Randy l would like to say your no doubt the no l channel l watch, I done a livestream not to long ago and l forgot to mention you in it, l definitely will on the next livestream, because folks Randy is a very honest person who says and backs up what he believes in, I come from Randy’s generation and l agree with his decision to fight for the sport of fishing instead of a greedy market for forward facing sonar. Rick clunn and Randy were top competitors back when Bassmaster was a strong organization, hang tough god bless you Randy
Randy, I just watched your podcast episode on Zaldangerious and have gained a lot of respect for you. Three adults able to discuss and debate and keep it respectful.
As a bass fisherman who does not beIong to a bass cIub, it is nice to hear from a former Pro who knows the history, as weII as the current events, of the bass fishing marketpIace. I appreciate the commentary of someone who is very concerned about the industry as a whoIe, for the future of our kids and grandkids, as it appears evident that big money / commerciaIism is primariIy driving the sport today. Keep up the good work, Randy!
Randy, totally agree with you. What it costs to fish today is crazy. I would have never guessed that a simple crank bait would cost fifteen bucks or more. I stopped competitive fishing a few years ago simply because it started being a financial burden. My family was still supporting me but I could tell it started affecting our lives. Things have to change if the sport of professional fishing is to be successful.
The fundamental problem with pro fishing is that it uses public property and natural resources . No other professional sport does and pro fisherman don’t and shouldn’t have priority over the normal tax payer. Additionally pro fishing kills more fish and causes more pollution than anything else.
Randy, is there a possibility for you and other pros like you could start a Fishing organization that is based on the old school Bass Master model and implement these rules you're speaking of? Maybe make it part of Bass Master itself? I dont know anything about how all that works, I just LOVE fishing and would like to see it maintained for the long haul. 👍
The end or decline of professional bass fishing is coming to a close. Very few people care about professional bass fishing. The bass across our country are in decline for many reasons. Mortality rate and pulling bass off their beds are the leading causes. No species in other sports like basketball or football will lose their life. Bass do have a high mortality rate. It mostly happens in professional bass fishing at the national or local levels. Randy you and people like you have contributed to that decline. Fess up and take responsibility for your actions. Ray Scott did not do those dead bass any favors.
Another great video. I don’t know why anyone would try to make it in bass fishing. I make a great living, but I can’t believe how much equipment costs have gone up.
Thanks randy this is so true I hope this video gets to the whole fishing community because you really hit it out of the park on this one thanks again and god bless you 🙏
Whenever I hear someone say this new , young guy is awesome, and going to be the best…..my first thought is, if I walk up to his boat and take the FFS unit off,…………how good is he now? (Mic drop)
I agree on so many of your point. I've taken upon myself to get more young minorities involved with bassfishing, but the COST is crazy! Continue to educate people and bring awareness to the sport!
I certainly agree with 99% of what you talked about. I know a bunch of guys here in Southern Illinois that have the talent to compete on the Elite series. They won't because they won't tie up that much money to fish the Opens and MAYBE qualify for the Elites. Boat prices are ridiculous. My dad bought a new Skeeter in 87 17' with 150. Cost 17k. I bought a 2020 19' with 200 on it was 50k before adding any electronics. There is at least 1 other professional sport where you "pay to play". Pro rodeo. I was working on my PRCA membership until I shattered my ankle. They pay entry fees along with travel expenses to try and win the money. The last year I rode, a bull rider I know made 120k, he spent 60k to win that. Lastly, having a degree in biology, i certainly am in favor of clean environments. But, with the state of things today, inflation and such, with many households living paycheck to paycheck, i would say many people would choose that small tax break over environmental bills in congress. Just my 2 cents. Keep up the great work Randy. Side note, are there any places to stay at Table Rock that don't cost 2k a night ( bid cedar lodge) .
This is the best fishing channel on you tube! I grew up watching you fish BASS tourneys. You and Hank Parker was my favorites. Me and my son watch all your videos. He graduates next year from high school. As a graduation present, I am saving for us to spend a day on the water with you! Thanks for standing up for the sport of fishing buddy.
Great points and very well put I wish the people at the top of the organizations would sit and listen to this, I have been telling my buddies and people at sporting goods stores ,that company's are pricing the people that made them successful out of the market .
Randy I haven’t been in a Bass Pro shop in over two years because of the stupid prices on fishing tackle. Well yesterday a friend and decided we would go just to check out. Boy I’m going to tell you prices have jumped like crazy spinner baits $18 to $20 bucks the cheapest of crankbaits $12 bucks Yamamoto sinkOs $15 bucks. The old clear Bass Pro worm boxes the cheapest ones that used to be $5 bucks now $12 bucks. The only thing I bought was was two park of 5 rubber spinner baits skirt’s. Very proud of my self.
Great stuff. Two things $3,000.00 in 1981 is closer to $11,000 now. Secondly no one says you have to fish out of a $100,000 boat. Wrapping a 10 year old 21 ft boat with a new outboard is an option and won’t be any different than a brand new one. Basscat has life time transferable warranty on hulls so you can even have warranty in case something happens in big waves to the hull.
Randy, where do you find a 17 foot boat with a 50 horse? And two 10 inch electronics with a trailer and a power Pole for $10000. I would say the cheapest from what I have seen would be around $40000. It would be a challenge to fish Lake Ontario Lake Champlain Saint Lawrence river with a 17 foot boat and 50 horse, not to mention the safety expect.. The water quality of many of our fisheries, including Lake Ontario, Lake Erie lake Cham plain Saint Lawrence river. Is way better now than it was in the 70s, and the fisheries are much stronger now. I agree these big tournaments should have at least 100% pay back of the entry fees to the fisherman.
He means most fishermen pay zero attention to tournaments and pros other than watching RUclips instructional videos. I didn’t give them a thought until my neighbor who fishes them moved in two years ago. Basically 30 years of fishing and zero attention to’pro fishing’
@@MuahManin football you get paid 6 million to play. In fishing you pay 40k in entry fees. Theres no fan base for this sport. Nobody we know sits down to watch fishing. No one goes to a weigh in unless they are family or looking for information. Its not a spectator sport therefore there is no income. Cornhole is doing better.
You’re a 100% right on all points. What happened to the 18ft bass boat with a 150 which was basically what you were limited to in BASS years ago ? Changed the horsepower limit to sell larger boats. Why allow forward facing….to sell more units. They allow forward but don’t dare allow an A-rig….Lol. I have tons of opinions that you would agree with just too much to type.
