Every fisherman in the world can relate to the feeling of a biggun crushing a topwater bait. I would say less than 10% can relate to jigging up a bass at 20 ft deep with $6000 worth of electronics. Like you said, it’s extremely effective but it takes away what makes fishing cool and relatable.
@@thebasswicker6294 Live scope fishing is the equivalent of shooting a deer in the dark with a thermal scope. And just like your average poacher thinks he’s an incredible sportsman your average live scope angler thinks he’s the best to ever do it but sadly, we know the truth about both of them don’t we😂😂 I just don’t see how a fisherman with a high level of skill could get a sense of satisfaction out of catching a fish in such an easy manner you would have to be the same type of person who would spotlight a deer and think they’re a hunter😂
@@CarolinaReaperr see that’s funny because I see fish on 2D , Side Scan and traditional all the time that are not catchable and it’s a waste of time to throw at them. How come you don’t bash other forms of sonor ( 360 ) and the above mentioned. Livescope has disprove a lot of theories that we were taught so for that I embrace it. Bass fishing hasn’t been pure ever since the 70’s with all the electronics that have come out to put the advantage on the anglers side so when people make a comparison to deer hunting with a night scope I know one of two things that you have never used FFS or you haven’t taken the time to master it..
@@thebasswicker6294💯💯💯you can see fish on every sonar 2D, SI, DI etc. people just like to complain about it because they can’t catch them with FFS, or they never used it . People like to use the analogy of spotlighting deer , meanwhile people use scopes that if sighted properly are within centimeters of the target. Why aren’t they using bows and arrows 🤷🏽♂️
@@thebasswicker6294 has nothing to do with sensitivity. If you like watching guys stare at a screen and not look up while fishing then you should be in fishing heaven. More power to you sir. When you can’t deny the facts you attack the person…grade school stuff.
FFS sonar definitely discredits the angler's achievements. Your point about KVD vs current winners is 100% spot on. When the individual angler is perceived as a less important factor in fishing effectiveness, the fisherman is inherently less valuable to a company trying to market their product.
Being an old guy, I'm SUPPOSED to be for banning FFS, but I'm not. I've seen way to many innovations that came (and some went) along over the decades. Each and every time they came along, I'd hear the old guys piss and moan about what ever that latest thing was. When I was a kid, the most advanced thing was flashers. Then, the paper burners came along and the old guys had a cow that it was ruining the sport and anybody could catch them. Then DS, SS, etc, etc. and the same reaction from the previous generations. Interesting to see how it turns out. I think your statement that you were good either way, is probably the best approach to take. You've been doing it just long enough to have a solid foundation in the "old school", yet young enough to adapt to the "newer" way. Good approach to have, I think.
@@bigc8018 You probably won't be around in 20-30 years when all of our great fisheries are devastated by the use of this technology by meat eaters... it's already happening to crappie fishing. There are 50 other reasons it's bad for the sport I don't care to get into... Nothing personal, i just disagree 1000%
@@macdaddyblues1 crappie fishing is just getting better and better where I am at here in MO on a well known and highly pressured lake. Crappie biologist was recently on Crappie Connection channel and he said you can't over fish crappie in a reservoir. In fact, it's what is best for a healthy population.
Bass fishing was once a must see for me at one time I never thought in my life that I would not want to look at Bass fishing 😞 I look at football baseball and basketball every now and then it’s really not that important to me as Bass fishing, now that Bass fishing is boarding to look at I now just look at old Bass tournaments
@Robcatchem1607 well bassmaster viewership has gone up from them saying so... I mean it makes sense... social media guys with big followings are in the elites so 'kids' are watching... and by kids I mean 18-45 yr olds...
@@youtubzkozI don’t think kids are goin outside these days, and middle class families are struggling to buy homes, let alone boats w 7 grand worth of electronics on them, idk how many young ppl are out bass fishing, ide guess next to none up where I live
Regulation on equipment across all other sports but bass fishing. Golf just went through the drivers or golf balls here of late. These famous golf courses don't have the room to extend all the holes and I don't think they should any ways. Couldn't imagine changing Augusta to accommodate the longer drives with more modern equipment
Livescoping has taken the skill and the experiance out of bass fishing. I do not dislike it I just think the new generation of anglers will never have to know as much about fishing in general. Things like weather,,,,temp,,,lake levels,,,seasons of the year dont matter as much anymore. All they will know is spotting a fish on livescope and trying to catch it. Great looking boy by the way!! Im sure he will get all the old secrets from dad!!
