It's no Crappie but....WHAT!?

This is blowing up everywhere else. Check it.
Chase Cominsky & Jacob Runyan: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com
WALLEYE CHEATERS--BUSTED, WE GOT WEIGHTS IN FISH. LEWT 2022- ORIGINAL FULL VIDEO COMINSKY & RUNYON - YouTube
The video get interesting around 14 minutes.

The language in the video is pretty not good so make sure your volume is down and no kids are around.

BIG news here in Cleveland. The pair were also disqualified from the Fall Brawl 2021 last year after they won. This has been going on for awhile now. That's why I won't do tournaments. Anytime you bring money into something, it's no longer enjoyable and the money ruins it.
I fish for enjoyment and the decompression it gives me after a long day at work with all its heartaches.

Very sad indeed

I've read many comments from other sources. "That's why I don't fish tourneys", "scum bags", "They should lose their sponsors", & "this is going to kill the sport".
It got me to thinking (Keep in mind I suck to much to fish professionally and have almost zero inside knowledge) about the sport today in terms of tournaments.
For the most part fishing aka "the sport" or "the industry" consists mainly of the average Joe (or Jodet) who just likes to get away for a little bit and maybe likes to eat fish. Add in some socialization and the ability to put a little more food on the table and that's "fishing" in a nutshell. Granted, it's a GIANT multi (probably) billion dollar industry. There's a lot of skin in the game and everyone wants to make their brand and products known.

Now in days gone by the best way to build your brand and gain market share was to sponsor a "pro" so they can write articles in magazines and put pictures of the pro with their product proudly on display. Maybe there was a fishing show and the angler used your pole or jig to catch all those monster feesh (and edit out all the dinks or days skunked). There wasn't much else for product education.

The "professional" fisherman ultimately destroyed the small local tourneys for bragging rights or even a few bucks. Yet the average Joe was still paying attention.

But, does the average angler give tourneys a second thought anymore? Is that still part of the industry that still serves a purpose?
With the advent of the internet and especially Youtube, I'd argue that big sponsored tournaments are archaic and a waist of sponsor money. Just give a Youtuber some free product and they'll teach their viewers everything there is to know about it and what makes it great (or not great on occasion). ..and Youtube "fans" follow and respect those opinions with far greater impact than seeing a logo in a magazine.

I think the big money sponsors should spend their money on the grass roots every day fisherman. Give product or small prizes to the small local tournaments, kids events, fishing forums, and youtubers. Don't misunderstand me, I'm a capitalist and think they should get paid for their product, I just mean to give away their advertising budget, afterall it was already being given away.

Personally a guy that fishes 6 days a week with every advantage money can by (and not his own) is just a slap in the face to those of us just out trying to get it done.
If your a guy all sponsored up and make your living that way, good for you. If someone wanted to pay me to fish everyday, I would too, I just don't think 'they' should.

good

should've got a beatin tho

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baitwaster

I've read many comments from other sources. "That's why I don't fish tourneys", "scum bags", "They should lose their sponsors", & "this is going to kill the sport".
It got me to thinking (Keep in mind I suck to much to fish professionally and have almost zero inside knowledge) about the sport today in terms of tournaments.
For the most part fishing aka "the sport" or "the industry" consists mainly of the average Joe (or Jodet) who just likes to get away for a little bit and maybe likes to eat fish. Add in some socialization and the ability to put a little more food on the table and that's "fishing" in a nutshell. Granted, it's a GIANT multi (probably) billion dollar industry. There's a lot of skin in the game and everyone wants to make their brand and products known.

Now in days gone by the best way to build your brand and gain market share was to sponsor a "pro" so they can write articles in magazines and put pictures of the pro with their product proudly on display. Maybe there was a fishing show and the angler used your pole or jig to catch all those monster feesh (and edit out all the dinks or days skunked). There wasn't much else for product education.

The "professional" fisherman ultimately destroyed the small local tourneys for bragging rights or even a few bucks. Yet the average Joe was still paying attention.

But, does the average angler give tourneys a second thought anymore? Is that still part of the industry that still serves a purpose?
With the advent of the internet and especially Youtube, I'd argue that big sponsored tournaments are archaic and a waist of sponsor money. Just give a Youtuber some free product and they'll teach their viewers everything there is to know about it and what makes it great (or not great on occasion). ..and Youtube "fans" follow and respect those opinions with far greater impact than seeing a logo in a magazine.

I think the big money sponsors should spend their money on the grass roots every day fisherman. Give product or small prizes to the small local tournaments, kids events, fishing forums, and youtubers. Don't misunderstand me, I'm a capitalist and think they should get paid for their product, I just mean to give away their advertising budget, afterall it was already being given away.

Personally a guy that fishes 6 days a week with every advantage money can by (and not his own) is just a slap in the face to those of us just out trying to get it done.
If your a guy all sponsored up and make your living that way, good for you. If someone wanted to pay me to fish everyday, I would too, I just don't think 'they' should.

