Sponsor brown-nosing at it's best.....or worst.

If you're a BASS geek like myself, you were likely glued to your computer screen for much of last weekend.  Coverage on Bassmaster.com was good this year though the BassTrakk numbers were usually not very accurate.  It made for an interesting weigh-in each day trying to figure out what anglers were sandbagging or low-balling their weights.  If you were watching the weigh-ins you were likely well aware of the long, grotesque, and quite frankly, awkward sponsor plugging that was going on by most anglers.  Some were so involved and lavishing that it amounted to a virtual sponsor reach-around.  When I see these scripted theatrical presentations on stage, it makes me uncomfortable.  Do the anglers think that we care what line they used to finish near the bottom of the field?  When they say "the key" was a "such and such jig" fished slowly on the bottom, yet they didn't catch a limit, do they think that is convincing enough to persuade us to purchase product?  Do the sponsors themselves not feel, atleast somewhat, embarrassed for making the viewers sit through that nonsense?  Do the sponsors believe that those ramblings provide a financial return?   I know that sponsorships are part of the game, but c'mon guys....use some tact.

If you missed the weigh-ins here's kind of how the speeches went......

"I tell you what Dave...I've got the greatest sponsors in the industry.  I got up this morning at the Holiday Inn and was taking the trip to the lake in my Toyota Tundra powered by a 5.4 liter V6 pulling my Triton TR-21 with a 250-horse SHO on the back I thought to myself man I'm a lucky guy.  I get to fish the Bassmaster Classic.  I get to throw my new prototype Smithwick Rogue on 10-pound Sunline Sniper on a Castaway rod with the new EXO reels attached while most guys are at home working.  The temps were cold this week, but thanks to my UnderArmour Base layer followed up with my Lee Dungarees and over that my Simms Rainwear I thought it was summer in Florida.  Things started out slow this morning but about mid-day I decided to have a Diet Mt. Dew and put some KVD endorsed Fish Stix fish attractant on my clown-colored Smithwick Rogue and that did the trick.  The fish started crushing that thing.  It was incredible.  One last thing Dave...I have to thank my Lord and Savior, sweet, snuggly 8 pound 6 ounce baby Jesus.  For without him I wouldn't have been able to catch my 11 pound bag and I likely wouldn't be sitting where I am in 41st place."

(That example is purely fictional but I think you get the picture.)

Not all of them made it sound that ridiculous.  Some anglers thanked their sponsors broadly or not really at all.  As spectators that's what we deserve.  Real commentary not a sales pitch.  I think anglers should spend more time addressing their sponsorship roles like PGA golfers do rather than imitating Nascar drivers.   JMO

Pace wins the Classic as expected....kind of.

While it ended up being a nail-biter, Cliff Pace did pull-off the 2013 Bassmaster Classic victory.  Though this outcome was expected, considering he had a 7-pound lead going into the final day, what wasn't expected was his total lack of excitement with his accomplishment.  Brandon Palaniuk was on the verge of tears and nausea with the mere thought of winning the Classic while sitting in the hot seat.  Yet Cliff barely broke a smile when he was handed the Classic trophy and $500,000 tournament paycheck.  What gives?

Cliff's peers talk of him as being all business.  Dave Mercer nicknamed him "Game-face Cliff Pace".  He's known to not be excited by the pageantry associated with the Classic.  He's also known as someone who just loves the fishing and competition itself and would be much happier without the cameras and spectators watching him.

What I believe we saw yesterday was Cliff Pace realizing that for the next year or more he will not get to "just fish".  He's going to be completely bombarded by the things he likes least about the sport of professional bass fishing.  Endless photo shoots, countless interviews with the media and the relentless scrutiny of being in the public eye are all on the menu for Cliff the next year.  While most anglers would relish the opportunity to do these things, I think Cliff is dreading it.  I even wonder, if on some level, he was hoping he wouldn't win.  I know that sounds crazy to most of us, but I don't know how else to explain his reaction.  At least he has $500,000 to help ease the pain.

Cliff Pace dominating the Classic

The Bassmaster Classic is, no doubt, the pinnacle of bass fishing.  It garners all the attention of the fishing press and bass fishing fans worldwide.  With that comes the pre-tournament predictions from the pundits around the bass fishing world.  We heard plenty about the local favorites Mike McClelland, Jason Christie and Edwin Evers.  They seemed to get all the press when it came to picking odds-on favorites.  Who we didn't hear about was Cliff Pace.  Well, the bass world is talking about him now.

Cliff Pace has amassed a solid 7-pound lead going into the final day of the 2013 Classic.  He's managed two impressive 21+pound bags under less than ideal conditions and did so while dominant figures in the world of bass fishing haven't been able to catch limits, most notably Kevin Van Dam.  While there's still a day of competition remaining I'm going to say this one's in the bag.   He's got Grand dialed in right now and he's clearly focused on the end goal.  Some anglers might feel the pressure of leading the Classic after Day Two and that might cause them to falter.  I don't think you'll see that with Cliff.  I hope he goes out tomorrow and cracks another 20+pound bag and walks away with this thing.  He deserves it.

Who am I and why am I here?

I am an absolute bass fishing fanatic.  It consumes my thoughts much of my waking hours and like a lot of you some of my non-waking hours as well.  I've heard statistics that men think about sex every 45 seconds.  While I don't doubt that, for me, the time spent thinking about fishing encompasses most of the remaining time in between.  My thoughts range from analyzing past tournament performances to better understanding fish behavior to planning my next conquest on the water.  I have an addiction to the sport that seems to be insatiable which leads me to why I am here.

I read somewhere once that if you cannot find the content that you want to consume then you need to create the content yourself.  That is why I am here.  While there seems to be an unlimited amount of fishing related media out there much of it seems to be polluted.  You know what I'm talking about.  Most of today's fishing shows are nothing more than 30 minute infomercials pimping said sponsor's products.  Most print media can't make it a single paragraph without highlighting a product that you should buy if you want to be successful.  Even the majority of online content is riddled with links and tags to "sponsor" products with the hopes of someday making it big in the industry.  I understand the business side of the fishing industry.  Believe me, I do.  But that doesn't change the fact that quality content is lacking.  That is why I am here.

What can you expect to see from Upper Midwest Bass Fishing?  For starters you'll find information on specific bodies of waters in the Upper Midwest.  As I explore local bodies of water I'll bring what I've learned back in the form of a fishing log.  (That will happen, of course, when this frozen hell we northerners call winter leaves us.)  I'll even throw in some GPS coordinates for those that may want them.  As an avid tournament angler I'll provide content and commentary on the professional fishing scene.  And from time to time I'll provide technique specific videos to highlight important parts of finding and catching fish.  No not videos on how to tie a palomar knot or how to tune a crankbait.  Those videos have been done.  Remember the idea is to provide fresh content that you can't find anywhere else.  That's what I aim to do.  That is why I am here.

Enough about me.  What types of content do you want to see?