Randy,

I will admit, if Ike wasn't disqualified I wouldn't have been as
passionate about my feelings of fishing during the spawn, but I still do
not like having them having the classic during the spring for the
reasons mentioned before.

The others were ripping fish off the beds, and were competitive
throughout the tournament. Everyone had the same opportunity, but not
every area of the lake has what you need to in order to fish beds
effectively. Clausen was tucked into a North East corner the whole
tournament, perfect little spawning area.

Also, Ike getting disqualified is just a example of a bigger problem. I
wrote to B.A.S.S months ago about their anti-Ike posts that they put in
their magazine one month (and i'll site it directly when I get home),
and posted no pro-Ike things. So it showed me that B.A.S.S was hell
bent on "guiding" readers in that direction, and unfortunately not
everyone is capable of independent thought, so being guided is not that
difficult.

I agree with you about your kids looking up to Bass anglers more than
professional athletes, but it is changing in my opinion), and with all
the money, it will go the way of the Athletes, and they will become
unapproachable, as some already are.

I won't fault anyone for making a living, at all, all I was saying is I
wouldn't sell out for $$$, and go against what I believe in. We could
hypothetically say you could throw a million dollars at me , and I would
do this or that, but really until I was put in that position I couldn't
say one reason or another. If it is something I firmly believe in, I
would hope I wouldn't break. Every single guy out there was trying to
win, and deserved to be at the Classic, based on their achievements so
they are good anglers, but in my opinion it is wrong to have the biggest
tournament during the spring when it is a crap shoot who gets on big
fish (no matter how they catch them).

As for the tournament with only one bass in the lake, I like the idea,
especially since we all know he would be caught on a crankbait off a
stump on a point in 12' of water :-).

Chris
alwaysfishking wrote:
"Chris Rennert" wrote in
This Classic was a joke. They said B.A.S.S hit a home run by moving this
tournament to the spring???? Are you kidding me???

Agreed, makes it a bit easier to catch fish, Mid -summer time
is the best time for these tourneys


How much skill
does it take to sit on top of fish and rip them off their beds?????

It takes skill to get bed fish to bite, trust me on this one,
I've seen it up close and personal


Luke Clausen a great Angler?? Yeah right, he is about as great as Dean
Rojas.

Yeah there were probably better anglers there, but the man set out to
win a Championship and did it. He was the best angler for those three days.
Taking a Championship from beggining to end is not an easy accomplishment.
If getting those fish off beds was so easy why didn't everyone come in with
big bags? Some guys just stunk up the place. I don't think all of his fish
were taken off of beds

Rich made a comment about dying fish in the live well, what about
Spawning fish on their beds. Even the new Bassmaster magazine promotes
it. I grew up respecting the resource more than anything else, and
ripping fish off their beds cannot be good for the fish.

While it might not be good for the fish, I don't think it hurts a
healthy lake whatsoever. While I'm not an expert in this area by no
means, I haven't really read anything about the downside to this or
it's effects on a lake


Our state
closes the season during the spawn (at least they try, weather doesn't
always cooperate.) I can't believe nobody is commenting on that.

P.A does too, but they also have a rule that states it is unlawful for any
angler to repeatedly cast into a clearly visible bass spawning nest or redd
in an effort to catch or take a bass
Can
you call a bed ripper the best bass angler???

Depends, did he win a Championship where everyone had the same
oppurtunity to win? It's a living and a business for these guys. If I was in
a Tourney and it was legal, I'd rip em too, especially if my livelihood
depended on it. No way I'm passing on an 11 pound bass because it might have
a negative impact, if it did, there wouldn't be an eleven pound bass to
begin with. IMO



I have had people show me
how they are able to "snag" them off their bed if they don't bite.

Stay away from those people
The summer is the toughest time, why not keep it there and put they
anglers to the test, not make it anybodies game! I guess it doesn't
matter, people hate Ike, and that is the most important ........ whatever.

Seems like most of this post is based on your feelings about Ike getting
DQ'd, just an observation on my part
It doesn't matter, B.A.S.S is going to get the publicity they hoped for,

and if that keeps future kids off drugs and promotes catch and release
fishing it's bad how? I'd rather my kid watch bass anglers then professional
sports


But this is when the "big" fish are most vulnerable and
"easiest" to catch and what Luke Clausen did means nothing.

I disagree. most of my biggest bass have not come in the spring but
late summer and early fall.

I have a feeling if Ike went out and won this thing and a few of his
bass were off beds, you wouldn't be saying the same thing about him. But I
might be wrong.

Hell at least we are talking about bass fishing again. It's been slow in
here this winter