Totally agree with you, Randy. Bass fishing has gotten obscenely expensive, and I know a lot of young guys that would prefer to fish for anything other than those "green bass" because they think it's ridiculous what people spend to do it. I've largely given up my childhood dream of owning a bassboat, and have switched mostly to kayak fishing. I'm happy to say I don't miss boat fishing much at all, but I live in an area with a lot of electric only lakes, so it's convenient for me.
You've presented the best, most well thought-out, and presented argument I've ever watched. The cost of ALL FISHING, both fresh and saltwater is completely out of control. You are totally correct that it will sooner, rather than later will kill the sport.
95% is fragmentation. Not only within bass fishing, but all the other circuits that are chasing other species. There is no clear cut ‘big leagues’ for fishing. The other 5% is debatable. The environmental issues have improved dramatically since the 70s. Financial disparity will always exist in every sport, although I do agree it’s more of a hurdle to overcome in fishing.
Randy you hit the nail on the head with the money it takes to be competitive in tournament fishing. I even see it in local stuff. If you don’t have live scope it seems like you are just donating your entry fee to someone who does. Personally I’m about done with tournament fishing. As a retired guy who still works part time to be able to fish I’m beginning to feel stupid for doing it. It’s a problem for the sport across the board.
This is why I like kayak bass fishing. You don’t need all the fancy stuff to get out and catch fish. Plus it takes you back to basics. Understanding the body of water you are fishing, weather & reducing the amount of gear you can take. I love the challenge series from KBF great video as always I am new to the channel and you speak the truth. Keep it going.
Sadly kayak fishing has gone the same way in the tourney scene on a local level I joined a club & was immediately met with guys who had the highest level of tech on their yaks along with the best motors there was virtually no way I could compete against guys like that
Agree pretty much 100% on every topic. And I predicted the supersaturation of pro fishing with the advent of FLW way back in '96. I really did. BTW Randy- my wife is DIGGIN' your stuff (she's been with me too long).
@@christopherwood2290 I think it was a combination of FLW not having a 150 limit and the 1999 economy being good and the sponsors wanting to sell more expensive boats. Randy is always talking about the money pushing FFS but the hp rule change doubled the cost of a boat! I think the 18ft 150hp boats were better fishing boats!
You know I tried helping out the Local High School Fishing Team. Offered Combos, hard baits, soft baits, etc. Heddons, Rebels, Bombers, Strike King, Rapalas, Zoom etc. They wouldn't even look at them if they didn't say JDM on them. When I was young, I would bite a crappy old worm down to barely anything and still use it. So yeah, times are a changin.
Great info and summary where bass fishing came from. As a retired USCG Captain and former Owner/Operator, I ran inshore charters for Saltwater Fishing for 20 years. I am not an expert by any means, but I do agree that whether fresh or saltwater, conservation and STEWARDSHIP should be a top priority in our sportfishing. With the technology that is out there today, there should be a scale and measuring board that is integrated, standardized and affordable so that catch, weigh, measure, photo and release is done effortlessly and the fish is revived and returned healthy. Fishing tournaments should be sponsored by entities commited to stewardshhip and conversation, and passing all this on to generations to come. As far as boats, electronics and equipment, perhaps there should be limits and classes, with the payout, or even the whole tournamant going more to the ones with more conservative, traditional means. Case in Point - Even big game hunters cannot use high tech on opening day to produce a trophy kill. They can use it to scout preseason to some point, but not during the hunt. Just a thought and thank you again. Tight lines and Semper Paratus.
You nailed the truth about pro fishing it's not affordable more the majority of us and do need to do more for the future of it thank you for pointing this out most do have head stuck in the sand
Totally agree Randy. I have thought many times about reaching out to the fishing industries to invest in a small boat 90 hp max major tournament league. Regional tournaments with top 10 winners from each region to fish in a one day championship.
I don’t get pro fishing tournaments at all. I know no one who watches, or follows, any pro tournaments. At all. I would imagine that even though fishing generally is far more popular than other sports but I’d guess a very small fraction of those fishermen pay any attention to pro level activity other than watching RUclips instructional videos.
It would be nice if tournament fishing didn't exist anymore. I love fishing tournaments when I can, as I'm a competitive person, but it's becoming extremely unhealthy for the lakes. I agree about the elitist turn that bass fishing has taken. Really, its more like gambling than anything else.
As someone fishing the BFLs in an 18ft aluminum boat with a 60hp merc, I can say the deck is stacked. I did manage 34th overall and made regionals, but without a 250, power poles and forward facing sonar its a real struggle. It's not impossible but good luck finding a sponsor without all the flashy gear, even if you are a consistent performer.
True, bass fishing has the highest fan participation than any other sport, but almost all of the people who follow the sport are participants. Fishing tournaments don't have many fans that don't fish. Don't know what's that's worth. I just don't care that much about "growing the sport"
Back in the late 70s I was 20 years old. At the time I loved to fish. Thought I would try to persue a professional bass fishing career. I was able to attend a three day bass fishing seminar put on by the American Institute of Bass Fishing. We had access to many pro fisherman and I spoke with a few one on one. My takeaway from the the info I had gathered was..First you have to find someone to pay you to fish. Well to me that sounds like a lot of salesmanship and or guiding ect. And also pressure to perform. At that point I decided that I would rather fish with out the pressure and continue to enjoy the sport without the glamour or recognition. Catching a lot of fish is fun and I still love to fish. But it doesn't have to be a competition to enjoy it. Fishing should not be the only thing in this world to define who you are.
Hey Randy, i was reading through my Bass Magazine and reading the stories of those who have excelled in various tournaments, winning in the top 10 or top 20. One thing that was in common by those who won these tournaments was they all used live scope. Every single one of them and i noticed how they stated that they may not have won if not for live scope. I see how it helps but as an amateur fisherman and as a purist in things, I would like to see them go back to participants knowing how to read the lake, brush, rocks, etc. Simple~! Live scope takes away from the sport in my opinion. To each his/her own.
Hi Randy my name is Bernard l live in PA and I love fishing. I checked into becoming a professional fisherman back in 2022 at the age of 58. I did the math all my homework to see what it was going to cost me to fish MLF or Bassmasters. I was so disappointed and a little mad to find out what it would cost for one year of fishing. I figured thr cost of a good used not new boat, travel money, hotels and what it would take to keep things going back home. I forgot entree fees. I was looking at little over $150,000 just to get started and I'm sure I forgot things. It broke my heart because I really was looking forward to it. Great story Randy. Thanks.
I’m all for anything that limits the number tournaments going on. If bass fishing being an elitist sport reduces the number of people competing in tournaments ,I think we should double the current entry fees. Florida is being fucked by tournaments! The recent high school kids on Harris are noting but a bunch of arrogant spoiled brats who don’t even deserve the privilege of fishing that lake. WTF is shouting “tournament anglers coming through!” at a bunch guys who have been fishing that lake since the late 70’s.
