FLW Tour Rule Changes Unwelcome By Many Pros
Flw has released changes to their rules for the FLW Tour. Immediately the rule changes received critisism from many pros who fish the Tour. The rule changes that will go into effect for the 2008 season largely deal with off-limit practice periods. In previous years, FLW touring pros have been able to practice with no-off limit periods all the up until the day prior to the tourney. With the new changes, they will be allowed a specific practice period prior to each tournament. The water is off-limits for 12 days prior to the official pracice period. The official practice period will be on the saturday through tuesday before the tournament. Registration will be on wednesday.
It was not uncommon to see pros practicing for a tournament 2 or 3 weeks in advance of a tournament. This was usually done by pros who had little touring experience or knowledge of the lakes. Many of these pro like Tom Monsoor disagree with the rule changes but is still happy to be able to fish for a living, “I’m against (the off-limits) because being from the north, I don’t know the lakes down there”, he said in a statement released by BassFan.com.
Most of the unhappy anglers seem to be from the north and understandably so. Most of the schedule is comprised of fisheries in the southern part of the United States. Unless you live, grew up there, or have many years of touring experience that has forced you to fish the waters in the past, you cannot gain the same kind of knowledge that the very experienced pros have. Especially over a 4 day practice period. Experience is not something you can mediate. There is an advantage to being a seasoned veteran and this is one of those cases. Lake situations change, wheather patterns differ, and there is always some unforseen occurence that changes the mood up, so what worked 7 or 8 years ago may not be effective next year. If anything, I feel like the rule change will better level the playing fields knowledge for the tournament.
5 opinions for FLW Tour Rule Changes Unwelcome By Many Pros
Ryan
Oct 11, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I don’t really see much of a problem with the rule changes they’ve put in place. If your truely a pro then you shuld be able to adapt.
kevin
Oct 15, 2007 at 10:32 am
I think that is kind of rough, it kind of also might impact the lower level pros with less sponsorship money.
Don
Oct 15, 2007 at 11:20 am
Kevin,
One thing you have to remeber about the FLW is that the Pros recieve sponsorship from FLW directly. Unlike the BASS were anglers go out and recruit their own individual sponsors, FLW recruits sponsorship for the Tour and “issue” the anglers one of the many sponsors to represent as their sponsor.
Ryan
Oct 17, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I didnt no that about the FLW sponsorship. Thats kinda weird. I wonder how many of those sponsors crab to the FLW whenever the get stuck sponsoring one of thos guys that stinks up the show evry week.
Tim
Nov 30, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Ryan, I think that may be a bit drastic, but I agree that they do need to put a better system in place.
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