Tournament Fishing in WA

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Hastings on February 3, 2013 at 4:55pm

Pj,

I think you bring up some good points. I really think what is challenging the sport is mostly fuel prices and the job market.  I've thought about many of these issues myself and have come to some opinions about the directions clubs at circuits should take.  Here are those thoughts.

Clubs need to have a healthy competition amongst its anglers, but should really focus its energy on the camaraderie  and enjoyment of the club.  If to much of the energy is just on competitive fishing, the purpose of the club gets lost. We have a saying in Mt. St. Helen's Bass Masters, that "if it was all about fishing, you can go fishing anytime, but its really about the time spent with good friends".  Don't misunderstand my statement, when were on the water, its all business, but that's only part of the equation.

The more competitive circuits in the state focus on top notch competition. They're are less about the camaraderie and more about competitive fishing opportunities. Some might say they really are not about camaraderie at all, because they are usually 1 day,  but when I have fished them, I always have a good time with guys from around the state. 

I would like to see these circuits consolidate their dates to fish together and thus more anglers for each side. An example would be fishing an NW or ABA event on Saturday followed by a TBF or BASS event on Sunday. Or pay entries for both events and have your weight count for both. (there is a way but its to long for this format) This would save travel and free up a lot of lakes for other events. If a different format for these events is desired, start lobbying or start a different circuit. Good luck with either of those.

As a club that has grown significantly in the last several years, we have listen to our members and have limited our travel to two events this year, to make it more affordable for more folks to participate. As much as so many of us love to travel to the east side, its just really tough for some folks to pull together several hundred dollars to make the trip. I think we all hope as the job market improves things can improve for all.

My suggestions for clubs to grow and thus have less clubs and less competition for lake space is as follows:

1. Make more of your tournaments, 2 day events, with an opportunity for your members to camp out together. Nothing builds camaraderie like sharing time around a camp fire.

2. Hold events that include all members of your anglers families and friends. These are really great opportunities to introduce new anglers to your club and enjoy the experiences we enjoy.

3. Make your events about more than just the competition on the water. To  paraphrase a good friend, there's a bit of hollow feeling you get to a lake fish all day, collect a plaque and some $$$ and be on your way. So have a meal together, before or after the event, watch a game after, play some poker,   what ever it is for your club.

4. Do what ever you can do to get more kids of your anglers involved. There are few of us that are not eternally grateful for the introduction to fishing that was given us by our fathers, uncles, mothers grandparents or whomever.

5. Remember  and celebrate your clubs history through your awards, websites, etc.

6. If you build that strong camaraderie  and close group atmosphere you'll have less guys abandoning one club to start another because they are not satisfied, and thus more clubs competing for lake choices.

7. Work to be developing your clubs future leadership.  No one wants to do the work, but it must be done. Gradually bring new blood to those jobs that need to get done, and thus you don't have to alway rely on the same folks to do it all.

Well to avoid rambling on myself,

Thanks,

Steve Hastings

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 3, 2013 at 5:33pm

Steve out of curiosity how many competing anglers do you guys have in your club that attend club tournaments?  As an athlete and ex-coach I think one of the biggest byproducts of a healthy competitive environment is camaraderie.  The biggest thing I am trying to bring up in regards to clubs is that a 40 boat strong club tournament series is going to have at least twice the competition and twice the camaraderie that a 15 boat series will.  So why are clubs treading water trying to grow the hard way, when in my opinion, we could look at it like we currently have enough willing club participant's, but too many clubs.  If we condensed, I think outsiders looking in would actually be more inclined to stay when they join because the odds of having a good experience and learning more are higher the more members you have around. Whether it be at tournaments or parties or fish ins...!   

Permalink Reply by Shane Hoelzle on February 4, 2013 at 9:01am

As the President of the Pacific Coast Bass Association, I have seen member numbers increase each of the past 2 seasons.Being a newer club that will generally happen at first. I have seen the successes and fails of many clubs in both Washington and BC. Our club is based out of Whatcom county and BC mainly, with a member base 90% in Canada. The club formerly known as the "BC Bassmasters" tried to condense the whole province of BC into one club and was an EPIC FAILURE. Too many people spread over too big of a geographical area to get all members out to events and meetings. It became a club with events only around the area of where the president of the club lived. When members are spread out too far, I don't see how it can be a "close knit" group. I personally see clubs having their own geographical area being an easier format to serve their members without being strung too far out. My opinion is that if your members have to schedule days off work just to fish your club events, then you are spread over way too big of a geographical area. My club schedules all events within a 2 hour drive from Bellingham. That way everyone in the club has the opportunity to take a day to fish and still be home that night. However, we do have a Bass Jamboree every May that many members camp out for a week or more together and have a 2 day tourny before heading home. Most members make it to that event and look forward specifically to it every year.  With a member base mainly Canadian, the PCBA wouldn't fit into a consolidated club scenario for Washington State. Not all members have passports, plus there is a ton of water to fish up here that we have no real reason to head further south than Whatcom or even Skagit county. Plus, it is very intimidating to a new angler to roll up to a club tourny and see 40 boats....  That could discourage them from coming back. I just personally like smaller geographically based clubs. More friendships and less  stress. We also schedule more events than just tournaments. We have 2 "fun fish" events per month just to get anglers on the water and to teach new members different techniques or to just get out and enjoy the resource. Not every event is about competition because many people do not want to compete and would rather just fish for the fun of the sport. That way those anglers are included as well.