Good thoughts Randy. First thing you need to get a mic. closer to your mouth. Got to turn it up to here ya and when the ads come on they blast. I think mlf had a start to some of your ideas. Like 18 foot 150hp boats like we use to run. 2 9" graphs. No entry costs, etc. I ran a skeeter wrangler 16' 90hp when I started. Boat and trailer new 1980 motor found used and I rigged it myself one flasher, 24lb trolling motor. About 6k all in. But in the big water in Michigan, white knuckle scary. Went to an 184 champion 150hp after that 11k all in and that boat would get me everywhere I needed to go. Even 19' 200hp limit would help keep the cost down. With modern filming like go pro etc. probably get away from dragging that camera person around less weight and cost. Keep it up!!
As a young angler who's 23 years old I would love to fish in tournaments but i am definitely priced out. I fish from the bank, docks, and a paddle board and just try to enjoy the little time i can get on the water.
Great video ... Well said on all topics. I have been a long time angular since 3 years pf age, but the barrier to entry (for me) was the $$. I could not agree more on the environmental factors. Great content Randy. For those 80 percent who agree with you, keep on keeping on.
Agree with most you said, but 2 things 1st a 17 foot boat with a 50 h.p. is similar to a classic xl and that boat being a mod-v is 20,000. 2nd try fishing thesebigakes that we fish all the time in a 17 foot mod-v. That would be dangerous. You cannot get a brand new fiberglass 17 foot bassboat for under 38,000.
I personally don't want bass fishing or kayak fishing to become more popular. I enjoy fishing & being out in mother nature without the inconvenience of running into bunch other people. Which is probably why I enjoy kayaking fishing so much sense I can get places big boats can't. I also spend a lot of time finding & getting to hard to get places even most kayak anglers aren't willing to put time & effort to getting too. Thankfully the area in SC I'm living i don't see a lot of other kayak anglers, which I find odd? I've only been living down here 2 years now. Before I moved I lived in southwest Ohio & I saw a ton of kayak anglers, especially after the kungflu hit
Very well said! I fished 2 B.A.S.S. TOP 100'S in the 1990's entry fee was $400 I was fortunate enough to fish with the likes of Davy Hite, Mark Melendez, Cliff Craft, Jimmy Huston and a couple of more! for $400 for 4 days each tournament and cashed one check! what a deal! affordable!
Excellent ideas Mr Randy I've made this comment a few times saying that a kid that loves to fish but doesn't come from money doesn't have a chance to be on the high school fishing team and that's fd up
I agree with you 100%. My addition to the list: No training for boat operators, including pulling a trailer, backing up, launching the boat, recovering the boat, addressing waves, rollers, boat traffic, etc. Lack of skills, courtesy, and boating ability on the water.
I'm still running a 95 Skeeter 300 ZX.. carpet, seats redone twice. My Hull is three times better than what was built recently. I paid 20, 500 in 1995... anybody that has been fishing in my boat is amazed at how stable it is... no comparison. Repowered with a Suzuki SS250. I have better than new and had money to spend on electronics... it aint rocket science.
This hits home! It is absolutely ridiculous. If a lot of these guys want to fish against the best competition, right now a lot of those guys are sitting on the sidelines fishing Wednesday Nighters and buddy tournaments
I’ve been saying it for years. Why you need a boat to run 79 miles an hour to catch a fish Or you have to have a 2500 hundred dollar gun to kill a deer just have ruined the two sports. I’m with you a hundred percent Keep up the good work. Small town alabama
The way its going it will be like nascar and drag racing you will have to have a rich daddy to get you in the sport, to make it fair, give everybody the same boat, no electronics, just a small gas motor, and one trolling motor
Randy, I’m really glad you brought up the information with Ray Scott. I just watched his story on The Cast the other day on TV and was reminded about his role in starting the conservation effort and stressing, catch and release fishing.. I think many people today would call that “woke”. That’s very unfortunate.
Hi Randy, I'm 81 years old and agree with your subject matter on the dark clouds over Pro fishing that is occuring with those individuals that have their heads in the sand. Get some people in the sport and some legislators that will work for the success and good of the sport of pro fishing. If this does not happen asap the sport will end up dead on the vine.
No reason except for $$. Not necessarily for the industry companies either. A lot of cities that fork out money to build facilities that can accommodate major tournaments don’t just expect a return on the investment, they have to have it. That comes in the form of sales tax revenue generated from tourism. Those weigh ins are big draws. Back in the FLW days, the guys hauled their catches to the nearest Walmart supercenter parking lot because as the major sponsor, Walmart wanted that money too. I’ve gone to a few classic weigh ins. Cities bid on hosting those weigh ins the draw is so big. The expo dollars alone are massive. The last Classic I went to on Lay lake filled the civic center area and expo hall with over 100k attendees per day every day and the expo was going on the entire week and weekend. Everything sold in that expo generated tax revenue. Not to mention the restaurants, hotels, etc. I understand MLF were able to cheat the money changers a bit with their on the water weigh ins. There were reasons that was possible in the beginning too much like the heyday of FLW contracts. Now they are putting a lot more burden onto their anglers too. To go sans on sight weigh ins now, they really need another draw close to equal to the weigh ins for the hosts of the tournaments. What else can generate it?
Very true Randy, interesting to see Dakota leaving MLF to fish the opens for an Elite spot. You watch the shift of top anglers now if livescope gets banned. It’s gonna be an inversion like no other. The clouds ARE forming!
A professional is any one who gets paid for what they do.I feel the fish should be the ones that get paid they are the real stars.The bass should get together and form a union they are really being exploited.
Good insight. Get past the comparison of “professional” fishing as a sport that can be compared to other well known sports (football, baseball, golf, etc)… it is not that kind sport, and never will be. It is much more a competitive game like poker. No real professional sport has an entry fee, Yet over 8k people pay $10,000 each year in an attempt to win the WSOP. “Professional” bass fishing, at whatever “pro” level, is poker. Fine with me, as I like poker too.
Randy I 100% agree with what you’re saying, I grew up in a mobile home park scraped enough money together to fish a state qualifier and won it as a non-boater because I had a lot of talent but no money, after that I wasn’t able to participate because of the cost of everything in the 2000s was way more than what someone could afford trying to scratch their way out of poverty could obtain, Living in a single parent household, my mother was working two jobs just so we could afford to eat. Sorry for the long-winded post. Just wanted to say you’re 100% correct?
