In today’s episode, I talk about one of my best friends ever retiring from professional bass fishing, the current state of professional bass fishing, and my current burn out situation. This episode is hard for me because it hurts to talk about tough stuff. Whether you agree or not, the industry as we know it is in constant flux. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if more big names retire in the coming months to year. I try so hard to make this show a daily/weekly deal, but let’s face it. Life gets in the way some times. I’ll try to be better! Thank you all for your support, it means more than you know!
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Some other posters said this but but bass fishing passion started from being in a local club fishing local tournaments. In my area we are seeing huge declines in club participation and local and state tournaments and I attribute this to FFS and social media. Very sad. I think the damage to population of those pursuing tournament fishing will implode other than well-off individuals.
It's just a step change due to technology. In ten years time once all the anglers are as proficient as each other with the new tech it won't be such an issue.
For all the joes out here we can't relate to the $$$ it costs even as weekend angler's,we don't have income for all the bells and whistles it's alienating at lot of good fisherman who love the sport just saying
That's shit news on Hallman retiring, didn't think he would be happy ending on a season like that. He is too good to have another season that bad. I was looking forward to watching him fishing angry next season.
Something is gonna have to change for the better cause the magic is dying… when guys fire up and run 2 spot not really knowing what your gonna get into that fish3
I do wish you luck going into the future. As for the state of pro bass fishing. Well if you look back at some of my comments I had warned you exactly about what’s happening. Secure your sponsors and business partners it’s about to get lean. Crazy times.
I heard a phrase yesterday about Professional Bass fishing that really did put things in perspective. Luke Dunkin's Podcast was on and they were talking about the amount of sponsorship money to go around for all of these tournament organizations and the size of the pie that that money makes up. Then a viewer made a comment about that very same topic. His comment was that its not the size of the pie for sponsorship dollars has shrunk or gotten smaller, what has changed now is the amount of Anglers that wants to take a bite out of that pie has grown by leaps and bounds. And that is very true. Now college Anglers are pretty dam good and with FFS they are not at a disadvantage anymore going to new lakes and seeing bodies of water for the 1st time. They are not at all intimidated by anything at all in this day and time. So to me the sponsorship support is eventually going to be what makes or breaks an Angler. That and having a Social Media presence too. Just ask Jacob Foutz?
Don't forget Micah Frazier on the Elites too.
You are a big big big lying angler that is a fact people’s are not dumb
THATS WHY I ENJOYED THE OLDER BASS FISHING THIS NEW STUFF MAKES IT KINDA DULL TO WATCH
50s never happen it’s gonna be a fast turnover going forward. YouTube fishing influencers are getting most of your sponsers money good luck
Your gonna need it
I cannot to afford forward facing equipment ,I'm to old to learn. Etc. love your content on I tube
👍👍👍👍👍
Andrew where you went out and learned how to deep crank and other methods the kids today are dependent on FFS. Do you realize we have an 18 year old kid who made the Elites this year? Unheard of in the past. At 18 in my day we just didn’t have the knowledge to gain this level. It took years to learn and years of fishing before you got halfway there.
Do you really think Scott is going to retire anytime soon lol the only way I see that happening is if he won the classic!
I just hope Bradley will have no issues generating income outside of fishing. Thanks for posting Andrew.
Bro eat some samich's your withering away to nothing
The industry has left the guys that built the sport in the dust to go after younger anglers that are good, but gullible. They know these young guys will drink the kool-aid quicker than the experienced guys. They will do whatever necessary to make a name. It’s sad. I believe the retirement age will be younger than 50. A 20 year career will become a long time in professional fishing very soon.
Great video Andrew keep it up thank you
Your a 100% correct and I’ve noticed declines even in regular tournament fishing as well. FFS has changed a lot really. As well as the abundance of info that’s available.
Good video Andrew, I’ll never forget those days of traveling with y’all. Hallman is one of a kind, can’t thank y’all enough… OU football will be better for sure with full time Brad lol!
