Ike and Randy Agree on FFS?

[Amistad Tackle]

I agree it was more fun to see a variety of techniques used but it is what it is. The top guys need to get with it or find another job. It’s not going away and it’s only going to get better. I personally love it and it has caught me more and more fish the longer I use it and better understand what I am seeing. It has revolutionized the sport and it just not for fishing the Damiki rig for suspended fish. It will be a player in every event. I am an old guy and have no trouble using it or interpreting what I am seeing. If you could read a flasher back in the day FFS is a cake walk.

[HobeyBaker]

I was at a bachelor party a few weeks ago with a bunch of under 40 tournament fisherman including one current Elite pro. It was a consensus that it was needed to compete and would all like it banned. Just wait until the tech becomes cheaper and the panfish get wiped out. It’s not going to be good for bass fishing.

[ThomasD]

Matt Herran just released a video. He said 75 percent of pros don't want ffs. I'm sure that percentage is tied to age.

Yet 100% have it

[okiebass]

It is really sad you can’t have an opinion that tournament fishing was better and a lot more fun before FFS without getting disrespected and trashed on.

Yep ! We have more and more on here like to stir things up .

[T-slab]

You better adapt and change or you getting left behind. Nothing else to discuss on this matter unless they some how get it banned. No different than when SI and DI came out. Change is inevitable, some don’t like it.

[Spot-a-saurus]

I think it’s about 4/5 years too late to ban it now. Let’s take this tournament. Clearly the fish weren’t up, and it was basically a winter tournament. Would we really want to see guys struggling to catch 5 suspended bass on the timber without ffs when these fish are already getting pressured with pinpoint accuracy from recreational and smaller tournament fisherman? Is it that exciting to watch guys win with 15 pounds per day vs a century belt?

I really and truly think this will come down to the wishes of what pays BASS’ bills. And that’s the anglers and their sponsors.
im not really sure there are enough fans “watching” the show or live to really make a dent in their bottom line or help them a lot through the views of streaming alone. I really think it’s safe to say their sponsors get as many views and impressions through social media than through the actual live streams. So I’m not sure that belly aching or cheering from the very small bleachers changes much rules wise

I think where the rubber meets the road is are the sponsors happy and are they getting a return on their investment. I’m sure some aren’t getting the attention they want; where others like Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird are thrilled. It will be a battle of the wallets basically and the anglers and their sponsors will have the final say, I don’t think our reactions mean much unless those reactions are leading to a loss of retail skus being purchased.

The weights would have dropped overall I’m sure but I know it would’ve took much more than 15 a day but I get your point lol.


And really, the adoption even among the entirety of the pro ranks hasn’t been complete until the last couple seasons
I’m not sure it’s just gonna be a ban hammer; but I’m also not sure that a ban is completely impossible now. I still think it’s unlikely but I used to think it was absolutely impossible

[Bassooka]

Yet 100% have it

99%.

John Cox doesn't have it.

[cg2fish]

This is just stupid. The rules are what they are. I recorded bass yesterday and today but watched less than 2 minutes of it. Delete.

[Spot-a-saurus]

99%.

John Cox doesn't have it.

He’s got it now lol
at least I was told he did. Could be wrong tho

[Bass in the grass]

WTF did you read? Roosterman said nothing about a ban.

“Joined clubs with Randy”, have you ever seen a Randy video? I’m guessing, NO.

[dartag1829]

Matt Herran just released a video. He said 75 percent of pros don't want ffs. I'm sure that percentage is tied to age.

He seems to always be Grumpy about something. Love him and Tharp going at it video. Old dogs going to need to learn new tricks.

[gaston13]

The other Great Randy snapped up more clickbait like a night deer poacher with a spotlight and a 22 rifle. How many BASS members here are canceling their membership? Jacopo Gallelli would probably say, Prostituta. IMG_20240225_212137510.jpg

[Crankin]

Just the bottom 50 that shouldn't be there in the first place.

Again , I have FFS. But I think the anti crowd isn't just going to be the non users or whatever. It take not only practice but you have to have CI computer intellect. If you are person that struggles working in software environment's because you are a creative thinker , you will struggle to be good with FFS, if you have vision issues you will struggle, If you are color blind, you will struggle, if you have neck or back issues you will struggle. If you do not have very good foot to eye coordination you will not be able to compete with those that do have all these skills that are not traditional fishing related. And there is just very little chance that a traditional fisherman who is not targeting live fish on a screen is going to compete against those that can do it.

[c rig]

I reminded him that people were catching 20 lbs a day the old way before FFS. Why has FFS made that harder?

The venues and the timeframe (and accompanying weather) make the difference.

Look at the Opens last year. Ish is a great powerfisherman, I can recall at least two events last year where he was interviewed prior to the event and he said he was planning on fishing shallow “up in the dirt”.

He struggled much of the season. He didn’t requalify for the Elites, but some young guys did, he probably has flipping sticks older than some of them.

Like it or not, the established guys need to adapt. The line of thinking of an established guy like Clark Wendlant, who said at weigh in essentially that he was fishing “old school” will make those guys fade out like the dinosaurs.

Certain conditions at certain lakes you can certainly do well fishing “old school”, a lot of guys at Santee just did so, and caught some beautiful fish

But ultimately the guy who won was scoping.

[Les Young]

That's a big 10-4 on having neck issues & it bothering you. I have it & really like it but my neck usually hurts for 2 or 3 days after one day of fishing. I will say though that the crappie i brought home today made it a little less painful.

[Mcjenson]

The other Great Randy snapped up more clickbait like a night deer poacher with a spotlight and a 22 rifle. How many BASS members here are canceling their membership? Jacopo Gallelli would probably say, Prostituta. IMG_20240225_212137510.jpg

I love how he pulls these random comments from his YouTube and acts like they are confirmed facts

[BrianKF]

Reading between the lines it seems Ikes not a big fan of what the future holds with ffs.

[Jeff Hahn]

Last year I heard nothing about FFS from any of my buddies in our local smaller club. Lots of bellyaching this year. I’m mid 30s so my circle isn’t old. Most of us fished the same years JLee and wheeler were coming up. The more it takes over tournament fishing, the more you are gonna see a pushback from people. The social media suggestion I keep seeing over and over on Ike’s post is allowing it in practice but not on tourney days.

I’ve told myself for years that it would be situational and not required to kick butt, but I’m starting to think that’s not the case now…

Ive had some great tourney years with it, but honest to goodness I don’t know what I would vote for if I were asked to keep it or get rid of it in the events I fish

Around here, if you're not using FFS, you're going to be lucky to get a top 10 finish in a major team trail. In the "retired guys every other Thursday" trail that I fish, one team using FFS has dominated the last two years, sometimes doubling or tripling the weight of 2nd place. These guys were always a threat to win before FFS. Now, they're simply beasts.

[blakesfav]

Around here, if you're not using FFS, you're going to be lucky to get a top 10 finish in a major team trail. In the "retired guys every other Thursday" trail that I fish, one team using FFS has dominated the last two years, sometimes doubling or tripling the weight of 2nd place. These guys were always a threat to win before FFS. Now, they're simply beasts.

So may be a dumb question, but how does FFS work in a team trail set up? Will we eventually see teams set up one unit on the front, and one on the back, so that each guy is scoping? I'd be bored all day fishing dead water while my partner ran a single scope set up.

[OkobojiEagle]

Why hasn't there been a tournament trail started that doesn't allow FFS?