So as a longtime jerkbait nut, I'm split on how I feel. I have enjoyed the traditional, "knowing seasons and bass movement from water temp, vegetation availability, spawn etc." That said, the lessons that come from seeing how a bass is reacting to my jerkbait, cadence, pauses, intensity of jerks, and differences of reactions between brands is priceless. The learning curve is much steeper now, as you can learn things in days, that took a lot of time with anecdotal evidence before ffs. Now we can see a follower and try different cadences in one cast, where before, you just didn't know. So there's good and bad to it, like anything I suppose.
Amen Kyle, it's your love of the sport that motivates you to compete on the pro circuit. You speak the truth and stand up for integrity. God bless you, Ms Hunter and baby Lincoln.
He is beautiful. Thank you for having him on the video. I will not watch a tournament if it's a lake where everyone uses FFS. Hate it and it is not on my boat.
Good to see u back on you tube. Been a minute. Thank y’all so much for y’all’s time spent with me at lake fork. Blessings to yall. Lincoln is adorable. Charlie.
You guys are awesome. Super enjoyed both of you from the first video. So glad Hunter said what she did. I have always gave a thumbs up to all your videos but couldn’t finish one or give a thumbs up. I have loved watching and learning how to fish a jig. Skip a bait. Watch you hammer them on a frog. I know you do what you have to do but, I can’t watch the box fishing. It’s sucks seeing everyone staring down the whole time. Thanks for this video! Appreciate you guys!
Awesome and beautiful video!!! Haven't fish in over a year due four surgeries from a boating accident on the Tennessee River. Your video has got me fire-up and will be on the water tomorrow !!!! Beautiful family!!!!!!
I don't like watching dudes stare at a screen. I also think it cancels out years of learning how to read the conditions and find fish. Scoping is boring
I absolutely agree 100%! I respect the game and I won’t hate on offshore guys, but I’d much rather watch a guy Jack em up with a jig or a frog or really any bait up on the bank.
Thank you for sharing your son with us,he’s cute as a button,take every moment of time with him because he’ll soon be growing up. I like that you fish both ways with it and without it.
Congratulations on that little fellow you two. I agree with all the ffs regarding only so many baits to really help with the application. Totally whole new concept regarding sponsorship. Never looked at it that way. Good Luck on Murray!
Boring to watch is a horrible reason to ban something. You have to have an actual non selfish reason to do something. If you're actually honest, 8 hours of live coverage is boring to watch 80% of the time. This style of fishing has been going on since the 90s
I’m glad Hunter came out and said what Kyle probably wishes he could say. Everyone here knows how he likes to fish. The price aspect is what kills me, the last thing we need is things like FFS pricing people out of the sport. Grow the sport by making it more accessible.
You can get in to FFS for under $2k unless you want a big screen. Cracks me up that people act like $2k is breaking the bank yet they will spend a hundred grand on boat, motor, trailer, truck. If FFS is that big of a game changer then buy a little bit cheaper boat and put that money towards accessories that actually help you catch fish. If FFS isn't your deal then don't buy it and go have fun fishing.
It's ALL overpriced ...boats, motors, sonar, .....priced completely out of the reach of 75% of the customer base......hope they all go bankrupt in the years to come. And yet i own a Ranger ....lmao. Hope it lasts a lifetime, because i'll never afford another. lol
Great to see the new addition to TEAM WELCHER... and always look forward to your videos !!! We came to your Saturday weigh-in at Palatka and we are confident that the next few tournaments will have TEAM WELCHER back in the hunt for the next Classic !!! Keep up the great work and attitude.... it's a joy to watch !!!
I don't think it should be allowed in tournaments. But the reason it is, is because it gets the average fisherman into thinking that's what he needs to help him catch more fish. So if Joe fisherman sees the pro's using it, then he'll go out & buy one.
Found it very enjoyable to watch the St. John's river tournament. Scopers were nowhere to be found using traditional methods. Many people have said that these scopers could catch em without technology. Apparently not
As a 47 yr old that has followed the sport for 30 yrs I can say I still keep up with every tournament I actually watch less now than ever. It's like every tournament has turned into a smallmouth tournament.. sure it's fun to catch em like that but it's just not fun to watch! I'm a traditional squarebill ,flipping, Swim jig, Froggin style fisherman and like I've said before Hackney has been my favorite to watch for years and you had that same style and love of the sport that drew me to him and that's just what I like to watch but I understand that you as a pro have to adapt. me as a life long weekend warrior owned live scope for about a yr back in 22' and decided It just wasn't fun to me!
