BASS ELECTRIC WINNERS ON AFC

[Shane Anderson]

After reading the latest January QFM, I read the winners of the Kayak Bass Grand Final will go on AFC for 2013.
I've been fishing the bass electric series now for over 7 years and its probably been going for twice as long.
Some anglers compete in the series for different reasons.
1] The fun of catching bass.
2]The great prizes
3] The accolades of winning.
4] A place in the Grand Final.
5]Making new friends and mateship.
I've seen alot of anglers come and go through the series over the years,maybe because the light or prize at
the end of the tunnel was fading or not big enough.
How big is the light or prize at the end of the bass kayakers tunnel ?
I think the bass electric series has been around long enough to deserve a spot on AFC.
To help our sport grow and move forward the light at the end of our tunnel needs to be bigger and brighter.
I've fished alot as a non boater in the bass pro's and met alot of anglers in the bass electric series who
could smash it on AFC given the opportunity.
BASS ELECTRIC WINNER OR AOY OR BOTH ON AFC FOR 2013.
What's your view ??

PS. I do it for the mateship.

[BadenS]

G'day Shano

I like what your saying and would love to see that happen, but lets face it. The only concievable reason the kayakers get a run in AFC is because of the amount of money Hobie puts into the sport. So in some way I guess that's fair enough and this is probably part of their deal. So until a major sponsor comes along and does the same for the Electric Series it probably won't happen. Lets hope I'm wrong.

On the flip side, do we even know there will be an AFC this year?

[Steve Morgan]

Guys,

I understand the sentiment and Baden is pretty much on the mark - as soon as Torqueedo buys an AFC team, there'll be some BASS Electric spots in AFC.


SM

[dazzas4x4]

maybe energex could get on board since it is electric

[Adrian W]

Hi Steve,

I didn't realise that Torqueedo was a sponsor of the Electrics. Hell, were have I been living?

Hi Shane,

Mate, it's just another slap in the face for the electric guys.

Let me throw this out there, if the electrics are kept repressed and have no growth, then the guys that want to fish tournaments and have a better payout and a shot at AFC can either spend $35K plus on a tournament boat or $5K or less (Yes, I have already gotten a price on a Hobie with all the bells and whistles) on a kayak . I doubt there will be a Bass Electric series in a couple of years time, lets face it , who wants to spend $10K plus on an electric boat for no returns. We will all be fishing out of kayaks next year, and that will make Hobie and ABT happy. I suppose the upside is that there isn't anywhere to stash fish under the deck, and we all have the same live well, so there won't be any issues there.

Am I a conspiracy theorist or what?

Cheers, Adrian W.

PS: That's just my whinge.

[Brisbasser]

Maybe the electric fisho's should be aloud to fish the kayak events as they are aloud to fish in the electric????

[Ian]

The biggest problem with the bass electrics is that ABT views it as entry level fishing, while this view continues the bass electrics will not move forward. There is very little sponsorship of individual anglers in the way of rods, reels and fishing tackle. I'm sure there's just as many anglers fishing the bass electrics as anglers fishing the bass pro including non-boaters. We all use similar rods, reels, lines, leaders, electric motors, sounders, boats, and trailers but we get little support. The bass electric boats have evolved considerably over the past 10 years, the boats have gotten bigger, electric motors have become faster with longer range, while some anglers do move onto the bass pro scene others stay in the bass electrics and build some very impressive boats. I personally prefer the bass electric format with the choice of fishing only comps you want to. It is time the bass electrics got the credibility it deserves, I believe we've lost some good anglers in recent months with last year's allegations of cheating hopefully with the rules changed this year this should negate some of the cheating problems.

Adrian I’m looking forward to seeing you on the AFC series next year, it’s a shame you have to go to a kayak to possibly achieve this, I guess money talks.


Ian

[kfdu_slim]

Maybe the electric fisho's should be aloud to fish the kayak events as they are aloud to fish in the electric????

Mate, get over it. Buy a yak and knock yourself out. We fish the bass electrics, we are allowed too, we dont cheat, we get abused every comp, we had 3 yak winners last year, I am so over this crap attitude. I refused to fish the convention last year due to the allegations be flung about at another competitor, if you feel so strongly about us yakkers maybe you should do the same.

[Brisbasser]

Slim,
I didn't say one bloody thing about kayakers I think u need to get over it just pointing out the double standard wich they are u cant argue that.And I have a family so spending $5000 on a yak so I can fish by my self isn't really fair not to mention some people have health problem so yak's are not the go for them either,I DON'T feel that strongly about it because it's only fishing!!!!!! I do it for fun not to be the greatest or to make a living, so next time don't just jump in and have a go at some one because you only look like dick head!

[kfdu_slim]

What double standard?

