I Like Ike

[Wishing2BFishing]

I know others will disagree and that is fine but I want to go on the record that I like Ike. He has attracted many non-fishing related sponsors and injected energy into the tour. This guy may be different but this is what makes him so appealing.

Ike keeps the sport growing . . .

[bass kicker]

i like mike to but what he did was wrong at the classic and i am not the first to say it but i still like him

[Rodman_Rob]

while he may have attracted a lot of people to the sport, I'm sure he turned quite a few people away from BASS.

[bass kicker]

i dont think he is a bad person i just think what he did was wrong

[JB]

He let the pressure get to him. Plus he should have had the camera guy turn his head for a minute. Thats hard to do in the heat of the moment i realize lol
Ike is good, no doubt about it..and the hotheads always get on the news sometime..bass needs more publicity huh...

[bassguy2004]

Maybe turning the camera off for a brief period may have been one way to keep t.v. land from witnessing such a melt down, and showing Ike drop the dead or dying fish overboard was not too smart. That in itself makes people think that fishermen of any caliber do not try to take care of the fish they catch.

[pig n jig]

He is too good of a fisherman to have to act like that.He should focus on catching bigger fish, because I am so sick and tired of listening to his dumb screaming @ss over a 1-2 lb fish.Catch a 5lb + fish and then yell and scream and carry on like an idiot and I will leave the mute button alone on the remote. P N J

[fishn'fool]

In 2004 I watched a man fish his butt off to win the classic on the Delta. A loud roar came from him when he landed a big fish late in the last day. This is when his emotions and intensity made me alittle more passionate about fishing. To be champion of all champs in what you love. I did like Iconelli ALOT! He is a goodfisherman, always saying one step ahead of the fish. But last year he rubbed me the wrong way. Screaming after catching a two pounder, and having small melt downs when he would loose a fish or his line would break. To me that is all a part of the game, and blowing up about that stuff is sweating the small stuff. I know what happened at the classic wasn't the small stuff, but what he did was way out of line! Breaking his light, then throwing it in the WATER! Followed by the F-word about a half of a dozen times on camera and infront of the spectator boats with kids. When I saw this I closed my eyes and just shook my head. In no shape or form what he did was good for our sport of fishing. Its hard enough now with PETA and other anit-hunting and fishing groups. It's so important now adays to show repsect and courtisy to the enviornment and others hunting and fishing!
I hope Mike has learned from this experience and maybe he'll be more mature and more respectful to give us outdoors a good reputation.

[lovinfishin9]

I like Ike too, but i agree with everyone on here tha he was way out of line.

[JigginJim]

Originally Posted by fishn'fool

But last year he rubbed me the wrong way. Screaming after catching a two pounder.

He's not screaming for the 2 pounder, he's screaming for attention, and playing for the cameraman to focus on him.

The man needs to see a Shrink. Normal people do not behave that way.

- JJ

[InEccess]

I like ike as well, but I think Skeet Reese and Gerald Swindle do alot more for Bass fishing then Ike does. Ike may bring in new viewers, but the G-man and Skeet both keep them when Ike's personalty starts drying up.

[abarker]

Well heres my 2 cents worth. I like Ike also. Like everyone else I think he went overboard in the classic. But sit back and think about it. Havent we all at some point in time felt like doing that. Have we all not felt the pressure and the stress of a situation get to us. I know I have. Like I said he went overboard BUT there is a time and place for everything. To me fishing is a great stress reliever. Not a stress builder. I think if it would get to me like it did him I would sit back and reevaluate things. Ofcourse Im not the one fishing for 1/2 mill neither

auk

[Denny_K]

Honestly,I would like to be there when let's out one of his maga screams
because he would be getting a maga fist with it....followed by a SHUT THE
H*LL UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!people are fishing.I like him I have read his book and I really enjoyed it but when he screams the mute button on my control gets activated...i leave my finger on it I'm still shocked about him throwing the dead fish overboard Swindle,Skeet and Quinn I really like those guys.I have really come to liking Mark Zona...at first I thought he was a dork bag..but he would be a blast to hang out with and Jay.
FOR THE RECORD!!!!! I do respect Ike I just dont like the screaming and the actions at the classic......good day Denny

[trigr]

one word sums up ike......yankee

[InEccess]

Lol, of course, someone from Kentucky would bring up the fact that Ike's a Yankee. Atleast the Yankee's fought the war. Kentuckian's stayed neutral, therefore you don't get to play the Civil War card.

Just messing with ya Trigr, I fought my own civil war over a dinner table. I moved in with a friend down in Richmond Virginia. Me being from the North, I wore a Union soldier's hat. My buddy's step father came to dinner wearing a Confederate cavaliar hat. I asked him "You know the war is over right? The north won." He told me, "General Lee may have surrendered but the south never did."

[RatLTrap]

This guy is a pathetic excuse for a fisherman. If you like some idiot screaming, and carrying on getting on your nerves all day then I guess he's your guy, but he annoys me, and it is even more sad that his "screaming, yelling, crazy attitude" is only a put on to gain him fans... what a poser.

[va_basser]

I heard Ranger Boats dropped him..He shows them as a sponsor on his website but Ranger doesn't recognize him as being sponsored..will more follow?

[JigginJim]

The guy is a mental case who needs professional help !

[DStu22]

I have met Ike twice and he seemed like a really down to earth guy. While I don't agree with the way he acted at the Classic, I do admire his passion for the sport of fishing. He made a poor error in judgement, but he apologized and I am willing to give him another chance.

[Nitro911]

He has attracted many non-fishing related sponsors

While you make that claim, his list of sponsors does nothing to back it up. ALL of Ike's sponsors are industry-related. His website lists Ranger, Yamaha, Dick's Sporting Goods, Berkley, Daiwa, and Tru-Tungsten weights as his sponsors. Which of these is non-fishing realted? If he has attracted sponsors from outside the industry, why don't they sponsor him?

Ike is a fantastic fisherman, but his childish and unprofessional behavior should not be supported. I read an earlier post that Ranger may have dropped him, and I can only hope that the rest of his sponsors do the same. The sport doesn't need his type of publicity.

[JigginJim]

You are absolutely right. He is no good for our sport, and no good for our kids !

I can watch a complete Bassmasters show without ever missing him, or his B.S.

Everyone else on tour is a sportsman, and a pleasure to watch.

We don't need to see his garbage act.

- JJ