I was one of very few anglers that voted in a recent BassFan Poll to take the Federation and Open anglers out of the BASSMASTERS Classic. Now before you break out the tar and feathers, give me a chance to explain: My intention is not to slight the Federation or Open anglers in any way.
A Bigger Federation Championship
I am very familiar with the importance, impact and heritage of the B.A.S.S. Federation because I am a product of the Federation going back to 1980.
As has been pointed out so aptly on BassFan FeedBack, the Federation is the heart, soul and backbone of B.A.S.S., and the bass fishing industry for that matter.
These are the guys that donate their own time and money to putting structure in lakes, improving facilities, communicating with the DNR about local resource issues, and taking kids fishing. These are the guys that pay retail for baits, rods, reels, lures and boats.
For that, 50,000 Federation members compete for a mere five Classic slots, only to go to the Classic and compete for a one-shot chance at fishing fame and fortune against full-time professional anglers who spend 200 days a year on the water.
Let's face it: if you don't win the Classic, you go back home with a few bucks and start from square one.
So why did I vote against having Federation anglers in the Classic? Because, in my humble opinion, it is not fair to the Federation anglers. The Federation deserves more than that. The Federation should have its own lionized championship, complete with a $100,000 payday to the winner and significant money paid down the field.
The Top 10 or 15 anglers from that event should also receive no-entry-fee "Open Cards" so they can advance to the next level with a little money in their pocket, some exposure experience under their belt, and free entry to the next level.
I think industry sponsors would get behind this because these are the anglers that drive the tournament market. In many ways, these are the people that make the Classic possible.
Sure, there's no harm in having five Federation anglers in the Classic. But do Classic fans and media go to the Classic to see five "amateurs?" A few might, but most people are their to see Kevin VanDam, Gary Klein, Jay Yelas and a host of other Tour pros who are probably glad that five spots in the Classic are taken by "amateurs" and not fellow pros who fish 200 days a year.
An Open Championship
Regarding the Opens, I am currently an Open angler and qualified for the 2002 Classic through the Opens.
Honestly, I felt guilty on that stage in Birmingham this summer. I had spent about $3,600 fishing three tournaments and got the same Classic ticket as guys who had spent $30,000 traveling all over the country on the Tour.
At the same time, my year-end Open championship was the Classic, where I competed against the best anglers in the world that year. Those thousands of fishing fans came to see bass fishing's heroes, not some Open angler that had a few good tournaments. I felt like I was just taking up space.
Sure, I had a great time and enjoyed rubbing elbows with bass fishing's elite, but I can do that on the amateur side of a Tour event.
The solution? Like with the Federation, a separate championship for the Opens with a big payday that includes no-entry "Tour cards" to the top finishers. That way when these anglers are ready to advance to the next level they won't have to mortgage the house to do so.
Let the full-time Tour guys have the Classic. Three completely different fishing avenues deserve three separate championship events. Perhaps ESPN could create a special challenge event that would include the Top 10 anglers from the three different levels.
Keep in Mind
Since I have been burned heartily at the stake in the past for my opinions, please remember, these are just my opinions.
North Carolina pro Jeff Coble is best-known for loudly sharing his opinions about having to remove a non-FLW sponsor cap at a BFL All-American (which he won), and subsequently being banned from FLW Outdoors events because of it.
