Over the last few months, I have run across several posts on different bass fishing forums discussing a desire by many anglers to return to smaller boats and motors in tournaments.
When I think back to my early days of organized bass fishing, I can still visualize the line-up of boats on the shore … mostly 17 feet in length or shorter and a 115-HP outboard would be the largest in the lot.
Even the boat provided by B.A.S.S. for the first Classic on Lake Mead, NV in 1971 was the Rebel Fastback and it was only powered by a 90-HP I/O motor. Times have changed, however, since most Classic boats this year were > 20 feet in length and powered by 250-HP outboards.
Are Big, Expensive Bass Boats Required for Bass Tournaments?
From my personal experience in both club and local money tournaments, the answer is definitely no!
Several of my friends and I all fish from relatively small boats (< 17 feet and outboards < 100-HP (well under in my case)) and still manage to hold our own at the tournaments we fish.
About a year ago, there was even one pro angler who spoke out about successfully fishing from smaller boats.
Keeping true to that message, Rick Clunn (still with more Bassmaster Classic wins (four) than anyone else) talked about fishing from an 18 foot Tracker aluminum boat during the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.
He explains his reasons in the video below …
Considering the rising price of both bass fishing rigs and the fuel to power them, perhaps it’s time to re-think the standard for bass boats and motors?
What do you think?
Is it time for “Retro-Bass” 🙂
Flash-forward to 2021 and it turns out a growing number of bass pros are trending back to aluminum boats though they still tend to be 20’+ with 200+ hp outboards. Still more fuel efficient I guess 😀
It would put the fishing market and industry back on the track of growth.