FLW Series. The rubber meets the road. Whos is?

[Smitty]

I thought since we are getting closer to the registration dates I would ask the question. With Stren going to a Ranger only owner getting the juice I was wondering if it changed some minds about what to fish.
Smitty

[bill ponting]

It should change your mind. You have to pay $875.00 to enter you can only win $20,000.00. That sounds great but WON Bass is $375.00 cheaper for the same payout last year, and you don't have to take off the hole week.

[rickyshabazz]

I'll try my luck with the FLW Series.

This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be member of history. Four Western tournaments on TV.

I don't want to say that I wish that I had done it.

Plus the wife gave me the go a head.

[bill ponting]

Ricky, thats a hole different ballgame and I'm glad you can afford it.

[rickyshabazz]

I think that the question was for the FLW Series and not Stren.

WON offers a great opportunity, but the payout doesn't compare to the Stren.

How about looking at 1 in 3 payback in FLW verses 1 in 5 for WON. Not to mention a payback down to 60th place in FLW events. That has never happened in a WON. Want to compare championships?

I support WON because they taught me everything I know about tournaments and they are a great organization, but they are not FLW.

I have fished them all and FLW runs the best tournament hands down. That's not taking anything away from the other organizations but no one comes close to the number of events the FLW offers.

I'll try to fish WON North and South as well. If the wife allows me to be away from home.

[bill ponting]

How much does it cost to get the championship?

[rickyshabazz]

There are a lot of options out there and that is a great thing. If I had to guess, I think that the Series will have a decent first year.

In terms of costs, I am willing to bet that the average angler has enough spare tackle laying around to fund any of the options that are available. We all ought to have a swap meet.

I love the quote that Ron C gave, "My biggest fear is that when I die my wife will sale my fishing gear for what I told her that I paid for it." That's classic.

Cost is all relative. I stopped tracking cost about three Huddlestons ago. Heck, I never thought that I would ever pay $30 for a lure.

The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward or fall. You only live once. This is the year that I stop being a wanabe-at least for a year anyway

[swimb8]

The Baileys are taking there chances in the FLW series. Stren has a great circuit but when the oppurtunity is there, you have one chance to be in the big show. For the West that is! If we can squeeze a couple Strens in im sure we will but were taking our chances like Ricky.

[Ron C]

...is just too steep for a working stiff like me with a mortgage, a non-working wife, a daughter in college, and a 12-year old son who is growing like a weed.

For me, it's a probable yes on the WON BASS North, a probable no on the Stren Series, a maybe on the Top Sticks (it would be a definite yes if they allowed a Friday pre-fish - like EVERY other Pro-Am circuit does), and a definite yes on the Fed R-7 and the Piru Night Series (with Smitty) - but ONLY if jb & Chris are running it.

As much as I would love to fish the FLW Series, it's just too much money and too much time away from work for me.

Good Fishing!

Ron C

PS: Did I mention that I would definitely fish the Top Sticks if they allowed a Friday pre-fish - like EVERY other Pro-Am circuit does?

[hippie]

Ron thats weak the top stick is all local lakes go out the weekend before

[Ron C]

...going out the weekend before is not an option for me, as I will either be running tournaments for you guys or fishing tournaments elsewhere the weekend before. I will not have the luxury of being able to "go out the weekend before" every tournament. The good news is that there are only two such conflicts for me, which is why I indicated that the Top Sticks are a maybe for me. The bad news is that one of the Top Sticks is right on top of one of the Stren Series tournaments.

I'm sorry that you feel that this is "weak", but I know several guys who won't be fishing the Top Sticks because they don't want to plunk down $1,750 in entry fees for tournaments that they can't pre-fish for on the weekend before due to conflicts with other tournaments (so it isn't just me).

It is obvious that you disagree, but in my opinion, a Friday pre-fish for a $350 Saturday "Pro" tournament is not unreasonable; but again, this is just my opinion. No hard feelings. Let's agree to disagree on this one and leave it at that.

Good Fishing!

