A Joke!

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??? How much skill
does it take to sit on top of fish and rip them off their beds?????
Luke Clausen a great Angler?? Yeah right, he is about as great as Dean
Rojas.

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. 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. Can
you call a bed ripper the best bass angler??? I have had people show me
how they are able to "snag" them off their bed if they don't bite.

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.

It doesn't matter, B.A.S.S is going to get the publicity they hoped for,
because of a big stringer, which is a joke in itself, but people who
don't understand seasons and fishing are only going to see the numbers
and say wow. But this is when the "big" fish are most vulnerable and
"easiest" to catch and what Luke Clausen did means nothing.

On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:08:42 GMT, Chris Rennert
wrote:

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??? How much skill
does it take to sit on top of fish and rip them off their beds?????
Luke Clausen a great Angler?? Yeah right, he is about as great as Dean
Rojas.

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. 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. Can
you call a bed ripper the best bass angler??? I have had people show me
how they are able to "snag" them off their bed if they don't bite.

I don't think your looking at all the facts and extraditing others.

I get and read Bassmaster magazine. While it does talk about fishing
for spawning bass, they are only pointing out what happens anyway. If
Bassmaster magazine did not exist, I'd say the same number of people
would still fish for spawning bass. What BM magazine _also_ points out
time and time again is that these fish should be released _as soon as
possible_. That way they can return to their beds and continue with
the breeding process. BM magazine has _ALWAYS_ stressed this.

In addition, I don't know that any of the bass caught in the BMC were
actually in the process of spawning. Only in the last could of weeks
has the water temp been above 65 (when I was on Toho last Friday the
surface temp was about 68% and this was after a warm spell). This time
of year in Florida bass are moving into their _PRE-SPAWN_ area. I
believe that is where the fish were that were caught... not sitting on
a bed, protecting their hatchlings.

But also, BASS and organizations like it have done such much educating
over the past decade that I thing the good _FAR_ out-weights the bad.
Most people I know today that fish for bass don't keep them. They
practice catch and release. I think this is a result of organizations,
such as BASS, pushing for a more environmental way of practicing the
sport.

I will not dispute what B.A.S.S originally stood for , and what it gave
back to the sport, and what kinds of opportunities it has given to
anglers such as myself who have a dream of putting their talents against
others who also want to do the same!

With that said, Some of the top anglers came out directly and said they
were fishing bedding fish. Does that necessarily mean they are
spawning?? No, but aren't we just splitting hairs???? My point is , it
still doesn't mean as much as a summer Classic when conditions are much
tougher, where it takes skill when there is abundance of food, and fish
are not coming off a winter where they may have not fed as much.

As I re-watch the final day, I see that Cochran, KVD, and Morris all
fished fast, and were not sight fishing , on the final day.

Obviously these are my opinions, and I definitely feel that B.A.S.S has
definitely gone down hill since Scott left his position of power. To
me, they have moved more to $$$$ than to who is the best angler. Who is
the most marketable versus actually the most talented.

Chris



Todd Copeland wrote:
On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:08:42 GMT, Chris Rennert
wrote:

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??? How much skill
does it take to sit on top of fish and rip them off their beds?????
Luke Clausen a great Angler?? Yeah right, he is about as great as Dean
Rojas.

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. 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. Can
you call a bed ripper the best bass angler??? I have had people show me
how they are able to "snag" them off their bed if they don't bite.

I don't think your looking at all the facts and extraditing others.

I get and read Bassmaster magazine. While it does talk about fishing
for spawning bass, they are only pointing out what happens anyway. If
Bassmaster magazine did not exist, I'd say the same number of people
would still fish for spawning bass. What BM magazine _also_ points out
time and time again is that these fish should be released _as soon as
possible_. That way they can return to their beds and continue with
the breeding process. BM magazine has _ALWAYS_ stressed this.

In addition, I don't know that any of the bass caught in the BMC were
actually in the process of spawning. Only in the last could of weeks
has the water temp been above 65 (when I was on Toho last Friday the
surface temp was about 68% and this was after a warm spell). This time
of year in Florida bass are moving into their _PRE-SPAWN_ area. I
believe that is where the fish were that were caught... not sitting on
a bed, protecting their hatchlings.

But also, BASS and organizations like it have done such much educating
over the past decade that I thing the good _FAR_ out-weights the bad.
Most people I know today that fish for bass don't keep them. They
practice catch and release. I think this is a result of organizations,
such as BASS, pushing for a more environmental way of practicing the
sport.

I still agree with what someone posted once, get a lake with no fish, stock
1 bass in it. The person who catchs that bass wins, make it like a 10 week
tourney, put them to the test

"Chris Rennert" wrote in message
...
I will not dispute what B.A.S.S originally stood for , and what it gave
back to the sport, and what kinds of opportunities it has given to anglers
such as myself who have a dream of putting their talents against others who
also want to do the same!

With that said, Some of the top anglers came out directly and said they
were fishing bedding fish. Does that necessarily mean they are spawning??
No, but aren't we just splitting hairs???? My point is , it still doesn't
mean as much as a summer Classic when conditions are much tougher, where
it takes skill when there is abundance of food, and fish are not coming
off a winter where they may have not fed as much.

As I re-watch the final day, I see that Cochran, KVD, and Morris all
fished fast, and were not sight fishing , on the final day.

Obviously these are my opinions, and I definitely feel that B.A.S.S has
definitely gone down hill since Scott left his position of power. To me,
they have moved more to $$$$ than to who is the best angler. Who is the
most marketable versus actually the most talented.