Thanks for the video Hunter, Kyle and Lincoln. I knew the both of you have had yall's hands full. I love the nickname Link, he's Awesome. Amy an I are Excited for the new member of the family an Wishing the WelcheR's all the Best. Yall's friends from the Hooser family ❤
You can tell by the way Mercer, Ronnie Moore and some other talking heads are always trying to put a positive spin on ffs that BASS is all about it so it’ll never be banned
I use FFS and I don't own any of the new baits, I catch them on my old baits, I mostly use it to see stumps, and rocks, stuff like that, it's very useful when used for traditional fishing. I saw one under a laydown and pitched a worm to him. It's a neat tool. All the anti/banners would have been thrilled to watch me throw to that a laydown but I would have skipped it if I hadn't seen one laying there. Maybe I should do videos. 😂
Funny thing is I don’t have ffs and don’t have any of the lures you mentioned. It gets old being told that I can’t compete without it. I haven’t seen a big difference in my results. Maybe different guys are winning off shore but the same guys win all the Tidal events and that includes me.
For me it takes away the excitement of not knowing the fish are there and all of a sudden the robots. Its hard to watch. It also will help poachers to succeed. Like these guys caught 88 white bass over the limit leading to less fish in our water systems.
In 2021 when FFS was getting really big my friend Clay Johns fished the MLF opens and qualified to fish the tour and he did it by fishing 8’ of water or less. He was also using a frog in most of the tournaments even on smallmouth lakes. He ended up winning rookie of the year that year and like I said he never left the bank. So fishing the bank is still a good way to win you just have to be committed to it and not give up a hour or so into the day just because you have not caught a limit yet.
Met you on Harding I think it was, a couple of years ago for one of those big bass tournaments. Think it was Harding. Said hey to you while all the boats were bunched up at an island waiting for take off. Anyway, I'm from GA, but guide in Louisiana.
I haven't watched a BASS tournament since they went to FFS, i also cancelled my membership. I still check results you see how you did.But my interest in BASS is GONE.
I fish with depth finders my dad gave me from 15 years ago. They have down imagine and GPS that's it. As long as i kno the layout of the lake and the depth abd current temp im good to go
Viewership probably isn't hurting right now because everything is still kind of new, and people want to learn it. But it will eventually ruin fishing. I already get tired of looking at the screen, and I only do it for a couple of hours out of my weekend trips. Can't imagine how boring it must be to feel forced to do it.
Was trying to watch this weekend and saw this; fisherman looking down with rod in hand. Turns to cameraman and says, "you ready, theres like 50 of them." makes one cast, shakes the rod a little and says, "get ready here one comes. " then set the hook.... I turned it off.
Tournament fishing is only 10-15 percent of fisher people Most do not have will never have FFS or could afford it So those people will purchase The regular baits , and don’t really need those baits other than a jerk bait and wacky worm The problem for the rest of us all New baits will be designed for FFS and the 85% of us will suffer The real problem is taking spawning bass off their beds and taking them on a boat ride and nobody seems to give a crap about that
I hate it and dont have it, but even at the lowest level tournements that i fish, if you aint got it your behind 90% of the time. Even during the spawn
I almost spit my lunch out when you mentioned "syringes". I would love to hear Kyles opinion on how going "no practice" for tournaments would affect the scoping issue.
idk why you guys cant use nets to boat a bass so you dont get hooks in your hands but your allowed to see a bass in real time and cast to it and watch the whole thing
I have the privilege of being friends with a fishing junkie that owns a pro rig. 2023 z21 XL with 2 different FFS gimmicks. 2 screens up front and 2 at the console. We've caught plenty of fish with it that we wouldn't have without it. Been a little over 18 months and I'm sick of it. We don't even go fishing anymore I feel like. I want to burn down the bank and he wants to look at fish on his screens. I used to use old methods such as checking maps and then using my depth finder to determine if there were fish in the area but that was it. Now he chases tiny specs, or makes crappie look like giant catfish by zooming in too far etc. I can say from 18 months of first hand experience that it's cool but I'd rather just sit at home and play a fishing video game than fish the way we've been fishing. I do fish up front with him 98% of the time but I never get much time on the trolling motor. Even when he has business calls. Dick. But when I do, I haul ass as far away from where we just were and I get on em using intuition and years of general fishing knowledge. Example; mid spawn this year we went out and fished a known spot but nothing was happening and I was grumbling and he finally sat down to take a call. I got on the trolling motor and took us a half mile up to a flat and caught 3 fish in 5 casts. We wasted 3 hours fishing deep and using the FFS with no success before I put us in shallow water and we started slaying. I want to cast to trees, docks, drops and stumps. The main issue is that we aren't catching more fish on a general basis since he has had FFS. But he stares at it anyway.