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Iike your idea of a grass roots approach

So I just won the Bobby garland prize pkg. in the last give away. Not here yet but I wouldn’t take 200 bucks for them because they were an honest prize. If I catch ANY fish on these then that name or brand will be with me forever. That’s the true advertisement. A few years ago I found this site and read an add for slabanator jigs ( slabeye on here ) and tried them out. I have never looked back. Honest company, makes things right if need be and have a problem, and an honest guy to deal with. I don’t know who or how many sponsors these guys had but I do wonder how many, if any, knew what was going on. I think most of us here are willing to buy jigs to try out and if they catch fish then we’ll buy more. Pico is another outstanding company. I don’t troll cranks but that’s my first choice if I decide to. They cater to people like us, the everyday person that’s fishing every now and again and just wants to get home safe after a few memories are made for that trip and look forward to the next. Somebody quoted “ it’s going to kill the sport”. Well, they did that long ago. Just my 2 c folks.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Because of guys like these, this is why I like watching the tournament where the officiator is on the boat and they use calibrated scales. The Ref keeps track of time, weight and any penalties. It takes things like, dog kennels full of fish, fish being delivered and stuffing fish out of the equation. Of course this is an expensive cost to the organizer, so is idiots who cheat to get paid. Like I said in my post "Greed makes man go places they wish they hadn't."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baitwaster

I've read many comments from other sources. "That's why I don't fish tourneys", "scum bags", "They should lose their sponsors", & "this is going to kill the sport".
It got me to thinking (Keep in mind I suck to much to fish professionally and have almost zero inside knowledge) about the sport today in terms of tournaments.
For the most part fishing aka "the sport" or "the industry" consists mainly of the average Joe (or Jodet) who just likes to get away for a little bit and maybe likes to eat fish. Add in some socialization and the ability to put a little more food on the table and that's "fishing" in a nutshell. Granted, it's a GIANT multi (probably) billion dollar industry. There's a lot of skin in the game and everyone wants to make their brand and products known.

Now in days gone by the best way to build your brand and gain market share was to sponsor a "pro" so they can write articles in magazines and put pictures of the pro with their product proudly on display. Maybe there was a fishing show and the angler used your pole or jig to catch all those monster feesh (and edit out all the dinks or days skunked). There wasn't much else for product education.

The "professional" fisherman ultimately destroyed the small local tourneys for bragging rights or even a few bucks. Yet the average Joe was still paying attention.

But, does the average angler give tourneys a second thought anymore? Is that still part of the industry that still serves a purpose?
With the advent of the internet and especially Youtube, I'd argue that big sponsored tournaments are archaic and a waist of sponsor money. Just give a Youtuber some free product and they'll teach their viewers everything there is to know about it and what makes it great (or not great on occasion). ..and Youtube "fans" follow and respect those opinions with far greater impact than seeing a logo in a magazine.

I think the big money sponsors should spend their money on the grass roots every day fisherman. Give product or small prizes to the small local tournaments, kids events, fishing forums, and youtubers. Don't misunderstand me, I'm a capitalist and think they should get paid for their product, I just mean to give away their advertising budget, afterall it was already being given away.

Personally a guy that fishes 6 days a week with every advantage money can by (and not his own) is just a slap in the face to those of us just out trying to get it done.
If your a guy all sponsored up and make your living that way, good for you. If someone wanted to pay me to fish everyday, I would too, I just don't think 'they' should.

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I want to dispute some of your points. First though, let me say I think those 2 scum bags should be arrested on felony charges. They are the reason big money tourneys have lie detectors.

Have you ever gone to a BASS Elite tournament weigh in? Thousands attend to cheer for and to check out the pro's. They want to see who sponsors them, what equipment they use and what fish were caught on. The sponsors plaster the boats with logo's as well as the shirts. This is all live, not on you tube. Another point is cheaters ruin tourneys, not "professionals".

My SIL fishes tournaments and his normal partner has ventured into fishing opens. In fact last week he won the Red River event as co-angler.(big money for him, much needed as he is his own primary sponsor) Neither of those guys cheat and they spend a lot fishing. They do it for "fun" as fun is described to different people in different ways.

BASS sponsors high school and college events all across the nation. No telling how much BASS contributes to the fishing economy.

Also your point of fishing 6 days a week is good, but the BASS angler of the year just spent the last 2 weeks chasing and harvesting an elk, not fishing. Those guys are like all of us, they don't produce the sponsorship goes away.

Anyway, I disagree with you about them giving away their advert budget. The money they spend and the money people spend because of it spurs the economy and helps many average joe fishermen. Nothing wrong with an advertising logo.

Not trying to start a fight with you, like you just throwing out another side. "D"

Love it D. Just tryin to spark a discussion and learn something.
I agree cheaters ruin everything, but my point about the pro's..ok ruin is probably the wrong word. They inhibit participation and perpetuate the eliteness (for lack of a better word). Joe Schmoe with his $12k boat isn't likely to enter a tournament on his local lake when 40 pro's are gonna show up.
I'd also argue that for the 1000's that show up to cheer on a weigh in there is a million of us who just don't care, and we're the ones they're trying to market to.
If a guy can make a living fishing.. HE SHOULD! What a cool way to go.
As far as tournaments helping the local economy. Absolutely! Notice my signature below, I'm personally in this boat. I love (and need) that people come to my lake to fish, but it's the individuals that are our bread and butter.
And my boat is covered in logo's but none of them paid me. CDC is on my boat twice :) I'll take donations though.

I really don't have a problem with tournaments, I just don't understand the economics that still drive them, at least the big money ones. I feel like they're one of those things from our past that exists because it exists.

On a side note. I grew up on a lake and been near them my whole life. You never hear good stories from anyone who fishes the tournaments. Maybe they're all just sore losers? There are plenty of locals with sufficient toys and plenty of time on the lake, they should have the advantage. In my region, tournaments have a bad reputation, should they? I dunno, I never cared enough to care.