I agree as well. Social media is another problem. I have been so turned off since bass fishing shows like Orlando Wilson and Hank and that great Sunday afternoon line up went away. Now too many voices too many opinions and those that oppose what you say about the environment and FFS are the ones I reject and refuse to watch. No one cared what Denny or Guidos wife’s opinion on current issues were. I do wish they went back to basics. Basic boat, basic electronics. I know that you live in the Mecca of fishing but I don’t see near the amount of people pulling boats heading to the lake like I did just three years ago. People talk about how much groceries they can buy now for 100 bucks. Go buy tackle…100 bucks is a small basket at BPS.
Environmentally I think you have some good points, and I agree that the cost of fishing related gear is crazy......but so is the cost of everything else. It's not just bass fishing, look at every youth sport.....the kids that have the financial means to take lessons, hire personal trainers, etc. are more likely to succeed in there sport of choice. I fished in a small boat bass club when I was in High School over 30 years ago....entry fees were $20 per tournament......I fish in a local club now, and have for the last 20 years, and our entry fee is $20, and that's optional....you can fish for just AOY points if you choose. Costs in all aspects of our lives will continue to rise, just like our parents, and our grand parents we have to make choices on what we spend our money on. With high School, College, and Clubs around the US, there are low cost affordable options available for those who want to give competitive fishing a try. Organizations put in a lot of time and effort in order to host events......I don't know about you, but unless I am donating my time and resources to a cause, I don't work for free and I would never expect someone else to. Just my .02.......I have to give you props, you almost made it through the video without a FFS reference, almost...lol
Key word paradigm shift. My mistake was taking kids fishing who had no to very little experience bass fishing and putting them over fish with my 50 plus years experience fishing spots and my custom made lures that has tons of success and seeing them catching nice quality bass. Then what happened was they just take it for granted and want that same result with no idea how but to go to electronic world. Same in deer hunting when kids are getting 200 plus inch rack bucks and want more and more the same happens we know what it that takes to keep up with this money wise. I grew up walking the banks of rivers and when we got a skiff to fish out of I thought we were in heaven. So with that being said it’s time to slow down a little and don’t start kids at the top let’s educate from the true morals of the out door sports and not give unsustainable ideas to the young. We caused this problem and we need to slow it down and adjust our mind sets. Covid really was an eye opener to what’s important and now it’s time to readjust some of our methods. Once again Randy you are spot on and pray people can slow down this beast so the next generations have same qualities with out door experience. Thank you.
Thank you Randy for being "brave" enough to voice your concern about our fisheries. I am reaching out to you because I believe we have a potential serious situation occurring on our small 130 acre Lake here in Michigan just west of Ann Arbor a little west of Ann Arbor. We have no public boat access but there is a public park and people launch their fishing kayaks to no end they are keeping every fish they catch. I am wondering how I go about turning our lake or petitioning to have our Lake to be catch and release only. Please help
Randy, the most successful TV sports, was because of competition between 2 leagues, creating something NEW. The NBA & ABA, creating the modern basketball games we have today. The NFL & AFL, creating the Super Bowl we have today. All of this happened in the 1960's. Basketball & Football started in the 1800's, so it took 75+ years for things to catch on Professionally. Professional bass fishing B.A.S.S. wasn't started until the 1960's so it's still very young. Baseball & Golf are even older, so things take time. Professional fishing is closely on pace with other profrssional sports following the same time lines. Yes, we would like to see professional fishing BIGGER, but only time will allow that. It's unfair to compare a young professional sport to an older professional sport. I understand where you're coming from. On another hand Professional fishing is still cheaper to enter than Professional auto racing (NHRA, IHRA, NASCAR, INDY, GRAND PRIX) which requires $$$ millions to start to qualify. YES, Auto racing is pay to play ask any driver... checkout Lake Speed's story, he started in go-carts. Thanks for sharing... 🍺🎣
The price of getting into NASCAR and bass fishing because of the equipment needed are in the same boat NASCAR owners are complaining about the same thing
@@gillbartle6165 Yes, any auto racing is a very expensive pay to play sport. NHRA average is a $15K+ per 1/4 mile pass. A Top Fueler Professional with million dollar cars including multiple engines at $200K each, truck trailers... etc. Professional fishing is not alone. I have 2 neighbors (1) race Top Alcohol Dragsters the other is the 2022 NHRA National Champion Super Gas... They both pay to play. I agree with Randy but Professional fishing is still very young. Time will get it there. 🍺🎣
Randy l would like to say your no doubt the no l channel l watch, I done a livestream not to long ago and l forgot to mention you in it, l definitely will on the next livestream, because folks Randy is a very honest person who says and backs up what he believes in, I come from Randy’s generation and l agree with his decision to fight for the sport of fishing instead of a greedy market for forward facing sonar. Rick clunn and Randy were top competitors back when Bassmaster was a strong organization, hang tough god bless you Randy
Thank you Richard that means a lot to me coming from you!
Well said Richard 👍
Wow this might be my favorite youtube fishing moment ever! Two legends doing what they can for the next generation
@@SloMoBob thx man
Randy is full of bass fishing knowledge.. I enjoy the content
Man I’m turning 44 this year and looking for my first 10k bass boat now! lol been dreaming of it since high school in the 90’s
I just bought a 1988 Ranger that was garage kept.. its great going with no boat payment
Randy, I just watched your podcast episode on Zaldangerious and have gained a lot of respect for you. Three adults able to discuss and debate and keep it respectful.
As a bass fisherman who does not beIong to a bass cIub, it is nice to hear from a former Pro who knows the history, as weII as the current events, of the bass fishing marketpIace. I appreciate the commentary of someone who is very concerned about the industry as a whoIe, for the future of our kids and grandkids, as it appears evident that big money / commerciaIism is primariIy driving the sport today. Keep up the good work, Randy!
Randy, totally agree with you. What it costs to fish today is crazy. I would have never guessed that a simple crank bait would cost fifteen bucks or more. I stopped competitive fishing a few years ago simply because it started being a financial burden. My family was still supporting me but I could tell it started affecting our lives. Things have to change if the sport of professional fishing is to be successful.
Been watching old BASS and FLW tournament from the eighties and nineties reminds me of why I fell in love with bass fishing.
The fundamental problem with pro fishing is that it uses public property and natural resources . No other professional sport does and pro fisherman don’t and shouldn’t have priority over the normal tax payer. Additionally pro fishing kills more fish and causes more pollution than anything else.
Yes!
There’s not a single pro sport that owns its own stadium. People’s taxes pay for it. That stinks to high Heaven.
100% nailed it! Money and not caring will be the death of bass fishing.
That is the problem in the U.S. overall. It is all about money and not morals, values or character.