What a cutey...no not you Kyle. Been around competitive fishing for 5 decades. On my second season with Livescope...Yes this is easy. There is a reason the youth movement is afoot. As you said, it's changing the history of the sport and I too downgrade the accomplishments. you may not target a specific fish or get every one to bite. However, it makes you super productive at targeting your casts to the juice. Hunter, my wife has been at my side in this for 37 years. She agrees with you. And I quote "Whoopee, you used the cheatbox" Congrats to both!!!!!
Viewership is at record levels. Many more choices for the anglers and viewers instead of everybody beating the bank. I do not think it has ruined bass fishing. It is better than it ever has been in most parts of the country. We just need to take better safeguards in how we handle fish after the catch through creel limits, closed seasons during spawn, slot limits etc.
Thanks Kyle for sharing your thoughts & input on FFS. I agree it's ok for certain situations but not tournaments. I agree with Hunter it's boring to watch!! Like you stated KVD was the man to watch using his skills & knowledge as of today's anglers it's the sonar unit. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!🤠👍
I wish they would ban it because it is not fair chase, the bass can’t hide anywhere away from anglers like they did before which means more pressure than ever before and as far as the century club ever angler that has made the club should have an Astrix next to it because they never would have done it without FFS
It’s not ruining it, it’s absolutely DESTROYING it.
Every fisherman in the world can relate to the feeling of a biggun crushing a topwater bait. I would say less than 10% can relate to jigging up a bass at 20 ft deep with $6000 worth of electronics. Like you said, it’s extremely effective but it takes away what makes fishing cool and relatable.
lol ok
Seeing Kyle hold his son..interact with him..smile with the lil things hes doing is the best thing I've watched today..good job daddy😊💥✊🏾
Totally true. It’s no longer fishing, it’s gaming by chasing down fish
No it’s really not I’m guessing you don’t have it
@@thebasswicker6294 Live scope fishing is the equivalent of shooting a deer in the dark with a thermal scope. And just like your average poacher thinks he’s an incredible sportsman your average live scope angler thinks he’s the best to ever do it but sadly, we know the truth about both of them don’t we😂😂 I just don’t see how a fisherman with a high level of skill could get a sense of satisfaction out of catching a fish in such an easy manner you would have to be the same type of person who would spotlight a deer and think they’re a hunter😂
@@CarolinaReaperr see that’s funny because I see fish on 2D , Side Scan and traditional all the time that are not catchable and it’s a waste of time to throw at them. How come you don’t bash other forms of sonor ( 360 ) and the above mentioned. Livescope has disprove a lot of theories that we were taught so for that I embrace it. Bass fishing hasn’t been pure ever since the 70’s with all the electronics that have come out to put the advantage on the anglers side so when people make a comparison to deer hunting with a night scope I know one of two things that you have never used FFS or you haven’t taken the time to master it..
@@thebasswicker6294💯💯💯you can see fish on every sonar 2D, SI, DI etc. people just like to complain about it because they can’t catch them with FFS, or they never used it . People like to use the analogy of spotlighting deer , meanwhile people use scopes that if sighted properly are within centimeters of the target. Why aren’t they using bows and arrows 🤷🏽♂️
@@thebasswicker6294 I have it.
I can’t watch tournament or TH-cam videos anymore…just have to watch the old ones
I agree, can't watch someone standing all day staring down at a video game
That’s funny that your that sensitive dude!
@@user-bq9tw8lt5l but you can a bathysope?
@@thebasswicker6294 has nothing to do with sensitivity. If you like watching guys stare at a screen and not look up while fishing then you should be in fishing heaven. More power to you sir. When you can’t deny the facts you attack the person…grade school stuff.
@@JB-ms9du what facts?
Constant tournament pressure has destroyed the lakes in my area.
FFS sonar definitely discredits the angler's achievements. Your point about KVD vs current winners is 100% spot on. When the individual angler is perceived as a less important factor in fishing effectiveness, the fisherman is inherently less valuable to a company trying to market their product.
Of the professionals that have ventured an opinion on FFS, this is probably the most balanced presentation I have seem so far.
