Question for those in local bass clubs

[riverbasser]

Got a question for those of you who are members of small bass clubs. There are a few small clubs in my area that hold tournaments and while I don't feel ready to tourney fish nor could I make all the events due to work schedule, but I would like to semi join the club. Mainly to meet other local guys who fish as much as I do and learn while building some friendships. Is this something that happens? Or is it all about competition? I wouldn't mind participating in any way whether its as a co angler or just practices. Just curious how you would respond if someone like me came to your local club asking these questions. 

Thanks

[gulfcaptain]

I'm sure my club would welcome you in.  We all share the love of fishing and each as at a different level.  But fishing the club tournaments is how you get to know the members and non-boaters are always welcome at the club.  So I'd say inquire into a club, attend a meeting and see if it interests you to join.  

[Scott F]

My smallmouth club doesn't do tournaments at all. The lack of competition means everyone shares info without worrying about hurting themselves in future events.  I've been in several clubs and none of them were about tournaments. 

[gulfcaptain]

3 hours ago, Scott F said:

My smallmouth club doesn't do tournaments at all. The lack of competition means everyone shares info without worrying about hurting themselves in future events.  I've been in several clubs and none of them were about tournaments. 

We share information as well.  We compete but we also share information and techniques as well as fish larger tournaments with other club members which we share information at those events too as so our club has the best chance to make a good showing.  

[pawpaw]

I can't imagine any club not welcoming you. Everyone joins a club for their own reasons, be it competitive or not. I would think a guy looking to learn and make friends would be the IDEAL new member. I don't think it will matter how few events you would be able to attend. Go have a good time and if you learn some thing too, all the better.

[Booty Freak]

I don't have a boat yet.  Sometimes I wouldn't mind fishing in a tournament from the back of someone's boat. 

Just as long as the boat owner isn't a jerk. 

[pawpaw]

1 hour ago, Booty Freak said:

I don't have a boat yet.  Sometimes I wouldn't mind fishing in a tournament from the back of someone's boat. 

Just as long as the boat owner isn't a jerk. 

Well, there's no guarantee you'll never draw a jerk. It does happen from time to time like anything else in life. Your odds of a guy turning into "one" on you may increase when he's the clubs "know it all/hammer" leading the points race AGAIN and you wax him from the back on a bait he thinks is stupid for you to be using. You may find he's a little easier to take in that scenario though.

[WTnPuddleJumper]

You might see if some club puts on a open "fruit jar" tournament periodically.  Most of the times the fruit jar tournaments  are not all day affairs and usually very affordable.  Our club actually started out as a Wednesday afternoon fruit jar tournament and bloomed into a 8 lake/2 day classic trail in less than 4 years with over 50 members.

[gulfcaptain]

On 10/23/2016 at 9:38 AM, Booty Freak said:

I don't have a boat yet.  Sometimes I wouldn't mind fishing in a tournament from the back of someone's boat. 

Just as long as the boat owner isn't a jerk. 

And what would you qualify as a "jerk"?  I fish with people from the back of my boat and try and work together fishing......but pre assumed notions in a "club" tournament where you have a few members that meet every month and fish together, odds of fishing with that "jerk" in a club event are few and far between.  Now if I have someone in the back that wants to be "that" non-boater, then odds are everyone of us on here that has a boat could become that jerk in the front, but it normally doesn't start that way.  Fishing in the back requires you to think of other ways to fish behind the guy upfront which means you are the one that has to adjust to his way of fishing, not him to yours.  Fished bigger events from the back, and yes it can be tough, but you have to adapt to what you have to work with and stay possitive.  

[Booty Freak]

I would define a jerk as someone who doesn't want to fish with a non boater. 

[gulfcaptain]

50 minutes ago, Booty Freak said:

I would define a jerk as someone who doesn't want to fish with a non boater. 

Then no worries about joining a local club since those are the ones who normally aren't part of a fishing club anyways.

[J._Bricker]

 

On 10/21/2016 at 6:01 PM, riverbasser said:

Got a question for those of you who are members of small bass clubs. There are a few small clubs in my area that hold tournaments and while I don't feel ready to tourney fish nor could I make all the events due to work schedule, but I would like to semi join the club. Mainly to meet other local guys who fish as much as I do and learn while building some friendships. Is this something that happens? Or is it all about competition? I wouldn't mind participating in any way whether its as a co angler or just practices. Just curious how you would respond if someone like me came to your local club asking these questions. 

