In the world of professional bass fishing, rule changes usually get very little attention.
That is not the case with the "no-info" rule introduced on Friday by BASS officials. Early reports from the anglers show that most Bassmaster pros expect the rule change to elevate the professionalism associated with the sport.
BASS officials announced that a special stipulation had been added to the 30-day off-limits period for 2004 Tour and Elite 50 events. The rule was amended to add that competitors are not allowed to receive any information about the tournament waters during that period. This will also prohibit the use of phones, marked maps and GPS coordinates used to gather information to locate fish.
For years, tournament rules allowed the pros to receive information on the tournament waters prior to the start of the three-day official practice. But many anglers had been asking BASS to eliminate this ability.
"I have told the anglers about this rule, and they are, overwhelmingly, in favor of it," BASS Tournament Director Trip Weldon said. "Anglers will have to police themselves, but they feel that if the rule is made, it will be followed. Failure to adhere to the rule will result in a stiff penalty."
The penalties for violating the rule begin with tournament disqualification for the first offense. The second offense will result in loss of eligibility for the following season.
This rule change has been greeted with enthusiasm from most Bassmaster pros. Here's a sampling:
"This is a great thing for the sport," said Paul Elias, former Bassmaster Classic champion and president of the BASS Athletes Advisory Council. "It will really raise the level of the competition. Every tournament I've ever won, I didn't have any help."
"I think it's good," Kentucky's Mark Menendez said. "I think you're going to see a different elevation of anglers come to the top. You're going to see the truly skilled anglers do their job even better. At the same time, I think you're going to see some (pros have) seasons that are lackluster in their performances.
"I have had help in tournaments in the past, and I've have fished tournaments where I had no help. I tend to do better when I haven't had any help. I won a BASS tournament with zero help. I think this will bring a little more purity to the sport. I think we need that."
"I think it's an excellent idea if it can be enforced," South Carolina's Ray Sedgwick said. "I just don't know how it's going to be enforced. We'll just have to police ourselves. It will probably take stepping on a few toes to show that they mean business. But I think it's great because we'll have to get out there and fish our own ability."
"It's probably the best rule change we've had since I've been in the sport," praised Tim Horton of Alabama, the 2000 BASS Angler of the Year. "It's really going to level the playing field. The guys that find fish are going to be able to claim to have found them and won the tournament now instead of locals putting guys on winning fish. It's the best news I've heard in years. The best thing about it is if you finish second, you know you finished second to that angler - not that angler and some other local.
"It's going to give more credibility to what we do. And I think anglers that have gone around getting information throughout their careers are going to turn into better fishermen because they're going to learn to rely on what they do.
"This will help the guys that don't get local help, like Rick Clunn, myself and others. When locals approach Rick, it looks like he's offending them. And he's not trying to offend them - he just doesn't like getting information. Now, we can finally say, 'Hey, it's against the rules. Thanks, but no thanks.'"
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION GIANT
In the recent California BASS Federation State Classic, the California Delta surrendered the largest bass ever caught in a Federation event in the Golden State.
A 13.44-pound largemouth was caught by Danny Batinich, who was using a drop-shot rig with 20-pound test Berkley FireLine and a 4-inch Roboworm. The bass measured 27 inches in length and 31 inches in girth.
"Danny Batinich caught the biggest fish ever weighed in the history of any California Federation tournament," said Archie Steele, state tournament director. "He caught the fish during the state qualifier for the 2004 state team."
FAMILY AFFAIR
At the recent Southern Open on Lake Eufaula, a pair of husband-and-wife teams fished in the pro and amateur divisions: Mark and Brenda Fann of Florida; and Jim and Debra Nickell of Alabama.
DID YOU KNOW?
California pro Mike Folkestad has the dubious distinction of being the record-holder for the smallest winning weight ever posted in a BASS tournament. He won the 1992 Florida Invitational on the Harris Chain of Lakes with a three-day total of 14 pounds, 10 ounces. The 2004 Bassmaster Tour kicks off on the Harris Chain in January.
PRO BIRTHDAYS
North Carolina's Guy Eaker becomes 63 on Nov. 23, while Randy Blaukat turns 42 a day later. Jim Bitter (61) and Terry Baksay (43) share Nov. 28 as their birthday.
IF I HADN'T BECOME A BASS PRO...
Before becoming a full-time bass pro two years ago, North Carolina's Chris Baumgardner worked as a cable installer. His resume includes two Bassmaster Classic appearances and one BASS victory.
THEY SAID IT
"I'm fishing real carefree and just going with the flow. But it's important for me to catch fish and come up on stage for my sponsors. And I like to cash a check every tournament I fish." Florida pro Chuck Economou was in a relaxed frame of mind during the Southern Open on Lake Eufaula after securing a Classic invitation a month earlier on the Northern Open circuit.