change my opinion about Ike cause I like the guy and I think its all about marketing.

Article posted on another site - 1/17

Mike Iaconelli, the 2006 BASS Angler of the Year (AOY), has signed a sponsorship deal with Biosonix. He joins other heavy hitters on the team like Kevin VanDam, Aaron Martens and Ken Cook.

The BSX unit from Biosonix uses an underwater speaker to broadcast sounds and stimulate feeding activity in fish. "I caught wind of the BSX unit in 2005 from talking with Kevin and Aaron and some of the other guys," Ike said. "A lot of the pros that were using it were keeping it under wraps. In 2006 I got my own unit and used it for the entire year. I wasn't paid a dime last year to use the BSX unit I used it because it just works.

"The BSX unit absolutely made a difference for me in winning AOY," he added. "Everything came down to the wire this past year and the unit absolutely helped me catch a few more fish those fish made all the difference. Just to give you one example, at Lake Oneida this year, when I turned on the unit, I had fish schooling by the speaker before I could even get a line in the water."

I apolgize.

Really, I'm sorry.

I should have explained myself better at the beginning.

Sorry.

 hu-----  Thow shall not slam KVD. Or thow will be smited this a ugly stick.

 I know what you saying. I would like to see what some of better pros would do on my home lake with

the equitment I have. Just to see I not every one has a fish calling thing or a boat for that matter.

I would kill to spend the day with KVD on my pond just to see how he would fish it. no boat no gismos..    

At the end of the day you'd probably be saying the following:

I never thought to use that lure like that.

I never knew there were fish that big in my lake.

I never knew how that presentation really worked.

I never thought fishing that part of the pond, it always looked non-fishy to me.

I never realized just how hard these guys fish regardless if they're in a boat or not.

Wow, KVD catches fish whether he's got electronic aids or not.

Facts are facts.  The pro's routinely show up at a tournament lake and whup up on the locals that have entered the tournament even, though those locals know every nook and cranny of that lake.  They have an uncanny knack of approaching any body of water, determining in where the fish are in relation to seasonal movements and the best presentations to achieve success.  They don't need a $50,000 bassboat or $5000 worth of electronics to do it.

They're just that good.

Here is the deal if I handed you all my stuff and sat in your boat using your equipment or if I where to take you to your favorite honey hole bank fishing with me using your stuff and you using mine there still stands a good chance that your going to have a hard time beating me in a fishing contest. To be honest fishing skill is just fishing skill and equipment is just a minor detail. Good equipment will help you get the job done better but it still boils down to knowledge. Most people if you sit them down and talk about bass fishing most of them come away from the conversation forgetting most of what was said. They don't retain the knowledge or only pick out parts that they feel are important to them. Knowledge is everything in this sport and what sets you apart from others. You can spend all the time on the water that you want but how much of that time is devoted to expanding your knowledge and how much of that knowledge is retained years down the road makes a big difference between average and above average. Many of the guys that are on top of their game spend most of their life learning about bass fishing. To be honest they took the time to learn as much as they could about bass fishing and never stopped learning and pushing their limits. I agree 100% that the way you fish right now is influenced by tournament fishing. The way you problem solve, how you present a lure, the lures that you use, your color selection, the baitmonkey tapping you on the shoulder saying buy this and that are all thanks to tournament fishing. Is it getting a little out of hand as far as promotions and pages in bassmaster magazine that are nothing but ads.. I think it is compared to what the magazine was. I am to the point now where I don't even read it. Does the ads and sale pitches take away from the skill of the pro's nope not even close.

THE QUESTION IS......ARE THEY REALLY PRO's?

Yes..is the answer!! :

They catch bass to WIN a BIG paycheck...we TRY to catch bass to win our local tournament checks....and sometimes to eat....depends on what you are fishing for I guess.

Like metioned before...they are just tools to help them get BETTER.  

Kinda like Tiger Woods' new clubs make him hit farther..maybe straighter...but it is still him against the hole.

The tool in question does not help KVD catch the fish, it helps bring the fish to him.  He still has to weed out the little ones....secure the bucketmouth, and catch a limit of toads.  If it helps his skills out then he is doing what he is suppose to do.  

You too can beat a Pro if you are on fish, without any electronics.  I did last season.  Beat out two FLW Pro's at a local tournament....AND...I finished in 6th place.  One of them threw back his TWO (2) fish, cause he was there only for the money and didn't have a chance.   The other Pro ended up 7th...just out of the money.  He also fished the whole season with us.  Was nice to see a pro not win all the time.  I think he and his brother didn't even WIN one event, but did cash a check in 3 out of 5 events.

Goes to show...that being a Pro doesn't alway make you the better fishermen....it is just his job, and to make an income he has to keep fishing and placing in the check field.

JMO

squid