NBW HAVASU TEAM OPEN 3/10 and 3/11

[Dan Ochoa]

Anyone interested in two days of what should be some of the best fishing Havasu has to offer all year, then you have to show up for the National Bass West Team Open March 10th and 11th. It's an open so there is no membership required and the entry for the two day event is just $230.00 and there's also $170.00 worth of options to be paid back 100% of course. You can sign up the evening before at Bass Tackle Master from 4-6PM or early saturday morning at Windsor starting around 4:15 AM or so. Oh yeah, there will be lunch provided for those at the weigh in on sunday the 11th... Havasu in March, no membership required and free lunch..gonna be a blast, hope to see you there.

[littlebailey]

We try SUPER HARD to make sure when we schedule events there are no conflicts with a Pro/Am, we respect the anglers who fish the Pro/Ams and try to make it easy for them to fish the Pro/Am and our team events.

It is truly unfortunate for the anglers when the organizations book events making a conflict.
These are quotes from Lynn.

Maybe thats why she had you post it?

After they flaked on our fish off two years in a row, i dont believe anything they have to say anymore.

[Lynne]

Hey little Bailey, me and you had a conversation and you agreed that the participation was low and would rather have the money than fish for little TOC money that was in the kitty. 100% of the money was paid back to the anglers that was in the TOC fund. I personally called EVERYONE and got their opinion. SOOOOO I split the TOC money equally to those that qualified and sent them each a check BOTH TIMES. Not my fault for lower participation and a director that had health issues. Did you forget that you cashed both of the checks. I would be happy to send you the canceled check to refresh your memory.

Each and every time that National Bass West has promised something, we have come through.

Have a great rest of the day.

Lynne

btw... Dan posted that on his own and we certainly appreciate it. Thank Dan for your dedication and support.

[littlebailey]

Just posting the facts Lynne. I have no problem with how you handled the fish offs up here. What i did have a problem with is how you play this sweet little innocent Tournament circuit owner that never does anything wrong. You posted the quote not me. Then you went right ahead and did it anyway.....AGAIN. No wonder nobody draws any boats in pro ams. The industry itself is self sabotaging. Good luck, im done being the guy that calls out the facts. I have too many tournaments to decide on.

[Lynne]

Paul, what facts are you talking about. We did not book an event on top of any pro/am down here. We had the date first and with our schedule could not change it. Do you think that if they had the permit, they would have gone out of another launch ramp than WIndsor? If you post something then you yourself should have the facts.

[littlebailey]

I got it first! thats your story everytime. look at the pro am schedules then come talk to me. When you realize which one you jumped on top of, again, you'll know what im talking about. The pro ams up here get just as affected as the ones down there from stacking them on top of each other. Just makes no sense. Do you get it now?

[littlebailey]

Like i said im done with this. Nothing will ever change, all the tournaments circuits say they try to work together but yeah right, its a free for all out there. This conversation wont change that so im wasting time. Sorry for calling you out. i just wanted people to see you weren't really trying like you say.

[KPalmer]

Paul..sounds like its time for you to step up and start your own circuit since you have it all figured out and how they should be run? Or better yet step up and only fish the major circuits where you can prove what a dominate force you are...you wouldn't have the time to criticize without the facts, you would be too busy trying to cash a check. These team tournaments are meant to be fun, and competitive, not meant to provide a living for anglers...just relax before you bust a blood vessel or step up and do your own thing. Team tourney Anglers are tired of dealing with this "big fish in small pond"mentality of guys who shouldn't even be fishing team events and then bitch at participation because you feel it's taking away $$ from your pockets...wow, big accomplishment being on the water everyday and beating teams that fish a couple weekends per month. I think the future of team tourneys will be eliminating full time anglers altogether. I'm so over the whinning from so called Pros who bitch about how team tournaments should be run....you have other option, so step up playah! If the Pro's fish just Pro-ams or the two major circuits, then the overlap of tourneys booked on same day won't matter..right?

[N.A.R]

I am in for the Lake Havasu Open. Fished this event the last couple of years and had a blast. Look forward to a River vs Lake or a Frog event on this lake.

[Rick G]

Isn't that the same weekend of the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach? How about not having any events this weekend [been the same weekend for 25years] so some of the Prostaffers can come to the show and do the work they promised they would do for the tackle mfg's, boat and electronic mfg's ect....

