Information sharing - random pondering...

[RK]

Hi Gang -

So between the snow and the time off I had a lot of time on my hands the last few days. Finally got around to putting away some of the fishing stuff from last season. While I was stripping reels and untangling lure blobs I got to thinking about a recent two-part article I'd seen on another site about tournaments and information-sharing. Thought it might be an interesting subject to kick around here for a while...

The articles discussed the information sharing rules in place for the Elite Series, and to a lesser extent (mainly as a way to compare/contrast) the FLW Tour. Each of these tours has a no access, no info black-out period (30 days for BASS, 14 days for FLW). Opinions seem to be somewhat mixed on the rules. Some guys like it while admitting that enforcing it to the letter is probably unenforceable. Some of them don't get any outside info at all, in our out of the black-out. Others hold their nose and take all the help they can get, because they want to give themselves every advantage. One of the comments was that the number of pros who hired guides before last year's Classic was mind-boggling.

So..what do you guys think about if/how information is shared in tournaments? Should a "pro" be allowed to go hire a guide and basically buy information before an event? Or does that diminish the level of fair competition somewhat? Consider a newer touring pro, trying to compete against a top level guy not only on the water, but in the information race to get info from locals, etc. Guess who's going to have the larger information network?

How much information sharing do you think goes on between competitors? In the walleye tournament world, at least on the PWT while it was still around, one of the worst-kept secrets on the tour was the unofficial 'teams' that many touring pros belonged to. They'd share information while pre-fishing, share spots, fish as a team (giving up hot bites to team members with a better shot at winning on the final day, for example) and then dividing the winnings afterward. If you weren't on a team, you had a much tougher time of it being on your own. It was a practice that wasn't officially sanctioned by the trail, but wasn't expressly banned either, and it was widespread throughout the trail. Does this kind of thing happen in bass tournaments too? Or is it still more of an individual sport?

To me this whole issue is kind of an interesting thing to ponder. It's an inevitable consequence of the information age, but I do wonder if it diminishes the sport somehow. I also wonder how the tournaments themselves look at it. Tournaments are still sold as a mano-a-mano showdown, and it still ultimately has that element to it - but if one mano happens to have a dozen or more waypoints he got from a local guide two weeks before the event, how can that not change the nature of the competition?

I know there are some tour pros who are pretty adamant about not getting outside info at all. Rick Clunn has been VERY outspoken in criticizing those who do, even within the rules.

So how does this "information fishing" trickle down to lower level tournaments? I know I've gotten calls asking for info on the lake my cabin's on when there's a tournament coming up (I politely decline). There's no doubt the internet and forums like this one have changed how, and how quickly, information gets around. I've really seen it with muskie fishing over the years. Used to be, if you found a new lake or a hot bite, you could sometimes have it to yourself for a year or two before word got out. Now, as often as not it's on the internet in a matter of days. Add GPS to the mix, and you can go from being a total newcomer to a lake to being pretty dangerous, pretty quickly, and without much effort. I think you're starting to see the same thing with bass fishing now too a little bit.

So - especially some of you tournament types - what's your take on information sharing? How much do you see going on in the events you fish? Is it changing how you prepare for events. Does it create an uneven playing field? Or is it just an excuse an also-ran uses to explain away someone else's success? Curious to hear what all of you think about what's really a fairly recent added angle to the tournament scene...

You guys talk it over. I'm going to go untangle some more crankbaits...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Superduty]

I read the article you are talking about on another web site also. It confirmed some suspicions...

At the local level, I'm interested to hear how others are sharing info. Or if they care to admit if they are...I have not heard of any "teams" that share info and winnings in bass tourneys. Doesn't mean it's not happening. I have teamed up with others while prefishing for a tourney. We share info with each other. Even spot specific stuff for multiple day events when it is practical to allow the angler with the best shot to win to have full access to shared areas. Have never shared winnings though.

No info sharing rules are impossible to enforce. Even more so than a body of water having an off limits period for competitors. Both situations rely on the honesty of the competitors. When large amounts of money are at stake, people will do the darndest things! Might as well not create rules that are impossible to enforce.

[TonkaBass]

Good points you brought up. I for one am not a tournament angler to get rich, I don't think very many are. I like the competition behind the tournaments, and by taking information from other anglers, it seems to get away from the reason I do it in the first place... to become a better bass fisherman. Half the stuff you hear from people is a day late and a dollar short anyways, so I have gotten really good at ignoring what I hear from competitors. Now if a guy started talking about different techniques, I would be all ears! It's when a person tells me about the second point, in 13' of water, out in front of his uncles red cabin, with a firetiger Fat Rap, I might start to shy away... I've always said leave dock talk at the dock. Good advice and improvements on techniques and strategies are a different story!

[Ray Esboldt]

I've fished tournaments big and small over the last 22 years, but mostly small now. I have always stayed away from sharing specific information. I am of the thought that those tidbits, good or bad, will affect my train of thought while out on the water. And, that can lead me to do some things that just don't fit what I do well or know well. Does that make any sense?

I do have friends that I will compare notes with just for verification purposes. It's people that fish similar to me, people I have fished with, and people that I share a common fishing language with.

Now, if someone volunteers information after an event, it gets filed away for future consideration. If you tell me something useful, I don't forget about it. I love the guys that spill their guts.

As for how much happens on a local level, probably not too much. Even though we all take these events seriously, most of them don't involve life-changing circumstances. So, if you find "the bite", keep it to yourself.

[grab the net]

I know of a few people that share information and winnings here in MN. Silverado series, BASS weekend series. It works for them. With technology today, nothing stays a secret for very long. On the Elite, FLW level, a rule that is nearly impossible to enforce and with the pressure to cash a check especially with the sponsorships drying up, it will probably force more guys to get information anyway they can. It was an interesting article, Peter T interview was pretty good also, he shared some of his thoughts about the No info rule. Also check out the Bass Zone article with Peter T. Very interesting remark about Bobby Lane beating KVD and the three best locals at Kentucky Lake.

[BillyBoy23]

As a new tournament fishermen this year I really hope this doesn't happen. I personally will not go out of my way to get information. If you are a solid bass fishermen you should know the basics of how to find fish. Any Joe guy can go to a bait shop and have someone tell them where the fish are and what lure to throw. That doesn't make you a good fisherman.

My 2 cents would be that no one should be able to get info. But like others have said I don't see how you can monitor that. I am very interested to see how I am accepted into the tournament trail. I am hoping to be paired with a nicer guy but I know and have heard that there is the chance to get with someone that will be very cold.

I hope over the 2010 season I can get some good advice, new friends and become a better fisherman from not paying or getting outside information.

Happy New Year !