Opinions on Ike....

[TOMMY RICH]

O.K. guys...I know a lot out there dislikes the guy and I was even reading about his lil' incident with the "no wake" zone but, to be honest I think a lot of it is plain ol' fashioned jealousy

Do I think he goes a little overboard? Yes.

Do I think he's bold,brash and maybe even a lil' arrogant? Yes but, so am I:lol:

The dude can fish and he takes this stuff seriously.... he also stays in pretty good shape.

I still say he's playin' this stuff up good....ya' never even heard of the guy and was pretty quiet until he won. He's just on a roll and everything that rolls has to stop at some time or another

Also screamin' at the Classic or when landing a big fish is O.K. IMHO but, geeez:wacko:

What's yall's take on the guy?

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Did you read his book "Fishing on the Edge"? I thought it was pretty good in explaining his background and history. Also, did you see Ultimate Match Fishing where he competed against Swindle and kicked Gerald's butt? Even Swindle admitted the guy can fish.



I like him and think there is a difference in being confident (that's Ike) and being cocky.



Well, that's my two cents - Bill, the Mad Kayaker

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Yes I did Mad...and agree I have a new "hero":lol:

I hope he kicks all their butts Of course he gonna' have a tough time with KVD...he's definitely on the ladder

 

[william Clark]

I agree completely with you two TEE and Bill. Clark

 

[BJ Laster]

Here is my take on IKE...well its a friends take..but i've adopted it.



ESPN likes what he does on TV, so they encourage it. IKE will do it because he can get more TV coverage that way. His sponsors like it because it gets their logos on air more. There are also incitives for everytime he gets certain logos on TV (so I've been told). bottom line it goes back to money....IKE acts like.....IKE...gets on TV, his sponsors get on, he gets rewarded....



Plus, he's good....he is a good fisherman....He's wierd...but he's good.



I've met him in person and I've also recieved a couple of emails from him. I dont have a big problem with him screaming...its a lil obnoxious..but....i've caught fish at key times in tournaments and gotten a lil excited....i cant say that I've gotten as excited as IKE...but excited none the less....



He's being himself....i dont have a problem with it.



Now...If I was Brent Chapman....and the whole no wake thing....i can see where things got a lil out of hand.



In a way i wish competitive fishing was where it was in the ninetys...when a guy was on fish, people left them alone for the most part....but its somethign that we just have to deal with now.



Overall......he's a good fisherman, he's on a roll...

 

[Tony Payne]

Obviously, the man can fish.



I also think his 15 minutes are about up....



I also agree with the above posters, ESPN and his Sponsors like his antics, (screaming and yelling and breakdancing) cause it gives them a highlite reel.



I'm personally waiting for him to breakdance himself into a set of treble hooks or overboard.



I also caught his "E-50 Breakdown", and the latest "confrontation" with another angler will quickly lose him more than the other has gained him...



As for the classic... this isn't Ike's kinda water... I look for Clunn to dominate and KVD to give it a good run.

 

[JR F]

He's excitable but gets carried away sometimes............

 

[Larry Harp]

Whenever I'm excitable and get carried away, someone always hits me over the head with a blunt object.



Harpo

 

[JR F]

Like a Beer Bottle Larry?????

 

[Steve Rizza]

I don't know Sim.

Ike claims to have grown up fishing river systems like these in Jersey.He has done more homework than anybody.He flew in this fell and spent a week on the water with some fish boilogists from the fish commission.Just on the idea that he MAY make the Classic.



Some of the guys that said they haven't even started getting any info on the rivers were in for a rude awakening when they got here for practice.

Some of the guys had good practices,some got disgusted and went home early,without catching any keepers.

Somebody WILL figure out how to catch the nice ones.And it may just be Ike.





BTW...I think he acts like a idiot..:angry:



Steve

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

I just read the entire article at www.bassfan.com and the witnesses all seem to concur that Ike was a jerk and should have been penalized. In fact they stated that had this been a BASS tourney, he WOULD have been dq'd ..and that FLW did NOT even talk to them.



