MORE MLF converts

[WB Staff]

Casey Ashley

Decisions... Decisions...

At 21-years-old, I made the decision to hit the road to pursue my dream of professional bass fishing. At 22-years-old, I was faced with the decision to join the big time Elite Series and pay big time entry fees, with very little backing. That was one of the biggest decisions of my life but I did it and that turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

Now, at 34-years-old, I'm faced with another life-changing decision. After a lot of thought, many prayers and sleepless nights, I've made the decision to go with Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour.

Being a fan of the sport myself, I like that Major League Fishing has figured out a way to bring fans real time thoughts as the best anglers in the world break down the fisheries that you and I know and love, in different ways. Fans see the struggles and the ups & downs first hand, like we have never been able to experience in competition before. That first-hand experience is something I want to be a part of.

I am extremely thankful to have fished with the B.A.S.S. organization for 13 years. They provide a great platform for tournament anglers to succeed. That is where I built my career and snagged a few fans along the way. They play a big part in conservation and make efforts to get the youth involved in fishing. Let's face it, B.A.S.S. is the reason I got involved in fishing in the first place. I wish the B.A.S.S. organization nothing but the best in the future. This decision is bittersweet but I am ready for the next chapter.

Since that first big decision at 22, I've been very fortunate to become partners with some amazing companies in the industry who have supported me through the good times and the bad. I am looking forward to where the future takes us.

[WB Staff]

Stephen Browning

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take” - Wayne Gretzky Accepting the invite to join @majorleaguefishingofficial. #changeisgood #weighemall #MLF #BPT #bassfishing

[WB Staff]

Adrian Avena to MLF

[WB Staff]

Stephen Browning

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take” - Wayne Gretzky Accepting the invite to join @majorleaguefishingofficial. #changeisgood #weighemall #MLF #BPT #bassfishing

[WB Staff]

Cliff Pace

I just hope the future is as good to me as the past has been with B.A.S.S. I can't thank Bassmaster enough for all they have done for me and the sport of Bass Fishing. Next year I will be fishing the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. I wish nothing but the best for B.A.S.S. moving forward. Looking forward to 2019. #majorleaguefishing

[jimmyG]

I wonder if BASS put a clause in their contract, 'Once you leave, you can't come back.'

[WB Staff]

Wesley Strader to MLF

[WB Staff]

Bradley Roy

A few weeks ago I was presented with an idea. An idea of how to take the sport I love to another level. Not to say it was broken or needed fixing but to say “let’s see where this can go.” That idea was the Bass Pro Tour and Major League Fishing.

For 9 years my home has been on the Bassmaster Elite Series. It was nothing less than a dream to be there and it’s taken me places I never could’ve imagined. Many friends were made and relationships established. I was no doubt a product of many of the programs that B.A.S.S. had offered and i will forever be thankful for that.

When I was presented with this idea it forced me to make a decision. A tough one. The hardest one I can remember making in a while. Much time was spent praying and searching what path was right for me.

In the end I am proud to announce that I will be competing with Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour in 2019. I’m excited to see where we can take this sport.

This is the right move for me, my fiancée Danielle, and my sponsors. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has blessed me beyond imagination. I’m thankful for the new opportunities. Major League Fishing #blessed #bassfishing #shakeup

[WB Staff]

Gary Clouse

I have been fishing Major League Fishing for 4 years and also fishing the Bassmaster Opens. I am happy to say I have been invited and accepted an invitation to the new Major League Fishing/BPT Tour. I will continue to support BASS and fish the central Bassmaster Opens. Those of you that know me , know that bass fishing have been my passion since I was a 15 year old kid. I love this game and an honored to be able to compete on the largest bass fishing stage ever! @majorleaguefishingofficial @phoenixbassboats Gary Clouse Fishing

[kb]

yesterday on the Ultimate Bass Radio Show Justin Lucas disclosed for the first time that he will in fact be moving to the MLF events for 2019 as well.

[WB Staff]

Thanks KB!

Here is a link to that show

https://www.westernbass.com/radio/listen/9791

[WB Staff]

James Watson Professional Angler

I don’t need #livewells

Major League Fishing

[monte300]

I'm not trying to be funny but BASS should give serious consideration to changing the name "Elites" to something else.

[M Pollard]

if Bass changed the payout last year to everybody getting paid and lower entry fees plus 3 free tournies, then just maybe some of these pros would of stayed. they wait and milk every penny, and then when something better comes along they up there anny.... Good luck to all...

[monte300]

I wonder if winning the Classic will still mean a million plus payoff?

