now or later?

[rocknfish9001]

I am very interested in joining a bass club. The only question, should i join now (im in michigan, fishing is ending for the year) or around the start of the next season?

[Hillbilly_Hooker]

Rockn,

Start now!  Most clubs are finished their tournament season for this year, but now is when everyone in the club is deciding which member they'll fish with next year, what their schedule for '07 will be, etc.  Now would definately be the time to get in to get your dues paid, find a partner, and help determine the schedule and the lakes that will be fished next year.

Hillbilly

[BASS fisherman]

NOW, Do it NOW!!   The club dues for the club Im in are due in November for the 2007 season.  So if you want to get the most from the club, Id join now.

[Okeechobee_Cracker]

Join now see how you like it....if its not what you want you can make different plans

[Top]

I would attend the first meeting without committing to joining.. then if it is to your liking join.... I got schooled all year but I tell you what... I learned more last year than I have in my entire time fishing for Bass... WELL worth the price of the dues

AL

[rocknfish9001]

I have no idea of anything about the clubs around me. I dont know the schedual, when the meetings are, and whatnot. The one closest to me has a website that isnt much help.

[cart7t]

Most clubs have some sort of website with contact phone numbers. Give them a call and talk to the guy(s) and get a feel for how the club operates, what their objectives are, etc.  

Some clubs are hot and heavily involved in affiliation with either FLW or BASS and their sole intent is getting a member or members into the regional finals.  Other clubs are more fish for fun with tournaments set by their schedule, not the schedule of the affiliation organization.  You have to decide which is most important to you.  If you're just starting out I'd suggest a club more geared towards fun fishing.

[HPBB]

I am the president of my bass club and I would say join now. Most clubs if they are affiliated with BASS or FLW need to have thier rosters in by the end of Dec. I know in our club Nov. starts off the new year for us. so at our meeting last week we finished up everything for 2006 and started talking about 2007, tournaments ect.... Over the past few years I have noticed that most guys wait to join till the season is almost started or already started to join. join now, or atleast check it out now. the guys that join later always seem to be a little lost at the start of the season more than the guys that joined in Nov or Dec. The other problem we have are guys that wait to long and think we start our season later than we do. Our club is in Pittsburgh Pa, and our season starts in late March as soon as the ice comes off ( sometime there is still ice), But guys think we start in may and they miss 4 or 5 tournaments before they can even check out the club. And some clubs have a waiting period. so if you wait till the season you might have waited to long. My club has a waiting period. a poss member would come out to a meeting to check us out. If they like the club and want to join they have to apply and at the next months meeting the club would vote on their membership. So in my club it takes at least 2 months to join.

Join now, it helps the winter go by faster.

Jim

[HPBB]

CART7 Said "Some clubs are hot and heavily involved in affiliation with either FLW or BASS and their sole intent is getting a member or members into the regional finals".

Not all club affiliated with BASS or FLW do this.

My club is a BASS club and we make our own schedule. we do send members to state tournaments, but that is not our goal.

Our goal is to fish, learn, fish, have fun, and most of all FISH.

So just because a club is Affiliated with BASS or FLW does not make it a bad club

go on BASSMASTER.com look under federation and there should be a link to the Michigan state web site. there you can find clubs in you area