Yep I for sure am gonna get with Shaw about him retiring. Believe he's been covered up with ice cream parlors and gator hunting...😁

For now let's maybe ruffle up some feathers. Not intentionally, just some stuff that's been kicking around in my head. Not advocating a particular POV (point of view) in any of this and would welcome your thoughts. As always, thanks for readin'!

First check this out, from an American Polygraph Assn study – and bear in mind if there's an bias (not saying there is) I assume they would try to portray polys in a favorable light:

> The data showed that techniques intended for event-specific (single issue) diagnostic testing produced an aggregated decision accuracy of 89% (confidence interval of 83-95%), with an estimated inconclusive rate of 11%.

> Polygraph techniques in which multiple issues were encompassed by the relevant questions produced an aggregated decision accuracy of 85% (confidence interval 77-93%) with an inconclusive rate of 13%.

So...since polygraphs are not 100% accurate – meaning they're not 100% conclusive and are significantly inconclusive – I gotta ask:

Is an "inconclusive" poly result then pretty much a foregone conclusion...or at least a likely outcome?

Is an inconclusive result then NOT a fail but just a normal outcome?

Should only 100% passes and 100% fails count in polys, like horseshoes and grenades?

Asking partly because B.A.S.S. is having a record year for using a poly as a hammer, which made me wonder if they're (unintentionally) using it in a way polys were not designed for. I don't know – just asking.

More Qs:

Can polys test grey areas? Non-emotional areas?

This poly biz site says:

> An inconclusive polygraph outcome hovers in a grey area, failing to categorically label you as either truthful or deceptive. This ambiguity often arises from the test's inability to decisively categorize your responses.

> Several factors, ranging from personal stressors to the inherent limitations of the polygraph, contribute to these uncertain results.

Personal stressors? Then another Q:

What if someone is more nervous about the poly – or a potentially "bad" poly result – than about the questions being asked?

Okay I will leave it there, other than pointing out that polys and poly-givers can be seriously different.

Not saying polys are bad or have no place in bass fishing. Maybe they're good for catching outright cheating but not so much for greyer stuff.

I'm just wondering whether either a) something different is needed at the "career" level and/or b) it needs to be used correctly (maybe it is?) and valued appropriately.

Last 2:

1. With AI now, maybe a more solid poly-type test is coming?

2. If you get a poly and forget something, do you have...Polynesia? 🤣 (Just messin' Samoan peeps!)

😁 Okay – "is bass fishing a real sport" is a decades-old question that is still being asked. To me it's kind of a pointless question because pro bass fishing IS A REAL SPORT!

I personally have zero doubt that it's a "real sport:" You have to be great, it's a grind, guys can make a living at it, it's on TV (now Live), etc. So 100% it's a "real sport" in those ways. But how 'bout other ways?

Starting back a couple decades ago, I was among the folks advocating for pro bassin' to be more like a "real sport." Of course I had my own ideas of what that would be:

• Guys would get credit for consistently better finishes over time (beyond just AOY points)
• Low/no entry fees
• Better/deeper payouts

And probably a couple more things I can't think of right now.

But I didn't think that bass fishing could/should be treated "exactly like" one of the major TV sports – golf, baseball, etc. Because it can't, because it's different.

So in view of that and the way things have been going, I gotta ask:

Should bass fishing actually NOT be treated too much like a "real sport," aka a TV-friendly pro sport?

And just what does "real sport" mean exactly – because everyone will define that differently?

Should we stop trying to use another sport's definition of what a "real sport" is?

Is it wise to compare pro bass fishing to [name a pro TV sport] as if our sport needs to be more like something that's substantially or completely different?

High-level tournament bass fishing 100% is a real sport! And yep it could be more "professional" in some ways, depending on how you see that. But to me that doesn't mean it has to be treated just like or even mostly like big-time TV sports to succeed...which the first 50 years of bass fishing proves.

Not saying it still couldn't or shouldn't be similar to other sports in some ways. Just asking Qs.

Fore?

One more deal here. Many folks have likened pro bass fishing to pro golf, mostly because that's an individual sport too, and because you have to qualify to move up levels. I was curious about them being able to get info, so I looked up whether pro golfers can get info from amateurs before tournaments.

I didn't find an exact match for what I was searching for, but I did find that pro golfers' caddies apparently can get info from local caddies before a tourney.

Interesting eh? So in that way I guess pro bass fishing is more "real sport" strict than another "real sport."

Okay before anyone gets riled up over this, I got this thought after seeing this quick IG clip of Bo Jackson talkin'. I'll assume we all know Bo is one of the greatest athletes of all time. What he said:

> "Kids are more advanced. Kids are stronger, they're bigger, they're faster, they're more intense.

