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First
of all, I must confess that I'm not a fishing tournament guy; however,
it's obvious that fishing tournaments are definitely here to stay. Just
look at one of the televised major fishing tournaments and you may see
15,000 people jammed in a stadium as they patiently wait for the fishing
competitors to have their bass weighed. Today, these tournaments easily
outdraw some of the NBA basketball games.
An item in the Nov.-Dec. 2002 issue of the International Angler,
IGFA's informative newsletter, caught my attention:
"The ESPN programmers intend to turn pro bassin' into the next sports
culture with household heroes, patterned after the promotion and marketing
of the NASCAR circuits," the newsletter reported.
Whoa!
I don't watch
NASCAR, but I do know that it is a very popular, fast-growing event, so
it's going to require some very ambitious and creative marketing for fishing
tournaments to begin to approach NASCAR's immense following.
Most of the fishermen I know claim that they've watched several Bassmaster
and other tournaments on TV, but after a few minutes they reach for the
remote channel changer. Click!
Watching
a two- or three-pound bass literally surfed across the water's surface
isn't their idea of spine-tingling TV excitement, they explain. Nor mine.
According to the IGFA newsletter, ESPN president George Bodenheimer is
certainly aware of this and recently approached Ray Scott, the founder
of B.A.S.S. and the Bassmaster tournaments.
"Ray, in your opinion, what can we do to make this more exciting?"
Bodenheimer asked.
"Where's the excitement with a 200-pound man winching a three-pound
bass into the boat in less than 20 seconds?" Scott replied.
Scott is convinced that limiting fishing lines in bass tournaments to
four-pound test would add excitement and challenge.
It certainly would to some degree, but I have another idea that I've discussed
with a few knowledgeable fishing friends. They felt it has tremendous
potential. Here it is:
Why not hold a true fishing championship, in which the competitors
fish for different species, at various locations, using different fishing
methods. Then you have a real all-round fishing championship.
For convenience sake, let's use World Series of Fishing for a working
title (although World Fishing Championship is another good name).
Whereas the current Bass Master's Classic centers on one species (bass),
using basically similar tackle and somewhat similar techniques, I propose
that the competitors fish for different species using different tackle,
different methods at different locations.
You know, variety being the spice of life?
In
my mythical World Series of Fishing the competitors must use plug
casting, fly fishing, spinning and trolling gear. Why? Because we're talking
all-round casting championship here.
The World
Series of Fishing format I propose has four or five events leading
to the all-round championship. Here's is a sample of species, tackle and
locations that could be included:
1) Stream brown trout fishing in Montana via fly fishing.
2) Bass fishing in Texas using plug-casting tackle.
3) Sailfishing in Costa Rica using conventional tackle and trolling.
4) Tarpon and bonefishing in the Florida Keys using fly-fishing
gear.
5) Northern pike fishing in Canada using spinning gear.
Obviously other species and different locales could be substituted. Again
I picked these places and species merely to explain my concept.
All contestants would have to compete in all the segments. There would
be awards, cash prizes and honors for each of the above events.
The angler who does best (based on an equitable point system) in all the events, is crowned World Series of Fishing Champion. It's possible that an angler could place, say, 8th, 6th, 2nd, 5th and 3rd in the various events and still win the World Series of Fishing Championship. In addition, to a spectacular trophy, the winner receives a "knock-me-over" cash prize.
The advantages
of this type of a multi-faceted tournament are many:
• VARIETY OF SPECIES. The competitors are fishing for various
species including some truly fantastic, "electrifying" gamefish.
This is not to snub the largemouth bass, a marvelous, important game fish,
but imagine a guy (or gal) hooked unto a 125-pound tarpon on a fly rod,
and that silver king is blasting all over the flats with its mighty sky-high
leaps. It could take a half-hour, probably more, to land this fish. Now
compare this action to an angler fishing for largemouth who is, as Ray
Scott puts it, "winching a three-pound bass into the boat in less
than 20 seconds."
Which do you think the viewers would find more exciting?
Perhaps the sailfishing segment is limited to the use of 20-pound test
line. It's certain that the camera people are going to get some incredible
footage.
Fishing
for giant pike in Canada could also be a real kick. Want proof? Saltwater
experts Lefty Kreh, Dan Blanton and Stu Apte, who have conquered giant
tarpon and sailfish, tried pike fishing and loved it.
• DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. The tournament would take place in
different places. I've used Texas, Montana, Florida, Canada, and Costa
Rica as samples. What does this accomplish? Well, for one thing you are
increasing the local or regional interest in many parts of the hemisphere,
not just in southern U.S., where basically most of the bass tournaments
take place today.
• INTERNATIONAL IN SCOPE. Note that the proposed tournament
has an international flavor. In my locations, I used Canada and Costa
Rica in addition to the U.S. Another point: While initially all the competitors
may be from the United States, the tournament would eventually become
international in scope, not only by using foreign fishing waters, but
also by attracting anglers from countries.
• STRONG INTEREST VALUE. I think that there would be a strong
interest in seeing anglers who have developed a solid reputation for fishing
for one species using one method versus fishing for a number of different
species using a variety of tackle.
For example, wouldn't you like to see Denny Brauer, Ricky Clunn or any
other bass experts, tied unto a big tarpon on the flats using a fly rod?
Or a Billy Pate fishing for bass with a plug-casting outfit in Texas?
Or a trout fly fisherman hooked on to a sailfish in Costa Rica? Or maybe
Tred Barta or Mike Levitt casting surface plugs at northern pike in Canada,
or dry flies at Montana trout?
I
believe that the competitors, themselves, would find this very challenging.
I know that there are several bass guys who would do very well in all
the events, and I know several saltwater flyrodders who would excel in
bass fishing.
Flip Pallot, Rolland Martin, Steve Rajeff, Lefty Kreh, Stu Apte and Bob
Stearns are just a few of the famous fellows who would do very well in
all segments if they entered.
Another thing: Women should be encouraged to compete if they make the qualifying rounds. There are several that I believe would place quite high in the standings.
• WEATHERPROOF.
Weather becomes the most important determining factor in fishing. During
several very important past tournaments, the weather was unfavorable and
the results, were, well, pitiful. But if you have four or five events
at different locations and different times, better results are practically
guaranteed.
• INCREASED AUDIENCE. By moving the tournament events about,
and targeting a variety of species, ESPN would increase its audience,
which, in turn, would greatly increase the advertising and sponsorship.
Who knows,
maybe ESPN could get Curt Gowdy out of retirement to do the announcing!
Now you've got an incredible package!
Undoubtedly, the various locations would not only help host the tournament
but could contribute substantially toward cash prizes. And huge cash prizes,
along with the prestige, would attract skilled anglers.
• MORE EXCITEMENT? Limit the fighting time for such species as sailfish and tarpon. Or give bonus points if a marlin is landed in the sailfish event. Or limit the bass fishing to four-pound test line as Ray Scott suggested. Maybe the pike fishing should be restricted to surface lures, and perhaps the Montana trout fishing is limited to classic dry flies. The possibilities are endless.
• CONCLUSION:
I believe that the above recipe would add tremendous excitement and therefore
increased viewers. And ESPN could continue to offer its current Bassmaster
tournaments.
Of course, there are logistical and other problems, which would require
some solid thinking, but surely the advantages cited above greatly outweigh
the disadvantages.-Jim C. Chapralis
What do you think? Let me have your comments at:
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