Randy, is there a possibility for you and other pros like you could start a Fishing organization that is based on the old school Bass Master model and implement these rules you're speaking of? Maybe make it part of Bass Master itself? I dont know anything about how all that works, I just LOVE fishing and would like to see it maintained for the long haul. 👍
That would be nice, but it would take a ton of money
The end or decline of professional bass fishing is coming to a close. Very few people care about professional bass fishing. The bass across our country are in decline for many reasons. Mortality rate and pulling bass off their beds are the leading causes. No species in other sports like basketball or football will lose their life. Bass do have a high mortality rate. It mostly happens in professional bass fishing at the national or local levels. Randy you and people like you have contributed to that decline. Fess up and take responsibility for your actions. Ray Scott did not do those dead bass any favors.
Spot on.
Love your wisdom and teaching . We need a device to weigh fish in the boat so spawning fish can be returned to there bed !
Another great video. I don’t know why anyone would try to make it in bass fishing. I make a great living, but I can’t believe how much equipment costs have gone up.
What sport doesn’t cost a lot of money
@@Leecourt1 road bowling, horseshoes, cornhole, pickle ball, running,
I honestly can't figure out how anyone can disagree with you. You're speaking truth. Don't stop
Thanks randy this is so true I hope this video gets to the whole fishing community because you really hit it out of the park on this one thanks again and god bless you 🙏
Whenever I hear someone say this new , young guy is awesome, and going to be the best…..my first thought is, if I walk up to his boat and take the FFS unit off,…………how good is he now? (Mic drop)
I agree on so many of your point. I've taken upon myself to get more young minorities involved with bassfishing, but the COST is crazy! Continue to educate people and bring awareness to the sport!
Yes sir that's what the FLW did but now corporate greed ruined it.
I certainly agree with 99% of what you talked about. I know a bunch of guys here in Southern Illinois that have the talent to compete on the Elite series. They won't because they won't tie up that much money to fish the Opens and MAYBE qualify for the Elites. Boat prices are ridiculous. My dad bought a new Skeeter in 87 17' with 150. Cost 17k. I bought a 2020 19' with 200 on it was 50k before adding any electronics.
There is at least 1 other professional sport where you "pay to play". Pro rodeo. I was working on my PRCA membership until I shattered my ankle. They pay entry fees along with travel expenses to try and win the money. The last year I rode, a bull rider I know made 120k, he spent 60k to win that.
Lastly, having a degree in biology, i certainly am in favor of clean environments. But, with the state of things today, inflation and such, with many households living paycheck to paycheck, i would say many people would choose that small tax break over environmental bills in congress. Just my 2 cents. Keep up the great work Randy.
Side note, are there any places to stay at Table Rock that don't cost 2k a night ( bid cedar lodge) .
This is the best fishing channel on you tube! I grew up watching you fish BASS tourneys. You and Hank Parker was my favorites. Me and my son watch all your videos. He graduates next year from high school. As a graduation present, I am saving for us to spend a day on the water with you! Thanks for standing up for the sport of fishing buddy.
Wow, thanks!
Great points and very well put I wish the people at the top of the organizations would sit and listen to this, I have been telling my buddies and people at sporting goods stores ,that company's are pricing the people that made them successful out of the market .
Randy I haven’t been in a Bass Pro shop in over two years because of the stupid prices on fishing tackle. Well yesterday a friend and decided we would go just to check out. Boy I’m going to tell you prices have jumped like crazy spinner baits $18 to $20 bucks the cheapest of crankbaits $12 bucks Yamamoto sinkOs $15 bucks. The old clear Bass Pro worm boxes the cheapest ones that used to be $5 bucks now $12 bucks. The only thing I bought was was two park of 5 rubber spinner baits skirt’s. Very proud of my self.
I love the idea about everyone using the same simple boat and motor. A manufacturer could easily build these boats. Many great points.
Randy, this is your best video ever! Thank you! for telling the truth about the sport I / we love and how to save our sport!
Great stuff. Two things $3,000.00 in 1981 is closer to $11,000 now. Secondly no one says you have to fish out of a $100,000 boat. Wrapping a 10 year old 21 ft boat with a new outboard is an option and won’t be any different than a brand new one. Basscat has life time transferable warranty on hulls so you can even have warranty in case something happens in big waves to the hull.
The difference is 3000 dollars in 1981 paid your entrances fees for the year. 11k today will pay for 2-3 tournaments.
True but in 1981 a dollar was worth a dollar and today a dollar is worth 25 cents.
Randy, where do you find a 17 foot boat with a 50 horse? And two 10 inch electronics with a trailer and a power Pole for $10000. I would say the cheapest from what I have seen would be around $40000. It would be a challenge to fish Lake Ontario Lake Champlain Saint Lawrence river with a 17 foot boat and 50 horse, not to mention the safety expect.. The water quality of many of our fisheries, including Lake Ontario, Lake Erie lake Cham plain Saint Lawrence river. Is way better now than it was in the 70s, and the fisheries are much stronger now. I agree these big tournaments should have at least 100% pay back of the entry fees to the fisherman.
As always Randy, thank you for your honesty about the state of bass fishing
The biggest supporter and customer of each league is the competitors themselves.
Think about that
What do you mean? Just wondering...
Basically the anglers are supporting everything
He means most fishermen pay zero attention to tournaments and pros other than watching RUclips instructional videos. I didn’t give them a thought until my neighbor who fishes them moved in two years ago. Basically 30 years of fishing and zero attention to’pro fishing’
@@MuahManin football you get paid 6 million to play.
In fishing you pay 40k in entry fees.
Theres no fan base for this sport. Nobody we know sits down to watch fishing. No one goes to a weigh in unless they are family or looking for information. Its not a spectator sport therefore there is no income.
Cornhole is doing better.
You’re a 100% right on all points. What happened to the 18ft bass boat with a 150 which was basically what you were limited to in BASS years ago ? Changed the horsepower limit to sell larger boats. Why allow forward facing….to sell more units. They allow forward but don’t dare allow an A-rig….Lol. I have tons of opinions that you would agree with just too much to type.
Preach!!
Totally agree with you, Randy. Bass fishing has gotten obscenely expensive, and I know a lot of young guys that would prefer to fish for anything other than those "green bass" because they think it's ridiculous what people spend to do it. I've largely given up my childhood dream of owning a bassboat, and have switched mostly to kayak fishing. I'm happy to say I don't miss boat fishing much at all, but I live in an area with a lot of electric only lakes, so it's convenient for me.
You've presented the best, most well thought-out, and presented argument I've ever watched. The cost of ALL FISHING, both fresh and saltwater is completely out of control. You are totally correct that it will sooner, rather than later will kill the sport.
