Should I or Shouldn't I????

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I found a Bass Club in the city I live in. there are 16 members right now.  The cost of the the dues is 20 bucks, tournaments are 20 bucks, as well I have to join Bass, plus National and State Bass Federation.  All and all its going to cost me about 260 bucks a year plus gas money to the boater if I fish all the tournaments. Is this a worthwhile endeavour? I don't know how many of the tournaments I will be able to participate in with my job... I really want to join for no reason other than to get some more exp.

So tell me all the benefits so I can make up my mind.

AL

[Hillbilly_Hooker]

Al,

I'm in nearly the same situation as you.  I am planning on joining a local bass club and paying the dues.  The majority of the cost, however, really depends on if you fish all the tournaments or only a few.  Even if you fish all and the cost is $260, that's about the cost of 2 Bassmasters University Seminars and less than the cost that most guides would charge for a single day.  My bet is that the local club guys and fishing multiple tournaments would teach you considerably more than one or two seminars or a single day with a guide.  I'm very new to the sport as well but I'm putting my bet on the local club.  Aside from the tournaments, I'm also hoping to make some friends that I can fish with regularly, and hopefully, some new friends that can teach me more about bass fishing.

[squid]

If that is your total for the year..I would fish it.  Our yearly dues are $30 or $75 for 3 yrs.  Weeknight fishing is $20 per person for 12 weeks, and if you want to fish a weekend tournament about $60 per person for 5 events.  Now the BFL is $25 a yr and cost the Co-Angler $550 to fish all 5 events, plus giving atleast $20 to help with gas...although that isn't very much now....huh?  

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yeah I went over to a guy's house who is in the club to talk to him.... Seems like a really nice guy and it seems pretty reasonable. I won't get real active till next spring but this fall I will make myself known and we will go from there... next spring should be very exciting for me and my learning curve should go sharply up.

AL

[Sam]

Watch what the club guys fish with and their techniques and the money you spend will be well spent.

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Sam,

  We are thinking along the same lines. My main intent is to improve my skills. Like I said earlier I went to a guys place and looked at his stuff and saw some pictures of Bass he has caught in this area... I am VERY much looking forward to beating my PB of 3lbs  :-[  I know huge huh... but its not TOO bad considering I was using a row boat. I was by myself just doing the trial by error learning method and no electronics or anything.

AL

[billybass]

SFC, sorry to be chiming in so late on this thread, but..... It sounds to me like you're looking to join the club for the right reason, gaining experience. If nothing else you will do that! Their are so many things you'll learn by fishing club tourns besides just fishing techniques, like proper (and improper) boat handling, you should be able to learn more about where and why fish are where they are depending on the time of year, what lures to throw at the different times of the year. And you'll probably make some great freinds.

Don't go out and spend all your money on baits just because that's what the other guys are throwing. Work on getting good with 2 or 3 baits, like a SB, a CB, and a worm, and see where that takes you.

I recmmend you give it a try. Go out and try to have fun!

[bassindude]

One note of caution:  I joined my first club this year, and although I did have fun for the most part there were things that I think you should consider.  1. If you are the non boater you will definately catch less bass, just look at the ultimate match format on ESPN and what the guy in the back does.  2. Will you be with the same partner every tournament?  That is the format in my club, you get a partner and that is who you fish with. you learn some new things but only from your partner.  3.  In my club the rest of the teams are extremely tight lipped. These guys do take it seriously, and there is money on the line.  they are not going to give away there secrets.  4. You will likely have little input on decision making unless you are fishing with a longtime friend.  His boat his desicions.  

Don't get me wrong i'm not saying not to do it, but I would weigh it all before doing it again.  I will look fot a blind draw club where you have a different partner each tournament, however I do have a jon boat and can fish when ever I like.  If you don't have a boat then what ever format it is will at the lease give you the chance to fish.  The main thing is do it for fun.  When you stop having fun, stop doing it and look for another format.

