West Coast Bass Pro-Ams

[i am ez]

Maybe has been asked,, but someone told me that Larry V. was on the simms radio show saying he was gonna try to start up WCB again with pro-ams only.. anyone know anything??? thanks--ez--

[Noble Moore]

Check out this link
http://westcoastbass.net/

[Phil]

Best Pro-ams I ever fished !!

JIGS

[SFD3RNGR]

With so many Pro-am's to choose from now, what makes one stand above the rest or are they all the same. What is the entry for the WCB pro-ams for both the Front and back seat.

[fishinfool145]

It would be nice to have a two day NON shared weight format other than Everstart. Many can't afford to take a week off for every tournement. Non shared weight takes at least some of the luck out of the draw.

How about it West Coast Bass! There always seems to be a waiting list to get into what few Non shared weight tourneys there are around.

Speaking from the back seat, I'll be there!

[justin lucas]

I was thinking this same thing myself. I LOVE fishing FLW with the non shared weight format. I would fish West Coast Bass if they had non shared weight and didn't conflict with any FLW dates.

[Gary Dobyns]

Guys on shared weight. I just lost the Open because of shared weight. Justin Kerr did a much better job with his partners than I did. He won because of it. My style (run and gun, fishing fast) does not work as well as guys fishing slow letting partners catch worm fish. Now with that said, there is a place for shared weight events. I firmly believe it helps with growth in our sport. Larry V. did the sport a great turn when he came up with the idea. You draw out as a team and don't fight one another in the boat. It does not matter who catchs them. They are "our" fish. I like this better than getting a lop-sided draw with an aggressive co-angler that casts over me all day and is a pain in my as*, when the guys I am competing against draw a co-angler that understands he is there to compete and fish behind the pro. If you want to cast in front of the boat, fish pro. If you want to compete in the boat with your partner, we have two FLW circuits to fish. Won Bass and WCB are needed to get more anglers fishing and more anglers into the sport. Many new anglers are intimated to start tournament fishing and have to go head to head in the boat. Many will move up to FLW one day. My opionion only of course.

[Fast 492]

I agree with Justin, I would like to see more circuits with non shared weight. I understand Garys point but there are plenty of shared weight events out there and only flw has non shared weight. I don't fish the shared weight tourneys because I got tired of getting beat by guys that couldn't catch a cold but got great draws. I understand that some people fish these events as ams to learn, I have no problem with that and I think it is great, but I don't want to pay for them to learn, that is their choice. I know that I don't have the knowledge, money or time to fish the pro side, unfortunenatley others are not as truthful with themselves or just have plenty of money. That is why non-shared weight tourneys are better for ME. There are a lot of anglers out there that are not good enough to fish the pro side (myself included) and really enjoy fishing against other anglers on a more level playing field. I can't take a week off four-eight weeks a year to fish flw and I really miss it. I would love to see some 2 day non-shared weight tourneys. JMHO....Jason

[Rod Brown]

I have to agree with Gary on this one. I've fished both sides and when it was not shared weight, a lot of the time the pro could care less what I was doing therefore I wasn't learning much, and he really didn't leave me much water to fish. That just sucks.

With shared weight the pro will help you and wants you to produce fish. He will give you water to fish and It's more fun because you're a team! I think a majority of the fisherman would rather fish the shared weight. Whatever is decided it will be fun to fish West Coast Bass again!

Thanks, Rod Brown

[Ricky-S]

I fish both events the same way. I tend to draw the guy in the shared weight events that show up with trout gear on the Delta or CL and I am punching.

I much prefer the non-shared weight events.

With that said I agree that the shared weight events are needed to get more people into the sport.

[Gary Dobyns]

Good points Jason. I don't disagree with any of them. I have always said that there is a good percentage of Am's that are better than a good percentage of Pro's. Your point. I agree. But, we really don't have much besides WON Bass that is shared. A couple of small circuits only. We need bigger Pro-Am weekend circuits with shared weight to bring some NEW blood or Old blood back into the sport. Our numbers of competing anglers is terrible. This is not something that has happened in the last year as our economy as went to crap. We used to have WCB or Western Bass, Won Bass, NewBass, and several more to fish, that most are gone. I will give you this, aggressive, good co-anglers, can and do well in non-shared weight. There are several that make quite a bit of money doing it. The Pro's hate to draw them and deal with them. BASS got rid of the co anglers this year for that very reason. They need non fishing observers for reasons. But the co anglers are gone. I think that was a GREAT idea at the top level. It sure sucks as far as recruiting new blood into the sport that we REALLY need. You will see another non-shared weight probably next year with the BASS Opens. It was talked about HEAVY this year. We have quite a number of our guys going to fish the southern BASS Opens this year. Look for BASS to return with Western Opens. These are a GREAT deal for your money. Much smaller entry, a great payback, and 3 slots into the CLASSIC. My opionion only of course.

[tunaman]

What a nightmare Gary... really sorry to hear that. The last thing I want, as a AAA, is to be someone's sob story or worse, and I try really hard to be unobtrusive, complimentary and an asset rather than a liability.

I heard several horror stories this year at the Open, from AAA's knocking fish off at the net (three times for one Pro), to just sitting down and quitting fishing, to competing with the Pro for their water. It gives the AAA anglers a bad name, as I do believe that a good AAA can make significant contributions, but a bad AAA can wreck a Pro's tournament (and leave a very bad taste in their mouth for a long time to come).

You had a heck of a tournament and deserve to be very proud of your showing, regardless. I can only hope to draw you some time in the future and prove to be an asset to your success.

Roger

[justin lucas]

sent you a pm gary..

