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More Two-Tour Reports:
BASS Still First Choice
Friday, October 27, 2006
by: BassFan.com
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Photo: ESPN Outdoors John Crews is following his success – he's made two consecutive Bassmaster Classics, and missed two consecutive FLW championships.
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(Editor's note: This is part 2 of a 2-part feature about which events current two-tour pros will fish next season.)
In part 1 of this story Kelly Jordon, John Murray, Tommy Biffle and Takahiro Omori all discussed their choice to fish the 14-event Bassmaster Elite Series over the 6-event FLW Tour.
Yes, some will remain quasi-two-tour pros and supplement their Elite Series schedule with up to four FLW Series events – if they can – but overall the consensus was clearly to remain with BASS and its Elite Series.
It's much the same with the pros featured in part 2 below.
John Crews: 'Not a Tough Decision'
> Elite Series points finish: 20th
> FLW Tour points finish: 134th (missed one event)
> Current world rank: 58th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Ranger/Yamaha
> Years as a two-tour pro: 5
> Turned pro with: FLW
What he'll fish next year: "I'm going to fish BASS, and there might be something else that pops up that I may fish. We'll just see how it goes. I'm really planning everything around the Elite Series, and I'm going to plan on fishing that PAA event." (Note: The Professional Anglers Association event, called the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, will be at Lake Fork, Texas in April 2007 and will offer a $1 million total purse.)
Factors that affected his decision: "To me, it was pretty plain and simple. The last 2 years, I've qualified for the (Bassmaster) Classic, and have not qualified for the FLW championship. I'm not going to abandon ship on something that seems to be going well. It wasn't a tough decision at all."
Planned wrap for 2007: "I'm not sure yet. I've got a couple of things in the works, and one thing that's looking good, but there's nothing signed yet."
Notable: Crews didn't fish the Pickwick FLW Tour this year, which was sandwiched between the Classic and the Amistad Elite Series. Even if he'd fished Pickwick and finished 1st, he still would not have made the FLW championship.
Brent Chapman: 'My Sponsor Association'
> Elite Series points finish: 41st
> FLW Tour points finish: 16th
> Current world rank: 32nd
> Boat/motor sponsor: Triton/Mercury
> Years as a two-tour pro: 7
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year: "I'm fishing BASS – just the Elite Series."
Factors that affected his decision: "Probably just my sponsor association. I've got GE Silicone II, and Triton and Mercury. FLW's a wonderful circuit, and I really enjoyed fishing them, but I've been forced to make a decision.
"With where I'm at with my sponsors, and for me to provide exposure for them, I have to align myself with BASS. FLW doesn't provide any avenues for exposure unless you're aligned with their sponsors."
Planned wrap for 2007: "It'll be the GE Silicone II wrap again next year."
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Photo: ESPN Outdoors Brent Chapman's going just BASS – he said the decision was based on exposure potential for his sponsors.
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Notable: Chapman's performance was the opposite of most two-tour pros this year – he finished higher in the FLW Tour points than the Elite Series points.
Alton Jones: 'Simply My Sponsors'
> Elite Series points finish: 16th
> FLW Tour points finish: 34th
> Current world rank: 37th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Skeeter/Yamaha
> Years as a two-tour pro: 7
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year: "I've signed up for just the Elite Series next year."
Factors that affected his decision: "First of all, I have to say it was a difficult decision. I've always enjoyed the years I fished FLW. The people and the organization are always wonderful. I have so many friends there, it made it real difficult.
"The biggest factor was simply my sponsors. I feel I'm in a better position to promote my sponsors through the Bassmaster Elite Series. (The decision) is just simply based on the fact that Bassmaster encourages me to promote the people whose logos I wear on my chest. As I perform well, it gives me the opportunity to do that.
"In the FLW side, we're not allowed to wear those logos when the cameras are rolling, so their benefit is not as great on the FLW side as on the Bassmaster side. As a business, I need to take care of the people that are paying me to perform. That meant me going to Bassmaster."