Being an old guy, I'm SUPPOSED to be for banning FFS, but I'm not. I've seen way to many innovations that came (and some went) along over the decades. Each and every time they came along, I'd hear the old guys piss and moan about what ever that latest thing was. When I was a kid, the most advanced thing was flashers. Then, the paper burners came along and the old guys had a cow that it was ruining the sport and anybody could catch them. Then DS, SS, etc, etc. and the same reaction from the previous generations. Interesting to see how it turns out. I think your statement that you were good either way, is probably the best approach to take. You've been doing it just long enough to have a solid foundation in the "old school", yet young enough to adapt to the "newer" way. Good approach to have, I think.
@@bigc8018 You probably won't be around in 20-30 years when all of our great fisheries are devastated by the use of this technology by meat eaters... it's already happening to crappie fishing. There are 50 other reasons it's bad for the sport I don't care to get into... Nothing personal, i just disagree 1000%
@@macdaddyblues1 crappie fishing is just getting better and better where I am at here in MO on a well known and highly pressured lake. Crappie biologist was recently on Crappie Connection channel and he said you can't over fish crappie in a reservoir. In fact, it's what is best for a healthy population.
@@bigc8018I’m right there with you! I’ve watched all the advancements from flashers on up and I’ll never give up my ffs.
Bass fishing was once a must see for me at one time I never thought in my life that I would not want to look at Bass fishing 😞 I look at football baseball and basketball every now and then it’s really not that important to me as Bass fishing, now that Bass fishing is boarding to look at I now just look at old Bass tournaments
Man im so glad kyle understands and admits its easier with ffs, alot of dudes down play how good ffs is
God bless u and the family
I have been watching Bassmasters since it started,I am that old.I don't watch it at all anymore.
This is a dam shame 😢
Yeah but you were replaced by 10 kids watching now because of FFS 😆
@@youtubzkoz
Where do you get your stats ?
@Robcatchem1607 well bassmaster viewership has gone up from them saying so... I mean it makes sense... social media guys with big followings are in the elites so 'kids' are watching... and by kids I mean 18-45 yr olds...
@@youtubzkozI don’t think kids are goin outside these days, and middle class families are struggling to buy homes, let alone boats w 7 grand worth of electronics on them, idk how many young ppl are out bass fishing, ide guess next to none up where I live
Agree with you 💯 and definitely not they way I grew up fishing and hard to get away from traditional bass fishing.
Regulation on equipment across all other sports but bass fishing. Golf just went through the drivers or golf balls here of late. These famous golf courses don't have the room to extend all the holes and I don't think they should any ways. Couldn't imagine changing Augusta to accommodate the longer drives with more modern equipment
Great perspective Kyle and Hunter. Congrats on the baby. He’s the star of the show!
y’all are the realest and i love your interview/conversation format
I agree with Hunter. BAN IT!!!!!!!
Congrats on the birth of your first child Kyle and hunter🙏
Livescoping has taken the skill and the experiance out of bass fishing. I do not dislike it I just think the new generation of anglers will never have to know as much about fishing in general. Things like weather,,,,temp,,,lake levels,,,seasons of the year dont matter as much anymore. All they will know is spotting a fish on livescope and trying to catch it. Great looking boy by the way!! Im sure he will get all the old secrets from dad!!
I git news for you,😅You need to know all that on top of turning on ffs...Then you need to learn how to use ffs ..Its not as easy as you think..
So as a longtime jerkbait nut, I'm split on how I feel. I have enjoyed the traditional, "knowing seasons and bass movement from water temp, vegetation availability, spawn etc." That said, the lessons that come from seeing how a bass is reacting to my jerkbait, cadence, pauses, intensity of jerks, and differences of reactions between brands is priceless. The learning curve is much steeper now, as you can learn things in days, that took a lot of time with anecdotal evidence before ffs.
Now we can see a follower and try different cadences in one cast, where before, you just didn't know.
So there's good and bad to it, like anything I suppose.
Amen Kyle, it's your love of the sport that motivates you to compete on the pro circuit. You speak the truth and stand up for integrity. God bless you, Ms Hunter and baby Lincoln.
He is beautiful. Thank you for having him on the video. I will not watch a tournament if it's a lake where everyone uses FFS. Hate it and it is not on my boat.
Good to see u back on you tube. Been a minute. Thank y’all so much for y’all’s time spent with me at lake fork. Blessings to yall. Lincoln is adorable. Charlie.
You guys are awesome. Super enjoyed both of you from the first video. So glad Hunter said what she did. I have always gave a thumbs up to all your videos but couldn’t finish one or give a thumbs up. I have loved watching and learning how to fish a jig. Skip a bait. Watch you hammer them on a frog. I know you do what you have to do but, I can’t watch the box fishing. It’s sucks seeing everyone staring down the whole time. Thanks for this video! Appreciate you guys!
