FLW question????

WON BASSIN · Post by **WON BASSIN** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:24 pm

Jiggin4bass,

Got to http://www.wonbass.com/archives/2011/pr ... edule.html

Check out the schedule for 2012, then call Ashley at 949-366-0030 x38 She will give you everything you need to know and get you on the waiting list for each event you might be interested in fishing. If you are a AAA angler and want to get involved.... there are two things to keep in mind. First get on the list early! Second is network on these boards or at the events to find a Pro that is planning on signing up for each event. Ask that Pro if you can be his or her sign up partner, which will guarantee you in the tourney. It does not mean you get to fish with that pro, as partner pairings are random. What it does do is guarantee you get in, as long as that Pro signs up on tourney day.

Don't forget we still have one more South Pro/Am at Lake Mead this coming October 15th and 16th!

jiggin4bass · Post by **jiggin4bass** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:53 pm

billy did you work for WON back in march of 97 i went out with a won staff writer on eastman lake that year the writers name was dave campbell i know he moved on not long after that article i think he moved to colorado or montana area he was into hunting and trout fishing alot. bill karr was editor and jack brown was senior editor at the time.

Ken Sauret · Post by **Ken Sauret** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:37 pm

jiggin4bass wrote:shasta in jan will let see i think i can get away with throwing 3/4 oz football head jigs on 4,6,8 lbs test line and id rather fish out of the back of the boat its less work catching fish

This is truer than you may think. The Pro's are doing all the boat handling in that wind, snow and rain. All the co's have to do is catch fish! There are alot of great anglers out there that haven't tried the Pro/Am's yet and I'm sure they would be surprised how much fun they would have and what a great learning experience it is.

I fished my first tournament in 1997 as a co-angler in a WON Bass Pro/Am. I had to start here because no one back home wanted to team up with the "new guy" and I wanted to fish tournaments. The element of competition on the same lake on the same day in the same conditions add so much to fishing for bass that fun fishing on the weekend with a buddy just doesn't duplicate. After that first tournament I was hooked and have not looked back. There are way more great guys out here fishing than the exceptions. My best friends have come from fishing tournaments the last 15 years. The relationships you build out here cannot be duplicated, common interests and catching bass!

Everyone should put their attitudes in the closet, get someone who hasn't fished a Pro/Am and sign up for the next ones at Shasta depending on your budget. It's time to think about others before yourself. Take Thumper's mom's advise "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"

WON BASSIN · Post by **WON BASSIN** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:45 pm

Jiggin4bass,

No sir.... Back then I was still chasin the two legged version. I was playing Pro Beach Volleyball chasen the dream and living across the street from Main Beach in Laguna. Not sure where he is at now, but if you like I can see what we can do to track him down. When I met my wife in 05 and we had our first baby on the way, I realized that I could no longer play beach volleyball, golf, surf, snowboard, sky dive, scuba dive, fish and whatever else I was spending my time doing. I realized if I was going to have a chance at a healthy marriage, I had to concentrate on only one passion, so I had a talk with my wife and decided that I was going to focus on my first true love, and that was fishing. I thought I was a pretty dame good big worm and big lizard fisherman, until I met a guy throwing a 8" hud at a local park, and the rest is history! I was running a large development company in the inland empire when the market dropped. I had some buddies that liked to go to Bass-A-Thon and decided to go with them. I saw some of the early big baits, and started tweaking my own. After coming up with a few of my own designs, I went back the next year and showed some off to the guys at the show. Some of the guys said they would buy them if I decided to make them. I could not find any work in the construction industry so I decided to make baits to supplement my lack of income. Next thing you know I get a call saying.... we think you have the personality to fill this opening we have at Western Outdoor News. So here we are... that's the long and short of it!