Steve, I think all your points are spot on!

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 4, 2013 at 9:26am

Well Shane I will enlighten you about the geographical scenario in western WA.  Lets take Seattle and go within a 2 hour radius driving in moderate traffic.  There is WBA, North End Bass Club, Western Bass Club, Puyallup Hawg Hunters, Castmasters, and Evergreen Bass Club. I think I might be missing one that is very exclusive but does base within 2 hrs of Seattle.  So I understand if you have a club currently based 4 hours away from another club it does not make sense to condense the 2 into 1 no matter how few members they both have.  But come on, lets look at the schedule of tournaments in this state.  All those clubs I mentioned are fishing at least 3 of the same lakes for tournaments this coming season so we are all fine with traveling from our homes to the same lakes.  I am not suggesting making all of those clubs into one, I just want to show that there might be opportunity for growth if the business model was changed.  I am not making this up, my degree is in business and I know if you have a limited customer base spread over not a huge geographical area and each customer is patronizing one of several different organizations, not one organization is going to thrive.  I can give true business examples in the WA bass fishing world, but I won't because I urge someone to challenge the statement I made with valid data. If your club would have no interest at all in considering a scenario with fewer clubs that is fine! I am not trying to force this issue on anyone, I am not even a board member in my own club, but I think if there are other board members in clubs saying, "what can we do to grow" and "wouldn't it be great to have more participation"? This might be an option to consider especially if your club could unite with another club close by in this region.

Permalink Reply by Shane Hoelzle on February 4, 2013 at 9:42am

I agree that the Seattle area is exactly as you state it. I also see your point about many clubs using the same lakes for events. Your points are all 100% valid. I was only commenting on my own club's situation in regards to this. I do not have any knowledge about any other club's situation nor is it my right to say what they should or shouldn't do. I am sure that some of my club members would gladly fish events with another club if approached. Or maybe even having a couple clubs co-promote an event together. My club it kind of a special case with most of my members living north of the border. They kind of like to be their own entity, but I know many are willing to fish all over Washington. In my geographical area, the PCBA and Borderline Bassin are the only clubs around to my knowledge. (Completely sorry if I am missing someone here). I know that we would definitely work with them on a multi club event or something if they wanted to. I just don't see my club members wanting to be a part of anything further south than Skagit County is all I was trying to say in my previous post.

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 4, 2013 at 9:45am

I would like to hear from some folks who are in the clubs I mentioned because St. Helens and Canada really are a bit off the grid when it comes to possible mergers and consolidation. If you reply and don't like the idea that's fine please still reply, but just be truthful about why your club would be against it.  I also wanted to point out I think what I am suggesting would just be undoing what happened in the last 10-15 years.  Our club, WBA used to be larger until half of the guys walked out one night to form North End Bass Club because of some dumb argument.  I have heard this happened other places too, spawning the formation of new clubs... Shane I was not trying to angrily reply to you.  On one of Steve's points I think if a club had more active members it would be easier for 2 guys to team up on travel tournaments to save money.

Permalink Reply by Shane Hoelzle on February 4, 2013 at 10:59am

No worries P.J., I didn't take it as an angry reply. I am all about throwing ideas out and seeing what everyone's opinions are about them. I just figured I would add my club's take on it even though most of Washington State has never heard of us. Many of us do fish other events than our own club stuff. Whatcom open, for example. Open events seem to get everyone involved regardless of club status. Maybe more open events put on by clubs instead of club "member only" events could help bring clubs together.

Permalink Reply by Jon Sessler on February 4, 2013 at 3:11pm

It's about free choice. 

Come up with a better idea, it will be successful.

Most formats you have mentioned have been tried here, with no success (they aren't here anymore). I believe the club format is dwindling - you have probably heard the stories of the Jamboree having 100+ boats that doesn't happen anymore because guys are more interested in using that time for other options - options that they believe are better or that they enjoy more. Participation in clubs as a whole is down (I think). Otherwise if there were still as many club members, events like the Jamboree would have a larger turnout. 

