shot in foot (FLW)

[BASSK9]

My brother Bill did shoot himself in his foot with a 22 rifle when he was 13. He got real good at the one foot hop right on the spot. How bad is the FLW participation going to be on the Stren side with the Ranger rule and $20000 first prize? I am hearing that they will never draw a full field anyplace west for either the Stren or the National Guard. I hope that is not the case and the Ranger rule is reversed next year (2008). How many people decided not to fish the Stren over this rule? Were you long time Stren participants and if so did you email both FLW and Ranger to express your decision? If they get enough feedback they may reevaluate the decision and even reverse it. Speak up or go with what they give us?

[Mike]

I chose NOT to fish (Non Boater) because of the Ranger rule. I have a '97 Ranger, and if its not good enough for me to win the Ranger award, then I'm not good enough to fish their tournament.

[Fishin' Dave]

BURN!

Is there trouble in FLW wonderland? Just earlier this year they were our savior; the only guys who cared about the west. Very interesting Dr. Livingston....

[Ricky-S]

I'm in for both and so are many of my friends.

This IS what many of us have been waiting for. This may be a once in a life time experience. Fish now or complain later.

I do agree that you should email Ranger and FLW if you have questions/concerns.

[Rick G]

I'm in agreement with Ricky that its more about who's not going than who is. Most of the So.Cal pro's and Am's are going to both. This is alot of guys big shot. Rick G.

[crawdaddy]

Do you ever have anything positive to say about tournament organizations? Scott Crawford

[Guest]

I could care less about the rumblings from the peanut gallery on these issues. I'm signing up for all 4 FLW Series events on the non-boater side even though I'll be missing out on the Ranger Cup bonus of $5,000 when I win.

The way I look at it the only one who has to worry about it is the guy who comes in 1st place (2nd place needs not worry about it). If I'm lucky enough to place 1st in an event I'll just go out and use my winnings towards a new boat so that next year I'll qualify for the bonus cup.

[Guest]

That's a good question. In my opinion it's not. The whole reason I'm fishing as a non-boater is not for money (heck I'd be greatful to break even for these events). The main draw for someone like myself who is on a path to eventually fish these events as a boater is to learn from the anglers that I'm paired with during the event. The way I look at it I'm not doing it for the money, rather for the experience. Any $$$ that I should way away from is really a bonus and only helps to bankroll additional tournaments throughout the year.

[Mike]

Never mind! I thought you were talking about the stren tournament. I think the payback is something like $5,000 for first and a boat as the Ranger award? That is a big deal. The FLW is $20,000 for 1st and $5,000 as the Ranger award. That, is not a big deal. Yes, I will try to get into that one.

Are sign-up's open for this tournament??

[Ricky-S]

Come on guys.

What other Pro/Am pays the non-boater $5,000 for first and pays 60 spots on each side?

Please look at the bigger picture before you make a decision that will hurt all of us. Numbers don't lie.

The FLW payout is better than anything else that we have out West.

[Dewayne]

What is the Triton incentive?

There are a couple ways to approach this. Rather than insisting that Ranger cut their incentives one could try to get the other manufacturers to step their up.

[buck]

I havnt fished a tourney in 5 yrs and im gonna sign up for all 4 series (if i can get in ) and im running a basscat still think ill be ok with payout the way it is

[scott h]

You get a better riding boat than a ranger with the same resale!!!! I dont own a ranger and Im in for all four flw series events! Who cares about the ranger incentive I want to fish for a million bucks at the championchip tourney! The way I see it 14,000 in entries and they are paying 75 places on the boater and co-angler side dude thats a smokin payback!!!! Where else you gonna get that kinda payback? Its the big time and this is a superior opportunity for the guys out west! P.S. I have nothing against ranger boats and yes they do and have done alot for our sport.

[EP]

Ranger Boats has been sponsoring the best Pro-Am circuits for as long as I can remember. They give the most back to the fisherman.
More than any boat company out there. They helped make B A S S
what it is today. They are helping to bring the biggest oppurtunity out west to the fisherman who have been beggin for it. So now they want to try to get a little bit back on there investment and people start crying about it!


I personally would like to thank Ranger for this great oppurtunity!


P.s. Show me a boat company thats done more!

P.S.S. I didnt think so!