> "...if you try and delegate your time to playing 2 sports, you're gonna end up riding the bench in 2 sports."

Now obviously being bigger, stronger and faster (on 2 legs) doesn't matter in bassin', but you get the point: Kids are more advanced earlier on, partly by doing only that 1 thing – which was rare back in the day.

So by the time these younger baseball, football, etc cats get to let's say 21-22 years old, they are WAY more advanced than previous generations at the same age.

That sound familiar?

Some folks will say in bass fishing that FFS is 100% why these younger dudes are winning. No doubt that's the most powerful tool ever in bass fishing (or is it YouTube??) and they're super good at it. But the real good cats are also super good at just about everything.

That versatility is just like most of the best pro fishermen of all time. But now they just get there faster and sooner. My 2c is that FFS accelerated what was already happening with the younger folks.

Same with anything?

Different perspective: When I started playing guitar, I was learning to play songs by listening to vinyl records on a cheap stereo. The only way to maybe see something some guitarist did was to camp out at night to buy tickets to a live show, so you could hopefully be close enough to the stage to see something.

Now? There's a million close-up videos of the best guitar players on the planet showing exactly how they do things, and tons of vids other people also playing those same riffs. So do you think young guitar players learn faster and get better quicker? For sure.

And btw, in the '80s, playing guitar was highly competitive. For real! 😁

Had to throw Ed in here – that's my laptop wallpaper!

Asking because FFS generates ultra-high levels of (negative) emotion, plus some peeps have opinions and "beliefs" about it not based facts, plus it's extremely polarizing.

So given all that, does it then qualify as a "conspiracy theory"? If so, need to ask:

1. What other conspiracies does it prove?

Maybe UFOs and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works? Because it would have to fit in somewhere right? 😁

2. Who is really behind it?

If it's a conspiracy, it can't just be the electronics companies – it's gotta go much deeper than that. Much darker. Like the military industrial complex. Or worse. 😳

😆

Interesting and sad deal. When I was at ICAST, I posted a quick vid of the amazing Synch Fishing swimbait box. Got 1 million+ views on IG and FB – who knew. Not exactly sure why or how, but a cause (and symptom) was a lot of negative comments, which the socials love.

Surprised me. I mean, what's negative about a lure box, especially one that's very cool and obviously took a whale-load of effort?

Anyhow, way more negative comments on FB than IG, which means yep, most of the folks were older. And when I banned the worst of those folks on FB, I got to see their profile pics – with kids, wives, dogs.

I was like:

Why on earth would such normal-looking folks say such trash?

How would their wives, kids and friends feel if they saw this stuff? Like what if a big LED screen on their houses showed their social comments?

Comments like:

- Lots of F-bombs and AFs too. Like that's cool or "manly," which it ain't!

- Lots of comments that the swimbait box is "ruining fishing." So I guess it's not just FFS, it's anything that the Negative Nancys want to be negative about, which might be everything??

- The anti-American comments from some Europeans and Australians was interesting.

Made me sad man, and reminded me of these verses – Jesus speaking in Matthew 12:35-37:

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

For every idle word! 🤯 Not just deeds, but "idle words." Btw that word "idle" is a translation from the Greek "argon/argos" which means "idle, useless, careless, lazy."

Yikes. Reminds me of an old quote: "Words are like bullets – you can't take them back."

Bottom line for me was real sadness about folks' hearts (darkness) and careless words...not that I'm perfect in that myself, unfortunately. Made me wonder whether some folks who have grown up online have somehow learned that this junk is "normal." If so, no bueno.

Other than that, the number of people who said stuff like "I would cast it straight into a tree" or "I'd lose it on the 3rd cast" blew my mind man. I mean, do that many people who follow fishing not now how to cast or tie knots??

1. Jay Przekurat's fave dropshotting line setups are...

Deep/bottom: 10-lb Seaguar Smackdown Flash Green Braid to 8-lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluoro.

Suspended fish or dirtier water: Same braid to 10-lb Tatsu or 12-lb Seaguar Gold Label Fluoro Leader.

2. Jason Christie's favorite Spook color is 'bone head'

Always thought it was 'Okie shad' but I guess not! He says in that IG vid Likes the contrast in colors the fish see when the bait walks. TW does have that color and I think I know who it's named after...🤣 Okay I have no idea.

3. Brent Chapman has a 2-piece rod in his truck...

...because he has a serious problem – same one we all have: The "I know I can catch a fish there" problem. 🤣 He carries a KastKing – here's their 2-piece offerin's.