I also think that participation from a competitive standpoint is focused on the money tournaments, because that is where the best competition is. 

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 4, 2013 at 4:55pm

Jon is right.  I guess if everything I mentioned has been tried and burned I am just trying to bring thought to how we might be able to improve the dwindling club scene.  There should be a way to have good competition that is not a team tournament format in ABA or NW Bass. I am obviously not the one with the best ideas but I am dumb enough to bring up the state's massive drawbacks when it comes to tournament fishing.

Permalink Reply by troy kelly on February 4, 2013 at 7:16pm

PJ I like your attitude towards the problem many clubs are facing in the Puget Sound Region.  We at Western Bass Club have been discussing ways to increase participation for the last few months now and have implemented some changes that we hope to help.  I think alot of clubs are trying to do that as well.  Western when I joined in 2006 had nearly 100 members and one tournament on potholes had 40-50 club members participating.  Since then we have slowly lost members.  So that leaves us looking for answers.  There is no one answer to this problem, but alot of things that are keeping folks from participating.

 

To spin off of your idea what if clubs worked independantly from each other in terms of meeting and club functions, but joined with other clubs for  local tournaments alone?  One director and an agreed upon entry fee.  You still get the ideas and format of the club you chose while gaining competition and commraderie with another clubs memebers.  Surely some wont like this, but if done properly I think both clubs could benefit from this.  Start with one tournament and if successful expand upon it. 

 

Troy

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 4, 2013 at 7:29pm

Troy that is exactly what I was talking about today with Ron.  Have a couple clubs with like goals as far as the fishing side goes join up for tournaments.  Agree on an entry system and a payout system and go at it! Have each club decide if they want it to count for AOY standings in their club or not, and maybe if it goes well the two clubs could come up with some sort of alternating system to have a shared tournament series with a championship to cap it off.  This to me sounds like the best option I have heard so far because condensing clubs is going to be difficult.  The main goal is to increase participation, competition, and camaraderie, not to decrease the number of clubs in the state!  If the agreement is formed between two clubs to share a tournament series that would eliminate the need for one whole set of permits, thus helping to remedy the scheduling difficulties we have here every year!

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on February 12, 2013 at 4:49am

I think the title of your thread should be a little different here. I think you are talking how do you get the best form of contest without the commitment and money it takes to fish a NW Bass or ABA schedule. The answer for many is club events.  I here what you are saying, low turn out in clubs were there are no more than 10 boats per event can be a little disheartening.  One of PJ's thread says something about "payout" now who fishes a club tournament looking for a payout?  I wouldn't think too many....  What I pitched to PJ was what I like to call club "Socials" where two or more clubs get together and have joint tournaments, picnics, and everything else that goes into a club tournament, I think this would be a great way to build commradery in our "SMALL"  bass fishing community.  This would not interfere with any other side of the club, it would be just a different way to fish the contests. It actually be probably easier to put on the events just because there would be 2 tournament coordinators working together and it just wouldn't be put on one guys shoulders to run the event.  I think that this would be a great way to build the sport in a most positive way.

 

Dana- You have got not replies most likely because people are non oppinionated.  I have an opinion and here it is, I do not blame neither TBF or the Federation Nation for the downfall, It was already starting to head that way before that whole thing, I think it just spurred it to fall more rapidly.  The first thing that people do when something goes wrong they blame someone else, I think in this instance yes the bigger guys are a little to blame, but I also think that the Washington State Federations are to blame as well, I think poor leadership and lack of direction over the years has put it right where it is at, nothing that the national level had to do with it. I would blame that over the National Guys, that being said, we also have to recognize that these are not paying positions at the state level, they are volunteer, so I guess I cannot blame these non payed officers for the lack of effort, lack of support, and lack of drive, and lack of enthusiasm. I ask myself if I would do it, the answer NO! I do realize I value my free time with my family friends and on the water as it seems with a busy career seems to be less of this time.  So this goes around in a circle blame them all. 

 

Quick story..... My first federation qualifier year was when I was 18 years old, I was fishing against guys like Gene Batey, Sean Minderman, Trent Menees, Jason Alred, John Semken, Davey Krohm, Aaron Echterkamp, Chris Lambert, Jonas Pettit, and Jeff Boyer talk about some competition, wholly smokes, there are a couple Bassmaster Classic qualifiers in there, a bunch of AOY contenders, a ton of tournament winners and national tournament winners.  Good fisherman breed good fisherman, the better the competition you fish against the better you are going to be, just like in sports! That kind of competition spurred me on the become better and better....we are missing this now in a federation. Kind of sad.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page