Bassfan Feedback

• John M. Orchard of Wilmington, NC writes:

  Monday, December 20, 2021

  Either show bass fishing/catching or show interviews. Both cannot be done in an hour. You cannot teach the everyday person about your product in one hour.

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• Steven Constant of New Richmond, WI writes:

  Thursday, December 16, 2021

  RE: Balog on delayed broadcasts – Couldn't agree more with Joe on this.

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• Buddy Beck of Palatka, FL writes:

  Tuesday, December 14, 2021

  RE: Balog on delayed broadcasts – I totally agree with the writer's views.

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• Shawn Welden of Andersonville, TN writes:

  Sunday, December 12, 2021

  RE: Balog on best customers – I totally agree with the article. Ive always bass-fished since i was a teenager. I was in my early 20s when i started tournament fishing, and I was hooked. It's been like a drug that I've tried to quit multiple times. When I first started you could fish any local tournament and almost everyone had a chance to win. We were weekend warriors, to say the least. Things have changed greatly.

  Anyone with math skills can figure out that any large tournaments are a gimmick. Boats have gotten out of control, they have tripled in price since the mid 90s. And tackle has expanded to the point that you can't be good at anything because you're trying to follow the trends. The best anglers are the ones who keep it simple – crankers, flippers and power-fishermen. A local tournament that I fish in the winter last was mainly dominated by a guy with a G3 aluminum and electronics smaller than 9-inch. We have lost the perspective of weekend warriors, instinct fishing and camaraderie. Makes me want to join an old man's club and escape the rat race of my second job (fishing). Thanks for the article.

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• Brian Chance of Visalia, CA writes:

  Saturday, December 11, 2021

  RE: Balog on best cusotmers – Agreed. You should not have to spend $3K to have spot-lock anchor or $3,500 to add graphs to catch fish. Tournament guys with those products finish last, too.

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• Gary Pryor of Gallatin, TN writes:

  Saturday, December 11, 2021

  Joe, your missing-the-boat commentary is one of the best you've ever written. The commercialization of outdoor recreation, the outlandish prices of boats, is destroying the future of fishing. While I agree we don't need any more bass fishermen clogging our limited resources, the industry is increasingly pushing consumers that you just can't go fishing without a bunch of expensive stuff. I learned long ago that I love fishing to get away from it all, and it is the experience, of being out in nature, that is the true reason for going.

  The late baseball great and avid outdoorsman Ted Williams wrote that wild fish and their environment no longer account for anything, and that it is the gadgets that are pushed by industry that breed discontent in anglers who used to be happy sitting on the bank soaking in sun and soaking doughballs in the creek. Now young people are taught you can't fish without a bunch of expensive boats and tackle. Having fun in a wild environment is ignored by the boat and tackle industries. No wonder kayaks are selling so well.

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• George Kramer of Lake Elsinore, CA writes:

  Friday, December 10, 2021

  RE: Balog on advancements – A word about technology and front-looking sonar. What I would like to see is that visual technology built into a clear helmet visor like the fighter pilots. I'm 50 years past Top Gun, but the industry just can't make a screen big enough for aging eyes with typical near-sightedness. But put those sidescan/forward marks a couple inches from my nose and I'll be techno basser too. Well, maybe.

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• Randy Brandenburg of Frisco, TX writes:

  Friday, December 10, 2021

  RE: Balog on best customers – I feel this way. I don't see it changing, though, as long as the money keeps flowing in. I have wondered why a boat manufacturer doesn't build an entry-level base model 18-foot glass boat with an outboard motor, trolling motor and a simple graph and sell it for $20K. Because a dang 17-foot aluminum boat costs more than that. So, here I go in my little aluminum jon boat, except the wind is blowing 20 mph. Better stay on shore today.

