Best and Worst of Tournaments

[Backlash_NC]

Our club is beginning our 2nd season tournament trail soon. We are growing each month and want to put on the best tournaments in our area. What are some of best and worst things that you guys have encountered that you have really liked in a tournament or really despised?

[Fishes in trees]

I was in a local bass club for a couple of years.  Then I quit to fish Red Man tournaments which became the BFL tournaments.

There were numerous reasons why I quit the local club.   First, they weren't affilliated with any larger organization, so there was no chance of fishing any larger, end of year tournament.

I got into tournament fishing  partially to learn, to get better at fishing.  I already knew how to follow a shoreline and throw at cover.  That is all any of the boaters  in that club knew how to do to.  I didn't feel like I was learning anything.

I really didn't like rules that had co-anglers fishing for the same money as the boaters.  Some boaters didn't want to fish as a team and were really good at back boating their co-anglers.

It came down to bang for the buck.  I only get X many days off to go fish tournaments.

Travel expenses are roughly the same for a club or BFL.  Equipment & lodging expenses are roughly the same.  I'm not going to eat any different.  So, for a slightly higher entry fee, you got to fish for a much bigger payoff, in a blind draw tournament, with different pots for boaters and co-anglers.

The fact that I never won much is beside the point, the potential for a large payout was non-existent in a club tournament.

Setting the schedule for the year was a pain in the butt.  I pointed out during several club meetings that there were numerous regional tournament organizations that already had tournaments scheduled.  We could travel to those as a group, and fish as a club.

That was voted down for a couple of reasons.  Several guys who had 16' Trackers were reluctant to fish against guys with bigger boats and larger motors.  Also they had no desire to enter a tournament as a co-angler.   Other club members wanted to fish with people that they knew and had no interest in fishing a blind draw tournament.

I understood their reasons, but they struck me as parochial, so I don't fish with that club anymore.

If I was to join a club again, there would have to be more of a payoff than just club tournaments.  Associated with a charity or some conservation project or be connected with a larger organization or something.   Maybe really good meetings with really good programs.

I really don't like the idea of a bunch of guys in small and medium sized boats having a tournament on a smaller lake, say less than 1000 acres.  I think that puts an undue amount of pressure on a small lake that is unnecessary.  I think that if clubs or a group of guys are going to have a tournament, they should choose waters that are big enough to handle the pressure.

I just realized that I'm starting to rant, so that's a good cue to shut up.  If you want to put on the best tournaments in your area, first you've got to define "best"  Most parts of the country already have regional organizations that stage decent to pretty good tournaments.   Find something that will make your club and its tournaments unique and special or else you're just re-inventing the wheel.  Just my thoughts.

[Matt Kremers]

Well, I have only done tournaments for a year, but here is what I have.

What I like in tournaments in variety. Fish lakes that are very different from one another. Fish as many different lakes as possible. There is always one guy who dominates every tourny on lake X. If the trail goes to lake x three times a year, makes things frustrating. But it is also for the new atmosphere. New lakes keeps it from feeling like just another day fishing. The money is important. Entry fees can make or break an organization. Good service is critical. Listen to what your members are saying. Make them feel welcome on the trail, like it is something they are a part of.

[Backlash_NC]

Right now we aren't affiliated with any larger organization because we can't seem to get a consensus on who to affiliate with, but I think we're going to hammer that out this year. 

We fish as team tournaments so each boat is bringing a teammate with them. This way it spreads the costs around and you can compete against everyone else with someone you can work with and not feel like you have to give away any 'secrets'.

When we created our schedule we pulled all the other regional schedules like ABA  so that we wouldn't have to compete with them, in addition, we scheduled some of ours so that guys may come fish ours as a 'practice' tournament the week before. We also are staying within a few county area with one tournament going to a big lake around Raleigh for fun.

[simplejoe]

My best day, Is when the first 1/2 of the day I boated 2 dinks, switched my technique up a little and first fish was a 3# Sm and a hour later another 2lb 13 oz. smallie and a couple pounders to finish off the day. I took lunker pot home and won the tourney.

Worst day, I was fishing a classic and it was pooring out, so bad you couldn't see 5 feet in front of you. I had Minn-kota powerdrive TM with an electric pedal and it was soaked. This Tm wouldn't turn left and it had no speed the only setting would work is 2 outta 10. I was getting slammed around by waves, getting pushed into docks, It was the worst. That night at the hotel I tore apart the pedal and fixed it enough for me to get through the next day. I had high speed only and the pedal was on 0 and I couldn't steer that good but it worked. The next day I thought I was good for the day, But nope my boat wouldn't start so I fished lily pads for a while and kept messing with the motor. Half way through the day I noticed my kill switch clip came off, put it in and it fired right up. >   ;D

[Jeremy D.]

Alot of local clubs let you pull your boat out of the water as you get to the ramp to keep from conjestion.  Is the rule as soon as the first boat is pulled out the weigh in begins or when the last boat is pulled out the weigh in starts.   

    Now to my reason....Is I had this happen to me at a torny that knocked me out of the money cause I was the first one back to the ramp and I figured others were not far behind me....Well it turns out the rule says that the last boat has to be pulled out and the weigh in starts....So 2 of my fish died while I was waiting on everyone to get out of the water knocked me from 2nd to 4th....Lesson learned sit in the water keep your live well arreating uptill you know when you get out of the water you will be ready to weigh in...

This prob. would have not happend as fast either if it wasnt 99 degress that day :