Witout naming names

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

I would like to hear improvements from experienced tournament fishermen on how they think that the tournament orgs could improve on the service that they provide.
I am naming some below to get this started

1- Expedite the draw. You should recognize that we already know the rules and that you dont need to take a half hour of our time to reexplaine them to us. If we break the rules DQ us

2- Do not give us a 5 minute commercial on your sponsors. We can read your banners and know who they are.

3- Please dont introduce everyone of your tournament officials. We all know who they are.

4- Please set up your scales so that we can all see the numbers at the weighin.

5- Publish who paid into the options when you publish the tournament results

6- Introduce some kind of traffic control at the blast off so that the boats get themselves in some kind of reasonable order so that we dont always have to thread our way from the back to the front through a bunch of people who are going to be going out later. Think about how it was done at Bigbreak for the Frog tournament where we had 305 boats. We were handed us a map that designated a staging area for the boats so that they could leave in an orderly fasion

7- Start blastoff at safe light instead of later. Quite often we are loosing the early morning bite because of too many delays at blast off. I dont think we should all have to wait because other fishermen didnt get launched in time.

OK guys this is supposed to be constructive critisiim with out blasting any one or mentioning any names. If the orgs see merit in our suggestions they will change, It is their choice as business people wanting more participation in their tournaments. I am not trying to start a long debate. If you agree with a suggestion say so but please dont blast anyones ideas because you personally dont like it. Let the bad ideas die simply because of lack of support. Lets keep the whole thing friendly

Jim
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[crawdaddy]

Prizes:
Have a cash option instead of a boat for TOC victories. It seems many of these boats are simply sold. Orgs post winnings in terms of money ($35,000) when a boat was won and the actual winnings are much less.
Big Fish-is big fish pay one and only big fish. If you are paying for multiple big fish then if the team with the big fish also has 2nd big fish then they should be eligible for both.
Even exposure. It sure seems like when a well known angler or a friend of the TD is the winner they get a lot more coverage.

[swimbait]

Here's my wish list:

Egg, sunny side up for breakfast. Served with toast, lightly buttered

Tri-Tip lunch, in a lunch box packed and ready for me

TD will launch my boat and get the engine warm while I sit in the truck listening to some tunes

TD will tie up all my lures for me so I don't have to get my fingers cold

TD will put the boat on the trailer and clean it after the tournament

Lazy Boy chairs to sit in during the awards, benches are so uncomfortable

Everyone will tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth about where they caught 'em and what on during the awards

What do you think Jim? If enough people chime in I'm sure I can get all this and more

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

Maybe they could get som scuba divers to put the hooks in the fishes mouths too

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

I think the one about the cash as apposed to a boat prize is going to be hard to sell. There are many reasons for this but a main one is that as sponsors of the the boat companies want to see their product as a prize.

[Fishin' Dave]

HELLO!?!?! The boat certificate is how they make their $$$ They collect enough $$ then pay back BASED on the RETAIL value of the boat. So check it out; collected lots of $$, paid out $35k for first, but Ranger or who ever sold the boat to the org at cost or less for the sponsorship exposure. So potentially, there is an easy $10k to the tournament org. Which I have no problem with because this is America and you have a right to make $$ and if people are willing to pay, you are a good businessman.

[Mark Hiser]

Well, if it were my Org I would do a few things different than some.

1. I wouldn't discuss my payback percentage with anglers, if you like the payback- fish, if you don't- don't enter. My books are only for inspection by my accountant and the IRS.

2. My sponsors would be introduced. Thats what their paying for.

3. My pairings would be quick and timely. If your talking and creating a hearing problem for others you would be D.Qed right then and there. Pairings would be posted right after the draw, in case you missed something.

4. Only pertinent rules for the body of water fished would be reviewed. All entrants would recieve a copy of the current rules. As tournament director [and owner], I alone would make any and all decisions that needed to be made.

5. The prize amount would be disclosed at the start of the pairings.
no late fees, no late entry's.

6. Weigh-ins would be done as quickly as possible, with the weights displayed for each and every angler, for all to see.

7. Blast off would be a matter of calling the boat, having it pass the inspection point and letting it go, if your not in the proper position, go out last. This is simple, if your out early, be up front. If your not get out of the way.

8. Protests would be done immediately after the weigh-in, and any protest found to be frivoulous? would result in the protester being DQed.

9. Option money would be posted, who entered, and who won.

10. There would be an off limits period.

11. There would be a Polygraph for the winner[s], and big fish. at every tournament. 1st question would be " did you or your partner violate the off limits policy?"

