It will have a lot less of an impact then you might think. One bad year on the spawn will effect the bass much worse then all the tournaments that same year.
Killing the grass, having a poor shad population, bad water quality and many other things will effect the bass more then what we can impact the bass with tournament. I do feel the bass become more accustom to see artificial baits and are more likely not to hit them by having so many anglers fishing day after day. However to say "Tournaments" cause it is putting it all on the ones who do them. Just mere numbers of bass anglers fishing day after day can do the same thing. They don't have to be in a tournament. This past weekend was a perfect example of what I am saying. A week ago the bass were really looking to take off in fall feeding mode. Those storms hit for two days straight, water came up, grass got clobbered, water quality went in the crapper with a lot of mud and sediments flowing into the water and boom. The bass shut off. Was it all the tournaments this weekend? No, it was the water conditions.
When was the last time a TVBC two day event got a check for 8.33 lbs? I don't remember one. Then you look at how most of us fish and we think the bass are not feeding well. Have a group like the FLW or BASS Pros come in here and it takes over 100 lbs to win it like last year. emoBang Does not look like it is a bass population problem. Also keep in mind most tournaments are catch and release. Yea, we got the delayed mortality issue and those who don't take care of their fish issue but overall most bass are released.
Look at the bright side. Those college boys with the FLW who just left the Chick this weekend won't be back anytime soon based on their results from this weekend.
They struggled big times. Was it the numbers of tournaments that have been going on this year, no, I again will submit the water conditions was the main reason. emoAngel Jmax