Qualifier confusion

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hastings on June 17, 2009 at 12:08pm

Last week was the Federation Nation qualifier aka BFNWA = http://bassfedwa.homestead.com/ its the grass roots qualification to move to the Bassmasters Classic - B.A.S.S.
This weeks is the Washington State Bass Federation qualifier = www.wabass.org, which is the grass roots qualification to the Forrest Wood Cup - FLW

No ridicule, a lot of folks don't understand the difference nor the process.

-sh

Permalink Reply by Dave Massey on June 17, 2009 at 12:13pm

Thank you for the help. Do you sign up in advance for all of the qualifiers or do you sign up at each event? Also, the club you are in has to be affiliated with FLW or BASS to even be eligable is that right? What about this Firecreek Bassmasters that went around a while back from Brian Walters to join and be able to fish?

Steve Hastings said:

Last week was the Federation Nation qualifier aka BFNWA = http://bassfedwa.homestead.com/ its the grass roots qualification to move to the Bassmasters Classic - B.A.S.S.
This weeks is the Washington State Bass Federation qualifier = www.wabass.org, which is the grass roots qualification to the Forrest Wood Cup - FLW

No ridicule, a lot of folks don't understand the difference nor the process.

-sh

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on June 17, 2009 at 12:14pm

I am with you Dave.
Dr Hobbs explained it to me at least three times and I still can't get it straight.
I always thought that Federation Nation and the Washington State Bass Federation were the same thing I guess.
I never fished either so maybe that is why my brain can't comprehend it.

Permalink Reply by Mark Byrne on June 17, 2009 at 12:31pm

Fire Creek Bassmasters is a BASS Club and a member club of the BASS Federation Nation of Washington or AKA Washington BASS!

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on June 17, 2009 at 12:45pm

Mark is trying to make my brain hurt again.

Mark Byrne said:

Fire Creek Bassmasters is a BASS Club and a member club of the BASS Federation Nation of Washington or AKA Washington BASS!

Permalink Reply by Dave Massey on June 17, 2009 at 1:00pm

HUH??????? that sounds like both the BASS and the FLW to me.
my brain hurts too Eric.

Mark Byrne said:

Fire Creek Bassmasters is a BASS Club and a member club of the BASS Federation Nation of Washington or AKA Washington BASS!

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on June 17, 2009 at 1:07pm

We went down a bad road here Dave.

Dave Massey said:

HUH??????? that sounds like both the BASS and the FLW to me.
my brain hurts too Eric.

Mark Byrne said:

Fire Creek Bassmasters is a BASS Club and a member club of the BASS Federation Nation of Washington or AKA Washington BASS!

Permalink Reply by Mark Maderos on June 17, 2009 at 2:01pm

No bad roads here. Both lead to fishing. A couple of years ago, the federation nation broke up. ( politics and $ ) BASS started the Federation Nation and FLW has The Bass Federation. Each is it's own separate entity. This past weekend was the BASS sanctioned event held by the Washington BASS federation. This upcoming weekend is the TBF ( The Bass Federation ) event sanctioned by FLW. They each have there own requirements to fish them. ( Read join an afiliated club ). They can each lead you to fish the divisional, then national and eventually the BASS masters Classic or the FLW Cup. It's the only way weekend hacks like us can get a chance to fish at the highest levels. They are fun events with alot of really good fisherman in them. Going as a backseater is a great way to learn new water, techniques and make some great friends.
I was fortunate enough to qualify for the BASS state team 2 yrs ago and fish the divisionals at Couer D Alene ID. I was able to meet a guy from New Mexico's team and fish with him. To this day we are good friends, and help each other out when fishing waters in the other guys area.

Mark

Permalink Reply by Daniel on June 17, 2009 at 2:01pm

The 1st reply explains it well.

The B.A.S.S. and FLW qualifiers are two different things. And most of the time dont always fish the same water with in the same week.

Most clubs are affiliated with one of the two federations. But not all clubs are affiliated at all. You do not have to be in a club to fish the qualifiers but if you are and your club is affiliated with one of the two its easier to fish the qualifiers for the sake of you are probably already on board with TBF/FLW/B.A.S.S dues and affiliation.

You can fish both federations if you want.

They are not opens.

You register as a boater/ non boater team.

For the tournament there is a draw to mix up the boaters and non boaters so you fish with different people each tournament.

You need to be a member of the federation you are doing the qualifiers for. To fish the TBF/FLW you must pay dues and also have an flw magazine subscription. They you pay $200 that buys you into all three qualifiers.
**If you are in a club then you have already paid these with your annual club dues and some clubs even pay the $200 entry fee for the anglers**

So for less than $300 a year (if you pay for it all out of pocket and not including option pots and gas money), you fish three tournaments with the chance to advance beyond state level and meet a bunch of cool people and learn lot of stuff.

Permalink Reply by Daniel on June 17, 2009 at 2:04pm

haha now my head hurts.

Best thing to do is talk to your club president and if you arent in a club join one and go from there. If you dont want to be in a club or your club isnt affiliated then just contact the FLW/TBF or B.A.S.S federation via the links above.

Permalink Reply by Mark Byrne on June 17, 2009 at 2:52pm

On the BASS side you MUST be a member of a B.A.S.S. Club and I as I understand it on the TBF/FLW side you must be a member of a member club.
Mark Byrne
Past President of Washington BASS

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on June 17, 2009 at 6:21pm

Maderos' is the most well said of them all, if you are still confused danielt hit it on the spot.

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