Keep up the good fight.
Right on the money. No more weigh ins.
Agree with you 100%
95% is fragmentation. Not only within bass fishing, but all the other circuits that are chasing other species. There is no clear cut ‘big leagues’ for fishing. The other 5% is debatable. The environmental issues have improved dramatically since the 70s. Financial disparity will always exist in every sport, although I do agree it’s more of a hurdle to overcome in fishing.
EXACTLY
Proud of you my friend
Randy you hit the nail on the head with the money it takes to be competitive in tournament fishing. I even see it in local stuff. If you don’t have live scope it seems like you are just donating your entry fee to someone who does. Personally I’m about done with tournament fishing. As a retired guy who still works part time to be able to fish I’m beginning to feel stupid for doing it. It’s a problem for the sport across the board.
Great video Randy. You are spot on with your views. Keep it up.
Well said Randy! Agree 100%!
Randy, keep voicing your opinion, for you're certainly telling the Truth
This is why I like kayak bass fishing. You don’t need all the fancy stuff to get out and catch fish. Plus it takes you back to basics. Understanding the body of water you are fishing, weather & reducing the amount of gear you can take. I love the challenge series from KBF great video as always I am new to the channel and you speak the truth. Keep it going.
Sadly kayak fishing has gone the same way in the tourney scene on a local level I joined a club & was immediately met with guys who had the highest level of tech on their yaks along with the best motors there was virtually no way I could compete against guys like that
Agree pretty much 100% on every topic. And I predicted the supersaturation of pro fishing with the advent of FLW way back in '96. I really did. BTW Randy- my wife is DIGGIN' your stuff (she's been with me too long).
In 1999 BASS raised the hp limit from 150 to 250 it was the beginning of the end. Not one positive thing came out of that.
I think they did it when more tournaments were out west.
@@christopherwood2290 I think it was a combination of FLW not having a 150 limit and the 1999 economy being good and the sponsors wanting to sell more expensive boats. Randy is always talking about the money pushing FFS but the hp rule change doubled the cost of a boat! I think the 18ft 150hp boats were better fishing boats!
I agree about smaller boats and motors, but the American mentality is "bigger is better" unfortunately. @@edwardcowan7012
Agreed , Agreed, Agreed : mr Randy you are a PRO a real PRO
You know I tried helping out the Local High School Fishing Team. Offered Combos, hard baits, soft baits, etc. Heddons, Rebels, Bombers, Strike King, Rapalas, Zoom etc. They wouldn't even look at them if they didn't say JDM on them. When I was young, I would bite a crappy old worm down to barely anything and still use it. So yeah, times are a changin.
Great info and summary where bass fishing came from. As a retired USCG Captain and former Owner/Operator, I ran inshore charters for Saltwater Fishing for 20 years. I am not an expert by any means, but I do agree that whether fresh or saltwater, conservation and STEWARDSHIP should be a top priority in our sportfishing. With the technology that is out there today, there should be a scale and measuring board that is integrated, standardized and affordable so that catch, weigh, measure, photo and release is done effortlessly and the fish is revived and returned healthy. Fishing tournaments should be sponsored by entities commited to stewardshhip and conversation, and passing all this on to generations to come. As far as boats, electronics and equipment, perhaps there should be limits and classes, with the payout, or even the whole tournamant going more to the ones with more conservative, traditional means. Case in Point - Even big game hunters cannot use high tech on opening day to produce a trophy kill. They can use it to scout preseason to some point, but not during the hunt. Just a thought and thank you again. Tight lines and Semper Paratus.
You nailed the truth about pro fishing it's not affordable more the majority of us and do need to do more for the future of it thank you for pointing this out most do have head stuck in the sand
I’m 63 and retired. It took me twenty years twenty + years to be able to afford a boat that I wanted.
If It takes 20 years to buy a bass boat . Then fishing itself can kiss my a$$ ..
@@adamsnelson4689 that’s how long it took. But I bought a really nice one ($79,000) and I didn’t finance it.
Totally agree Randy. I have thought many times about reaching out to the fishing industries to invest in a small boat 90 hp max major tournament league. Regional tournaments with top 10 winners from each region to fish in a one day championship.
Yes, they’ve forgotten about people who just love to get out on the water and do some relaxing fishing…
I don’t get pro fishing tournaments at all. I know no one who watches, or follows, any pro tournaments. At all. I would imagine that even though fishing generally is far more popular than other sports but I’d guess a very small fraction of those fishermen pay any attention to pro level activity other than watching RUclips instructional videos.
The Human Race has always been this way! They don't cry wolf until after the fact. When it's to late. Love your channel.
It would be nice if tournament fishing didn't exist anymore. I love fishing tournaments when I can, as I'm a competitive person, but it's becoming extremely unhealthy for the lakes.
I agree about the elitist turn that bass fishing has taken. Really, its more like gambling than anything else.
As someone fishing the BFLs in an 18ft aluminum boat with a 60hp merc, I can say the deck is stacked. I did manage 34th overall and made regionals, but without a 250, power poles and forward facing sonar its a real struggle. It's not impossible but good luck finding a sponsor without all the flashy gear, even if you are a consistent performer.
True, bass fishing has the highest fan participation than any other sport, but almost all of the people who follow the sport are participants. Fishing tournaments don't have many fans that don't fish. Don't know what's that's worth. I just don't care that much about "growing the sport"
Back in the late 70s I was 20 years old. At the time I loved to fish. Thought I would try to persue a professional bass fishing career. I was able to attend a three day bass fishing seminar put on by the American Institute of Bass Fishing. We had access to many pro fisherman and I spoke with a few one on one. My takeaway from the the info I had gathered was..First you have to find someone to pay you to fish. Well to me that sounds like a lot of salesmanship and or guiding ect. And also pressure to perform. At that point I decided that I would rather fish with out the pressure and continue to enjoy the sport without the glamour or recognition. Catching a lot of fish is fun and I still love to fish. But it doesn't have to be a competition to enjoy it. Fishing should not be the only thing in this world to define who you are.
Hey Randy, i was reading through my Bass Magazine and reading the stories of those who have excelled in various tournaments, winning in the top 10 or top 20. One thing that was in common by those who won these tournaments was they all used live scope. Every single one of them and i noticed how they stated that they may not have won if not for live scope. I see how it helps but as an amateur fisherman and as a purist in things, I would like to see them go back to participants knowing how to read the lake, brush, rocks, etc. Simple~! Live scope takes away from the sport in my opinion. To each his/her own.