Awesome and beautiful video!!! Haven't fish in over a year due four surgeries from a boating accident on the Tennessee River. Your video has got me fire-up and will be on the water tomorrow !!!! Beautiful family!!!!!!
I’ve been on the fence with FFS. But I have to admit . My interest in tournaments have declined because of it .
I don't like watching dudes stare at a screen. I also think it cancels out years of learning how to read the conditions and find fish.
Scoping is boring
Congratulations to you both! On that handsome fellow!
When the top tournament winning anglers are dominant by live scope. You no longer have a fishing tournament, you have a scoping tournament.
I absolutely agree 100%! I respect the game and I won’t hate on offshore guys, but I’d much rather watch a guy Jack em up with a jig or a frog or really any bait up on the bank.
Hunter! Hunter! Hunter! Pretty awesome that she had the guts to say what Kyle wants to say.
That baby boy is cute! You are a great Dad and look to being doing great! God bless you brother! Fatherhood is such a blessing.
Thank you for sharing your son with us,he’s cute as a button,take every moment of time with him because he’ll soon be growing up. I like that you fish both ways with it and without it.
Wow, well said, Kyle. They need you on the governing body I think. You are spot on.
Bass fishing isn't over but hopefully tournament fishing is over
Congratulations on that little fellow you two.
I agree with all the ffs regarding only so many baits to really help with the application. Totally whole new concept regarding sponsorship. Never looked at it that way. Good Luck on Murray!
I agree with Hunter, ban it. It is boring to watch.
So watching a guy beating the banks catching 10 lbs is more exciting ?? To me it's not
10lber out of the grass with the braid screaming is .
But it’s also what worked for him to get AOY
Boring to watch is a horrible reason to ban something. You have to have an actual non selfish reason to do something. If you're actually honest, 8 hours of live coverage is boring to watch 80% of the time. This style of fishing has been going on since the 90s
I would say more than 80 percent of the time and if we didnt have 8 hours of live wouldnt hear much about it. @basscat2107
I’m glad Hunter came out and said what Kyle probably wishes he could say. Everyone here knows how he likes to fish. The price aspect is what kills me, the last thing we need is things like FFS pricing people out of the sport. Grow the sport by making it more accessible.
What about the &100,000 boats ,the cost of 360 ,powerpoles everything costs to much for most common people!
@@patricklambert5622 I can get a power pole now for my 14 foot (shit tub) Jon boat, two may sink it.
You can get in to FFS for under $2k unless you want a big screen. Cracks me up that people act like $2k is breaking the bank yet they will spend a hundred grand on boat, motor, trailer, truck. If FFS is that big of a game changer then buy a little bit cheaper boat and put that money towards accessories that actually help you catch fish. If FFS isn't your deal then don't buy it and go have fun fishing.
It's ALL overpriced ...boats, motors, sonar, .....priced completely out of the reach of 75% of the customer base......hope they all go bankrupt in the years to come. And yet i own a Ranger ....lmao. Hope it lasts a lifetime, because i'll never afford another. lol
Great to see the new addition to TEAM WELCHER... and always look forward to your videos !!!
We came to your Saturday weigh-in at Palatka and we are confident that the next few tournaments will have TEAM WELCHER back in the hunt for the next Classic !!!
Keep up the great work and attitude.... it's a joy to watch !!!
You are the future of bass fishing, enjoy your clips and plan to see you out there as the one of the next gotta see anglers, keep it up.
I agree with Hunter, sponsorship money will slowly disappear except for a handful of guys
Technology in general is ruining the world and changing life forever.
100% agree with this.
The aluminum bat comparison is one of the best ones I’ve heard
I don't think it should be allowed in tournaments. But the reason it is, is because it gets the average fisherman into thinking that's what he needs to help him catch more fish. So if Joe fisherman sees the pro's using it, then he'll go out & buy one.
We missed you and the family. Very nice to see you putting content out. It’s great to hear your opinion and where you stand on this subject.
The sport needs more Kyle Welchers - and having your son on the video - awesome!!!!!
Aluminium bat analogy is bang on.
Amazing sharing video. Thanks
I really like Kyle and his Wife congratulations on the lil boy. Y'all make a great happy family. I like ur out look on everything Kyle. Go catch em!!!
Found it very enjoyable to watch the St. John's river tournament. Scopers were nowhere to be found using traditional methods. Many people have said that these scopers could catch em without technology. Apparently not
Congratulations having a baby🎉
Good looking boy👍👍 I hate ffs but I realize you have to adapt to compete.
