Pro Bass Fishing and Co-Anglers: The Pros weigh In
In the top levels of professional bass fishing, should there be co-anglers in the back of the pro’s boats during competition?
This has been a hot topic for many years on both major tournament trails and one that never seems to go away. Everyone has there own opinions and there are good points to both sides of the story.
The Bassmaster Elite Series is currently in the middle of this debate and is seriously considering replacing the co-anglers and putting observers in the pros boats. This could happen as soon as next season. While this may be a good thing for the way ESPN and BASS does business, it may not be a smart move for FLW, who more heavily relies on the co-angler.
I have heard the question so many times from people who do not know anything about professional bass fishing, “Why do you have a co-angler?” My answer has always had something to do with the fact that we are randomly paired the night before each event with a co-angler to help police the sport and keep everything honest. Other than that I have no idea. Many fishing pros want to see co-anglers go away completely, while others view them as an important part of the industry as a whole, and of course there are those who could care less.
Other professional sports such as Football, baseball, golf, tennis and just about any other sport you can think of do not have “Co” participants. I know this is a touchy subject, especially with the many good people that fish on the co-angler side of our events, but I ask…Are the co-anglers who are casting from the back of the pros boats actually changing the outcome of big time professional bass tour events? And on the flip side; Could professional bass fishing survive without them on the back deck?
One of my favorite websites, Wired2Fish.com recently posted a radio segment with Terry Brown interviewing BASS Elite Series Pro, Marty Stone. The topic in this conversation of course…Co-Anglers. Stone has a very strong opinion that is shared by the majority of BASS Elite Series Pros. To listen to that interview click here.
I spoke with several FLW Tour pros and asked them “What do you think about having co-anglers involved in the sport of professional bass fishing?” I even talked to a couple very successful co-anglers currently competing on the FLW Tour. Here’s what they all had to say…
(Click a name to hear their comments)
Ranger Pro, Michael Murphy
OSI Pro Series Pro, Frank Scalish
Cheeze It Pro, Alvin Shaw
National Guard Pro, Scott Martin
Outdoor Channel Pro, Joe Thomas
Foldgers Pro, Anthony Gagliardi
Skeeter Pro, Matt Herren
Keebler Pro, Dave Lefebre
Ranger Co-Angler, Doug Caldwell
Berkley Co-Angler, Stetson Blaylock
In pro bass fishing’s “other” league, co-anglers are here to stay! Pres. and CEO of FLW Outdoors Charlie Evans told me at FLW’s Championship, “B.A.S.S. is a great organization and they have a plan to remove cos from their Elite Series. For us the co is a vital part of our industry and customer base.” Co-anglers learn from some of the world’s greatest anglers. “You might learn in three days from FLW pros what might take 20 years otherwise.” Evans claimed FLW will “never, never, ever” have any events without co-anglers.
Most FLW pros approve. Ranger/Yamaha FLW pro Jacob Powroznik thinks it’ll hurt B.A.S.S. in the long run. “They (cos) build the sport just like we do!” Contrary to what many B.A.S.S. pros feel about having someone in their boat making cast for cast, Powroznik likes helping his co-angler bring limits to the scales and has developed friendships over the years. As for unbalanced skill levels or getting unintentional help from a co-angler…“if you go back over the year, it probably evens out.”
Ranger/Evinrude pro George Cochran, winner of a couple of B.A.S.S. Classics and an FLW Championship, has picked up information watching cos fish in his boat, something most pros don’t admit. He thinks it might be tough to get people to pay just to watch pros fish. FLW pros probably won’t jump to the B.A.S.S. Elite Series, “I think they love FLW like I do and the money is so good…a million dollar championship!”
Fellow Classic winner Ranger/Evinrude pro Larry Nixon, also fishing FLW exclusively, said rules are made to be changed, but likes cos in his boat! “It makes the sport grow and gives people the chance to go fishing with people they would never have had the chance to fish with.” He too learns from cos and won’t leave FLW to fish without them. “Here, it’s a different tournament organization…a group of guys who enjoy fishing with each other. It’s ridiculous to think someone would leave.”
Relative newcomer Ranger/Evinrude FLW pro Kim Bain, having tremendous success on the Women’s Bassmaster Trail, said there’s been a lot of talk about the B.A.S.S. change. “There are plenty of opportunities for cos to fish other trails, it’s not that big a deal!” FLW offers co-angler opportunities and other than the Elite Series, B.A.S.S. has co-angler opportunities. Likewise she explained, if there are pros who don’t want to fish with cos, they could try to qualify for the Elite Series.
Bottom line in the debate over co-anglers is the bottom line. The FLW Ranger sales plan is quite transparent! FLW co-anglers are rewarded with Ranger sponsorships, cash incentives for Ranger owners, and a co-angler championship! FLW gave a lucky winner a Ranger at their Jacob’s Cup Championship and $1 million to a Fantasy Fishing winner. Cutting cos cuts their customer base. B.A.S.S. offers “pole” or “no-pole” co-angler opportunities, with the potential to appear in BASSMASTER Magazine or on ESPN. Right, wrong, or indifferent, the decision is yours. Isn’t America great!
Tournament Talk is written by Potomac River bass fishing guide Capt. Steve Chaconas.
my opinon its pro fishing co-anglers shouldnt be in the back of the boat exspecially casting could mess up ur fishing and takeing away the co-anglers will show who the real pros are.