Hi Randy my name is Bernard l live in PA and I love fishing. I checked into becoming a professional fisherman back in 2022 at the age of 58. I did the math all my homework to see what it was going to cost me to fish MLF or Bassmasters. I was so disappointed and a little mad to find out what it would cost for one year of fishing. I figured thr cost of a good used not new boat, travel money, hotels and what it would take to keep things going back home. I forgot entree fees. I was looking at little over $150,000 just to get started and I'm sure I forgot things. It broke my heart because I really was looking forward to it. Great story Randy. Thanks.
We just attended the Sportsman’s Show In Sacramento ca. The Cal Expo event.
My kind of people N my kind of place. The new Krej lure was on display.
I cherry pick events now and stay local due to costs of fishing tournaments...SPOT ON RANDY...!!!
I would love if they did what you’re saying. Would make the sport so much more fun to watch
I’m all for anything that limits the number tournaments going on. If bass fishing being an elitist sport reduces the number of people competing in tournaments ,I think we should double the current entry fees. Florida is being fucked by tournaments! The recent high school kids on Harris are noting but a bunch of arrogant spoiled brats who don’t even deserve the privilege of fishing that lake. WTF is shouting “tournament anglers coming through!” at a bunch guys who have been fishing that lake since the late 70’s.
Good thoughts Randy. First thing you need to get a mic. closer to your mouth. Got to turn it up to here ya and when the ads come on they blast. I think mlf had a start to some of your ideas. Like 18 foot 150hp boats like we use to run. 2 9" graphs. No entry costs, etc. I ran a skeeter wrangler 16' 90hp when I started. Boat and trailer new 1980 motor found used and I rigged it myself one flasher, 24lb trolling motor. About 6k all in. But in the big water in Michigan, white knuckle scary. Went to an 184 champion 150hp after that 11k all in and that boat would get me everywhere I needed to go. Even 19' 200hp limit would help keep the cost down. With modern filming like go pro etc. probably get away from dragging that camera person around less weight and cost. Keep it up!!
As a young angler who's 23 years old I would love to fish in tournaments but i am definitely priced out. I fish from the bank, docks, and a paddle board and just try to enjoy the little time i can get on the water.
Not enough people watch it there is no money in it for big time tv hell ESPN doesn’t even list it as a sport
Great video RANDY your 100percent right i agree keep up what your doing 👍
I agree this would definitely help level the playing field and sustain the sport.
Well said Randy! I hope the right people HEAR this and make them think.
Great video ... Well said on all topics. I have been a long time angular since 3 years pf age, but the barrier to entry (for me) was the $$. I could not agree more on the environmental factors. Great content Randy. For those 80 percent who agree with you, keep on keeping on.
Agree with most you said, but 2 things 1st a 17 foot boat with a 50 h.p. is similar to a classic xl and that boat being a mod-v is 20,000. 2nd try fishing thesebigakes that we fish all the time in a 17 foot mod-v. That would be dangerous. You cannot get a brand new fiberglass 17 foot bassboat for under 38,000.
You're spot on! Keep the videos dropping. I have been a fan before all this craziness. Lol
I personally don't want bass fishing or kayak fishing to become more popular. I enjoy fishing & being out in mother nature without the inconvenience of running into bunch other people. Which is probably why I enjoy kayaking fishing so much sense I can get places big boats can't. I also spend a lot of time finding & getting to hard to get places even most kayak anglers aren't willing to put time & effort to getting too. Thankfully the area in SC I'm living i don't see a lot of other kayak anglers, which I find odd? I've only been living down here 2 years now. Before I moved I lived in southwest Ohio & I saw a ton of kayak anglers, especially after the kungflu hit
Very well said! I fished 2 B.A.S.S. TOP 100'S in the 1990's entry fee was $400 I was fortunate enough to fish with the likes of Davy Hite, Mark Melendez, Cliff Craft, Jimmy Huston and a couple of more! for $400 for 4 days each tournament and cashed one check! what a deal! affordable!
Excellent ideas Mr Randy I've made this comment a few times saying that a kid that loves to fish but doesn't come from money doesn't have a chance to be on the high school fishing team and that's fd up
I agree with you 100%.
My addition to the list: No training for boat operators, including pulling a trailer, backing up, launching the boat, recovering the boat, addressing waves, rollers, boat traffic, etc.
Lack of skills, courtesy, and boating ability on the water.
I'm still running a 95 Skeeter 300 ZX.. carpet, seats redone twice. My Hull is three times better than what was built recently. I paid 20, 500 in 1995... anybody that has been fishing in my boat is amazed at how stable it is... no comparison. Repowered with a Suzuki SS250. I have better than new and had money to spend on electronics... it aint rocket science.
This hits home! It is absolutely ridiculous. If a lot of these guys want to fish against the best competition, right now a lot of those guys are sitting on the sidelines fishing Wednesday Nighters and buddy tournaments
I’ve been saying it for years. Why you need a boat to run 79 miles an hour to catch a fish Or you have to have a 2500 hundred dollar gun to kill a deer just have ruined the two sports. I’m with you a hundred percent Keep up the good work. Small town alabama
The way its going it will be like nascar and drag racing you will have to have a rich daddy to get you in the sport, to make it fair, give everybody the same boat, no electronics, just a small gas motor, and one trolling motor
Randy, I’m really glad you brought up the information with Ray Scott. I just watched his story on The Cast the other day on TV and was reminded about his role in starting the conservation effort and stressing, catch and release fishing.. I think many people today would call that “woke”. That’s very unfortunate.
fantastic speech!
Hi Randy, I'm 81 years old and agree with your subject matter on the dark clouds over Pro fishing that is occuring with those individuals that have their heads in the sand. Get some people in the sport and some legislators that will work for the success and good of the sport of pro fishing. If this does not happen asap the sport will end up dead on the vine.
You're 100% on weight-in requirements. There's no reason why that can not be done out on the water and then immediately release!!
No reason except for $$. Not necessarily for the industry companies either. A lot of cities that fork out money to build facilities that can accommodate major tournaments don’t just expect a return on the investment, they have to have it. That comes in the form of sales tax revenue generated from tourism. Those weigh ins are big draws. Back in the FLW days, the guys hauled their catches to the nearest Walmart supercenter parking lot because as the major sponsor, Walmart wanted that money too. I’ve gone to a few classic weigh ins. Cities bid on hosting those weigh ins the draw is so big. The expo dollars alone are massive. The last Classic I went to on Lay lake filled the civic center area and expo hall with over 100k attendees per day every day and the expo was going on the entire week and weekend. Everything sold in that expo generated tax revenue. Not to mention the restaurants, hotels, etc. I understand MLF were able to cheat the money changers a bit with their on the water weigh ins. There were reasons that was possible in the beginning too much like the heyday of FLW contracts. Now they are putting a lot more burden onto their anglers too. To go sans on sight weigh ins now, they really need another draw close to equal to the weigh ins for the hosts of the tournaments. What else can generate it?