Other comments: "I do want to reiterate – my years with FLW have been wonderful."
Planned wrap for 2007: "We don't know for sure. This year, it was a combination of Skeeter and Xcalibur. There's a good chance it may be the same wrap for next year, but it'll probably be a month or so before we know for sure."
Notable: Jones "doubled-up" this year and qualified for both the Classic and the FLW championship. At the championship, he lost to Shinichi Fukae by an ounce in a brutal 1st-round bracket battle.
Dave Smith: 'No One Particular Reason'
> Elite Series points finish: 80th
> FLW Tour points finish: 82nd
> Current world rank: 168th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Ranger/Mercury
> Years as a two-tour pro: 4
> Turned pro with: FLW
What he'll fish next year:
"I'm fishing the Elite Series, and I also have plans to fish the (Eastern) FLW Series. Then hopefully, depending on how things go – if there's any openings – I may fill in the FLW Tour somewhere toward the end of the season. And I'll fish the Northern Strens if I get some breaks."
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Photo: ESPNOutdoors.com Alton Jones said it was a difficult decision, but he's just fishing the Elite Series next year.
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Factors that affected his decision: "It wasn't any one reason why I selected one tour over the other. I was qualified for BASS – they took the Top 80 back – and personally I enjoy fishing a tour that's on good lakes.
"The FLW Series has a really great schedule, and I sure do want to fish those. But with BASS, I've never been to California, so that's a little bit of a mystery, but they say it'll be really entertaining. And the other lakes are the best in the country – from Guntersville to Amistad to the Potomac to Lake Erie and Grand Lake.
"The FLW Series is on really good fisheries too. The tournament organizations now are putting us on great fisheries. I think it's really good for the sport."
Planned wrap for 2007: "I've got a major corporation that's considering my wrap right now. Maybe I'll know something in a few days. They're involved in NASCAR sports nationwide, and it's someone I have a relationship with. If not, I might run Cabela's – which I ran for 3 years – or another MTM Recognition wrap like this year."
Notable: He's from Del City, Okla. but likes to get north whenever he can. He did have the opportunity to fish California when the Bassmaster Tour went there in 2003, but he stayed east to fish the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) instead.
Ish Monroe: 'For Sponsor Obligations'
> Elite Series points finish: 37th
> FLW Tour points finish: 48th
> Current world rank: 38th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Ranger/Yamaha
> Years as a two-tour pro: 2
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year: "I'm fishing BASS and right now working on trying to fish the (Western) FLW Series. Several guys have called and expressed the interest to BASS that they need to raise the off-limits for the Delta a little so we can fish all four FLW Series West events."
Factors that affected his decision: "I'm committing to BASS for sponsor obligations and sponsor opportunities. Some of my sponsors expressed that they want me to fish BASS – you can promote anybody you want there. And I've been with BASS since the early parts of my career. For me to jump ship on them – BASS and my sponsors – would be wrong."
Other comments: "Ranger, Yamaha, Lowrance – they all expressed that they want me to do what's best for me. Ranger's supportive of me fishing either the BASS or FLW side. And I'm still fishing the FLW Series, so I'll be getting coverage on both sides."
Planned wrap for 2007: "I'll be running Lowrance/Cocoons again. And I'll have a full Cocoons wrap on my truck, but still incorporate all my sponsors on the side of the vehicle, and portions of the boat as well."
Notable: He won two $100,000 paydays this year with BASS. The first was at Amistad, the second was at the recent Busch Shootout specialty event. Also of note: he recently acquired Cheetah energy drinks as a new sponsor. "They're based in San Jose, Calif.," he said. "They recently signed (Sacramento Kings point guard) Mike Bibby as their spokesman. They want to get into the fishing market too."
Mike Wurm: 'Classic Win a Lifelong Dream'
> Elite Series points finish: 25th
> FLW Tour points finish: 106th
> Current world rank: 68th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Ranger/Evinrude
> Years as a two-tour pro: 10
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year: "I'm fishing BASS – the Elite Series – and the FLW Eastern Series."