[kitjack]

For team tournaments to become just for fun events all you would need to do is eliminate the high entry fees and big option money. Make it a $50 - $100 "all in" team event and the ringers would not get very rich fishing team events and there would also not be enough money available to make it a legit business. Guys actually fishing just for fun would be able to afford it, and wouldn't mind donating so much. The pressure to donate $300+ at every team tournament to a very few winners who are always the same guys is what has ruined the sport.

[KPalmer]

Kit jack....I think u make a good point, which I believe is the foundation for club tourneys, which are stepping stones to team tourneys...I think that the entry fees are reasonable for the types of events these organizations put on...I like the paybacks even though I don't see them very often..haha. Fishing fun tournaments is still expensive especially if you are driving a few hundred miles to fish an event.. It's nice to know that if I caught a big fish or had a banner day and finished in the top 3 spots that my travel expenses would be covered and a few bucks in the pocket for good measure....but I certainly don't expect to make a living at it....if that was my full time job, I would step up and fish FLW or BASS. If I wasn't willing to do that I for sure wouldn't bite the hand that feeds me by criticizing the team circuits for how they do things. Some ringers actually get this point and praise the organizations for their work. But maybe some day the the rules will change and eliminate full time anglers from team events or at least not let them fish their own regions...if they travelled away from their home lakes and had to learn new bodys of water with some off limits in place, I think it would level the playing field and gain larger participation. But that's just an opinion from a C+ angler at best.

[TDmize]

KPalmer's first post said exactly what I and alot of other tournament anglers were thinking. Paul I know you are a very good fisherman, but you sure do a bang up job by living up to your screenname on this message board. Keep posting though man, i love your "the world of bass fishing has it out for me and my brother" mentality its great entertainment.

Rick in regards to the tourney scheduled along with the fred hall show, I ask the question would it really kill a "Prostaffer" to miss one team tournament? If these "Prostaffers" you speak of are real Prostaffers then why are they so concerned about dumping one of the largest fishing conventions on the west coast for a team tournament? Where are these Prostaffers priorities? If they bailout on a huge convention for some team tournament then they probably shouldn't be Prostaffers and as a businessman I am sure you would agree with me there. I would think promoting a product they are sponsored by at a huge fishing show should be a priority for a Prostaffer. In the famous last words of many of your pot stirring posts......."I'm just saying".

[jc351]

+1 Kitjack! Said perfectly!

[Rick G]

KPalmer's first post said exactly what I and alot of other tournament anglers were thinking. Paul I know you are a very good fisherman, but you sure do a bang up job by living up to your screenname on this message board. Keep posting though man, i love your "the world of bass fishing has it out for me and my brother" mentality its great entertainment.

Rick in regards to the tourney scheduled along with the fred hall show, I ask the question would it really kill a "Prostaffer" to miss one team tournament? If these "Prostaffers" you speak of are real Prostaffers then why are they so concerned about dumping one of the largest fishing conventions on the west coast for a team tournament? Where are these Prostaffers priorities? If they bailout on a huge convention for some team tournament then they probably shouldn't be Prostaffers and as a businessman I am sure you would agree with me there. I would think promoting a product they are sponsored by at a huge fishing show should be a priority for a Prostaffer. In the famous last words of many of your pot stirring posts......."I'm just saying".

My point is the Org's should respect that show as a reserved date and all of them should not schedule anything that weekend. They do this for the Bass-a-thon and thank you very much to all of them. How is WON Bass going to be promoted at that show when its ringleader is at the Delta? How about just the fact that because of conflicting dates, most of the better Pro's are fishing instead of working the demo tank at the show for the Hall's, teaching new up and coming anglers. Just seems like we just shoot ourselfs [the industry] in the foot all the time. This is one of the rare years when there has NOT been an FLW event that weekend. The team prostaffers imho usually are the hardest year round working prostaffers, but ya they could miss one and it wont kill them I agree. As far as Paul, he is correct on most points as some org's buy permits for weekends they know they will not have an event just to block others from being there. Very few of the Org's work together for the betterment of the anglers and most are out to make the others go away. Sad, but the way it is these days when they all live on membership dues. Rick G.

[619]

I haven't been on this forum for a while....Damn its good on here again finally LOL.