[Kelly Jeffers]

I not sure if I understand this right, Bassfishing is about the money and prizes? If you are fishing to get Rich, Leave your boat on the trailer and go collect CANS you'll have more money in long run. I thought the money was just to justify to family, that Bassfishing is credible employment, isn't the money just to get you to the next round? When you stand up there holding 5 pigs bigger than anyone even came close too! and your on top "your that guy" and you have proved to yourself,and everyone else, that this day was yours!!!

but I've be wrong before!!!

[mark poulson]

Mark,
I don't fish anything but club tourneys, and never will move up, but I agree with your idea.
The guys who fish competetively out here are every bit as good as those guys back east and down south. They have the skills, and the passion, to make an umbrella organization with a fish-off and championship real and exciting.
It seems to me that there's enough western trails and angler participation to make some kind of western classic possible.
But organizing something like that, like getting all of the different tournament orgs. to participate, is a tall order.
WON has the Open and that's the big western championship.
I would have thought that having a "Classic" on the west coast, at a place like Clear Lake, or the Delta, would be a big enough deal to draw sponsors, and T.V., but, then again, maybe it's just me.
And I don't fish any trails, so I really don't know most of what would be involved in setting this up.

[Fast 492]

You'll be fishin' for $500,000 not a million Triton man ;);)

[gt5bass]

The way I see it 14,000 in entries and they are paying 75 places on the boater and co-angler side dude thats a smokin payback!!!!

That only happens when with a full 200 boat field (read the fine print) The field size will also affect the number of places they pay the $10k down to as well. The investment (aprox. $20k - entries plus expenses) will be the same no matter the field size but the ROI/paybacks will decrease dramatically with the expected "partial" fields.

Do you really believe they will have a full field of 200 boats? If so, I have some Ocean Front property in Montana up for sale

I still say they should have waited another year or two and grew some more boaters with full Stren fields and then we would have been able to better to support a "real" Pro Level Tour...just my two cents worth (which ain't worth much) since I can't even get a return phone call from FLW Outdoors anymore

[scott h]

Hey 492! Im refering to the flw national gaurd western series and a chance to qualify for the forrest wood cup, and that my friend is a 1,000,000.00 firstprize payout. The Info you can find in the flw series brochure, you can download it from flw outdoors.com. Last year was 500,000 this year coming 2007 they stepped it up to a million bucks.

[gt5bass]

Scott,

If you are going to fish FLW without a Ranger, you better start reading the fine print:

*First-place pro award consists of $500,000 cash plus a $500,000 Ranger bonus if contingency guidelines are met. First-place co-angler award consists of $25,000 cash plus a $25,000 Ranger bonus if contingency guidelines are met.

Ranger Bonus Eligibility

Pro Guidelines:
1. Be the registered original owner of a 2004 or newer Ranger boat.
2. Furnish proof of ownership when entering but in no case later than tournament registration.
3. Use the eligible boat while qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup and during the first two days of competition.
Co-angler Guidelines:
1. Be the registered owner of a 2000 or newer Ranger boat while qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup.
2. Furnish proof of ownership when entering but in no case later than tournament registration.
The decisions of Ranger are final in all matters regarding contingency eligibility.

No Million Dollars for anybody but original owners of a 2004 or newer Ranger boat. And if you read the the real fine print, you must fish out of while qualifying for the Championship too...

3. Use the eligible boat while qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup and during the first two days of competition.

Good Luck to all that can afford to fish the National Guard Series. I can't justify the expense without having a better idea what the "real" ROI possibilities are!

[scott h]

Gary, I have considered the possibility of the feilds not filling but on the same token Im doing my part to try to make that happen . The age old crying about B.A.S.S. or FLW not bieng a truly national tourney org is on this very forum every year guys talkin about they wouldnt drive back east to fish and why dont they bring the exposure and opportunitys out west! Well guys nows the time it's here and the time is now. Dont get me wrong Its not about the money for me, and Im not sayin im gonna dominate this circuit, for me its about the thrill of multi day competition with high stakes, the money is just a bonus! The level of competition on this is second to none this is the biggest of big, I love to funfish with friends and family as much as anyone else, but fishing among the biggest names in bass fishing and lovin every minute of it, Man thats priceless!!!!! P.S. I'd rather put the money on the series entry than purchase your property in montana!!!!

