NW BASS Lake Washington Rant

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on May 14, 2012 at 1:11pm

I fear it may be a while before we get "new blood". This is an incredibly expensive sport and younger guys are going to have a tough time getting into it without a decent economic recovery. For those of us that already have the equiment it is just more expensive but not impossible. A new tournament boat costs just a few thousand less than my first house in 1997. Add all of the other stuff you eventually need and it is overwhelming.You could make fuel and entry fees free and young guys still can't afford it.

 I was pretty "flush" when I jumped in this game but I couldn't justify it if I were to get the bug today. I don't think this is a marketing issue and maybe the Lake Washington event was an aboration. I feel like the "old blood" or as I prefer the "already blood" has to be the group to carry the mail for the rest of the season and possibly next season.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on May 14, 2012 at 1:15pm

Good for you Joel. I can see myself being in that exact same place in the not so distant future as my guys are getting to that age as well. Good dads are a rare commodity these days and your kids are lucky to have one.
Joel Grafe said:

Congrats to Ron and Mike for another win on lake wa.. too bad the turn out was so low for a great fishery. we only fished one tourny last year (Moses) and skipped on the NWB and this year not fishing any of the tournies just for the plain fact that both of us are swamped with family/kid obligations. it has nothing to do with trying to pick and choose which is a better tourny for us to fish or not.. if any of the lake it would be washington we would participate on.

next year both our kids will be out of the select sports and traveling for them so we'll be back in the NWB tournies full swing. and to answer your question  is bass fishing important to some of the rest of us? well yes it is but not at the expense of missing out on my kids sports or activities when they are young and when i can. because they grow up too damn fast and soon we wont have the chances to go be apart of it. kids are young once... bass fishing will be around well after they are grown and if it isn't around then i still wont regret missnig out on a couple years of tournies for my kids sake.. LOL.

good luck to all fishing the NWB this year and yes we miss fishing them and all the great people involved but we'll see ya all next year..

Permalink Reply by Jon Sessler on May 14, 2012 at 1:19pm

This is the best month of the year to fish, and with MANY (maybe TOO MANY) opportunities, the angler pool is going to get dilluted. I don't question those who choose not to fish, as I understand the commitments from other areas of our lives.

If Bass fishing always comes first, you might be a successful angler, but you won't be a successful person in life, family and friends, which to me is the most important thing. However, the most successful anglers I know are able to maintain that balance. Sometimes that balance is precarious, but balanced nonetheless.

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on May 14, 2012 at 1:57pm

Developing news:  I am in need of a new LK WA tournament partner

Jon Sessler said:

This is the best month of the year to fish, and with MANY (maybe TOO MANY) opportunities, the angler pool is going to get dilluted. I don't question those who choose not to fish, as I understand the commitments from other areas of our lives.

If Bass fishing always comes first, you might be a successful angler, but you won't be a successful person in life, family and friends, which to me is the most important thing. However, the most successful anglers I know are able to maintain that balance. Sometimes that balance is precarious, but balanced nonetheless.

Permalink Reply by Jordan Doucet on May 14, 2012 at 3:18pm

Tournaments coming up this weekend 5/19-20

• NWBass Lake CDA
• WAFISH/Berkley Lake Wa.
• Chelan Open
• Silver Lake Open
• Potholes Open
• Moses Lake (Coastal/Columbia Basin/Central Clubs)
• Potholes (Western Bass Club)
• Wanapum Pool (Potholes Bass Club)
• Lake Sammamish (Puyallup Hawg Hunters)
• American Lake (Rainer Bass Club)
• Columbia River - Bonneville (Oregon BASS)
• Long Lake (Inland Empire)
• Silver Lake (Cascade Musky)
• Black Lake (Long Lake Bass Club)

How's that for spreading out the bass anglers for the bigger tournaments? Should be no surprise if turnout is low for all the events... Ouch

Permalink Reply by Jon Sessler on May 14, 2012 at 3:28pm

The assumption that you ARE my Lake Washington partner is somewhat offensive, and I regret giving you the education that I did. Fortunately I didn't reveal all of my secrets. However, I must say contrary to Jeff Grimes' assertions you are an exceptional "Netter".

 

For anyone who may be interested in this positon - should keep the following in mind:

 Must have strong back to carry extra weight!

 Josh Potter knows of what I speak.

Mike Bess said:

Developing news:  I am in need of a new LK WA tournament partner

Jon Sessler said:

This is the best month of the year to fish, and with MANY (maybe TOO MANY) opportunities, the angler pool is going to get dilluted. I don't question those who choose not to fish, as I understand the commitments from other areas of our lives.

If Bass fishing always comes first, you might be a successful angler, but you won't be a successful person in life, family and friends, which to me is the most important thing. However, the most successful anglers I know are able to maintain that balance. Sometimes that balance is precarious, but balanced nonetheless.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on May 14, 2012 at 4:33pm

I see what you are getting at but those club events have been happening for years and have not had an affect on NW Bass events. I think it is safe to say that the clubs and big opens are drawing from different pools anyway. However, having the Cda event (Marc CDL stands for commercial drivers license) Berkley event, and Potholes event all on the same weekend will split the pool for sure.