Gary - Ken - Kevin - Paul and the rest of the guys that support our circuit is what makes this job so fun, besides all the different waters I get to chuck my baits at. We need to remember why we all love this sport, and make sure it's about the fun and friendships we develop. I have met some of the coolest people in the world doing what I do, and plan to do this for as long as I can, or at least as long as it is still fun.

I believe that Paul has gotten what he wanted from this post, and there is no reason to beat a dead horse any longer. I mean come on.... it's fishin. I spoke to Gay Dobyns on the phone for a while today, and I know he had the ear of the FLW, regarding this issue as well as others, and that was the real reason Paul started this in the first place. Mission accomplished as far as I see.

Sorry If I got off track, but we need to focus on solutions, and support those that support our passions!

dwise · Post by **dwise** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:32 pm

offduty wrote:I certainly wish all the Pro anglers the best. After reading this thread I have no desire to be a Co because it sounds like you pay to have a Pro keep you from getting any good angles or a decent shot at a good spot. Finding good water is extremely important in bass fishing. Maybe I am wrong I do consider that but I have fished behind others before and they certainly get first shot at the best spots as they are in control of the boat and use that to there advantage and the back seaters frustration. This is something I try not to do when I take a buddy fishing because it does not seem cool. Of course I realize when your playing for money ethics can take a beating. I do not feel it would be fair to have Pro's with and some without Co's, that is not a level playing field.

Just sayin

If you want to try fishing as a CO angler in a tournament, I recommend WON Bass tournaments. They use a shared weight format. The PRO and CO both work as a team to catch a limit of fish, each getting credit for the full weight in their respective categories. WON Bass runs excellent, well organized tournaments and you will have a great time, and learn something no matter who you draw.

Terry Smith · Post by **Terry Smith** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:09 am

dwise wrote:
offduty wrote:I certainly wish all the Pro anglers the best. After reading this thread I have no desire to be a Co because it sounds like you pay to have a Pro keep you from getting any good angles or a decent shot at a good spot. Finding good water is extremely important in bass fishing. Maybe I am wrong I do consider that but I have fished behind others before and they certainly get first shot at the best spots as they are in control of the boat and use that to there advantage and the back seaters frustration. This is something I try not to do when I take a buddy fishing because it does not seem cool. Of course I realize when your playing for money ethics can take a beating. I do not feel it would be fair to have Pro's with and some without Co's, that is not a level playing field.

Just sayin
If you want to try fishing as a CO angler in a tournament, I recommend WON Bass tournaments. They use a shared weight format. The PRO and CO both work as a team to catch a limit of fish, each getting credit for the full weight in their respective categories. WON Bass runs excellent, well organized tournaments and you will have a great time, and learn something no matter who you draw.

+1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 GREAT TOURNAMENTS AND for the Pro's I meet when I fished it A few years back GREAT PEOPLE!!!!!!!! SHARED WEIGHT IS MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:49 am

I think you folks have many good points. I think I learned a good lesson here and that nothing is ever going to be perfect. I am impressed at you Gary for being a good role model for west coast folks and your son. The next tournament I fish I think I am going to do just that, FISH and try not to let all the junk affect me.

There is perfection out there... runnin clear lake with just the skeg in the water

offduty · Post by **offduty** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:28 am

dwise wrote:
offduty wrote:I certainly wish all the Pro anglers the best. After reading this thread I have no desire to be a Co because it sounds like you pay to have a Pro keep you from getting any good angles or a decent shot at a good spot. Finding good water is extremely important in bass fishing. Maybe I am wrong I do consider that but I have fished behind others before and they certainly get first shot at the best spots as they are in control of the boat and use that to there advantage and the back seaters frustration. This is something I try not to do when I take a buddy fishing because it does not seem cool. Of course I realize when your playing for money ethics can take a beating. I do not feel it would be fair to have Pro's with and some without Co's, that is not a level playing field.

