Professional bass fishing is going through numerous changes right now trying to capitalize on the growing interest in the sport. In doing so, many professional anglers and spectators will be left out if they don't get together and agree on some firm rules and formats.
Anglers Radio recently did an interview with Brody Broderick, Gary Garren, and Don Iovino on this subject in hopes of clearing up some of the rumors and truths to this debate.
This came about after we were contacted by several "Open Tour" anglers who had strong opinions on this matter and felt they were not being heard. Don Iovino, the "Godfather of Finesse Fishing", asked us to include some of his views on the topic as well.
Anglers Radio did the show on the 26th of August, with all three anglers, in response to the letter written below by Brody Broderick to ESPN/B.A.S.S./and the PAA. The content was as follows:
Well, it's been over a week since ESPN/BASS and the PAA where contacted about our issues concerning the Open Tour Anglers.
Looks like they will leave us in the dark again, maybe they are saving on postage??? I don't believe they thought we would fight for our rights. I have taken every step to make sure our words are heard.
These days the bass fishing landscape is changing by the minute, let alone by the day or week.
Ramifications that have spun out of control following a meeting between the PAA/BASS on Monday, Aug 13th, that has anglers wondering what the future holds for them. Bear in mind that nothing is official from BASS as of yet.
Some key details of that meeting were mysteriously leaked from that meeting to the media, which has caused a "fire storm" of editorial on internet bass fishing forums across the country. At the heart of all of the controversy are two items, a proposed 100 angler tour field for next year, and increase in entry fee from $1,800.00 (plus an additional tier should an angler make cuts,) to $5,000.00 per event. Changes that stand to affect a segment of anglers, who up to this point, have had little collective voice in the grand scheme of things.
Open Tour Angler-Brent Broderick, aka "Brody Of the Lake," has a problem. Wanting to realize a life-long dream of competing at the highest level, Broderick saw the opportunity of a life time when BASS announced that it was expanding it's field size to 200 anglers for the 2006 season. In March, BASS announced that it would offer tour cards to the top 30 anglers from the Central, Southern and Northern Open Divisions, as well as 20 from the Western Open Division. Wanting to ensure himself of the best chance of winning one of the tour cards, Broderick signed up, and paid deposits on both the Southern Opens and Central Opens. His hard work is paying off as Broderick is currently in 9th place on the Southern Open Tour thus, he is in position to win one of the cards if he can continue at this pace.
"The tour card is an angler's ticket to bigger sponsorship. Being able to get into that game, would allow an angler like myself to go out looking for a big sponsor that would back us on the tour. You can't get that kind of sponsorship on the Open Tour, there is no television, and TV is the key to getting bigger money."
Broderick can do the math, and when he became aware of the apparent mid tour changes that were leaked, most notably the reduced field size to 100 anglers, (110 Open anglers, + 100 already qualified tour anglers + exemptions for former Classic winners and AOY's doesn't add up to a 100 angler tour field,) he became alarmed and began firing his story off to anyone who would listen.
"I felt helpless, and I wasn't going to go down without letting people know." Within days, Broderick says he began receiving e-mails from other Open Anglers who were also realizing their predicament, "It has been overwhelming, I bet I received over 900 responses, not just Open Anglers, but guys who fish as non-boaters, Federation Anglers and guys who fish the weekend circuits."
About two days after he began "shouting from the mountain tops," Broderick was contacted by BASS and assured that he and all of the other Open Tour Anglers who qualified, based on the criteria announced in March of 2005, would receive tour invitations. The original promises would be honored. "There was just one little problem, now instead of $1,800.00 per event, we would have to pay $5,000.00 per event. This new entry fee is nothing more than a way of blocking a lot of the Open guys from joining the pro tour. These are guys who have to work and can't afford $55,000.00 to fish this tour. I know of guys, many like myself, who put everything they had into the notion that they could get a tour card to fish 11 events at $1,800.00 per event.
Now BASS has changed the field size and entry fees for next year which essentially will be blocking a lot of guys, who signed up for these events in good faith that a promise is a promise."
Broderick is finding himself to be kind of the spokesman for this segment of bass anglers. "I never intended to have this kind of response, I just want to see the situation fixed. We have no leg to stand on, we don't have a collective voice, we are at the mercy of the powers that be."
Broderick believes that Open Anglers have been seriously mislead, and feels that BASS owes anglers fishing the Open Tours, the opportunity to get their deposits back. "Their response to that has been no, this money cannot be returned."
When Brody Of the Lake, as he is called by many, began "shouting from the mountain," he looked in all directions. Posting his letter in at least 4 bass fishing forums across the country,
Broderick has taken "dead aim" at the PAA. "I e-mailed to each address that I found on the PAA website, and I haven't heard a thing from them. I just don't know if the members of the PAA Board understand what the Open Anglers are going through."
The PAA-Another player is this drama is the Professional Anglers Association, which was founded on the premise that professional anglers must have a collective voice in the shaping of the professional tours. Gene Ellison is the Executive Director of the PAA.
"The PAA represents all anglers, including the 14 year old future pro, who may not even know that he is future pro. Yes, we do want to represent the interests of all anglers in the professional fishing game. Clearly we are concerned about how this sport will be grown. We want to know how up and coming anglers can advance into the elite tours." Ellison went on to say however, that he resented Broderick's claim that "The PAA has failed to Come to the Rescue and are the strong pushers for this new format, " quoting Broderick's letter, " They should be called the EPAA, Elite Professional Anglers Association.
Wanting to make his statement clear, Ellison said, "To say that the PAA is a strong pusher of this new format is also very unfair. We were given these changes. We do not endorse any of these changes, in fact we are gravely concerned about what these changes will mean."
"I can say that we are looking into this situation, and have taken some steps to see what can be done. We don't want to come across with some knee jerk reaction. This situation is developing very rapidly, and needs thorough attention," Noted Ellison.
Too slow to act or a prudent resolve? The PAA has taken some hits in various forums across the internet. Fans of professional fishing may be patient for the time being, however at some point, the PAA must declare whether it stands for the concerns of anglers like Brent Broderick or whether only issues which affect the Professional Tour Angler will be its agenda.
BASS-Long the standard of professional bass fishing, BASS has struggled recently to maintain a consistent message to it's fans and it's players. New scoring systems, A bold new, 11 event tour that featured a tiered entry fee, 200 angler field, that has since been scarped apparently, in favor of a 100 angler tour and a $5K entry fee. This lack of a firm foundation has left many anglers scrambling to understand. All Sides-feel that they are misunderstood or are being disrespected in this matter. The big question is can the Open Anglers, PAA and BASS live in the same neighborhood, (the professional bass fishing community,) and come together on a tour format that is fair and all can live with?
It will take us sometime to establish trust with the PAA. ESPN/BASS has stated the Push and Shove to the Elite 100 where demands of the PAA. Many Open Tour Anglers still believe that.
"When an issue is in conflict between Open and Tour pros. Who gets precedence??" As you know this will happen eventually and we all need clear direction as to who will win out."
Unfortunately not all issues that are good for Open guys will be liked by Elite Pros !
SHOUT FROM THE MOUNTAINS
Brody of the Lake
You can hear the entire radio show now at Anglers Radio, sponsored by Delaware Tackle at www.anglersradio.com