As a 47 yr old that has followed the sport for 30 yrs I can say I still keep up with every tournament I actually watch less now than ever. It's like every tournament has turned into a smallmouth tournament.. sure it's fun to catch em like that but it's just not fun to watch! I'm a traditional squarebill ,flipping, Swim jig, Froggin style fisherman and like I've said before Hackney has been my favorite to watch for years and you had that same style and love of the sport that drew me to him and that's just what I like to watch but I understand that you as a pro have to adapt. me as a life long weekend warrior owned live scope for about a yr back in 22' and decided It just wasn't fun to me!
Thanks for the video Hunter, Kyle and Lincoln. I knew the both of you have had yall's hands full. I love the nickname Link, he's Awesome. Amy an I are Excited for the new member of the family an Wishing the WelcheR's all the Best. Yall's friends from the Hooser family ❤
Agree with Hunter. Your baseball bat analogy is spot on. Thanks.
You can tell by the way Mercer, Ronnie Moore and some other talking heads are always trying to put a positive spin on ffs that BASS is all about it so it’ll never be banned
Exactly. $$$$
I use FFS and I don't own any of the new baits, I catch them on my old baits, I mostly use it to see stumps, and rocks, stuff like that, it's very useful when used for traditional fishing. I saw one under a laydown and pitched a worm to him. It's a neat tool. All the anti/banners would have been thrilled to watch me throw to that a laydown but I would have skipped it if I hadn't seen one laying there. Maybe I should do videos. 😂
I can’t find to mooch minnow anywhere but I use the freeloader & without FFS it works amazingly! I would love to find the mooch minnow
I appreciate the honesty
Its not about being boring...watching casting is casting. Its about pressure and fish being allowed to get away from angling pressure.
I totally agree with Hunter, Great show, I love you guys, thank yall
Best explanation yet!!
Great video, dude!! I couldn't have described the way I felt better!
Funny thing is I don’t have ffs and don’t have any of the lures you mentioned. It gets old being told that I can’t compete without it. I haven’t seen a big difference in my results. Maybe different guys are winning off shore but the same guys win all the Tidal events and that includes me.
For me it takes away the excitement of not knowing the fish are there and all of a sudden the robots. Its hard to watch. It also will help poachers to succeed. Like these guys caught 88 white bass over the limit leading to less fish in our water systems.
In 2021 when FFS was getting really big my friend Clay Johns fished the MLF opens and qualified to fish the tour and he did it by fishing 8’ of water or less. He was also using a frog in most of the tournaments even on smallmouth lakes. He ended up winning rookie of the year that year and like I said he never left the bank. So fishing the bank is still a good way to win you just have to be committed to it and not give up a hour or so into the day just because you have not caught a limit yet.
Met you on Harding I think it was, a couple of years ago for one of those big bass tournaments. Think it was Harding. Said hey to you while all the boats were bunched up at an island waiting for take off. Anyway, I'm from GA, but guide in Louisiana.
Forward facing sonar is of the devil !
I haven't watched a BASS tournament since they went to FFS, i also cancelled my membership. I still check results you see how you did.But my interest in BASS is GONE.
I fish with depth finders my dad gave me from 15 years ago. They have down imagine and GPS that's it. As long as i kno the layout of the lake and the depth abd current temp im good to go
Viewership probably isn't hurting right now because everything is still kind of new, and people want to learn it. But it will eventually ruin fishing. I already get tired of looking at the screen, and I only do it for a couple of hours out of my weekend trips. Can't imagine how boring it must be to feel forced to do it.
Nailed it 🎯
Was trying to watch this weekend and saw this; fisherman looking down with rod in hand. Turns to cameraman and says, "you ready, theres like 50 of them." makes one cast, shakes the rod a little and says, "get ready here one comes. " then set the hook.... I turned it off.
Tournament fishing is only
10-15 percent of fisher people
Most do not have will never have
FFS or could afford it
So those people will purchase
The regular baits , and don’t really need those baits other than a jerk bait and wacky worm
The problem for the rest of us all
New baits will be designed for
FFS and the 85% of us will suffer
The real problem is taking spawning bass off their beds and taking them on a boat ride and nobody seems to give a crap about that
And this is why we love hunter the interviewer. Drawing that hard line in the sand.
I hate it and dont have it, but even at the lowest level tournements that i fish, if you aint got it your behind 90% of the time. Even during the spawn
I still watch it, because I’m a competitive bass fisherman. But FFS tournaments are boring as hell 🙄
Hope to see your Harris and St John's tournament on video !!!