[M. Warner]

I would love to see the bass opens come back to the west coast but I highly doubt thatthey will return. The shared weight tournies are great especially for a someone just begining to learn how to fish in tournaments. I also like the non shared weights, thats for the more advanced anglers like, pros and cos. I like both, but I do prefer the non shared weights.

[Fast 492]

Great points Gary, another reason I have always looked up to you. I totaly agree with getting the am's off the back of the boat in the elites (i couldn't imagine paying $700 to get scoffed at everytime you caught a good fish). Hopefully more of the Pro/Ams will be back soon. I really miss fishing against anglers like Lucas,Wilson and the late Kyle Clement to name just a few. These are the type of anglers that make fishing the back of the boat exciting and a way to judge your progression in the sport (IMHO). It is hard to judge YOUR abilities in a shared weight event as an Am. I know that if the FLW would have been shared weight two years ago, I would have only gotten 1 check as an Am that year. Nothing against the pro's that I drew, I had a great time with 11 out of the 12 I fished with, and I learned alot, even if it was what not to do in certain situations. I personally believe that the local Pro/ams cut their own throats when they (just for instance), pay back 42% of the Am's monies while paying back 112% of the Pro's monies collected. What am in his right mind would automatically give away half of their entry (in shared weight) just on the hopes of drawing Dobyns',Thomas, Harper etc.. to have a chance at winning, when for $200 more they can fish for a boat or atleast a better chance of getting his money back. They (circuits) basically forced Am's to step up to the Pro side. It would have worked if they would have dropped the Am entry considerably to lure more up and coming anglers to try the sport. I quit fishing the shared weight tourneys because of the horrible payback. I understand that these circuits are in business and I have no complaints about them making money, I just don't want to buy a boat that I am not fishing for!!!

[Gary Dobyns]

Roger I could tell you a few stories that you would not believe, but as the bad ones stick in your mind, they are few and far between. I actually took one guy back to the dock, tied up and waited for them to get the scales set up, many years ago. But for every bad story I can give you 100 good ones. There are miserable, negitive people in life. A few fish. On the good side I have made life long friends with many of my partners. I hope my posts have not came across negitive on co-anglers, that was not my intension at all. We need new blood, I think shared weight helps more with this.

[tunaman]

Your posts were not taken in a negative way... you've got far more experience than most (EDIT: probably should have said many) with the good and the bad, so I (and others) appreciate your perspective and candor. I do agree the shared-weight format is conducive to learning, which is why I'm doing them. Once I feel comfortable and want to go for the brass ring, I'll hop on the front deck, pay the big bucks, and fight it out with the rest of the field.

Until then, I'm trying to reduce the learning curve as much as possible and feel that those events give me the best opportunity, in a tournament scenario, to do so. That, and getting as much time on the water as life and career allows.

Tight lines Gary!
Roger

[Derrek Stewart]

As a co-angler In shared weight format I would much rather carry my weight (no pun intended)and perform well than just have the draw gods smile on me. As a ‘co’ in a shared weight format I am not as concerned about the results (standings) as much as I am concerned with how well I performed and how much I learned. There are many factors out of my control. I have had excellent days as a ‘co’ in shared weight formats. At the end the standings don’t show that on paper, but I know. If I was solely judged on my performance I would have done extremely well. But that was not the format; I understood that going into the event. For me the ideal situation is one where the Pro's style presents the biggest challange. I like different formats. It is about perspective. There is something positive with all formats, understand them decide what is best for you and make the most of it. In this country a high level of education is expensive.

[Fast 492]

None of the posts that I have read came across in a negative way to me. I was just giving the reasons I believe in the non-shared weight format. I couldn't agree more with the statement that for every bad draw, you get 100 good ones. I enjoy shared weight if I just want to get out on the water and have fun, but competitively speaking the other works better for me. Thank you Gary for the posts and for being candid with us all, your opinions are often sought after, even if some don't agree with them. Fisherman of my caliber have looked to anglers such as your self, for opinions and objectiveness to all sorts of situations in the past and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Goodluck on the Columbia...

[i am ez]

I went to the website that was linked in this thread, and it appears there will be pro-ams in 09.. I sent an e-mail to Larry V asking for info..--ez--

[Brian Ruthman]

I would like to see the shared weight type event for West Coast Bass , mainly because i fished the FLW Stren the other year as a Co-angler and I personally dont think it makes for a very friendly environment in the boat when your both trying to catch fish . Im not one that will cast over my Pro either and im sure some find it hard not to when there is some defensive fishing going on in the boat .
Both ends of the boat can point out examples of who and how they were done wrong from each end of the boat but that wont do any of us any good either .
The last thing we need as anglers is hard feelings towards each other , the shared weight events are the way to go . In my opinion .

[Fast 492]

I would never cast over my Pro, but I had an instance at Havasu where my Pro was going down the bank in about 12-15' depth and casting straight out in front of him with a jig. I asked him if I could throw to the bank at a 45degree angle (essentially in front of the boat) and work my jig back to the boat, he said no problem and all was good. I think as long as you both have an understanding and you are in no way interfearing with his fishing style, then there shouldn't be any problems. That of course is dependant on were you are at, the delta would be alot tougher in that same senario... That is were you have to adapt the best you can. Almost all Pro's are around fish, you just have to change it up or even ask him what he thinks will work for you in the back, even in a non-shared weight event, most Pro's are more than happy to help you out. Alot of them will not volunteer info, but if you ask, you could strike up a good conversation and that always makes for a great day..

[Glennt]

I agree with Brian. Said like a gentleman and a scholar which Brian is.