Bill

 

[Jack Long]

Ike is why I have Tivo, I can't stand him playing up to the camera and acting like an idiot, so I fast forward through all his acting. I will admit he is a good fisherman, but if he had been in a Nitro, Triton or any other boat, besides a Ranger, he would have been punished by FLW at the Potomac. He gives me someone to root against, I can't stand him. Later<>< <><<>< <>< Jack

 

[Donnie Matney]

I am just going to say this....everyone says his 15 minutes are about up. But they have been saying that for 2 years now. Better get used to him beacuse he is here to stay.





Donnie

 

[Larry Harp]

Here is where we can put it into perspective for the ones that don't like him.................................. Dale Earnhardt.

I was thinking more like Mike Tyson...he won a lot too.



Harpo

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

He will settle down and stop with the bleeping language when his sponsors shorten his leash. They do not want to be associated with that. There is a line you do not cross. Fishing is trying to appeal to the family side. That means no chew, brew, smokes or cussing. He will come around when they yank his monetary chain. He can yell, dance and scream all he wants but the foul language will get him in trouble.



TOXIC

 

[Tony Payne]

Steve,



That's interesting... didn't know he went to that extent.



Like I said, I respect his abilities, it's the act that gets in the way.



And I'd compare him to Dennis Rodman for the antics...



I still look for Clunn to dominate.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Not sure how I want to word this, so I will be blunt. I don't have cable or a dish. So what I have seen of Mike has been in person. I was most impressed with his persona and attitude at the Bass university here in MD. What he preached was research, find the information you need to succede. A real person, talking to his kids, talking with ESPN on his cell phone while on the mike at letting them know. He may not be a Hank Parker or Rowland Martin, but he ain't no mike tyson or dale earnhardt. Off the wall or over the top? Is it what sells or is it he is just happy to be where he is doing what he is doing??



BF

 

[Brian Bell2]

Bruce,

Where do you live that you dont have cable or a dish?



I think we need to take up collection and get Bruce up to date with his TV.

Multiple ESPNs + over 25 Fox Sports Network Channels = DirectTV DISH = A buttload of fishing.

 

[TrepMan]

Brian - I don't know about Bruce, but we Have access to Cable and Dish, but do NOT use it. We get the basic Cable (15 channels) only because I want the kids to have PBS channels clear. While i'd love to have ESPN and OLN or a few others, i've moved from being a kid who LIVED on the TV (Dad was the first one on the block to get Cable back in the late 70's) to when my wife was out of town last week, I didn't turn it on once. I like movies and would watch a few fishing shows, but for the difference in cost ($20+ more per month) there are a lot of other things I choose to spend my $$ on (Roth IRAs, pay down the house...) its a choice with limited funds.



For a while I had my Dad (who when he was alive HAD to have the Golf Channel, so he had a 100 cable channels!!!) tape all the fishing shows and would send me a 6 hour tape every few weeks.



Trep

 

[JIM SHINN]

One of the best up & coming bass pros on the circuit. I've already commented on him before. I also read his book and it does explain his background and how and why the way he is. I hope he wins again at the Bassmaster Classic. He's going to go "IKE" on every fish he catches and the tv coverage will be all over him this time around.



I hope to fish w/ the Man one day on the Delaware River.



Jim

<*)))))))><{

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Agree Jim....I believe alot are really misinformed about the guy too. Get all the stats and you'll agree.

I also agree with Tox...He'll settle down. He'll have too. Sponsors definitely will put a stop to it.

Also I think Clunn won't do so well...we'll see. I call as I see em'

 

[Dan Sullivan]

I like Ike!!! Hey, I think I just coined a new fraise.



He is a damn good angler and very entertaining. Before Ike was on the scene, I would get as juiced up as he does. I don't go so far as to break dance, but I've done my share of yells and fist pumps. In fact, I fish a lot of the same lakes he honed his skills on. My fishing partner bought a reel from him at Dick's too.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

You can't go dropping the F-Bomb on TV....You can't get bleeped just because you caught a fish, that's beyond enthusiastic, that croossed the line. He can dance and jump and yell but I will venture a guess here that you won't hear anymore of the foul language.



TOXIC

 

[Ken Sabin]

He's an embarrasment. He is probably THE only "Pro" I wouldnt want to spend a day on the water with- And that Includes Roland, Bill and Jimmy. Ive met him in person and he's the most irritating person Ive ever met/seen.