Just sayin
If you want to try fishing as a CO angler in a tournament, I recommend WON Bass tournaments. They use a shared weight format. The PRO and CO both work as a team to catch a limit of fish, each getting credit for the full weight in their respective categories. WON Bass runs excellent, well organized tournaments and you will have a great time, and learn something no matter who you draw.

I like the sound of the combined weight style tourney that sounds great, consider me converted.

WON BASSIN · Post by **WON BASSIN** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:05 pm

Rich - Offduty

That's what I'm talking about!!!!! Look forward to seeing you at one of our events!

Darrin Bishop · Post by **Darrin Bishop** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:16 pm

It seems that the word fair is something that most tournament organizations should always address before making decisions like the one effecting Paul. Unfortuneately, with the current state of things, decisions are being made based on drawing anglers for this event as opposed to long term.

offduty · Post by **offduty** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:19 pm

WON BASSIN wrote:Rich - Offduty

That's what I'm talking about!!!!! Look forward to seeing you at one of our events!

Well with my fri, sat & sun work schedule it may be a challenge but I'll see what I can do.

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:04 pm

Hey Gary-

What's wrong with gay bass fishermen who like heroin and banana nut bread?

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:13 pm

Brian Linehan wrote:Hey Gary-

What's wrong with gay bass fishermen who like heroin and banana nut bread?

Quit trying to sell yourself Brian, your already on the team

jake9995 · Post by **jake9995** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:34 pm

Is it fair that you draw #1boat and I draw 140. The guy that drew #1 spot is in top ten and has now established his water and you are a jerk if you go start there when youre in 99th place!!!.... is it fair that you drew folkstad and I drew Correa (lol)???... is it fair that all the pros who have invested time and money to fish and told they were in, to sit on the bank because some co angler didnt show???......

i think alot depends on the draw and thats just the chance we take. if you draw an observer then good for you. if you drew boat # 1 than good for you... if you drew kvd then good for you.

i think Flw does the best they can. Things will not always be totally fair, but im glad to have flw here and i think they do their best to make things fair and people happy.

CN · Post by CN » Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:33 pm

I dont know all procedure's these Pro/Am circuit's use to pair guy's up but there are time's where the Co. has been left at the dock. I would love to fish Shasta with a Pro as I have never been there before and what better way to learn something about it.

But for me to commit you would have to guarantee me a ride both day's if I am going to drive from Central California up to Shasta. I think Paul has a legitamate point though.

WON BASSIN · Post by **WON BASSIN** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:58 pm

CN...

There are no guarantee's in life. What I will guarantee is that we will work our hardest, at the latest hours to make sure this does not happen to you or anyone else for that matter. The last person who left a AAA on the dock was banned from fishing our events. Then we sent one of our own out with that co in one of our sponsored boats to give the AAA a fighting chance. If that does not tell you how we feel about it, I guess nothing else will.

dwise · Post by **dwise** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:29 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, Billy, but if the CO (AAA) signs up with a PRO, isn't he/she guaranteed a spot in the tournament?

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:02 pm

CN wrote:I dont know all procedure's these Pro/Am circuit's use to pair guy's up but there are time's where the Co. has been left at the dock. I would love to fish Shasta with a Pro as I have never been there before and what better way to learn something about it.

But for me to commit you would have to guarantee me a ride both day's if I am going to drive from Central California up to Shasta. I think Paul has a legitamate point though.

Mike,

If you're half way inclined to try, that would be a great event to do so. Shasta always draws great, and the bite is off the hook regardless of the weather! The last WON Pro/Am I fished was Shasta a couple of years ago, and it was great fun!

Just be sure to gear up accordingly, as far as clothing goes, for the weather, as there's nothing worse than being miserable on Shasta in January because you are cold and wet!!!

Good luck - may even see you there my friend!

Roger

CN · Post by CN » Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:55 am

Well Roger the Milwaukee tool rep was by and they have a jacket that is powered by the 18v battery for heat. I talked him into giving me one to try out.

Might be a good place to try but I kind of have my doubt's how well it would really work.