Thanks

 

riverbasser, your questions are similar to those of every new perspective bass club member. Some clubs will be more competitive than others, as will members within the clubs themselves. Some clubs the boaters and non-boaters compete against each other. In other clubs boaters strictly compete against boaters and non-boaters compete against other non-boaters. And some clubs include a combined boat/team weight. Clubs members understand work, family commitments, and financial situations might affect how many tournaments members can fish. The most important thing is you are gonna learn to be a better fisherman, which I believe we all want to be, and why we as a group contribute to Bass Resource.  

And to answer your last question, you'd be asked at the end of the meeting.. "You want to fish as a guest next tournament?"

 

Good fishing, JB

[WRB]

Most bass clubs have members who only attend meetings, members who occasionally fish a tournament as non boaters and members who are trying to be top dog or at a minimum in the top 10. This reason I don't like most local bass clubs is the elite members look down on everyone else, it can be a humiliating experience for novice anglers and should be the exact opposite. 100% participation shouldn't be a prerequisite to be a bass club member.

Tom

[RichF]

I gotta believe you'd be very welcomed into any of your local clubs.  I've found that most local tournament anglers are pretty good dudes/dudettes who are willing to help out those with less experience. Sure you'll run into some buttheads, we all have.  But every person on here will tell you that those folks are in the minority.  

 

All clubs are going to be a little different though.  Some will be more about the competition than others.  This doesn't necessarily mean the club members won't be welcoming or willing to help though.  They may not wanna give away all their secrets but you shouldn't take that as them being jerks.  Others will be pretty lax, more of a "I need my man-time away from the wife for a day" kinda vibe.  Those can be fun but it may be more difficult to really learn the ins and outs of tournament fishing if that's what your ultimate goal is.  You just have to find the right one for you.  

 

Good Luck!     

 

 

[J Francho]

Most local clubs are full of boaters that like to have some no pressure, friendly competition, are willing to teach, and just have some camaraderie with like minded people.  There's a dearth of non-boaters in my area, so they're always a welcome addition.  Don't get caught thinking you're not good enough.  If you have some gear, some skill at catching, you're further ahead than you think.  You'll only get better fishing in small club events.

[slonezp]

Contrary to popular belief, Just because someone is a "boater", doesn't mean they are any good at fishing. As far as being ready to tournament fish, practice time management when you're fishing. Knowing when it's time to change locations and/or tactics is key. That knowledge and a little luck will get you in the money more often than not. As far as building friendships, that's really up to you. I'm not a very social person by choice. I tend to be offensive and unfiltered and I rub a lot of people the wrong way. I've made a few friends but I didn't start fishing tourneys to make friends. I started because I thought it would give me some discipline when it comes to fishing and force me to learn...and that it did. I think if you joined a club, you would be welcomed by most and ridiculed by some. By no means am I making a judgment about you based on your post. It's just the nature of the beast. Put a bunch of guys together and the egos show themselves and balls get busted.

 

@Booty Freak A lot of money and time go into owning a boat. A non boater is merely a guest. You don't have to like the boater but you better respect him and his property. Take direction when needed. Offer to help when needed. Don't make a mess, and don't smoke without permission. If you can do those few things, you'll be just fine    

[riverbasser]

I appreciate all the advice and Im going to fish in a local club next year. I'm Guna go ahead and just fish in my boat since I feel I do better by myself and I look forward to the added challenge and sport of tourney fishing. I've met a few guys actually just by accident at the ramp and they seem very friendly. Once I fish a couple who knows might get asked to ride with someone for an event on some of the waters I'm not familiar with.

[gulfcaptain]

On 12/22/2016 at 8:25 PM, riverbasser said:

I appreciate all the advice and Im going to fish in a local club next year. I'm Guna go ahead and just fish in my boat since I feel I do better by myself and I look forward to the added challenge and sport of tourney fishing. I've met a few guys actually just by accident at the ramp and they seem very friendly. Once I fish a couple who knows might get asked to ride with someone for an event on some of the waters I'm not familiar with.

That's one way to look at it, but if you want to learn from someone else on new bodies of water, waiting to get asked isn't going to be as productive as just asking yourself.  I've become good friends with a few in my club and we all share info.  But a good point of fishing behind or with someone else is you can learn new ways of fishing which will better serve you down the line.    Out of my local club I've now aquired a fishing partner who is a boater as well but fish out of mine in bigger tournaments as he wants to learn other techniques other then the ones he is comfortable with.  His strong points are some of my well weaker areas and mine are his.  So in combination we mesh and grow as we learn from one another.  Fishing alone has its perks but fishing with someone else has some as well especially if you're wanting to learn more about fishing.