[Hawg44Hustler]

I will be working as a pro staffer for the first time this year at the Fred hall shows. I am both excited and nervous to embark into the business world of fishing. My partner will have to fish an event by himself and my practice at the Delta for FLW will get split in two. Its just part of the game and I accept that. I compete with all the circuits and find likes and dislikes with them all. It is easy for businesses that are competing for the same consumer base yet have such a large and diversified playing field to try and play all angles against each other. Remember all of these tournament organizations are competing businesses, no different than Coke vs. Pepsi. So pick the one, or all that you like and go fishing. Until there is an organization that actually paints a realistic picture of making a living through fishing than I have to fish every event I can put myself into...and I will say this, after fishing a few events back east last year its easy to see why they label us as whiners. The full time pros out there fish anything and everything they can enter, tour level guys fish team events all the time. Maybe someday, someone will figure this tournament thing out a little better...hopefully by that time I'm the big time pro on the inside looking out. Just my 2cents

[KPalmer]

Littlebailey, are you fricking kidding me....after all the debate you and I have had in PM's the last couple days about your criticism of overlap with a Pro-Am tournament on the Delta vs the 2 day team tourney in Havasu several hundred miles away and you aren't even signed up for the Won PRO-AM yet...that is hilarious. I would think you would be first on the list to lead the charge and set the example? That's good news for the co-angler on the waiting list looking for a PRO to sign up with...maybe you can help him?

49 Anglers and counting for Won Pro-Am at Delta! This list was just posted by Egan.

Aaron Le Sieur
Brett Leber
Bryan Grier
Bob Cepek
Chad Hulbert
Clark Small
Darrin Bishop
Dave Erwin
Dave Solis
Dewayne Bonham
Don Gage
Ernie Stumpf
Garret Dixon
Greg Gutierrez
Howard Hughes
J.R. Taylor
Jarred Jennings
Jason Austin
Jason Borofka
Jesse Martin
Joel B. Marshall
John Mackey
Keith Reed
Keith Adams
Ken Mah
Kevin Stweart
Kevin Moore
Kevin Wiggins
Mark Crutcher
Michael Tuck
Mike Folkestad
Mike Frederick
Mike Menne
Mike Stiles
Neil Cambell
Phil Burgess
Phil Garcia
Randy Doyle
Rodney Reed
Ron Tobey
Scott Crawford
Scott Head
Shawn Lee
Sean Stafford
Steve Dent
Steve Lee
Terry DeVincenzi
Tuan Ngugen
Zach Thompson

[N.A.R]

Kent Palmer you NEED TO FREAKING RELAX! His name is there!
Good Gawd!

Tony


Littlebailey, are you fricking kidding me....after all the debate you and I have had in PM's the last couple days about the criticism of overlap with a Pro-Am tournament in the Delta vs the 2 day team tourney in Havasu several hundred miles away and you aren't even signed up for the Won PRO-AM yet...that is hilarious. I would think you would be first on the list to lead the charge and set the example? That's good news for the co-angler on the waiting list looking for a PRO to sign up with...maybe you can help him?

49 Anglers and counting for Won Pro-Am at Delta! This list was just posted by Egan.

Aaron Le Sieur
Brett Leber
Bryan Grier
Bob Cepek
Chad Hulbert
Clark Small
Darrin Bishop
Dave Erwin
Dave Solis
Dewayne Bonham
Don Gage
Ernie Stumpf
Garret Dixon
Greg Gutierrez
Howard Hughes
J.R. Taylor
Jarred Jennings
Jason Austin
Jason Borofka
Jesse Martin
Joel B. Marshall
John Mackey
Keith Reed
Keith Adams
Ken Mah
Kevin Stweart
Kevin Moore
Kevin Wiggins
Lung Darts
Mark Crutcher
Michael Tuck
Mike Folkestad
Mike Frederick
Mike Menne
Mike Stiles
Neil Cambell
Phil Burgess
Phil Garcia
Randy Doyle
Rodney Reed
Ron Tobey
Scott Crawford
Scott Head
Shawn Lee
Sean Stafford
Steve Dent
Steve Lee
Terry DeVincenzi
Tuan Ngugen
Zach Thompson

[KPalmer]

Tony,
Yep my bad, it's right there between Kevin Wiggins and Mark Crutcher on your list. I guess I didn't realize he legally changed his name to that...haha. good one Tony.

[Kevin]