FFS wrecked bass fishing tournaments and flippers like Hallman got cut down to be weak competitors. Sad good luck to him
Hate to hear that, but family time is important. I can understand his position, although I hate to see it. Hope to see him on the water around Oklahoma. Tell him I got a kayak he can use to come show us how it’s done 😉
Hope they do some kayak tournaments
I giggled a little bit when you said “20 years ago”. I remember Nixon wearing a trucker hat and his first Classic! Same with Clunn. Brauer. Rowland. Daves. Yelas. Parker. Biffle. Hibdon (both). Ray Scott singlehandedly brought the sport to the top. When he left, shit hit the fan, and we all knew it would.
Meanwhile, kayak anglers are enjoying lowered entries for 2024, better payouts, HUGE end of year tournament pay, growth, affordability, trust of organizations. If we could only get rid of some of the disrespect we get by boaters. We are boats too!! The ORIGIONAL fishing boat!
Man I miss the days when tournament fishing was just about going fishing. Yeah you still had sponsor obligations, seminars, etc. but a guy could make it on the backbone of just his fishing ability.
Rick clunn still fishing elites
They got it where you can’t do it for 10 years much less 40. Both of them will be missed. Sooner or later us old mfs gunna quit watching too 😂
I don't think you're going to see many careers starting around this time, last longer than 10 years. The fee's required just to participate, and the reduction in sponsorships and payouts, is all going to contribute to very short careers from this point forward.
Fishing is dead!
9/10 of the top 10 guys are using live-scope, because 9/10 of them are only there because of it.
Pro bass fishing is killing itself. Period
I remember getting Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin and Johnny Torian autographs at the Pendleton Harbor yacht club. (It’s been closed a long time). I was 14 then. They were my hero’s. Mrs Nell who ran the place was a very good friend of my father and I. The next 10 0:03 years was my best memories of that place. Fish all day and yacht club at night. I was lucky enough to get to fish with Johnny once after he quit fishing professionally and decided to go to law school. Was lucky once again to spend New Years with Larry when he came back to the lake one Christmas. That had to been 30 years ago. To hear he’s finally hanging it up is very sad news for me. I’m 55 now and he’s still my hero.
Well said brother, I feel that frustration as a fan
I keep thinking why don’t you guys start your own pro league? You can limit FFS you can control the money. The world you live in could be control by anglers. I mean MLF and Bass masters can’t control the pro fishing league if they don’t have anglers. And especially if anglers ban together and create your own future as a pro angler. The BASS and MLF will see real quick the sponsorships will follow the money and not the name of the association. Well that’s what I think anyway… I’m not a professional angler by any means but it makes sense to mean. I mean BASS/MLF didn’t exist until it did. Thanks for the video it’s a good one.
Burnout is a natural state of life, no matter what you do for a living. As a old General officer once said “everyone comes the last stop at some point.” Only the blessed ones get to get off on their own terms.
Hallman just misses being on the bass fantasy show😂
Love you buddy, great video, thanks and go win one
Tournaments are just not fun anymore. Good times back in the ‘90s!
Hate to see Hallman retire I felt like he was due for a couple of good tournaments and that could have picked up his morale but I definitely understand it. I live my life vicariously through you guys because I know there’s no chance in hell I could dedicate the time and effort it takes to be successful on that level without sacrificing time with my family and missing those special moments with my kids. We all go through burnout and you definitely have to have those people just to call and vent to on those tough days. Keep doing what you’re doing brother and in the end things will always work out how they are supposed to.
Good for both of them – get out while the gettin' is good!!!!! The online world is changing everything.
I grew up loving Bass fishing and tournaments. Unfortunately everyone and their momma wants to fish and fish tournaments. Our lakes are way overcrowded. Most of the fishing equipment is way overpriced. And tournaments are not fun to watch or fish .
Back in the day any body could fish, now being priced out of the sport. $80,000 boats + $10,000 electronics & $60,000+ trucks. Can’t afford it today.
I think the four of you should fish NPFL Monroe, pangrac, Todd, and you. specially how there doing lives will generate different sponsors like flw tried.