12. You would not have to be there to collect your money, unless you won or had big fish.

13. The rules would apply equally to everyone, with the same consequences for everyone.

14. There would be a Membership Fee. Hey I ain't gonna do this for free

15. Now I know why I'm gonna fish events, and not run them. What a thankless, and unrewarding occupation. My hats off to all those that choose to run it, instead of fish it.

Mark HIser

[Gator]

Jim - I will have to respectfully disagree with you on point #2 & #3.

Sponsors make these events happen. sponsors want their name/brand put in front of people as much as possible. If they cut it to banners only, I'd be willing to be that some sponsors would drop.

As for tournament officials, I would like to know who they are. Some of us do not have your many years of tournament fishing with all these org's and it is good to know who to go to in the event of needing more information.

#1 is kind of iffy. I'd reather have the rules gone over than take a chance on a DQ for something I may not have read.

4-5-6 - Absolutely.

Also, I'd like to see, as was stated in earlier threads, open books. Show me where my money goes.

[Noluk]

Well I am going to offer a different perspective. In a moment of questionable sanity, I agreed to be a tournament director this year. I wish now that I had not. AND I haven't even had my first tournament. Best case scenario, my wife and I get to spend 10-12 hours running the tournaments on a weekend day for 2-3 dollars an hour apiece. That is if we get a decent draw. Worst case, I lose money. Every tournament has expenses. DFG draws, lake fees (100.00 per event in my region) trophies or plaques and a staff boat (also mandatory in my region), and a small amount for the tournament director and his orginization. After all two boats and cash for 3-10 have to come from somewhere at the TOC. If your using sponsers to increase angler paybacks and awards (notice angler payback not TD) then you need to do everything you can to promote that sponser so he will continue to support your anglers. If anyone thinks it is easy to generate sponser dollars, try walking around the next tournament and asking someone else to pay your entry fees. Make sure you tell them that you will not be paying em back and won't even say thank you. And the true beauty of it is that people who were your friends before you ran tournaments are going to pop up on a forum and attack your morals and character based on what they think the payback should be.....

I see both sides of the fence now and it is a tough road. I am going to be running a historically small trail and every tournament I put on, I will LOSE money from my pocket if I don't draw 15 or more boats. I did it because I love fishing and I like the fisherman. I am building a website just for my trail and to feature the anglers who fish it. ( www.acdvl.com ) Not an advertisment for the site as it is largely unfinished. So what do I want to see from tournaments?

I want to see anglers bring someone new to a tournament. Maybe a friend bought a boat and wants to get into the sport. Bring him out to a tournament and introduce him around.

I want to see genuine happiness when someone wins. Especially if it is their first win. Sometimes it takes a few years to get your day in the sun. Enjoy it while your there.

I want people to follow the rules and be safe. I want my trail to be a friendly place. I want my anglers to like each other and say hi to each other not gather in small cliques afraid to talk for fear that someone else may figure out what they are doing.

I want each tournament to be a celebration of a country and lifestyle that permits us to gather on an early morning and do something we love together. Fish. I want anglers to welcome new anglers and make them feel wanted without having to earn a place etc.

And lastly, I want anglers to show up at a tournament and be glad they are there doing something they wanted to do. First or last place... enjoy yourself, try hard and remember you are ding something you love to do.

Now I guess everyone can see why I question my own sanity and especially question my sanity for agreeing to be a tournament director. After all, how many anglers would actually want any of my goals.

[Brian Linehan]

[Lance]

Jim,

I think your talking about tournys up in your area. I cant think of a TD down here that doesnt bust his hind end to make things flow as smoothly as possable. Ron C, JB, Ray L, CJ, Brian Linehan and Hutch & Co are all people that have given me nothing but good times. The last thing I’m going to do is request that their job becomes harder and more time consuming. These guys give up alot for very little in return, receive phone calls ALL day and are pulled from their family even more. There the first to arrive and the last to leave and in most cases they don't get to fish. The above mentioned have my total respect and a move from “entitledâ€

[allbelac]

Well said. I have not been a TD for any circut, but have been for our company outing. It can be a fun and rewarding, but there is always those who have to question everything. I have much respect for all of those that put these events together with little or no issues.

There will always be those that complain, either about payout, turnout, blastoff time, etc.... but the more of us that stay positive and just have fun, the better off everyone will be.

[fishwithwill]

*NM*