Can u please make a video on how water generation affects fish. Also how can u tell when our small little local lake is generating.
Bro that gamakatsu straight shank hook you used at the opens on the Harris chain years ago. I’ve used them and they are fire.
I almost spit my lunch out when you mentioned "syringes". I would love to hear Kyles opinion on how going "no practice" for tournaments would affect the scoping issue.
After watching this it just dawned on me how good Rapala is at marketing and sales.
idk why you guys cant use nets to boat a bass so you dont get hooks in your hands but your allowed to see a bass in real time and cast to it and watch the whole thing
If a net company was spend as much on advertising as the big 3 sonar companies you would be seeing nets. 😉
I have the privilege of being friends with a fishing junkie that owns a pro rig. 2023 z21 XL with 2 different FFS gimmicks. 2 screens up front and 2 at the console. We've caught plenty of fish with it that we wouldn't have without it. Been a little over 18 months and I'm sick of it. We don't even go fishing anymore I feel like. I want to burn down the bank and he wants to look at fish on his screens. I used to use old methods such as checking maps and then using my depth finder to determine if there were fish in the area but that was it. Now he chases tiny specs, or makes crappie look like giant catfish by zooming in too far etc. I can say from 18 months of first hand experience that it's cool but I'd rather just sit at home and play a fishing video game than fish the way we've been fishing. I do fish up front with him 98% of the time but I never get much time on the trolling motor. Even when he has business calls. Dick. But when I do, I haul ass as far away from where we just were and I get on em using intuition and years of general fishing knowledge. Example; mid spawn this year we went out and fished a known spot but nothing was happening and I was grumbling and he finally sat down to take a call. I got on the trolling motor and took us a half mile up to a flat and caught 3 fish in 5 casts. We wasted 3 hours fishing deep and using the FFS with no success before I put us in shallow water and we started slaying. I want to cast to trees, docks, drops and stumps. The main issue is that we aren't catching more fish on a general basis since he has had FFS. But he stares at it anyway.
Hey Kyle you should update the Bandit and fix her up put some smaller Power Poles on her she really deserves it, awesome little boat
What a cutey...no not you Kyle.
Been around competitive fishing for 5 decades. On my second season with Livescope...Yes this is easy.
There is a reason the youth movement is afoot. As you said, it's changing the history of the sport and I too downgrade the accomplishments.
you may not target a specific fish or get every one to bite. However, it makes you super productive at targeting your casts to the juice.
Hunter, my wife has been at my side in this for 37 years. She agrees with you. And I quote "Whoopee, you used the cheatbox"
Congrats to both!!!!!
Great perspective haven’t heard it put this way.
Very cute little man!
Just be straight up about it! It has ruined bass fishing as a whole!
Viewership is at record levels. Many more choices for the anglers and viewers instead of everybody beating the bank. I do not think it has ruined bass fishing. It is better than it ever has been in most parts of the country. We just need to take better safeguards in how we handle fish after the catch through creel limits, closed seasons during spawn, slot limits etc.
I feel the same those 100lb marks are not as prestigious. When using it
Do away with livescope
So what I'm hearing is that live scope is ruining bass fishing. My opinion.
Every winner using Live Scope should have an asterisk in the record books. Professional fishing is not fishing when it's done spot lighting. Sad days.
My hurt elbow says you are wrong. LOL
That boy literally CANNOT take his eyes off of THE BOAT. lol Start Em Early!
Thanks Kyle for sharing your thoughts & input on FFS. I agree it's ok for certain situations but not tournaments. I agree with Hunter it's boring to watch!! Like you stated KVD was the man to watch using his skills & knowledge as of today's anglers it's the sonar unit. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!🤠👍
yes 100% it is the catalyst of demise
I vote a no scope for the classic! To keep it classic!!!
I would argue the century belts from years past actually mean more, than the FFS century belts.
I wish they would ban it because it is not fair chase, the bass can’t hide anywhere away from anglers like they did before which means more pressure than ever before and as far as the century club ever angler that has made the club should have an Astrix next to it because they never would have done it without FFS
The aluminum bat analogy is the great comparison I’ve heard. The same thing happened in bowling when technology changed
tech has and will always change. Evolve or become extinct.
He is so precious mine just turned 3 an my other just turned 11 two weeks apart they make u a rich man Kyle..still waiting on my crush city hat lol
Tried watching it this year trying to like it… like you and DC…. But it gets pretty dull quick.
I've watched more this season than I ever have. Elite anglers you tube channels are better than bassmasters coverage