Interesting Tournament Trail Format Forming

[TomL]

Thank you all for your interest in this. Gary, Mike and I are all excited to offer something new, low cost, local and still keep the potential of a great payday as well.

I can't express my feelings in words for those of you who have donated entry fees to military and/or unemployed anglers. We have a process we are setting up for this as well. We will be taking nominations from all of you through our website starting later this evening. Please utilize the form on our website to nominate someone for one of these spots. I am astounded by the heartfelt offerings so many of you have put up. I don't have the complete list in my hand right now so I won't attempt to thank you all at this time!

I have received over 20 phone calls today alone asking where and when they can sign up. I really appreciate this level of response to our events. I will be calling you all back to tell you the same thing I am about to post here.

The website will be announced later today. We are putting some final touches on it today. The website will have all the event dates and lakes on it as well as the sign up process and when and where to sign up. We will announce this both here and on cal bassin.

[sTony]

I agree, whats the problem recently with cutting ams out of the world of tournament fishing? I thought this would be fun to fish when I get home but I don't have a boat as of yet so I cant think of fishing it till I do. I guess I just don't understand why so man tournament orgs are cutting out ams.

Make the ams entery fees 3/4 of the pros same pay back precentage or maybe slightly less even. Not a lot of us make enough to even buy a used boat and winning a tournament is a great way to get that money to get a boat get on the water experience be able to prefish and eventually move up to being a pro.

Other than that the format sounds very exciting and I wish all involved and who plan to fish it the best of luck! I'll see ya'll when I get get a boat

No one's cutting out am's really. There are a number of places for ams or co-anglers to play. This is a different format and one that is built specifically for a boater. It's not a slight, just an option that runs a different format.

It'd be tough to do non-boater only tournaments because..well... you wouldn't have a boat.
sTony

[Chad L. Dwyer]

From what I have read, there is no exclusion for an "amateur" aside from your ability to float a boat and come up with the $118.00.

Just my opinion but this may be a great way for a few "AM's" to get their feet wet from the pointed end of the boat. Perhaps there could be a "Cinderella Story".....

[TomAtkeson]

Well what I was thinking was make it a draw same format and payback though. I guess I just see it as a "Why not?" type of question. As in why not include ams! Perhaps I'm using the wrong term. By "am" I mean non-boater.

[2ndsuks]

It'd be tough to do non-boater only tournaments because..well... you wouldn't have a boat.
sTony

But just think of the money we would save on the insurance premium!

[TomL]

In case you missed the other post -

Here is the website

Http://www.CaliforniaBassChampionship.com

It's not ready you - but, this is a little taste of what is to come later today!

[leachman90]

In case you missed the other post -

Here is the website

Http://www.CaliforniaBassChampionship.com

It's not ready you - but, this is a little taste of what is to come later today!

Thanks Tom.
I think this is a GREAT idea. I will have to look over the lake schl real close to see if I can make down for there for one of the events. Never know I just might make the reginals and have to make another road trip.

Thanks to Gary,Tobey and Tom for trying something new.

[ash]

TomA,

The format offers us the ability to ask the question who is the best on their own out of the pointy end of the boat. There are many stories where a non-boater is the cause of a win or even broke off a winning fish, and sometimes they can be a hinderance or a huge benefit. This takes that out of the equation and makes the event mano e mano - The closest option a non-boater has currently is the Federation Nation events.

[leachman90]

From what I have read, there is no exclusion for an "amateur" aside from your ability to float a boat and come up with the $118.00.

Just my opinion but this may be a great way for a few "AM's" to get their feet wet from the pointed end of the boat. Perhaps there could be a "Cinderella Story".....

Chad, you hit the nail on the head with this one. If you look at some of the guys that have fished from the "back deck" over the last several years you would see that you have some great "sticks" fishing. To me and like it has already been said this is a great chance for a guy that hasn't stepped up to the front of the boat for what ever reason to finally take that step and for a small investment. Besides there is a fine line on the diff of who is a "pro" or "am" these days(money). This tournament format seems to take that all away.imo
GB..Jim

[N.A.R]

More preliminary info for the event:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Event dates, sign up dates and more to come early next week!

But the lakes will most likely look like this

Local #1 – Lake Havasu
Local #2 – Diamond Valley
Local #3 – Lower Otay
Local #4 – Lake Perris

Regional Qualifier
El Capitan

So everyone is on the same page.... Local #1-4 and the Regional has changed.

Tony

[TomL]

That is correct - It was changed and after lengthy discussions with lakes, anglers and more the reason behind it is Quagga issues for Havasu guys coming to So-Cal waters for the regional. The quarantines etc.. would be a real hassle for them.

The regional will NOT be on a local that is hosting a local in ANY region.

[N.A.R]

With Lake Otay closed on Friday, does that mean we have the lake to ourselves?

Lake Otay Febuary 19th....

[JohnnyG1]

How will anyone know if you or someone is one of the 50 people in the game? Who will make that call ?

[TomL]

It will be handled automatically by the computer. We have several ways of doing it - but, one way or another it will be handled automatically - We will announce more on this over the next few days!

[robertthornton]

anyone have an idea of how many so-cal guys are signed up.

[TomL]

New Melones is now sold out.

McClure is down to 2 Early Entry spots - Don Pedro is very low as well.

Get 'em if you want to fish 'em!