Factors that affected his decision: "For me and for what I'm wanting to do, and to further my career, BASS is the best choice for me. FLW is a good tournament circuit, but for what I want to accomplish, I want to go through BASS. It's always been a lifelong dream to win a Classic.
"BASS has been good to me – I've advanced further and gotten more recognition on that side. I want to continue with that, but I don't want to completely drop FLW. That's why I'm fishing the Eastern (FLW) Series."
Planned wrap for 2007: "The same as this year – Hot Springs, Ark., with the Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau."
Notable: He switched electronics sponsors. He was formerly sponsored by Garmin, but recently inked a deal with Humminbird.
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Photo: ESPNOutdoors.com Zell Roland will 'gut it out with BASS for 1 more year.'
| Zell Rowland: '1 more year'
> Elite Series points finish: 32nd
> FLW Tour points finish: 181st (only fished two events due to back problems)
> Current world rank: 47th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Skeeter/Yamaha
> Years as a two-tour pro: 3
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year:
"I'm going to fish BASS."
Factors that affected his decision: "I thought about it long and hard, and I don't know what I'll do if I don't make the Top 50 cut (next year) to requalify (for 2008). I think that's the most degrading thing that (BASS has) done so far. If they were to ask me to go back and fish the (Bassmaster) Opens to requalify, I probably wouldn't do that. You can't make a living doing that – sponsors won't pay you to fish the Opens.
"But I'm going to gut it out with BASS for 1 more year."
Other comments: "I couldn't fish (a full FLW Tour) this year. I was entered in all the events, but my back doctor wouldn't allow me to fish both tours. I had such an investment in BASS, I couldn't go fish FLW.
"FLW's a very well run organization. And to me, FLW is not that much different from BASS. Irwin (Jacobs) is in business to sell boats and promote his product line, and he does that better than anybody I've seen so far."
Notable: He underwent heart surgery last fall, then back surgery this past March – immediately after the Santee Cooper Elite Series. Despite the health issues, he qualified for the Classic. He made one Top 12 Elite Series cut (Champlain), but for the most part, finished consistently in the 30s to 40s.
Dave Wolak: 'The Schedule'
> Elite Series points finish: 43rd
> FLW Tour points finish: 77th
> Current world rank: 30th
> Boat/motor sponsor: Ranger/Yamaha
> Years as a two-tour pro: 1
> Turned pro with: BASS
What he'll fish next year: "I'm fishing BASS. I'll do some (Eastern) FLW Series – as much as I can. I haven't really even tackled the whole putting-the-schedule-together thing yet."
Factors that affected his decision: "The schedule. Although it gave me a lot of experience this year fishing two tours, it was way too hectic. I felt like a dog with a lampshade on my head, chasing my tail in circles.
"Several times during the year, my tackle was in shambles. I could never really catch up with all my belongings to put a well-equipped, well-prepared tournament together. Toward the end of the (Elite Series), I seemed able to put it together better."
Other comments: "The Elite Series is a big commitment. With expenses, it's close to $100,000. I had some sponsors this year, but not nearly what I needed. Toyota was the green light for me. I really appreciated everything they did for me.
"BASS is targeting launching anglers' careers, and Toyota gave me the opportunity. That's what that (BASS Toyota) Rookie of the Year (ROY) program is all about. And now Steve Kennedy won't have to sweat it in the off-season."
Planned wrap for 2007: "Everything's up in air – I haven't even tackled that issue yet. I plan on doing that in the coming weeks. Nothing's come up yet. I have a couple of potentials. I ran Toyota this year, but it was a rotating (team) position I was in for the ROY, so I'll be replaced by Steve Kennedy."
Notable: He earned his spot on Team Toyota by winning the 2005 BASS ROY award. He also won the BassFan ROY award that same year, which (unlike the BASS award) considers only true rookies from all three major tours.
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