Very true Randy, interesting to see Dakota leaving MLF to fish the opens for an Elite spot. You watch the shift of top anglers now if livescope gets banned. It’s gonna be an inversion like no other. The clouds ARE forming!
A professional is any one who gets paid for what they do.I feel the fish should be the ones that get paid they are the real stars.The bass should get together and form a union they are really being exploited.
Good insight. Get past the comparison of “professional” fishing as a sport that can be compared to other well known sports (football, baseball, golf, etc)… it is not that kind sport, and never will be. It is much more a competitive game like poker. No real professional sport has an entry fee, Yet over 8k people pay $10,000 each year in an attempt to win the WSOP. “Professional” bass fishing, at whatever “pro” level, is poker. Fine with me, as I like poker too.
I’m just a guy who fishes on weekends and the cost to fish a pond is going up and up let alone getting a boat I just imagine the cost to be a pro
I retired from tournament fishing in 77. I wish it never existed.
Randy I 100% agree with what you’re saying, I grew up in a mobile home park scraped enough money together to fish a state qualifier and won it as a non-boater because I had a lot of talent but no money, after that I wasn’t able to participate because of the cost of everything in the 2000s was way more than what someone could afford trying to scratch their way out of poverty could obtain, Living in a single parent household, my mother was working two jobs just so we could afford to eat. Sorry for the long-winded post. Just wanted to say you’re 100% correct?
80% payout is pretty common practice across the country for all fishing tournaments.
I agree as well. Social media is another problem. I have been so turned off since bass fishing shows like Orlando Wilson and Hank and that great Sunday afternoon line up went away. Now too many voices too many opinions and those that oppose what you say about the environment and FFS are the ones I reject and refuse to watch. No one cared what Denny or Guidos wife’s opinion on current issues were. I do wish they went back to basics. Basic boat, basic electronics. I know that you live in the Mecca of fishing but I don’t see near the amount of people pulling boats heading to the lake like I did just three years ago. People talk about how much groceries they can buy now for 100 bucks. Go buy tackle…100 bucks is a small basket at BPS.
Environmentally I think you have some good points, and I agree that the cost of fishing related gear is crazy......but so is the cost of everything else. It's not just bass fishing, look at every youth sport.....the kids that have the financial means to take lessons, hire personal trainers, etc. are more likely to succeed in there sport of choice. I fished in a small boat bass club when I was in High School over 30 years ago....entry fees were $20 per tournament......I fish in a local club now, and have for the last 20 years, and our entry fee is $20, and that's optional....you can fish for just AOY points if you choose. Costs in all aspects of our lives will continue to rise, just like our parents, and our grand parents we have to make choices on what we spend our money on. With high School, College, and Clubs around the US, there are low cost affordable options available for those who want to give competitive fishing a try. Organizations put in a lot of time and effort in order to host events......I don't know about you, but unless I am donating my time and resources to a cause, I don't work for free and I would never expect someone else to. Just my .02.......I have to give you props, you almost made it through the video without a FFS reference, almost...lol
Purchased a new Stratos in 1990 for 15 thousand with 150hp and electronics It was a 285 Pro
Key word paradigm shift. My mistake was taking kids fishing who had no to very little experience bass fishing and putting them over fish with my 50 plus years experience fishing spots and my custom made lures that has tons of success and seeing them catching nice quality bass. Then what happened was they just take it for granted and want that same result with no idea how but to go to electronic world. Same in deer hunting when kids are getting 200 plus inch rack bucks and want more and more the same happens we know what it that takes to keep up with this money wise. I grew up walking the banks of rivers and when we got a skiff to fish out of I thought we were in heaven. So with that being said it’s time to slow down a little and don’t start kids at the top let’s educate from the true morals of the out door sports and not give unsustainable ideas to the young. We caused this problem and we need to slow it down and adjust our mind sets. Covid really was an eye opener to what’s important and now it’s time to readjust some of our methods. Once again Randy you are spot on and pray people can slow down this beast so the next generations have same qualities with out door experience. Thank you.
Will a new circuit eventually come about that has these limits and less technology or will it just a be a dream?
Good words. At some point, there will need to be a reset to get things back to basics.
Thank you Randy for being "brave" enough to voice your concern about our fisheries. I am reaching out to you because I believe we have a potential serious situation occurring on our small 130 acre Lake here in Michigan just west of Ann Arbor a little west of Ann Arbor. We have no public boat access but there is a public park and people launch their fishing kayaks to no end they are keeping every fish they catch. I am wondering how I go about turning our lake or petitioning to have our Lake to be catch and release only. Please help
Good video Randy with good ideas. Are you going to lead by example with the 50HP 17’ boat😬? Thanks
Excellent video. I’m with you 100 percent. Give us more.
Randy, the most successful TV sports, was because of competition between 2 leagues, creating something NEW. The NBA & ABA, creating the modern basketball games we have today. The NFL & AFL, creating the Super Bowl we have today. All of this happened in the 1960's. Basketball & Football started in the 1800's, so it took 75+ years for things to catch on Professionally. Professional bass fishing B.A.S.S. wasn't started until the 1960's so it's still very young. Baseball & Golf are even older, so things take time. Professional fishing is closely on pace with other profrssional sports following the same time lines. Yes, we would like to see professional fishing BIGGER, but only time will allow that. It's unfair to compare a young professional sport to an older professional sport. I understand where you're coming from.
On another hand Professional fishing is still cheaper to enter than Professional auto racing (NHRA, IHRA, NASCAR, INDY, GRAND PRIX) which requires $$$ millions to start to qualify. YES, Auto racing is pay to play ask any driver... checkout Lake Speed's story, he started in go-carts. Thanks for sharing... 🍺🎣
The price of getting into NASCAR and bass fishing because of the equipment needed are in the same boat
NASCAR owners are complaining about the same thing
@@gillbartle6165 Yes, any auto racing is a very expensive pay to play sport. NHRA average is a $15K+ per 1/4 mile pass. A Top Fueler Professional with million dollar cars including multiple engines at $200K each, truck trailers... etc. Professional fishing is not alone. I have 2 neighbors (1) race Top Alcohol Dragsters the other is the 2022 NHRA National Champion Super Gas... They both pay to play. I agree with Randy but Professional fishing is still very young. Time will get it there. 🍺🎣
I fish therefore I am🤗
I agree. This sport is now all about who has the most money
Randy love your channel and content!