Orville Anglers Choice

[BASSK9]

I talked to Brian Roland today. He won the Anglers Choice night tournament at Orville last weekend. He received 2500 or so for the win in the form of a check that bounced! The tournament director is unavailable and possibly on vacation?
AC has gone from good to bad. Bounced checks, publications that never get mailed to members or are published months behind schedule. In 7 or 8 years of AC membership I recieved 3 or 4 issues of Bass West and had to call to get those issues.
What is up with this kind of performance? I can recall just after Mark purchased AC he told me "Those other organizations skim options- we publish ours". Why aren't they published for the last five years?
I told Brian to call the District Attorney and immediatly file a small claims suit against Anglers Choice and the Director. Another thing that strikes me sleezy is that I never ever received a 1099 reporting my tournament winnings from Anglers Choice. I believe that Bass fishermen in general are stand up guys who are responsible enough to pay taxes on the income they earn. The big winners would pay taxes on this income however most would not because of deductions like boat depreciation, insurance, gas, lures, launch fee etc.
By not generating 1099's Anglers Choice and Directors are violating tax code. Should the organization be audited the Directors would be liable for the tax since they never reported the earnings to the IRS. Why would an organization blatently demonstrate Tax fraud, bounce checks, and do such a miserable job of distibuting a publication? Are the Directors trying to evade taxes on the income they earn (sending 1099's would imply Director's income for the IRS)?
I fought in a war, paid all my taxes and I resent any form of tax evasion. I quit Anglers Choice because the Directors for the most part will not post a spread sheet listing contestants options purchased and options paid out and overall percent of payback. It leaves one to suspect skimming when the accounting is kept secret.
I am stateing facts! I also expressed my opinion on issues of tax responsibility and the possibility of skimming. I am not bashing AC. Tony loves to delete my posts so you better read this quick!

[g-man]

you think too much! Be in the game, or don't! We have all questioned our pay backs, and what not. Every post i have ever seen you make is negative.

[BassTramp]

I have known Mark and most of his TD's for years, if one TD made a mistake I am sure he will make good.

Seems more to me you have an ax to grind the fact you state it happened someone else. A Forum that promotes the sport of bass fishing is not the place to bad month others and makes new people think we are bunch cheaters and complainers. We need new people In our sport

Only small man says such things behind the backs of others a real man would call them and talk to them in person.

[Scott Shambre]

In that entire post, all I can find is that you have a beef with A/C in general. Living in Disco, I am assuming (only assuming) that you are a zip code fisherman. What happens at Oroville shouldn't really concern you, but if it fits your agenda, then it is game on for you.

Here is a thought, start your own circuit and try to keep all the balls in the air with your sponsors, make you circuit profitable enough to stay in business long enough to get a following. I am not defending anything that A/C does or has done, but until you walk in their shoes maybe you should try to stay as objective as possible.

[Bill K]

Have you, or better yet Brian, contacted and talked with someone directly to settle the matter ? Posting like this does nothing toward solving a problem, if it is real. Any of those that have not recieved their 1099's can obtain one, if they, also contact the correct people.
Again posting, as you have done, do's nothing to solve a problem. Just a thought. Bill K

[Hardshell]

it's very obvious this bafoon has a axe to grind and a US Angler's Choice. First, if a check did bounce that was written to Brian Roland why does he feel it's his responsibility to collect the funds here on this forum? Second, the beef he has is not with Mark Mendez or Angler's Choice for that matter. Each tournament director that operates under the Angler's Choice banner is an independent contractor and makes all financial payments from his or her own funds.
As far as the Bass West Magazine, it is what it is, one of the best publications out there and late or not it is well read and respected.
On a personal note, that means you BASSK9, had you or your team partners made enough money to push you through the threshold of $750.00 in yearly earning from any one circuit I can assure you that you would have recieved a 1099.
Like I said, each TD operates his own show and I for one do produce a printout of results, option participants and winnings that are available at the awards ceremoney of each and every tournament we run. So in closing, if you are not bashing AC and or it's tournament directors what the hell would you call this? You say you fought in a war, does that give you the right to smear others that did the same without the facts on your side?

Thanks for your comments.

Hardshell
aka: Steve Greene
Tournament Director
US Angler's Choice
East Delta Region
Central Valley Region

[sTony]

We've stopped deleting your posts Don. It's better to let them stay and let folks form their own opinions about the subject matter and about you as well.

Personally I'm saddened by the outburst. I know you pretty well Don and have come to respect your passion for the game as well as come to know just how big hearted a guy you are. Seems every few months or so you just kind of lose it in here or intentionally stir up the pot. The mods and I have come to expect it and we're not going to delete it anymore. That was us trying to limit your exposure and we can't do it any longer.

Brian should give Danny Peluso a call and I'm sure he'd get a resolution.