 

 

 

 

Jordan Doucet said:

Tournaments coming up this weekend 5/19-20

• NWBass Lake CDA
• WAFISH/Berkley Lake Wa.
• Chelan Open
• Silver Lake Open
• Potholes Open
• Moses Lake (Coastal/Columbia Basin/Central Clubs)
• Potholes (Western Bass Club)
• Wanapum Pool (Potholes Bass Club)
• Lake Sammamish (Puyallup Hawg Hunters)
• American Lake (Rainer Bass Club)
• Columbia River - Bonneville (Oregon BASS)
• Long Lake (Inland Empire)
• Silver Lake (Cascade Musky)
• Black Lake (Long Lake Bass Club)

How's that for spreading out the bass anglers for the bigger tournaments? Should be no surprise if turnout is low for all the events... Ouch

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on May 14, 2012 at 5:34pm

When will I ever learn my lesson not to mess with you... 

Jon Sessler said:

The assumption that you ARE my Lake Washington partner is somewhat offensive, and I regret giving you the education that I did. Fortunately I didn't reveal all of my secrets. However, I must say contrary to Jeff Grimes' assertions you are an exceptional "Netter".

 

For anyone who may be interested in this positon - should keep the following in mind:

 Must have strong back to carry extra weight!

 Josh Potter knows of what I speak.

Mike Bess said:

Developing news:  I am in need of a new LK WA tournament partner

Jon Sessler said:

This is the best month of the year to fish, and with MANY (maybe TOO MANY) opportunities, the angler pool is going to get dilluted. I don't question those who choose not to fish, as I understand the commitments from other areas of our lives.

If Bass fishing always comes first, you might be a successful angler, but you won't be a successful person in life, family and friends, which to me is the most important thing. However, the most successful anglers I know are able to maintain that balance. Sometimes that balance is precarious, but balanced nonetheless.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on May 14, 2012 at 6:56pm

Thanks for setting Dez straight on that issue Dana.

Permalink Reply by BigBass Dez on May 14, 2012 at 7:08pm

Thanks for the input Dana ,

Its all so very confusing , annoying , and alarming to me in the same breath . With all the additional opens , club events , two different qualifiers , NWBASS , & ABA  etc it seems with each year this creates a very saturated bass environment imho ! 

It appears that there use to be Respect factor in place years ago , a time and place in which the conflicts among the tourney directors were at a minimum . Guys showing up to events full of pride and motivation for that days competion . It sucks too say but , Are the best days of tourney bass fishing here in washington are done for awhile ? or have you guys witness this same cylce in years past ?  

 

Dana Steiner said:

Joel, my apologies if you felt my comment was directed towards you personally. I respect your decisions regarding family and priorities. Hope to see you guy's back in action soon.

 

Dez, the federation immediately started seeing their numbers decline when WE the fishermen in this state voted to split our federation. When WE had one federation, almost all of the more advanced tournament anglers participated including myself (I consider myself average). WE fielded great state teams that flat out dominated at times. Then came the split, the segregation of our core group. The federations argued, bass clubs argued, and many of our most respectable fishermen argued. Potential new members showed up to join clubs, only to be soured by the negative atmosphere. I personally don't care if WE represent BASS or FLW. Untill WE all get back together, our state federation(s) will continue to see poor participation. I'm guilty as charged: I was once the president of our local bass club, I participated with the federation, I fished the qualifiers and I represented the state team. Now I don't even belong to a club, I'm one of many who chose this path. Like Joel, I have other priorities in my life outside of fishing. I decided the federation no longer offered me the challenge nor the satisfaction I was used to experiencing. I do hold out hope however, that WE will realize our mistake and do what is nescessary to make our state federation stronger. This is a good discussion by all contributors, it definately is opening up allot of different opinions. 

Permalink Reply by Chad Simon on May 14, 2012 at 7:49pm

Has anyone else been catching rockbass on lake Wa? I have caught only one rockbass in hundreds of outings until this past Saturday. We pulled up to one of our spawning areas, and proceded to catch 6 of them. I also caught the smallest bedding smallie I have ever seen " 9 inches" from the same general spot. I hate the fact that we have to release all other fish in a tourny. Rockbass have no business in there, and any other day I would have fed them to the eagles! Just when you think you know everything about a lake during the spawn, you don't know crap!

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on May 15, 2012 at 9:08am

I will weigh in on the whole NWBass new blood situation.  I think there are quite a few younger and maybe late 20s to early 30s fisherman out there trying to learn and build their skills fishing clubs and small opens because those are affordable and not as time consuming.  I was honored to fish a NWBass event a few years ago. It was a blast!  I plan on sometime fishing the NWBass circuit, but right now I will admit I am 22 and still live with my parents.  I do not want that forever, just so I can put all my financial efforts into fishing.  I want to have my own place, a family, a nicer boat...and I think that is actually the sequence it will probably go.  Then after the nicer boat comes NWBass.  I love bass fishing, and I agree it is totally a shame how things have split and some circuits have lost almost all interest... Being someone who joined a club just a few years back I walked in and the first discussion I heard was an argument about BASS and TBF/FLW affiliation.  I thought about bailing, but didn't and am glad I didn't because I think things are improving and will hopefully continue to improve.  I wouldn't say the sport is in the decline in WA there are a ton of guys getting the tournament fishing bug and I think we will see a lot of them in the not so distant future stepping up to NWBass, but everyone has their own timeline and priorities.

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