Is Pro Bass Fishing Ready
For Light-Line Competition?

Ray Scott's "Put the Sport
back in Sportfishing" idea
has more merit than mirth...

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Light-line tournament fishing? The next trend in professional bass angling competitions?

Most pundits say light-line tournaments on the pro circuits stand about the same chance as javelin catching being introduced as an Olympic Games sport. Stop chuckling. The idea of light-line bassin' (i.e. Sportackle®) may have more merit than mirth. There's good reason.

The light-line tournament concept - using only four-pound test monofilament line - is the latest brainstorm rising from Ray Scott, the proclaimed "Bass Boss" and the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.).

For the record, Scott's harebrained idea some 35-years ago spawned the sport of pro bass fishing. Today, Scott's first All-American Invitational Bass Tournament at Beaver Lake, Arkansas in June 5-7, 1967 is regarded as a "bright idea."

Fast forward to July 25-27, 2002 and the 32nd annual BASS Masters Classic world championship taking place on the Birmingham-Jefferson County, Alabama Civic Center stage before a live audience of over 15,000 fishing fans and many, many more watching worldwide on the ESPN cable network.

With the flick of a switch ESPN Network, which purchased B.A.S.S., Inc., and the rights to the Bassmaster Tournament Trail in April 2001, throws megawatts of light on the sport of pro bass fishing. From the get-go the ESPN programmers intend to turn pro bassin' into the next sports culture and household heroes, patterned after the super successful promotion and marketing of the NASCAR circuits.

But, hold the checkered flag. Can competitive bass fishing offer the same thrills as automotive racing? The former owners of B.A.S.S., Inc., led by CEO Helen Sevier, tried as much. The ill-fated World Championship Fishing circuit tried to mix bass fishing and bass boat racing as an entertainment concept. The result: about the same as mixing oil and water.

To the new ESPN ownership's credit, it let the WCF (World Championship Fishing) idea sink due to natural causes.

But don't assume the ESPN Outdoor Network's programmers are not tinkering under the hood with the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. More tournaments. More money. More sponsor exposure. More prime time TV coverage. And, more to the point, the ESPN management has reached out to the "godfather of bassin'" - Ray Scott who disappeared off the Bassmaster Tournament Trail stage in 1998 after a break with the former B.A.S.S, Inc. owners in a contract dispute.

The Classic crowd at Birmingham roared their approval as Ray Scott, decked out in his familiar white cowboy hat and buckskin fringe, appeared on stage prior to the weigh-in.

Classic commentator Jerry McKinnis interviewed Scott about the early days. "Mr. B.A.S.S." joked, recapped Classic history, told old stories and the bass fishing majority whooped it up.

The question on many lips: "Is ESPN bringing Ray Scott back?" Scott's performance as the Classic weighmaster, in many spectator's opinion, made the BASS Masters Classic show special.

George Bodenheimer, the president of ESPN, was in the house for the CITGO BASS Masters Classic final-day weigh-in, and discussed the Classic with Ray Scott.

At one point, following a big screen video replay of a three-pound bass being hauled out of Lay Lake, much to the delight of the Civic Center crowd, Mr. Bodenheimer turned to Mr. B.A.S.S. with the question:

"Ray, in your opinion, what can we do to make this more exciting?"

The aforementioned replay had taken all of about "seven seconds" as the largemouth was skied into the boat on 25-pound test line. Scott jumped at the query like a lunker largemouth grabbing a Zara Spook.

"Put the sport back into Sportfishing," declared Scott. "Where's the excitement with a 200-pound man winching a three-pound bass into the boat in less than 10 seconds?"

Scott has been on a mission to bring some excitement and a challenge back into bass fishing with the idea of a light-line Sportackle™ tournament concept. All contestants would spool from the same International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) certified four-pound test class line.

As an experiment, Scott and the IGFA conducted a one-day light-line tournament during the 2002 Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Champions Challenge at Lake Ouachita, Arkansas.

The Hall of Fame pros, who agreed to fish only with IGFA certified 4-pound test line and a "no net rule", were in solid agreement to the "fun and thrills", but they expressed mixed feeling about light-line only tournaments "with big bucks on the line."

Veteran pro Kevin Wirth of Kentucky opined: "I like the concept and think it has a place in the fishing industry to bring new life to the sport. It might limit our techniques of the past, but in the same breath, it should open our minds to modifications and new approaches."

Former Classic winner Tommy Martin, an 18-time world championship finalist, observes: "There are some pros who think Ray Scott is trying to change the way we fish and are against the light-line concept. I think the light-line makes it more of a challenge and certainly more exciting on TV."

"There is a tremendous difference in the way you approach the use of 4-pound test line," says Ron Shuffield, the former B.A.S.S. MegaBucks champion, and noted as one of the best with a flippin' stick and heavy line to probe heavy cover.

Shuffield continues, "Light-line determines a different lure selection (usually smaller), a lighter action rod and a totally different hookset (more of a pull and reel set). And, not having the use of a dip net, hand landing is a definite challenge.

"Even though I felt totally out of my element (heavy line and tackle), I was amazed at what a thrill a two-pound fish could give you on such light tackle."

The Arkansas pro adds, "I, also, realize one of the greatest advantages to light-line is the increased strike ratio. You will definitely get more bites with light-line, and I always say: 'Hook them first, then worry about landing them'."

BASS Masters Classic titleholder Ken Cook sided with Ray Scott's new idea: "The Sportackle (light-line) concept is probably the best platform for a new growth of knowledge in bass fishing to come along in quite a while."

David Wharton, a big bass chaser on Sam Rayburn Lake, Texas and Classic veteran, notes: "It's one of those deals…where practice makes perfect. The Hall of Fame 4-pound tournament was my first experience with line that small. As always, bass fishermen will adapt, be creative and come up with techniques that will add more fun to fishing."

As to what's around the next turn (or on the dial) for ESPN, George Bodenheimer indicated he sees a lot of parallels between the advent of NASCAR's popularity and pro bass fishing.

"It has Southern-based roots, its fans are passionate and it is misunderstood by a lot of constituents."

ESPN's mission will be to sell professional bass fishing to the unwashed masses. There's no doubt the mainstream bass fishing groupies will climb aboard.

The 'E' in ESPN stands for ENTERTAINMENT and or "excitement," and that's where Ray Scott's passion for Sportackle™ bassin' comes into play.

"It may not happen right away," believes Scott, "but write it down. The challenge of light-line Sportackle™ bass fishing will provide the answer to what ESPN can do to bring far more excitement to the Classic. As example, NASCAR viewers tune-in to see racing thrills. Pile-ups make the highlights reel. There are no wrecks in bass tournaments. But, using only 4-pound test line is bass fishing on the edge."

In the meantime, Scott is sticking his toe back in the water. He's expecting to land a TV network, possibly ESPN or The OUTDOOR CHANNEL, to air his "Eagles of Angling" two-man team concept that restricts anglers to only 4-pound test line and no landing nets.

The 13-week series to be played on Scott's 55-acre world class trophy bass lake will pit two teams of anglers fishing against the clock, with the winners advancing to the next round.

"I'm more convinced of this (put the sport back in sportfishing) concept than I was when I started B.A.S.S.," said Scott, who founded the organization in 1968 that grew to over 650,000 members worldwide. Scott sold his interest in B.A.S.S. in 1986. But, he's never lost focus of the sport of bass fishing.

In focusing on the 2002 Classic coverage, Scott mused: "Every TV cameraman's dream is to get a big bass on tape. That's excitement! But, the average size of bass weighed-in was 1-pound, 12-ounces. Think about how much more action would be captured by using 4-pound test line."