209-874-9525 or email at dpeluso@inreach.com

sTony

[Bill K]

Interesting on some of the comments. I fought in a war. So did a lot of us and I know I remember there always was a chain of command. This forum is not in the chain of command to handle a NSF check.
Pay my tax's. So do most, if not all of us on this site.
I resent any form of tax evasion. Never checked out the politicians, high business and others on that list have you. And by the way not handing out 1099's is not tax evasion. It is when the party that recieved the money doesn't pay the money owed the governement. He can pay it without a 1099, by declaring it on his tax return. Just another thought or two, on my part.
And unless the law has changed, from my time in law-enforcement, you file a small claims with the Justice court system, not the DA. Bill K

[MIKE TREMONT]

I don't agree with the tactic either, but I will throw out my own experience.

I didn't get a 1099 a few years ago either. It took several phone calls to make it happen, after the Jan 30 cut off date.

Bass West: If I didn't get it as supplement for being an AC member, I would be saying plenty more than I do, I just don't care about it anymore, but will never pay for it separately.

Now with that said, I will still support AC. Since Mark took over things have improved. I think there is a lot of potential to be the best, but something is missing. I wish I knew what it was, as I would let Mark know.

Good luck!

[Bill K]

In a way I am with you on BassWest magazine. However I have some other magazines that are slow getting. I have just learned to wait and enjoy them when they do come. I put up with slow copy, due to the fact that I like them, when they do come. Bill K

[Fast 492]

Hello all, my name is Jason Bubier and I am the NEW tournament director for the AC Oroville Trail "GoldCity".
I am not going to try and guess as to why a check bounced for the winners at the last tourney (because I don't know). I can tell you that all expenses incurred at each tourney are the sole responsibility of each director.
Fish & Game permit- $50
State Parks permit- $75
Release boat - $150 per day
Insurance to AC- $75 per tourney
Plaques- $110 per tourney for Goldcity trail
This $460 comes out of the TD's account. If you add up $18 per boat that the director gets, you have to draw 27 boats just to break even. I am not condoning anything that has happened in the past just giving you an idea of the costs associated with running just one event. MOST Directors that I have met do this because they love it, not to get wealthy. I for one just wanted to see things improve and instead of complaining about it, I asked Mark and Phil if I could run the circuit. I, like Steve Green will have all options and paybacks printed out at each tourney. If you just want to know percentages just drop me a PM and I will be happy to e-mail you a spreadsheet. Most trails I have fished payback anywhere from 65%-80% of the entry fees. AC is about 70% +/- a percent, but none of the other trails give away 2 fully rigged boats at there NO ENTRY FEE TOC. I also have never seen another circuit where you if you qualify for the TOC in your region, allow you to fish any other regions TOC as long as it is not on a lake in your region. FOR FREE.
In closing I would like to say that I am going to do my best to turn this trail around and make it the most successful trail in the North. Am I going to bounce checks to fisherman, I pray I never do, but what if one or two of the checks that is wrote to me for an entry fee bounces when I put them in on Saturday afternoon and you cash yours Monday morning before all the other checks clear, I personnaly don't have $3500 in my account just floating around to pay cash at all events.
If anyone has any questions or concerns for the Oroville Trail please call me anytime, you can even stay anonymous and not tell me your name, no worries, lets make this a great trail together.

Sincerely, Jason Bubier (Fast 492)
530-589-2601 - home
530-521-8403 - cell

[Hardshell]

Bump

[Teresa]

The check and 1099's are issue between the participant and the director. If the participant is unable to resolve the issues Angler's Choice has no problem helping out and resolving the issue. This was not needed in this case. The director made good on the check and everything was put to bed. I again called Mr. Roland and inquired about the situation and he assured me everything had been solved.

Teresa Deshler

[Fast 492]

MOST Directors that I have met do this because they love it, not to get wealthy. I for one just wanted to see things improve and instead of complaining about it, I asked Mark and Phil if I could run the circuit. I, like Steve Green will have all options and paybacks printed out at each tourney. If you just want to know percentages just drop me a PM and I will be happy to e-mail you a spreadsheet. Most trails I have fished payback anywhere from 65%-80% of the entry fees. AC is about 70% +/- a percent, but none of the other trails give away 2 fully rigged boats at there NO ENTRY FEE TOC. I also have never seen another circuit where you if you qualify for the TOC in your region, allow you to fish any other regions TOC as long as it is not on a lake in your region. FOR FREE.
In closing I would like to say that I am going to do my best to turn this trail around and make it the most successful trail in the North. Am I going to bounce checks to fisherman, I pray I never do, but what if one or two of the checks that is wrote to me for an entry fee bounces when I put them in on Saturday afternoon and you cash yours Monday morning before all the other checks clear, I personnaly don't have $3500 in my account just floating around to pay cash at all events.
If anyone has any questions or concerns for the Oroville Trail please call me anytime, you can even stay anonymous and not tell me your name, no worries, lets make this a great trail together.
If you would like the results and options sent to you via e-mail, send me a note at the address below.
ajbubier@sbcglobal.net

Sincerely, Jason Bubier (Fast 492)
530-589-2601 - home
530-521-8403 - cell

[Brian]

UH, Do you guys realize that this is a post from July that was just bumped to the top???????????

[Fast 492]

UH, Yes. I am re-iterating the fact that not all tournaments are ran the same and most directors are trustworthy and have no problems showing it....