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• Chad Hill of Du Quoin, IL writes:

  Thursday, December 9, 2021

  RE: Balog on advancements – I could not have said it better myself. Like you, I am in my 40s and have fished tournaments for decades. I feel the exact same way. I applaud those who have taken advantage of the tools available, but it isn't fishing to me. Tournaments have become about time, money and technology. I am completely with you just exactly how you explained it.

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• Chad Hill of Du Quoin, IL writes:

  Thursday, December 9, 2021

  RE: Balog on best customers – This article is spot-on! I sold my 20-foot Phoenix this summer. I am fishing from a 15-foot jon boat that I built out myself. I am catching more and bigger fish than I have in a while. I may get back into a big rig, I may not. The industry is pricing itself out of relevance. For the first time in my life, I cannot justify some of the costs. Therefore, I cut back, as I explained earlier.

  Like you, I selfishly would like to see bass fishing lose some popularity to lessen the pressure on lakes that can't sustain it. Do the pros who push the endless list of high-end products really think the average weekend anglers are going to continue buying them? Gas is over $3 per gallon again. Inflation is raging. There comes a breaking point. Folks will find other things to do. The pandemic has proven that.

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• Gerald Andrews of Benton, KY writes:

  Thursday, December 9, 2021

  RE: Balog on best customers – Joe, perhaps your best writing to date. Totally agree with your observation about missing the figurative boat, and to whom the industry is catering. I still fish some tournaments, but fishing for fun is more fun!

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• Andy Williamson of Lake Andes, SD writes:

  Friday, December 3, 2021

  RE: Balog on adavancements – Joe B., I understand your sentiments regarding tackle around 30 years ago, but thought you were a little hard on monofilament. Even 40 years ago it was very good. That clear/blue fluorescent Stren was and still is super. Around 55-60 years ago, it probably wasn't too good.

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• Jason Houchins of Clarksville, VA writes:

  Thursday, December 2, 2021

  RE: Balog on forward-facing sonar – This is a sore subject for me. I totally applaud the guy who takes the time to learn and commit to screen-watching. This is not about bashing anyone for taking advantage of the tools you are given. I have fished tournaments for over 20 years and have never seen anything that has totally changed tournaments like this. I'm in my 40s and haven't fished a tournament since July of this year, because of this technology. Its true, you cant compete without it. I just cant do it ... it's not fishing to me.

  Years of experience and knowledge are pretty much worthless during certain times of the year now – it's all about technology. I guess I've become the grumpy old man that I never thought I would be. Now casting doesn't matter, seasonal patterns don't matter, all that matters is watching that screen. How I long for the days when you could just go fishing and figure it out as the day goes by. That's gone, and I don't see it coming back. Again, I totally applaud the guys who are committed to doing this and evolve to compete. I can't, its not fishing to me. It bothers me that fishing tournaments has become more about time, money and technology and less about skill, experience and decisions. But, it's the way it is. You evolve or quit.

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• Chad Hill of Du Quoin, IL writes:

  Wednesday, December 1, 2021

  RE: Illinois fees – A few years ago, I partnered with the owner of a regional tournament organization to meet with state legislators in southern Illinois to discuss fishing and fisheries management. To sum it up, they had zero interest in what we had to say. Any proposals that cost a single dime were non-starters

  In addition, I penned a respectful, well-thought out letter to the director of IDNR. He retired a couple of years ago, and his name escapes me at the moment. His reply was that basically I had no clue what I was talking about. Keep in mind, I have fished Illinois waters my entire life, been a member of multiple clubs, fished many tournaments in several states. My perspective is realistic and accurate. IDNR has no interest in working with anglers, especially bass anglers. But they sure do love the money we generate.

  I will say this: I don't like using fees and taxes to limit the number of boats on the water and possibly reduce tournaments. However, Illinois lakes are overcrowded and cannot sustain the amount of pressure being put on them. Bass fishing in Illinois is dying!

  I have no sympathy for IDNR being short on staff, etc. They stopped effectively managing our waterways decades ago. IDNR gets what it deserves, especially when it won't accept free help from anglers.

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