Chris



Todd Copeland wrote:
On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:08:42 GMT, Chris Rennert
wrote:

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??? How much skill
does it take to sit on top of fish and rip them off their beds????? Luke
Clausen a great Angler?? Yeah right, he is about as great as Dean Rojas.

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. 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. Can
you call a bed ripper the best bass angler??? I have had people show me
how they are able to "snag" them off their bed if they don't bite.

I don't think your looking at all the facts and extraditing others.

I get and read Bassmaster magazine. While it does talk about fishing
for spawning bass, they are only pointing out what happens anyway. If
Bassmaster magazine did not exist, I'd say the same number of people
would still fish for spawning bass. What BM magazine _also_ points out
time and time again is that these fish should be released _as soon as
possible_. That way they can return to their beds and continue with
the breeding process. BM magazine has _ALWAYS_ stressed this. In
addition, I don't know that any of the bass caught in the BMC were
actually in the process of spawning. Only in the last could of weeks
has the water temp been above 65 (when I was on Toho last Friday the
surface temp was about 68% and this was after a warm spell). This time
of year in Florida bass are moving into their _PRE-SPAWN_ area. I
believe that is where the fish were that were caught... not sitting on
a bed, protecting their hatchlings. But also, BASS and organizations like
it have done such much educating
over the past decade that I thing the good _FAR_ out-weights the bad.
Most people I know today that fish for bass don't keep them. They
practice catch and release. I think this is a result of organizations,
such as BASS, pushing for a more environmental way of practicing the
sport.

"Chris Rennert" wrote in message
...
It doesn't matter, B.A.S.S is going to get the publicity they hoped for,
because of a big stringer, which is a joke in itself, but people who don't
understand seasons and fishing are only going to see the numbers and say
wow. But this is when the "big" fish are most vulnerable and "easiest" to
catch and what Luke Clausen did means nothing.

Luke did exactly what everyone else wished they could do, which is to do
better than all his competitors under conditions that were the same for all.
Give him his props, he performed at his best in the biggest event of the
year. Maybe they were easy to catch, but nobody else but him could bring in
56 pounds.

I'm not defending everything that ESPN/BASS does, but this is a business,
just like MLB, NBA, NFL, PGA and every other sport.

"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

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

Chris,
I'm not sure why you don't think that Luke is a great angler. He
was the 2004 FLW Tour Championship Champion and the 2006 BASS Master
Classic Champion........I'd love to be able to say this.......so would
Gary Klein (who has never won a classic in 24 appearances).
As for the bed fishing, ever try it? It is a casualty of our sport
and is tougher than you'd think, especially when they weren't bed
fishing.......
Jack
~~
Jack Dalzell
www.jdbass.com
~~

Jack,

It was unfair of me to attack Luke Clausen, I did know he was FLW
champion, and he was doing what everyone else was doing, and did make
the classic based on achievements. So I was definitely wrong to attack
Luke Clausen and the whole Classic field when in reality my problem was
with B.A.S.S and what they have become.

Now, I have bed fished, and watched others bed fish, and personally I
get zero satisfaction out of it. Do I have 500k on the line, no I don't.

Jack, you have a lot of respect in this group, and a lot of respect in
the industry, as well as a ton of experience , so who am I to argue. I
have fished 30 or so tournaments in my life, I have a boat, I have have
fished in 30 below zero, I have fished in 105 degrees. All of these
things I have done were originally for one reason, I wanted to be the
best, and somehow put myself in position to prove it, but all I see is
that world going a different direction, and makes me very angry.

Again , just my opinions

Chris
wrote:
Chris,
I'm not sure why you don't think that Luke is a great angler. He
was the 2004 FLW Tour Championship Champion and the 2006 BASS Master
Classic Champion........I'd love to be able to say this.......so would
Gary Klein (who has never won a classic in 24 appearances).
As for the bed fishing, ever try it? It is a casualty of our sport
and is tougher than you'd think, especially when they weren't bed
fishing.......
Jack
~~
Jack Dalzell
www.jdbass.com
~~

"It was unfair of me to attack Luke Clausen, I did know he was FLW
champion, and he was doing what everyone else was doing, and did make
the classic based on achievements. So I was definitely wrong to attack
Luke Clausen and the whole Classic field when in reality my problem was
with B.A.S.S and what they have become. "

Not a problem........people like certain sports teams, atheletes and
people for various reasons. My thoughts are, Luke SEEMS to be a pretty
decent guy. He's modest and mild mannered.....*I* like that and I think
that as a Professional, you should act like you've been there before
and Luke does.

Now, I have bed fished, and watched others bed fish, and personally I
get zero satisfaction out of it. Do I have 500k on the line, no I don't.

This is the reason that I root for Larry Nixon. He flat out refuses to
bed fish, yet he does very well. I don't really get a thrill out of bed
fishing either, but with the classic on the line, I would bed fish too.


Jack, you have a lot of respect in this group, and a lot of respect in
the industry, as well as a ton of experience , so who am I to argue.

Thanks Chris, I do appreciate the nice words, but just because I have
'respect' doesn't mean I'm always right (just ask my ex-wife, I was
never right!). And each individual has a right to their own opinion. I
hope we weren't 'arguing'.

I

I have fished 30 or so tournaments in my life, I have a boat, I have have
fished in 30 below zero, I have fished in 105 degrees.

Man, you're more dedicated than I am. I have NEVER fished in 30
below........I really hate the cold. But then again, If I remember
right, you live where you have 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad
snowmobiling :-)
Jack
~~
Jack Dalzell
www.jdbass.com
~~