What to do about small fishing club complainers

Bobby Burgess · Post by **Bobby Burgess** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:16 am

Hi Guys,

First off I apologize if this isn't the right forum to present my question so here it goes. I need your honest input on this subject. I fish in a small bass club in which I will not name at this time. There seems to be the same one or two guys that always have a complaint about how the club is being run. Every single month they complain about one thing or another. We have fished 6 events and have had 6 complaints. It appears to them that the President can't seem to do anything right. The President has bent over backwards to accommodate these two guys. It has become a cancer that will not go away. Usually the complaints are pretty petty and don't mean a darn thing in my opinion. I think the club is being run great and I have no problems. But, honestly it is becoming harder and harder for me to want to continue to fish in this club. I suggested to the President that he just throw these two guys out of the club. How should the President handle this situation?

Thanks so much for your input

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:57 am

Well, that sure makes it a lot less fun to be in ! Are their complaints liget ? Or are they just winers ? Do any of the other members feel the same way ?

Next time they complain, bring it up in the meeting and VOTE on it. Make sure the membership knows who is complaining.

Is there a rule that is being broken ? There should be a set of Club Bylaws. And a Tournament Rules. Then it's pretty easy to address. If not, then the members vote on it. These guys have to be put on the spot and can't be anonymous. AND if they would like to be President next year and run the club, then you'd be more than happy to nominate them come December !!

You can't let a couple of guys ruin it for everyone else. Needless to say you can't please everyone. BUT, you can vote them OUT !!

Bobby Burgess · Post by **Bobby Burgess** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:57 am

Hi Mitch,

Yes we have Bylaws and Rules and it appears to me that the guys that are complaining haven't read the rules. The rules changed somewhat this year from years past that were all voted on by the same couple of guys that are doing the whining at the clubs first meeting back in Jan. There hasn't been one legit rule that has been broken. They just don't like certain ways things are being done. They were told that they can run it themselves next year but they don't want anything to do with it. The guy doing all the whining use to be the clubs President at one point.

These couple of guys make up one team and to be honest it really is only one guy that is causing all the commotion. He gets his team partner involved and then that guy usually calls a third guy whom I believe is caught in the middle. The guys complaining or whining are the ole timers that have fished the club for years. You see I have to hear about it all the time because I am the partner of the dude running the club this year. We have tried our very best to grow the club but can't because of the few bad apples. We will be running our own club next year. New name and all. We need to break away from all of this but we still have the remainder of the season and the TOC to finish first. The President has decided to bring this all out at the end of the next tournament to expose these guys for once and for all.

When we have meetings most guys can't either make it due to work or some other excuse. The dudes complaining and whining sure as heck show up though so that they can whine and complain. So, we stopped having meetings. I will post what happens after the next tournament. Thanks for your input!

Morgan · Post by **Morgan** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:22 pm

Usually the complainers are the ones that don't help out the club, want to be the first off the water, want to blast off before safe light, won't step up and be on the Board, "just want to go fishing", don't like the lake selection, "back when I was club president", blah, blah, blah. I think every group has complainers, fishing or not. Some people are just miserable. I think confronting them by the President is the right thing to do. It's the hard thing to do, and shouldn't be done in front of the whole club.

Morgan

Bass hack · Post by **Bass hack** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 2:06 pm

Bobby Burgess wrote:Hi Guys,

It has become a cancer that will not go away.

How does a doctor treat cancer? They cut it out, then heal the wound.

So yes, kick them out or leave the club.

Bobby Burgess · Post by **Bobby Burgess** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 4:35 pm

Thanks for all your input. I will pass it on to the President.

Bobby

Tarpon120 · Post by **Tarpon120** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 5:17 pm

Have them fill out and submit this form...

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:41 pm

Tarpon120 wrote:Have them fill out and submit this form...

Too funny!
Seriously, you need to confront them, in private first, and then in front of the whole club if they don't shape up.

Bobby Burgess · Post by **Bobby Burgess** » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:55 pm

I love the hurt feelings form.... I have spoke to the President and he has spoke to the two cry babies via phone on several occasion. Well OK, once or twice a month they call him to complain and Whine over something for the last 6 months. This will all be addressed right after our next tournament with everyone present. There already is a rule that all protest, complaints or bitching must be done within 30 minutes after the weigh in has completed. Obviously these two clowns feel that they need to be entertained more than the other club members. All issues will be addressed. Thanks for your input....Please keep it coming. I've asked the President of the club to read your comments so that he can have more options on how to handle these guys. Personally I would have already asked them to leave and not come back but I don't have the power. I am just one voice.

Thanks,
Bobby

d hill · Post by **d hill** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:45 am

I coined a name for this exact thing. "Clubbed to death" execution from the club is the final remedy. Just remember you can't make everyone happy all the time so don't let it ruin your time with your buds doing the thing you love.

backlash · Post by **backlash** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 8:35 am

Been there for sure and it is frustrating. I got so fed up I formed my own Club. I was the only member but I still encountered the same problems.

Rod Martin · Post by **Rod Martin** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 9:50 am

backlash wrote:Been there for sure and it is frustrating. I got so fed up I formed my own Club. I was the only member but I still encountered the same problems.

It does make it hard to get rid of the bad guys.

Well if it wasn't out in the open before, after being on here its out now. Should bring it to a head one way or the other

Good luck.

I always enjoyed the clubs I belonged too. All of the best people I knew came from the clubs. Best of all they put up with me.

Gary Dobyns · Post by **Gary Dobyns** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 2:10 pm

This is a tough topic. It get worse with the bigger orgs. No matter how hard you try or what you do, there will be negative guys or "haters". I personally really struggle with this. BUT I try to remember 95% of the guys are positive great guys, the 5% are the ones that stick in your mind. I promise you they're just as negative in life as well. It's not just fishing. We need to cull these guys like a skinny 13" spotted bass out of your well.

RJB · Post by **RJB** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 4:20 pm

I'm sorry to hear about the two guys that constantly complain. Definitely should be voted out. On another note, where about is you club? I'm looking to get into one. I have a boat and think it would be a lot of fun. Thanks

Bobby Burgess · Post by **Bobby Burgess** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:16 pm

Thanks Guys,

I want to thank your for all your input. Sorry RJB but I will not put the name of the club out there because that isn't the important thing here. What is important to me is that I solicit as much information regarding this issue with the fishing community. That is also the same reason that I will not put the guy/guys names out there, especially on this forum. I have done this so that the club president wouldn't feel bad for doing the right thing. I also wanted to know what you guys thought for my own information. We want to run our own small club next year and actually want to make it a stepping stone for these guys to move up to the next level such as WWBT, CTT, BBT, FPT, Anglers Choice, ABA. We would also like to know from you guys the fishing community what you think would be important to run a positive small fishing club/circuit. I would also like to know what Gary Dobyns thinks about a stepping stone to the next level for those guys that think they just are not ready for the Big Circuits yet. We will not be running this club/circuit as a business or to make any money.

Thanks,
Bobby