[scott h]

Damn fine print! lol Thats ok it still doesnt stop me from doin my part. Maybe I will win enough money to buy a ranger just to fish out of next year in the series.

[gt5bass]

I'll be happy to come back to the FLW fold as soon as the get their stuff back together. When (if) they get the fields to support their advertised paybacks, I will then decide whether of not to give them my money again. For 2007, I will only "cherry pick" FLW events if I am a position to do so. I thrive on the competion, but just can't justify (gamble) the expense again without truelly knowing what my chances are for a good ROI. So I am just going to focus on putting my time in on the water and improving my fishing skills so I will be fully ready, if they get their act back together in the future. In 2006, I knew the fields were going to be full or near full. From all the conversations I have had with guys in the last several months, most are expecting fields of around 125 boats for both the FLW Series and Stren Series (an many are now saying less for the Stren since their announcement of the format/payback changes).

[Fishin' Dave]

Mark, You are saying the same thing I have said and other folks too. You will never convince these guys that these orgs are business here to make $$. Many guys are cool with that. The best thing is to accept this, make amends, then start your own tournament org to make you some big $$!

Or, not...

[Ricky-S]

At the end of the day, you only live once and life is about choices.

I have maed the choice to give it a go and I will have to live with the outcomes.

I would rather be involved and it didn't work than to say I wish I had done it.

This is the closest thing to a dream come true than I have seen in my 10 years of fishing tournaments.

Heck I've got over too much tackle and equapment to let it collect dust waiting for things to be the way they should have or could have.


It's either read about it on the net or live it. I'll be at Shasta and Havasu or bust.

[Dewayne]

No offense, but have you done the calculations?

Those of us that fish these events go through the calculations each year to determine the payback percentages and overall opportunity for each circuit. We do not jump in blind. Right now FLW has the best package hands down. For years there has been the opportunity for WON, Angler's Choice, and etc. to step up the paybacks. They have to the best of their ability and the regional circuits have some great programs right now. The fact is they do not have the TV programming and that is what drives non-endemic sponsors. These non-endemic sponsors are what drive the big per tournament payback with the big championship paybacks. Most of us will still be fishing some of the WON Bass and AC tournaments, but they are still regional circuits with fairly small packages since they do not attract the big money sponsors. Prior to FLW/BASS coming to the West a 100% payback was a great deal and ½ of the payback went to the tournament winner. If we just got all our money back, we were doing good. Today we are looking at tournaments with paybacks as high as 140%, improved sponsorship opportunities due to national TV coverage, and Championships with 7 figure paybacks. We have been provided a national stage rather than a regional stage and we even get to fish some of our great fisheries rather than traveling East every tournament. Times are pretty good with opportunities for all levels of bass fishermen.

Choose what works for you, but what most of us are saying is FLW is bringing a Tour to the West that tops anything we have seen with TV exposure, great paybacks, and a championship that is bigger than anything ever seen. WOW!!! In my opinion it still needs a little tweaking to be perfect, but I sure am thankful for what we have in 2007.

[scott h]

Well said dewayne!!! and come thursday the flw series will be part of the many things my family and I are thankful for!! I might be crazy but its a dream come true and my family is just as excited as I am!

[EP]

Hey Mark! Why dont you tell us which org to give our money too.
Who will pay for the permits, run the tournaments, work the tournies, pay for the release boat, scales ect. How about we form our own org and get vollunteers to run everything for free. Maybe someone will give us some boats to fish from and new trucks to tow them with.
Dude, Get Real!
Do you think Nascar lets these guys get into the racing circuit for
free? Think someone is getting rich at Nascar?
The FLW series is not for everyone, but I will take my chances and put up the big bucks for a shot at 100gs.
Dont be shocked when it has full fields and the guys that said that they will wait to see how it does, can't get in next year.

Hey Scott H and Ricky Shibaz, Keep The Dream Alive!

[scott h]

Hey mark fishing back east for the championchip is not such a bad thing. Actually the western guys have done pretty well back there. Also one road trip back east beats four any time! Been there done that! A change of scenery is a good thing, roadtripped back to louisiana in 04 with a good friend and the whole experiance was awesome! And being part of the bassmasters open championchip was very fun, had dinner with paul elias and met several heroes of the sport! IM ALL IN!!!!!