2020 Bass club?

[Fx20 2011]

There are more than enough clubs with in an hour from me, maybe 6 or more. The local club has been pretty solid over the years. Personaly I'm not a big tournament guy, it's feels like work to me. I enjoy fishing without the work of being competitive. Now I do fish the year end open with the local club. Great guys and a super tournament. I probably might fish a few more opens next year but I just don't want to be tied down to one club or spending my weekends working. I mean I'm exhausted after fishing a tournament.

[Umckibben]

Our club is growing, we host an annual kids event paid for with club money so we draw some local interest from there and Facebook, most guys that try it have been with the club for years now, I think is a great thing

[bschwoep]

Some of the larger clubs around here draw 10-15 boats. I can't believe how many small clubs there that only draw 4-8 boats per tournament. What is the point fishing against 3 other boats?

One morning I got to the lake noticed 7 boats about to blast off. 4 of the boats blasted but 3 stayed behind and blasted off 10 minutes later. It was 2 different clubs...

[yetti462]

The club i used to fish in kept raising dues and payout stayed the same. 1st place in an event and you wouldn't cover your entry. Not that I fished it to make money but you'd think a win would do more than break even. It too was very clicky, got to be a drama club more than a bass club.

[Jumping Jimmy]

Overall participation in Federation fishing is way down around here. Our region tournaments used to have 100 or more boats. Now we get about 40 - 50 boats. Our region is dual affiliated with BASS and FLW. If it were separate it probably would not survive. Our club combined with another club and we only average 8 - 10 boats per tournament. Another thing is the age of the members. Our average has got to be over 55 YO.

[BassCatBrad]

My wife and I joined a new to us small 20 boat club this year that is perfect for us. No waste of time meetings. Not a ton of stupid rules. Pretty much follow Florida boating rules and regs. 5 fish limit, we have exemptions. We do not fish the same lake twice. As long you fish 50% of the tournaments you qualify for the Classic. I used to fish a trail (large club) roo may clicks within the club and too many wannabe pros that thought they were elite and too good for the trail.

[squib]

I fish in two different clubs. No meetings, just tournaments. There is a lot of overlap in members and it seems about half of us are in both clubs. It works out where there is a club tournament every other weekend. Draw between 15 and 25 boats per event. I don't have time anymore to drive a minimum of 6 hours to BassChamps tournaments like I used to do. These clubs help me scratch the itch. We are drawing more participants lately; membership is not suffering.

[Hoot]

Everyone has gone pro, no need for clubs anymore.

That's a fact and the ones that still pay their dues who only show up for a meeting when the Club is scheduling their tournaments for the year to announce that they will be unable to attend any of them because they will be fishing higher level tournaments on all those proposed dates.

With all the Pro Staff Deals and Sponsorship's out there now days who needs a Club when you can fish for a living by accumulating $3K in Tournament winnings?

[Gsmith223]

I suggested our club go to the MLF format. It didnt go over so well.

[IndianaBassMan]

Some of the larger clubs around here draw 10-15 boats. I can't believe how many small clubs there that only draw 4-8 boats per tournament. What is the point fishing against 3 other boats?

One morning I got to the lake noticed 7 boats about to blast off. 4 of the boats blasted but 3 stayed behind and blasted off 10 minutes later. It was 2 different clubs...

Not as many people to lose to!

[IndianaBassMan]

I suggested our club go to the MLF format. It didnt go over so well.

I just moved to Ellettsville....what club are you in?

[LDS922]

I suggested our club go to the MLF format. It didnt go over so well.

We do catch-weigh-release for some of our tournaments, with a 5-fish limit. It works out well for us, the club provides identical scales to all boats that are checked/calibrated before each tournament and boaters and co's verify each others catches.


It lets us fish places with closed seasons and slot limits. MD DNR now has more restrictions in place regarding tournaments on the Potomac and Bay, so we also use this system to avoid those headaches for summer tournaments when the extra regulations are in effect (and to help the fish out a little).


It's a bit annoying logistically for our TD, but he does a great job of managing it.

[kylemoodie]

One club I am in is growing, the other has gone from 10-15-10 is members over the past few years with the core group of guys staying the same. For me, the club stuff is the most fun but I am struggling with balancing those tournaments and starting to fish the bigger dollar tournaments. I may be dropping down to one club next summer depending on how schedules work out.

[sdbrison]

Been a member of our club for 10 years. We had 40 members this past year which is about average over that time. I enjoy the club, still get the competition without investing a lot of $.

[Casslaw]

I was in quite a few clubs when I was younger (90s-2004) but they were all team tourneys. I liked fishing with someone I know and bringing the best 5 to the scales. When I got my boat I was all about joining a club again but frankly I don’t like the boater/non boater format. My boat is small and I doubt I could keep 10 fish alive in my livewell.

There are tons or tournaments in my area, it’s just not like I remember.

[west_tn]

Our club steadily grows every year.

[west_tn]

The club i used to fish in kept raising dues and payout stayed the same. 1st place in an event and you wouldn't cover your entry. Not that I fished it to make money but you'd think a win would do more than break even. It too was very clicky, got to be a drama club more than a bass club.

That makes zero sense. Why the hell would anyone fish that?

[basscat21]

Some of the larger clubs around here draw 10-15 boats. I can't believe how many small clubs there that only draw 4-8 boats per tournament. What is the point fishing against 3 other boats?

One morning I got to the lake noticed 7 boats about to blast off. 4 of the boats blasted but 3 stayed behind and blasted off 10 minutes later. It was 2 different clubs...

Its about friendship, not cut throat. My club I have been with since the 80s, we have had up to 12 members but are down to the core 7. We are all very good friends, we all have done very well in money tournys, state and regionals. We all know that any given day anyone will have the best weight. But we are all friends, if you are slaming them, you call the others and let them know to stop by. Trade lures on the water to get others fish. Basically the "Tourneys" are really just days to go fishing. Yea the weights are tallyed up to see who is the boats nonboats for the states, but no one actually cares much, we all know each year any of us could be the top 3.. I moved to another state, but still get together to fish, have the wives dinner each year and they all are friends too.

Some clubs are not about hard core tourneys, iflts about fishong with friends.

Over the years we bring in a new guy, normally they move off because they want something different. Most are the original guys now.