My opinion on the state of kayak fishing tournaments and how close we really are to making the jump to a professinal level. While we have some great series to fish, the truth is we are a long ways off from taking the PRO step. #kayakfishing #bassfishing
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If you want a true pro tour, you’re gonna have to get the buy in from the anglers likely to participate. And why not have them build it.
That is a lot of information, found your channel this morning. I am a kayak fisherman, I have been for about 12 years, I did a couple of tournaments back in Oklahoma back when I got started. Back then I dont recall any apps for submission etc. As I have retired and moved, being on a fixed income, I know I can't afford a 1000 bucks per entry, although, I know there are some who could get the sponsors and it would be beneficial for them. I hope to see the sport to continue to grow and thank you for making the time to share this information with us sir.
Dale
The idea of a "pro kayak tour " in the mold of MLF or B.A.S.S is probably not possible ever.
For one, kayak tournaments were not originally created to mimic the "pro tour" as far as money goes. It was about lowering the financial bar of competitive fishing. So imo, the goal should be about securing the integrity of the sport with only modest increases in entry fees and payouts.
Hobie has done the best job lately. KBF has impacted positive growth more so than any other. KBF has also had the most issues with integrity and drama. Which basically opened the door for Hobie. It's a give and take. KBF created the environment of rapid growth and fell victim to its own success to some degree. However, it laid the ground work necessary for Hobie. B.A.S.S has been the most disappointing so far. However, it's making improvements quickly. Ultimately B.A.S.S has the corporate knowledge to best pull off a true pro tour. If it's possible
Is there really a demand for that? I don't think so. What I see is a small group of retirees with serious talent and a short shelf life and a small group of college kids who will likely move on to bigger things. The rest are capable anglers but not available because of life commitments else where.
That's not to say that there aren't a few middle aged people doing well at the top level of kayak tournament fishing. These people are not typical. They give up all of the certainty of the average lifestyle to scratch the competitive itch. They don't own homes. They sleep in their vehicles more than you would believe. They don't have 9 to fives so they hustle 24 7 365. I don't suspect there are a lot of people like that.
Well, there are certainly easier and more consistent ways to make a living than fishing.
Interesting points to think about.
Great thoughts
Just the conversation is exciting though….shows how much the sport is growing!!! Great video man!
If your going to have a Pro Kayak Series got to have Pro Money not this 250 shit. Rules have to be set in places not this BS we have now. But lets be real it will never happen and the reason why it won't is because No one is going to pay big money for a Kayak tournament when you got ppl getting away with Bending boards,Sharing fish, Braking rules, launching 50 miles from the mane body of water and i can go on with the cheating shitThats right i said cheating because that's what it is. The sad part about it is when you look back it's all well known names that are big in Kayak fishing and nothing happens to them but if you look back at the smaller names they went to jail and had to give all money and prizes back but not the big name ppl those names get brushed under the rug. The rules are not the same across the board o they say they are but many of us know and seen different
Money corrupts everything. The more money involved, the less it's about fishing, the more it becomes about marketing.
BASS and MLF are costing each other millions fighting for coverage and marketing dollars.
That being said, do we really need, or want a "pro" trail any bigger than Hobie, KBF, BASS, etc. There will obviously never be just one. Yes, the qualifiers are opens, but you still have to qualify for the championships.
Where it all comes off the rails is when money turns it into "teams" making sure their sponsored anglers do well. Fishing is not a team sport. Or is it…
Fishing is as much about information and networking as it is about fishing. That's just reality. The dirty little secret of tournament fishing.
Winning is good for marketing. Making sure your sponsored anglers do well is a good marketing investment. Hobie vs Old Town, vs etc…like everything else, it's just a money game. When manufacturers send teams out to pre fish and scout for their sponsored anglers, and hire guides to put them on fish while withholding info from their competitors, and have anglers enter the tournaments so they can legally share information during the toirnament (networking and information) the sport gets corrupted. Anyone who doesn't think it's happening is just naive. Ignorance is bliss.
Pro trails are not about fishing. They're about marketing which is why the conversation always turns to TV coverage. Why is TV coverage necessary to have a "pro" trail? It's not. TV coverage is good for marketing. It corrupts the game into manufacturers buying championships. (i.e. salary caps in baseball…) The anglers everyone thinks are so good, are really just the face of the "team" and the "teams" have a lot more money than most individuals.
It's all about marketing and money, and money corrupts everything.
Great points Jeff and I believe you nailed it with view of a PK series
Good video Jeff. I'd say you hit the nail on the head.
A true pro tour would be great. But I'd be just as happy with 3 or 4 open series on par with Hobie or even better. Big trophies, camera boats, 150 kayak fields, catered meals, swag packs, big awards ceremonys. Trails that make a guy feel like a pro for a weekend while still being open to all. That's where I think competitive kayak fishing is at its best.
Good thoughts. Just getting familiar with the local tournament scene this year, hoping to hit at least one open next year.
FYI: crotch shots increases your chances of winning by 60% 😂
Well said Jeff. I started cracking up when you called out the crotch shots lol
Great Topic Jeff! It would take a lot of time, blood, and sweat to get this to a professional level. I think some of the big companies in the industry are seeing there are more anglers in the kayak scenery and coming aboard more. I think overall the grass root clubs within each state or boarding states need to get together and do combined tournaments at a lower entry rate. This is just my thought and it would help grow the clubs. Most Georgia HIghschools have bass boat teams now, I would like to see them get a kayak team together as well.
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Good topic. I can't imagine very many kayak anglers willing to travel the country to fish tourneys on their own dime. I have an idea though….we need to create national standings…open water entry (meaning it does not matter what body of water you fish as long as it's public) so that everyone can be included. Unique Identifiers supplied daily to members….upload fish whenever you want. Your top 5 or 10 fish for that year will count (many other metrics you can use). Top 50 anglers get invited to an annual big-money prestigious tournament. If the membership was $100 each and every kayak angler in america joined….thats a lot of money for those top 50. BIG money for top 10. I think tourneyX or fishbrain might be in best position to carry this out.