[Brisbasser]

Kayakers can fish electric but we can't fish yak events!!!!

[kfdu_slim]

That isnt a double standard, that is a totally different format. No different to the v8 super cars being pissed off they cant go against a formula one. Mate, Hobie pay the bills, they decide who can fish what. In the bass electrics, the ABT pay the bills, they have decided that yaks can fish the bass electrics, so we do. My yak fully pimped out cost $900, a long way off your $5000. We do it for the fun and social competition, not to be abused and be threatened to be run over. Some of us get a bit sick of the moaning about the electrics and the lack of future. Ask yourselves these two questions.... What are you doing to promote the sport? then ask why try to exclude the fastest growing water sport in the country. I sit here having written two magazine articles praising the electric series, trying hard to get more yakkers and more boaters into the sport, very few others seem to do the same.

[Brisbasser]

I say to u then would'nt it b better for the sport to kept bass electric going we should b able to fish your events too? They have been there from the start,and mate u had a go at me and I said nothing about yakers so if your sick people having go at u I suggest u change ur attude cause that mit b the problem not that u fish put of a yak.

[Brisbasser]

What sounder do u use cos most on the market are well over a $1000 I ain't go back to black & white and that's before i buy a yak, I didn't no hobie ran comps silly me I thought ABT did, ur analogy about the race cars don't make sense cos it should work both ways, kayak have their comps electric have their's or we share, fair is fair after all!

[Shane Anderson]

Hi Steve,
For those of us who are in the dark about sponsorship could you please explain.
Ididn't realize that BCF or Aeroguard were major sponsors in the bass pro series
or is it just for AFC.
Who has the major say in who makes up the teams?
Is it the sponsors or abt?
If the sponsors have all the say,then fair enough, they put up the money, its their show.
If abt has part of the say,why not give the bass electric winners a chance to strutt there stuff.
Its about putting some of the top anglers on the water.
If its all about the sponsorship and money, how do we take that next step to keep us moving forward
to achieve major sponsorship for AFC?
Is it up to the anglers or abt?
The bass electric series has been around along time and not much has changed except for the money
that we now put into them.[ Torgueedo,batteries,sounders,I-pilots. etc ]
I know sponsorship must be hard to come by in these times, but why not share it around a little.
After all, we all have the same goal. TO CATCH BASS!

Ps Does Wayne Reed or Greg Flett even own a Hobie ?

I didn't see Motty spray a can of aeroguard the whole time I was watching AFC.

Maybe he was secretly spraying it on his lures

[Buns]

Steady on guys,
The electic series was always intended as an entry level event from it's inception. (Pre AFC)
To qualify for a possition in AFC you had to win an ABT grand final or AOY in the Pro Series (Bass/Bream/Barra)
Therefore an angler currently fishing in the electric series and consistantly doing well by all intentions would be expected to step up and fish the pro series.
Don't even go there in relation to the $40000 plus price tag for a pro bass boat, many have qualified for AFC in the likes of a 435 Quintrex including in 2012.
Hobie entered with the Bream kayak series and in doing so has formed a major partnership with ABT (Yes, business)
The Bream kayak grandfinal winner qualifies for a spot on AFC. The same is now true for the Bass kayak series.
The kayak series is organised and run by Hobie in partnership with ABT.
ABT and Hobie are both businesses, AFC is not - and not intended to be.
In 2011 a kayak series was run in conjunction with the electric series, and although many wont admit it, there has more then enough heckling and bullying
on the water from a small minority of electric fisho's. Like all things in life, it is the few that give the rest a bad name.
Kayak fishing in it's own right requires a highly refined set of specialist skills to contantly do well in that format.
But after all it is about the fishing and comradely, I personally fish the Bass Pro, Electric and Kayak events for this very reason. I have formed many good friendships from fishing these
events and I thank the organises the the time they put into running them and those that make them a joy to attend. I know where Slim is coming from I can only thank Steve Fields of Hobie Australasia for giving us a dedicated Bass Kayak series. It is now up the all the kayak fisher's out there to support the event to allow it to grow as the Bream series has.

Bernie Austin
Mendooran NSW.

PS Take a second of your time to think of all those currently ravaged by fire and less fortunate then many of us.

[Hobie one]

I fished a few of the electrics last year out of a kayak,and i also own a boat ,which i will use at some rounds this year.Never once have i have been abused,felt uncomfortable,or seen any of these things happen at a round.These have to be the most relaxed and friendly comps around.If abt made a decision that it was to be boats only,it wouldn't be a problem.Banter is good,whingeing is not.
Cheers,Paul Mchugh.

