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Member
Posts: 1040
Location: Stevens Point, WI | http://walleye.outdoorsfirst.com/articles/03.09.2010/2860/.An.Open.... |
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Member
Posts: 794
Location: Elgin, Illinois | That is a welcome statement... I hope to see and participate with the FLW for a few more years... |
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| I for one supported the FLW as much as I could since the begining, but never recieved a survey or e-mail on my thoughts about this years changes or for that matter I know of only one touring angler that was asked for his opinion and it wasn't the format he suggested. I guess I don't understand why when they have an average of over 100 boats in the tour events, and 80 boat fields in wi. and mn. that they would change the format for 2010. The way they have it set up now I think they will be taking in less revenue with 6 full fields, not even mentioning the fact that the touring pros that supported them all these years are left hanging. These are just some of my thoughts, but am really bothered by this and wonder how other anglers feel on this subject. I do intend on fishing the winnebago tournament to show support, but can't justify fishing the east the way the format is set up and the locations they are visiting. I do not want the FLW to go away as Sonny and his crew are not only top notch but also consider them my friends, I am anxious to hear your thoughts, John Schneider |
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Location: Rhinelander | I read this letter twice, and it seems, if one looks at all the scheduled FLW events this year, to be directed mostly towards the Bass end of things. Some application to Walleye, but TV and festivals with booths...I was under the impression FLW had cut the TV for Walleye entirely for 2010 and I can't imagine a festival created around an FLW Walleye event would be much of a draw for the Public.
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| i think they went into survival mode, and made it all about them, and are leaveing out the touring pro's, input and ideas on how to help make it a format that we all want to fish. i think the separation of the league and tour is where they were thinking on behalf of the fishermen. now that they combined the 2 and diluted the field with weekend fishermen and fulltime touring pro's, that it will probably go back to the so called "wild west" with the ethics and following the leaders.
until i see the FLW acually enforce a rule violation, it will not get any better. there has been many reported but to only get "i'll talk with the angler accused of a violation " and never ever have seen someone get penilized by their rule violations. heck i know for a fact 1 pro was reported by 3 different boats for the same violation only to go on and win the whole trny. and thats a fact !!!! |
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| I think you are both right, the FLW is in survival mode and it boils down to playing defense to survive, and I have always been an offense minded guy. During these tough economic times I have spent more money on advertising than ever and we had the best winter in three years. I also agree Steve they are pumping all the extras into bass and not walleye, but remember the old RCL and the huge payouts they had. Tournament anglers in all the circuits were so excited to get a bid into the championship and I'm sure some fished more circuits to increase their chances of getting in. This has now been taken away a little every year and has come down to this. Its sad and dissapointing because we are the ones loosing out as walleye fisherman, tournament anglers, and the young and upcoming generation of fisherman. John Schneider |
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| John,
What is this left hanging statement about. I think what the FLW has done is great, it will allow the working man back in the game. I fished the PWT, RCL and FLW pro side while holding down a full time job like yourself. So what is the problem with the way 2010 is formatted am I missing somthing. I will be fishing the west with the so called tourning pro's and weekenders. 100 boat fields will be great to take money from my competitors. |
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Member
Posts: 182
Location: Green Bay, WI. | In response to Just Think about it.
I just hope the weekend anglers don't get to upset about the pro's following them to their spots.
I never had a local tail me but I had 7 pro's follow me after day 1 2004 FLW Championship at Quad cities, I quit after that
That is a fact, Pat Cavins
Edited by rangerpat 3/10/2010 6:18 PM
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| West Guy, what I mean by left hanging is the decision we as touring pros have to make about the expense versus the gain of fishing the FLW now. If indeed you did fish as a pro in the PWT, RCL, and the FLW you must be familiar with the costs associated with traveling all over the country, and because the payouts are reduced by almost 60% the decision is made much tougher on whether to fish or not to fish. Second, the working man may not have the vacation time to spend on three events and the championship were as the league allowed them the best of both worlds. Last just crunch the numbers and see for yourself if the FLW was better off with this years total entry fees compared to last years, it isnt even close and I as a business man don't understand their reasoning, maybe someone can shed some light on this for me.. John Schneider |
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| Yes in deed I did fish as a pro on all of the circuits mentioned in my previous post. We did not have the league out west so we will not miss it. What we did not have is a west circuit. Now we have one. I will be fishing all of the events and hopefully the championship. This is very similar to the old PWT that everyone except the so called "Touing pro's" used to love and fish!!!! I understand the lack of TV is a problem but it is what it wiil be.  |
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Location: Rhinelander | No TV, severely reduced payouts, and less regional and national exposure for the Touring pros to convince their sponsors it's the Circuit to fish. The entry was slashed, sure, but for all intents and purposes, the new FLW Walleye Tour is a combination of the league and previous Tour and has about the same impact overall as the MWC. Sonny and crew run a top shelf event and know how to run a circuit, but if I was a Pro deciding on my finances and exposure for my sponsors, potential payout for a top 20, and what fishing the Tour would mean for me after the year is complete, I'd have many of the same concerns John has expressed.
I'm guessing, John, but I think it comes down to 'one can't offer way less for the same price'. If the FLW kept entries where they were, the league folks would be out completely. If they dropped TV coverage, cut back on site expenses, and held entries where they were, many of the Touring pros would have vacated. I think the FLW tried very hard to find a middle of the road compromise that was certain to drive some Pros and a few league Boaters, but had the best potential to get the fields close to full.
The same basic conversation is happening in the OFM offices, too. |
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| Steve, I understand what they are trying to do which is great, but in my opionion last year was the toughest year we will see in the walleye industry. They still averaged over 100 boats in the tour events, which amounts to over 700,000.00 not counting the league. The new format will at best with full fields at all six locations take in 630,000.00, now mind you this isn't counting the 20-30 more entrants that the tour had and also the league pros that fished, which in wi. and mn. averaged around 80 an event. This is what I don't understand and I wish someone could clarify it for me, I feel that they could have changed things to accomodate everybody better instead of putting themself in a bigger hole. I love the FLW and want to fish it on a full time basis in the future so i hope for all of our sakes I'm wrong and west guy good luck I'm happy for you...John |
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| It was about expense, not revenue. |
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