ALL TOURNAMENTS CANCELLED AT OROVILLE -So you want to know what's going on, well let's talk about it

[WB Staff]

From Randy at BBT
OROVILLE CANCELLED
NOT on the same date.
No lakes available on that date.
New date will be coming soon
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So you want to know what's going on at Oroville, well let's talk about it.


The Superintendent of the State Parks for Oroville area came up with a new way to save the anglers money for parking. He explained to me that when anglers pay at the kiosk for parking, that money goes directly to the State. He wants to circumvent this and give a $3 discount making it $10.00 for the angler’s boat and bypass the kiosk. Each boat would pay directly to the tournament director for the money that we would have to collect for them. So, what this entails is every boat that launches in my tournament, I have to pay the $10 per boat fee whether I get that money from you or you pay at the kiosk. It will be my responsibility to make sure you, the anglers, do not pay at the kiosk.

The Superintendent suggested I hire someone or find a volunteer to stay by the kiosk, identify tournament anglers, and collect the money because they do not have anyone there who could take the money from the anglers and ensure they do not to use the kiosk. I feel like a scalper now. This entails me pre-purchasing parking vouchers for you to put in your dash prior to the event. Then I must return the vouchers that I did not use and I will not be refunded if I had paid for more vouchers than what I needed. If I pre-purchase too few, then I have to send you back to the kiosk to pay. I will have to make sure that all funds are paid back to the State Parks.

My humble opinion is that we are circumventing one state program to go to another state program. How is this my job?! They should pay somebody to stand at Oroville kiosk in the dark with cash in their hand to make change for the anglers who are fishing a tournament. They need to let the non-tournament anglers pay at the kiosk and explain why they can’t save $3, while collecting $10 for tournament anglers.

The Superintendent explained to Jennifer, from New Jen Bass, that tournaments make plenty of money to be able to absorb this cost. He also said find a 16-year-old to take the money then hand the anglers their $10 vouchers very early in the morning, and pay him or her $100 for them to take the money for you. I have talked to the Oroville Chamber President and he is aware of this. He is also the Vice Mayor of the city. He said his hands are tied as he cannot make those decisions. He can just bring up that organizations will stop coming to Oroville when the bureaucracy becomes too many problems for these organizations. I don’t feel comfortable taking from one state agency to assist another state agency. For those reasons Best Bass Tournaments will not be going to Oroville.

[mark poulson]

Damn!

[BigPapa]

Good Decision props to you for standing up!
Pretty sick of Calif. wanting to stick their hands in every lil money basket they can get into.

[MGJR]

Jen/Randy - can you let me know who you spoke with/or/ who the current superintendent is? Having worked for state agencies, I would nearly guarantee what they are doing is not up to agency policy and he/she does not have the discretion to do so. I am local and willing to rattle some political cages - PM me please.

[BOOTH GUY]

I'm confused, maybe I am reading this wrong.
Let's see, $5.00 plus a gallon for gas, $60k plus for a tournament bass rig and who knows what the toe vehicle cost. $100-250 to get into the tournament. Lodging for a lot of the group, pre-fishing and all kinds of other expenses ( new must have tackle ) and you are canceling a tournament over $3.00 more to park? $10.00 vs $13.00? I have no skin in this game but just trying to figure this out.
When was the last time you went to Camache or Pardee? It's over $25. just to launch.

[RMANZO]

I’m sure it’s more about the principal. This has become a —————— up state

[sThurmon]

Seems like one agency is trying to steal from another. Seems like a pita for randy to have to do the states job and what about guys that have already bought a state pass? I don’t blame bbt for cancelling.( and I do love to fish Oroville)

[TonyM]

So the superintendent wants anglers to bypass the kiosk process and the tournament orgs to put cash money in his hand. Yeah, sounds legit.