[WB Staff]

Shinichi Fukae

Life is a series of choices. Sometimes you need to make big decisions...
My career has been with FLW, B.A.S.S and JB(in Japan) for the past 28 years. I would not be at where I am today without them, all of my fans & sponsors support. I thank YOU ALL!! Now I have made a decision for my future, and have been given the opportunity to fish Major League Fishing as a PBT angler. I would appreciate each & everyone of your continued support in this new endeavor.

[WB Staff]

Jason Christie

Ten years, two different tours, and a lot to be thankful for. By no means was this an easy decision to make, if you know me I’ve weighed both options to no end the past few weeks. My family, sponsors, and fans all played a roll in this decision. With that being said, I’ll be fishing MLF in the future. 2019 is going to be a year for change and I’m ready for that change.

[WB Staff]

Paul Elias Fishing

Excited about 2019 and Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour!

[monte300]

Besides all that, what's not to like about Shelly Sanders?

[WB Staff]

Matt Lee

Guys, sorry for the delay, it definitely wasn’t intentional. I wanted to be the one to break the news before it was announced online. However, the past few weeks have been crazy. We went from living in a camper & finishing the elite series season to signing two new life changing contracts on the same day. September 28th will always be special to us , lots of thought and prayers went into the decisions made on that day. I hope to have YOUR support during this career transition and beyond. #MLF #makingthechange #future #Godisgood @a_rex_lee @majorleaguefishingofficial

[WB Staff]

Justin Lucas posts

My tour announcement...First off, I’d like to thank everyone for all of the support they’ve shown me, especially this past weekend for the AOY championship. Since my AOY win I’ve spent what feels like every waking moment trying to decide between BASS and MLF. It’s been a tough spot to be in considering what I just accomplished with BASS. Countless phone calls, texts, and emails have gone into my decision. This isn’t a decision I have made lightly, as I’ve had to make it based on what is best for me as a competitor, for my sponsors and most importantly—for what I think is best for my family. If you put those three things together, even someone like myself who thinks that loyalty is one of the most important traits a person can have, loyalty to my family comes first, and always will.

I have always been a hardcore competitor and I thrive off competing against the very best. Moving forward I want to continue to compete against the strongest field in professional bass fishing, and given recent changes, this field now resides within MLF. Knowing that, I have made the decision to move to MLF for 2019.

As some of you know, I originally started with FLW and when I was ready I switched to the Elite Series, which was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Now, with the great things that MLF has created, I’m focused on what’s in-store for the future of our sport and I’m excited to be a part of it.

I have the utmost respect for all three organizations and all of my fellow peers no matter which way they choose to go. I want to thank the BASS organization for helping me to grow as an angler, and I have been proud to wear the BASS shield for the past five seasons. It has truly been an incredible year for me and I want to thank you all for your support along this amazing and crazy journey!

[WB Staff]

Dustin Connell

The decision for the 2019 season was definitely not an easy one. I started fishing the college BASS series in 2010 and at that moment I knew that was what I wanted to do. I then went on to fish the Bassmaster Opens. I had a huge break happen for me in 2015 after winning a Southern Open and I was fortunate to qualify for the Elite Series the following year. I was able to fish the Bassmaster Classic, my childhood dream. BASS has given me the platform to chase this dream. I have so much to be thankful for in my fishing career and would not be here without the support of my family, friends, and sponsors. The dream is alive and well and I'm so humbled and blessed to be living mine. My decision is based on what is best for my family and future career. I've made the decision to join The Major League Fishing BPT Tour in 2019 and for the years to come! I'm looking forward to next season and watching the sport evolve. Thank you all for the support along the way!

[WB Staff]

Brandon Palaniuk to MLF

The last two weeks have been historic and interesting in the bass fishing world. Major League Fishing (MLF) announced they were launching the Bass Pro Tour in 2019 with a field of 80 invites. This caused a major disruption to the existing leagues such as B.A.S.S and FLW since the 80 Angler field was coming from those existing organizations. I spent hours and hours on the phone discussing every possible option while making my decision on which tour I would be fishing in 2019 and when it was all said and done it came down to the fans. This one is for my fellow anglers, the fans of the sport, and most importantly the next 8yr old kid that I once was.