4. Drew Gill breaks down 2 new Big Bite minnows (IG vid)

The Spotlight Minnow and the Rollerama. Why he feels they're good/different and how he would fish each. As usual, he gives up good deets.

5. Lookit this Fred Roumbanis frog tourney trophy!

Outstanding!

6. Gary Clouse has more bling now?

Not sure if it's a big gold chain or redesigned Phoenix Elites – let me know if you see him! 😆

7. Opens angler Yui Aoki took bassin' college classes in Japan

He is now 2nd in the Division 2 points:

> ...Aoki enrolled at Japan's Human Academy, which has a 2-year Fishing Sports College. The courses are specifically designed for aspiring bass tournament professionals. Most of the school's training takes place on Lake Kawaguchi.

Amazing! 🇯🇵 💪💪

8. BassMooch owner buys Profound Outdoors

Monster Fish Outdoors, which also owns Level Rods and Xhing Line, and is partnered up with Hank Cherry. Profound was founded by Timmy Horton:

> As part of the acquisition, the brands Azuma, Klone Plastics and Swampers Jigs will be officially consolidated under the BassMooch brand.... Customers can rest assured that all the original molds, designs and color patterns will remain exactly the same....

9. Mike Bucca talks the best gear for entry-level glides (IG vid)

Notably the Bucca Brand Trick Shad. Sounds like the biggest key is a reel in the 7.1-7.3 range so you can effectively chop the bait without overworking yourself.

10. Learn ya about Trey Kistler's story

He was on the TV news! Good 4-min YT vid.

11. BOOYAH Flash Point jerkbaits have different blade colors...

...and we all know that with spinnerbaits blade colors can be real important. In my experience, the Flash Points are legit good and different too with that blade:

Comes in 4 versions now: Regular, deep, and Jrs in both.

12. Lunkerhunt HIVE Wacky Stick on a Neko rig?

Ribbed, floats, built-in O-ring slots – check 'em on the TW:

13. Mad Scientist UV coating folks just released a lipless

Not their first bait either.

14. Check this new electric jet kayak

Company is FluxJet and they won ICAST Best of Show. Interesting – website is here. Says it will be available Aug 1 and costs $3K.

15. Garmin's Q2 marine biz up YOY

> Revenue from the marine segment increased 10% in the 2nd quarter with growth across multiple categories led by chartplotters. Gross and operating margins were 55% and 21%, respectively, resulting in $63 million of operating income.

16. AFTCO's Casey Shedd talks private equity pros/cons

Good perspective. Definitely has been good for some brands, definitely not so good for others. On the plus side, several brands and products we all love would be gone by now if it wasn't for PE.

17. # of anglers an all-time high in 2024?

That's what a fishing industry study is saying. Few highlights:

> ...57.9 mil Americans ages 6 and up took to the nation's waterways to enjoy recreational fishing, an all-time high 19% of the US population.

> 5.1 mil Americans tried fishing for the first time [up from '23]

> 36.7 mil men went fishing in 2024, the highest number of male participants on record.

> 21.3 mil women went fishing in 2024, the highest number of female participants on record. [So 40% of all peeps who fish are women?? Does that sound right?]

> More than 5.5 mil black Americans ages 6 and over fished in 2024, the highest # since activity tracking began in 2007.

> Hispanic fishing participation increased...from 3.3 mil in 2014 to 6.6 mil in 2024.

How John Cox works the Berkley Nessie glide

Who knew he fished glides?? I thought John was literally all about the MaxScent General, Frittsides and the new MaxScent craw baits. But I guess not!

Retrieve tip: In this MLF vid he says he likes the 7" Nessie (just $12.99 on TW) and straight reels it, then I think he says he does a quick half-turn and pause so it kicks out to the side, to try to trigger strikes.

Rest of his gear:

15-lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluoro

Abu Garcia REVO Premier LP Reel (6.7)

7' 1" MH XF Fenwick World Class Rod

"Who doesn't want to see Rick Clunn against Larry Nixon on the AR River man."

- Word! That's Zona floating the idea of a (shorter) senior tour on the TnZ podcast. Nixon vs Clunn vs other legends on any legendary lake would be epic!

Don't know about you, but shots like this give me peace! And also anticipation! 👀 Hope you see all of that this weekend – posted on Humminbird's IG:

The Newest Tool in the Battle Against Invasive Burmese Pythons in Florida: "Robo-Bunnies"

> Tiny cameras that have been configured to detect movement...notifies researchers.... "If that python is found, it gets in touch with someone...and I can send one of our numerous contractors to go get it."

Wonder if they use Energizer batteries for 'em lol.

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