SPOILED ROTTEN AND LOVING IT
EDITOR’ S NOTE
SPOILED ROTTEN AND LOVING IT
as a kid, I always had more than I needed and most of what I wanted. That’ s called being spoiled. To this day, I’ m still spoiled, particularly when it comes to fishing. Don’ t judge me. You’ re spoiled, too. As bass fishermen, we all are because we’ re living in a time of incredible opportunity, information sharing and technology. Here’ s an example that supports my point: In a recent article I reviewed, writer Tyler Brinks listed Mark Rose’ s preferred tackle for deep-diving crankbaits – the line, the rod and the reel. While reading it, I realized there isn’ t an item on Rose’ s list that isn’ t nearly technically perfect for deep cranking, and every component is far superior to the tackle being used just a couple decades ago.
More importantly, Rose isn’ t even using“ premium” gear. His choices fall into the middle price range among modern rods and reels – stuff most of us could afford.
I know there’ s someone out there reading this who insists his old Abu Garcia Ambassadeur or original Lew’ s Speed Spool is just as capable as today’ s Revo or BB1, and if that person is you, I suggest that, respectfully, you might be a little too nostalgic. What we have today delivers far greater performance, and your trigger grip rod doesn’ t compare.
That we have the opportunity to fish with equipment of this quality – the same stuff the pros use – on a budget is one example of why we’ re all so spoiled. But there’ s more to the story.
In the article, Brinks details Rose’ s technique for accurately targeting bass deeper than 30 feet. The Arkansas pro reveals a few trade secrets that others in his trade might not even know. It’ s a very valuable lesson that you can read about in the next issue of FLW Bass Fishing, and all it took on Brinks’ part was a phone call to Rose.
Eleven years ago, when I started at FLW, we’ d never have gotten that kind of info out of a pro so easily. Back then, we had to stay so far away during tournaments that on-the-water photography required a giant 3-foot-long lens that we toted in its own roller case. Today, when one of our photographers happens upon a pro during a tournament, the photographer is as likely to climb in the boat( by invitation and without any complaints) as he is to shoot from a distance.
The nearly unlimited access we have nowadays is the reason we manage to get so many great tournament photos for FLWFishing. com. It’ s how we were able to capture this issue’ s cover photo of Scott Martin on Lake Okeechobee. And it’ s why we’ re able to consistently deliver so much fishing information through all of FLW’ s media channels.
We owe a lot of the credit for the increased media access to the internet, the popularity of GoPro cameras and projects such as FLW Live, which home in on bass pros like the all-seeing eye. It’ s inevitable that their fishing secrets will be revealed. They know it and can’ t fight it anymore, so instead, today’ s pros embrace it and dish out information like crazy. Fishing fans learn every detail, and the pros reap the reward of better opportunities to promote their sponsors and support their fans.
The situation is a win-win that I especially appreciate, because it helps me in my job and my fishing. I’ m very thankful for that. I’ m also very spoiled because of it. We all are.
Curtis Niedermier, Editor-in-Chief
publisher Irwin L. Jacobs
Editor-in-Chief Curtis Niedermier
production Manager / Graphic Designer Michelle Dowling
assistant Managing Editor Chad Love
Editor Emeritus Colin Moore
Field Editors Rob Newell & Matt Williams
Contributors Joe Balog, David A. Brown, Ken Duke, Bridgett Howard, Dan Johnson, TJ Maglio, Sean Ostruszka, Matt Straw, Paul Strege
Graphic Designer D. W. Reed II
Graphic Designer / Illustrator Matt Pace
Director of advertising Al Chapman | 270.252.1628
FLWFishing. com Senior Web Content Manager Jesse Schultz
Senior Editor Kyle Wood
associate Editor Jody White
Letters to the Editor FLW Bass Fishing 30 Gamble Lane, Benton, KY 42025 flwfishing @ flwfishing. com
Chairman & CEO Irwin L. Jacobs
president of FLW Marketing Division Trish Blake
president of FLW Operations Division Kathy Fennel
Chief Financial Officer Dave Mahler
Vice president, Controller Tommy Boaz
Vice president of Marketing Kelly Oettinger
Vice president of Operations Dave Washburn
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FLWFISHING. COM I aprIL 2018