[WB Staff]

Jordan Lee

For the past few weeks, the fishing world was turned upside down, as was mine. I began fishing any tournament I could sign up for at the age of 17 and then was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to fish the College BASS program at Auburn. I knew I wanted to be a professional fisherman. I’d do whatever it took. I had the hunger and I still do. Change is often scary, but it can be a great thing. I believe fishing is moving in the right direction for all three circuits and how lucky we are as anglers to live in a time that there are opportunities for every angler and skill set. BASS gave me the platform to come up through their exceptional college program and fish my first Bassmaster Classic. After college, I qualified through the opens for the Bassmaster Elites. Another dream come true. Fast forward to history making winning the Bassmaster Classic in 2017 & 2018. Nothing will ever take those special memories or the gratitude I feel towards BASS for giving me those opportunities. I feel grateful for the friendships made, how I’ve grown as an angler, and the sponsorships that have allowed me to live out my dreams. This decision was made with my family and my future career in mind. Every angle was explored. I feel confident and excited with my decision to fish The Major League Fishing BPT Tour in 2019 and beyond! I appreciate each and every one of you for following me as I continue to live my dream.

[WB Staff]

Jesse Wiggins Fishing

Gas that thing up and let’s roll! Major League Fishing here we come! Growing up fishing, all I wanted to do was see how I stacked up against some the best fishermen in the world. The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour is loaded with talent so I’m super excited to get the invite! Thanks to Bassmaster for allowing to get my fishing career started. Hopefully this is the next step in a bright future not only for myself, but also the future of bass fishing!

[WB Staff]

Brent Ehrler

This family of mine is my everything, and I have been blessed to support them through a career in bass fishing. FLW was my home for 10 years, BASS has welcomed me for the last 4 years, and MLF has included me since it’s inception. I am beyond thankful to have been apart of all three organizations throughout the years and know that each have been instrumental in getting me to where I am today.
That being said, in an ever changing world, I am excited to continue my career with MLF and can’t wait to see what advancements will be made in tournament bass fishing. Major League Fishing

[WB Staff]

Ish Monroe Professional Angler

So I asked Ryder what tour to fish and she came in wearing my Major League Fishing world championship jersey. Decision is with Bass Pro Shops Tour.

[WB Staff]

Andy Morgan

Hard decision but it's made!

[WB Staff]

Mike Iaconelli

It’s been an amazing ride so far for me in the sport of professional bass fishing. As a kid, I dreamed of one day getting a chance to fish for a living. I’ve been blessed to have that opportunity and to make a living in a sport that I truly LOVE!

There are so many people I want to THANK for making that happen! First and foremost to my wife Becky and my entire family for believing in me! To my friends for going fishing with me. To the Federation (Nation) and my old bass club Top Rod Bassmasters. To the regional leagues like the old FLW Red Mans (BLF’s) and ABA’s where I cut my teeth competing. To all my amazing sponsors who supported me along the way. To the pro level leagues like the FLW Tour, BASS Opens & Elites, and Major League Fishing for giving me an arena to compete in. And of course to all the AMAZING fans that have followed me through the good times and the bad. THANK YOU!

As I move forward in the next phase of my career, I’m keeping THREE things at the top of my list on what’s most important and what I will be focusing on.

First, is the growth of the sport! Like many other anglers I’m SO focused on getting new people, especially kids involved in the sport of fishing! Though my new Nat Geo Wild TV Show Fish My City, I’m going to be able to reach new people on a global scale and help share my passion for fishing! Through the Ike Foundation, we are helping to get kids fishing especially kids that may have never had the opportunity to hold a rod or fight a fish!

Second it is SO SO important at this time for ALL the professional touring anglers to ban together! Now is the time for us to organize as brothers in the sport we love. We need to organize above and beyond the three leagues to create an association that will look out for the best interest of our full time touring professionals! This group will be a watchdog to help stop any of the bad practices that have happened in the past. And provide opportunities for pro angler like other athletes in other professional sports. Health insurance, retirement plans, legal representation, creating standards, and ultimately providing pro anglers a TRUE voice in their own destiny! We have to do this not only for us now, but for the next generation of young aspiring pro anglers!

And finally, is my solid support of ALL three fishing leagues! MLF, B.A.S.S. and FLW. All three have different strengths, reach people a different way, and have the ability to have a positive impact on the entire sport of fishing! I hope that what has happened in the last three weeks will be a catalyst for these leagues to keep focused on taking care of its anglers and the ultimate goal of growing the sport! I hope one day these three leagues can somehow work together to create a platform where full time touring anglers can participate in all three leagues. Or maybe eventually all three will combine to be one? But until that time, it is physically impossible to fish even two leagues in the same year. Because of that, I have to make a choice on where I will compete in 2019. And my choice will be Major League Fishing!

Thank you again to everyone to for all your support and I hope that together we can all move this sport forward and grow the sport to a place bigger than we ever imagined!