Ron C

[buck]

Im fishing the Series without a Ranger and im going to fish the top Stick Series as well.Looking forward to both

[gunnie2]

I love the schedule for the FLW Series, but the Stren series is pretty sad. Mead in February is a joke! The lake isn't very good, but in the dead of winter is just plain stupid. I thought FLW learned their lesson at Mead in 2003 when 60% of the field blanked!! Lake Powell is a better option than Mead any time of the year.

I think Ricky has the right idea. If you can afford it, take your shot at the brass ring. It probably won't happen again after this season.

[John Barron]

Since I am a Ranger guy now and I have much more time to fish I'm going to try to cherry pick the Stren series when and where I can get in. I don't believe that the field will fill up.
I will try to fish the WON Pro Am's South and the North where I can. You can't print an entry form from the website so now what?

I'm just going to have fun this year and try to get my skills back up to speed.
jb

[gt5bass]

For now I am throwing in the towel on FLW. There is just not the ROI from their tournaments with less than full fields. I don't believe either the FLW Series or the Stren Series will come anywhere near full fields next year. I honestly believe that the Stren Series will set records for low turnouts next year. I also think it stinks that they made me choose between going to this years Championship and getting my Priority 1 deposits in on the 1st day of the Championship. Therefore, I decided to forego both the championship and next years Stren Series and spend that money in our local market.

With FLW unwilling to release (at least I can't get them from them) what the paybacks will be on less than full fields (remember all their paybacks are based on a full field of 200 boats...read the fine print...ie. NO paying down $10k to 50th in the FLW Series and NO paying 60 spots at the Strens), I can't justify the investment without knowing what my potential ROI will be at this point. My costs to fish them don't change, just my potential ROI. Another downside of not having full fields with waiting lists is it will allow more locals to come in and "Cherry Pick" the winnings from the guys that are springin' the big bucks to fish the whole season.

I am just going to fish as much regional stuff as possible, Federation, team stuff and hopefully the UWC if Korny can get it to go, and get as much time on the water as I can. I have already played with my schedule for next year and have come up with 19 potential tournaments to fish for a fraction of the cost that it would cost me just to fish the Stren.

When they get there act together again, I will then, at that point, consider supporting them again as I have the last 6 years. The last two years I have sacrificed a lot of time on the water so I could fish the Strens as a boater and it has affected both my fishing skills and mental attitude. Hopefully, by taking a step backward to move forward next year I can put some fun and joy back into my tournament fishing as most people that know me, know I am usually very passionate about my fishing and very competive about it as well.

Good Luck to all who are going to gamble on both the FLW Series and the Stren Series next year. I may "Cherry Pick" a Stren or two if I happen to be in that area and on good fish.

ps. John, I have the same problem as Ron does with having Fridays being off limits...I am usually not in the area the weekend before the tourney so I usually need to pre-fish the day or two before the tourney. You will not see me fishing any of the regions that have the M-F week before the tourney off-limits as I not willing to donate my money blindly to the local sticks that have the lake dial in from fishin it for umpteen years, I need to make it go as far as possible.

[rickyshabazz]

I can see your point Gary. You have to work your plan. Life is a gamble as far as I am concerned.

I cannot afford to miss what could be the only opportunity to compete on a national level on waters that I know.

I have reached a point where I cannot put a price on a dream. I realize that one of the differnces between me and some of our national pros is the fact that they put it all on the line.

[Smitty]

I wonder how many of the west's national guys will be in. I am going to take my chances with the FLW Series and try to get into the Delta and Clear Lake Stren's and WON Bass North at Clear Lake. I really think we have what comes first the chicken or the egg. In order to attract more sponsor opportunties out west FLW Series needs to be a success. Some sponsors are waiting to see how it does and if it sticks around I think more opportunities to get entry fee money or incentives will happen. I would really like to fish the top stick tour but to be honest, I am pretty burnt out on So Cal lakes and cant committ to all the events with a 5 day off limits.
I think CJ and JB will run an awesome circuit.
Smitty

[hippie]

I'm a big fan of the off limits and the top stick serries it sounds like a great payout if you win. Plus some of us guys have jobs that require us there everyday. Top stick levels out the playing field for weekend anglers who can't afford to step up to the next level.Plus do you think Pyramid could handle 60 boats pre fishing all during the week??? Great series JB and CJ and good luck to all the west coast guys step up to the plate at FLW. I wish I could do it.