[Adrian W]

Re: Bass Electric Trophys
by Buns » Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:39 am

Howard thanks for getting this going, many interesting and valid points have been aired. I have been wathing with interest and now want to puts my thoughts behind what has become a common thread. Although the Bass electric series may have been intended as a base level for tournament Bass fishing, it has definately evolved and is a specialist form within its own right. I have fishing both the Electric and Bass Pro series, apart from the target species the two series have diverged into very different and specialised forms of the sport. I draw a parallel with the Bream Pro and Bream Kayak series.

I very much agree that the grand final winner should be considered for wild card entry to the AFC along the lines of Scott Lovig of team Hobbie for the Bream rounds in the 2009/2010 series. The option up is also a definate draw card.

The Electric Series is a specialised form of the sport with specific equipment, set up and boat development all the way down to specialised tackle sellection due to the limitations on space, not apparent for Bass Pro anglers. As already said and how true it also allows some very talented anlgers to compeat were they just wouldn't be able to due to financial restrictions in the Pro series. Any sport should be about talent not abillity to spend.

Mention has already been made by ABT officials of a Bass Kayak series, a specialised form in its own right. I for one hope this comes to being, as I find no more enjoyed form of the sport and puts you as close to the action as possible.

BernieBuns
Angler


Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:19 am
Location: Mendooran, NSW

Bernie, why the change of heart mate?

Cheers,

Adrian W.

[Buns]

Adrian,
Never a change of heart. Like always I am just stating facts - can't help it.

I had plenty to say before when the electric and kayak events were run in conjunction and some electric angler's raised what they beleived were safety
issues with kayaks on the water at the same time with electric boats. Now the Kayakers have a separate series run completely separate from the electric events
all should be happy.

Yes I still fish the NSW electric rounds where I must say I do not experience the same attitude as I experienced at Lake McDonald and to a leeser extent Clarie Hall in 2011.

I fish the electric rounds because I can't get enough of that little fish known as the Australian Bass and as they say a bad day on the water is better then a good day at work.

Bernie
Hobie Outback

[Buns]

Adrian,
Further to the point, in 2010 the thread was appropriate and in turn with availabillity of Bass tournaments at the time. ABT began with Bass
and over the years ABT has evolved. ABT stated from the inception of the electric series that it was intended as an entry level option. Due to the difference in
arenas it is not appropriate or probably safe for that matter to put electric boats in the salt chasing Bream. Hobie entered the mix and started with a Bream series
now they have expended to a Bass series.

In 2010 I pointed out the apparent disparIty in AFC qualification options between the Bass and Bream events. But after all it is a business partnership that ABT and
Hobie have entered and one can only see that they have levelled the playing field between Bass and Bream as far as AFC entry by making the qualifying criteria the same.
In 2010 Bass kayak was not available or considered for that matter, but the electric series was.

I will go this far, that I will not be drawn into an argument over which format is better. As I fish all of them, and enjoy doing it. I also aknkowledge that in all arenas there are a lot
better anglers then me out there and I fish tournaments for two reasons, the camaraderie and to learn. Winning the occasional product pack is a thrill, but as far as AFC entry is concerned
I take my hat off to who ever claims that right.

Bernie Austin
Mendooran

Hobie Outback

[Ian]

Hi Bernie is there any relationship between you and and Hobie outback

Ian

[Buns]

Hi Bernie is there any relationship between you and and Hobie outback

Ian

Certainly is mate, I love it - best all round kayak I know.

Bernie

[UdlMan]

... who wants to spend $10K plus on an electric boat for no returns.

Dude, if you're fishing only to make a return on your investment, you are in it for all the wrong reasons.

I have spent probably in excess of $100k on fishing gear since I started fishing the ABT back in 2000/2001. I have won $800 total, plus a few product prizes. If I was doing it for the coin, I would have given up many many years ago.

Less prize money -> More fun.

More prize money -> Less fun.

The electric series was started as a stepping stone into the Bass pro series.

To me, it seems like there are a few who are pissed that the yaks are allowed to fish the leccy series, is that because they are catching fish and you're not?

Brad.

[Andrew350]

Udlman - less money = more fun

So the Bassmaster Classic worth over a million dollars an would be every bass fishermans dream to compete in according to what ur saying would be no fun ? Please ! An out of the top 10 electric anglers over the last 2 years how many are in kayaks ? Is it zero ? So clearly the guys in the boats arent pissed the yak guys are catching mor fish. Lets keep this post constructive not thoughtless comments with no substance or truth. The bass electric guys clearly only want the chance to showcase their skills on AFC. It may not happen but it doesnt hurt to put it out there.

[Ian]

Hey Guy's

Seems to me that the mantle of "entry level fishing" is now owned by the Bass Kayak anglers.

Therefore the migration path should be Bass Kayak to Bass Electric and then to Bass Pro.

All that is skewing this is that the Hobbie has seen a new market and thrown money at the ABT to get their anglers on AFC.

Ian