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bassindude... good input...

OK they draw names prior to heading out and you are not allowed to have the same partner two months in a row... seems good to me.

I know beings I am in the back of the boat I will most likely catch less fish. I accept that without a problem. I want to join for the fun of fishing. As long as I can catch a fish or two I am happy. I don't plan on making any money fishing... just yet

once I get to know the guys I will know who I can "bribe" and who I can't   ;D and what I mean by that is I will of course offer to pay my fair share for the gas but also I will tell him that he will also get 25% of anything I by miracle win. Hopefully that would be enough to get them to not blue falcon me by bad positioning of the boat and casting to all the spots before I have any chance at all.

ALSO another rule is that the boater is required to give you control of the boat for 1/2 the time of the tournament.  I have no problem NOT going to the front of the boat if the owner gives me a fair shake and shares his skills with me.

I am not going out there to be competition for them.  Lord knows even if I WANTED to be I am too much of a rookie at bass fishing to be taken seriously.  It would be pure luck if I were to get big fish or anything.   If I can talk the wife into letting me get my own boat though that will change as my learning curve will be going up SHARPLY.

I also have a "pay lake" that I go to that I can rent a row boat.. its a BLAST... there are some NICE bass in there, its a good training ground for me to learn different presentations BEFORE tournament day.

thanks for all the input.

AL

[texasbass1]

Just because you are fishing from the back of the boat doesn't necessarily mean you will catch fewer fish. I fish a draw tournament trail and we have had a number of non boaters win our tournements. A good part of fishing is mental. Go in with an I can win attitude and fish hard. You will be suprised.

[Shad_Master]

Joining a Bass Club is the best move I ever made.  But you do have to be careful when selecting a club.  Attend a few meetings, if you can, or even fish as a guest at one of the tournaments.  Also check to see if the club has a website.  If they do and have a forum, see what some of the discussion is about.  This is how I selected by club and it was the best move I ever made.

Our club dues are $20 and there is an optional $20 dues for the "calcutta" series.  Non-boaters are expected to pay a "non-boater" fee to their boater to offset the cost of gas, based on the distance traveled to the lake and the cost of gas at that time.  There are camping/motel/meal costs when you travel to the tournament and the "bait monkey" will suck you dry, but the rewards are well worth the cost, even if you don't cash a check at the tournaments.

[paparock]

This old 2LT. says go fer it dagnabit ! I joined a club and it helped me learn saltwater fishing a lot faster. If there was a bass club where I am now I would join!

[cart7t]

If you're merely wanting to join a club for experience and fellowship then I'd shy away from clubs that have an affiliation with any sort of sanctioning tournament body if possible.  From my experience, you're throwing money away for dues to a larger sanctioning body that's throwing tournaments you have no interest in fishing.  Add to that the fact the club usually gears itself around the sanctioning bodies tournaments and you'll quickly find you and others have little or no say in what direction the club does, especially where and when it fishes.

Take it from experience,  try and find a club that doesn't hook itself up with some organization.  You'll enjoy it much more.

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I went ahead and joined... I figured if I like it I can renew next year if not.. I will have learned a lesson.. but its the ONLY Bass Club in town so it was either join this one or keep trying to learn fishing on my own....

thanks for all the input..

AL

[stew]

Ive belonged to a club in Pa for 12 years or so.Ive been a non boater the entire time,and have enjoyed it greatly.You need to fish a couple club tournaments with the club and decide if they are what your looking for.Some clubs are theyre to fish the bigger tournaments and others are all about the local club scene.When I first joined,all I fished were the club tournaments, then expanded to fish the district ones,and now fish the states as well.I know our club requires a prospective member to fish 3 tournaments then we vote as to except them into the club or not.This allows for both sides to see if its agreeable to everyone.But if you plan on joining right now make sure where the club stands with the decision on FLW or BASS.It will make a differance on the circut you can fish and the benifits that go with the dues you pay.