Rand Blaukat had these thoughts on Facebook today:
As many of you know, I'm not a big fan on new technology in fishing. I use it, only because I'm forced to do so to compete.
That being said, I don't think the current explosion in technology is a good idea for the future of our sport.
The reason I say this is not because myself or others resist change and adaptation.
I say this because technology....and the need to keep up with it to compete even on a weekend level, is turning bass fishing....expecially tournament fishing, into an "elitist" sport.
It takes a lot of money to keep up with technology....not just the desire to keep up.
I think it is a huge injustice to our sport, for tournament directors to allow a unlimited amount of electronics on a boat, yet they will not allow an angler to leave their boat to make an area more accessable....and other rules that require no financial outlay by the anglers...only creativity.
For some anglers to be able to afford $15,000 dollars in electronics, while some anglers can barely afford two very simple, basic units creates an uneven playing field.
Same with rods/reels and tackle. Professional golfers are limited to how many clubs they can carry. The same should apply to tournament fishing....again, in and effort to level the playing field for those less financially fortunate.
We live in a world of fishing where an $80,000 dollar boat, a $50,000 dollar truck, $70,000 dollars in entry fees and expenses, and another $15,000 in tackle each year is the norm.
This is insanity.
I for one, see this harming our sport and new anglers who want to become part of it.
To me, the best thing tournament directors could do for our sport, is to put more limits on equipment and technology allowed in our sport, and put more emphasis on creativity.
Let anglers plant brush/carry extra gas/pull their boats over shallow water to access areas....anything that is free and within the state laws of the area that is being fished.
True progress would be putting more emphasis on angler creativity and intuition, and less on the financial resources that some anglers have over the less fortunate.
To me, a perfect tournament world would be one where no gps or side/down imaging was legal. A boat compass, a map, and two basic depthfinders would be all competitors could use.
This would allow our sport to see the anglers with creativity and intuition excel....which is the primal way fishing has been and should remain....not who can afford to dish out thousands of dollars every time a new gadget is introduced to the market.
Let's hear some thoughts from everyone!
I think he makes some really excellent points, what about you guys?
As many of you know, I'm not a big fan on new technology in fishing. I use it, only because I'm forced to do so to compete.
That being said, I don't think the current explosion in technology is a good idea for the future of our sport.
The reason I say this is not because myself or others resist change and adaptation.
I say this because technology....and the need to keep up with it to compete even on a weekend level, is turning bass fishing....expecially tournament fishing, into an "elitist" sport.
It takes a lot of money to keep up with technology....not just the desire to keep up.
I think it is a huge injustice to our sport, for tournament directors to allow a unlimited amount of electronics on a boat, yet they will not allow an angler to leave their boat to make an area more accessable....and other rules that require no financial outlay by the anglers...only creativity.
For some anglers to be able to afford $15,000 dollars in electronics, while some anglers can barely afford two very simple, basic units creates an uneven playing field.
Same with rods/reels and tackle. Professional golfers are limited to how many clubs they can carry. The same should apply to tournament fishing....again, in and effort to level the playing field for those less financially fortunate.
We live in a world of fishing where an $80,000 dollar boat, a $50,000 dollar truck, $70,000 dollars in entry fees and expenses, and another $15,000 in tackle each year is the norm.
This is insanity.
I for one, see this harming our sport and new anglers who want to become part of it.
To me, the best thing tournament directors could do for our sport, is to put more limits on equipment and technology allowed in our sport, and put more emphasis on creativity.
Let anglers plant brush/carry extra gas/pull their boats over shallow water to access areas....anything that is free and within the state laws of the area that is being fished.
True progress would be putting more emphasis on angler creativity and intuition, and less on the financial resources that some anglers have over the less fortunate.
To me, a perfect tournament world would be one where no gps or side/down imaging was legal. A boat compass, a map, and two basic depthfinders would be all competitors could use.
This would allow our sport to see the anglers with creativity and intuition excel....which is the primal way fishing has been and should remain....not who can afford to dish out thousands of dollars every time a new gadget is introduced to the market.
Let's hear some thoughts from everyone!
I think he makes some really excellent points, what about you guys?