Pro Bass Fishing’s Future…?

Randy Blauket recently wrote an editorial on Bassfan.com that hits home and hits it on the head. His article calls out BASS and FLW as creating ‘pro’ circuits that have priced the very anglers that comprise their schedules out of competition. The costs to compete at that level is mind warping and as Randy states is one factor in the demise of the big dollar ‘pro’ trails. Since ESPN started the quest to make bass fishing the next Nascar, the downhill slide is evident. The money, the sponsors, the boats, trucks, motors, the list goes on and on. I think the most compelling point in Randy’s editorial is the fact that the best anglers in the country do not comprise the pro ranks. There are no doubt some legendary anglers fishing those tours today but as Randy states, without sponsors and marketability, the aspiring angler has very little chance at making pro status. I was just recently thumbing through my latest Bass Pro book and have realized that I have nearly been priced out of recreational fishing. I notice that the cost of all aspects of bass tackle has increased in a big way in recent years. You can look simply at the average crankbait cost to see my point. Average crank costs have gone from $4 to over $8. If you have not checked out bass boats lately, you are in for a shock. Though most manufacturers launched budget level rigs, to get into tournament calibur glass rig, better be ready to sign a note of $30k and that is a cheapy. In fact, to get into a new 20′ rig from the big name manufacturers (Ranger, Triton, BassCat, etc) boat/motor/trailer will run you at least $45k. Throw in a 3/4 ton truck to pull it and you can see where Randy’s $100k+ in gear statement comes into perspective.
Check out the article on Bassfan.com, it is a good one.