okay now I am confused!

[Rich hamilton]

BASS Southern: full 1/22/2009
With the recent contraction in the Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, many BassFans have wondered how the Bassmaster Opens will fare this year. The news is good there. The season kicks off next week with the Harris Chain Southern, and according to BASS, there are 192 confirmed pros for the event, with about 20 more on the waiting list.

It's also worth noting that the first Stren of the year, the Falcon Texas Stren, was overbooked with 203 boats.


Comment on this item.

[sean alarid]

I have a few friends I talk to in Texas, Alabama and Florida and they say all there big Pro Am and pro tournaments back there are packed. I don't think it has anything to do about being on the Elite Series or the FLW tour. There are a lot of local pros out there.

[100%BASS]

Rich: it really is simply....in texas and surrounding southern states the cost of living is simply alot cheaper. Try this....My son's house(purchased new) is less that 2 years old, 3500 sq ft brick home, on 1/2 acre of land. less than 30 miles from downtown dallas. can you say cheap. while this house today would still be over $400,000 in norcal, it is less than $200,000 in Royse City. on top of that...gas $1.10 a gallon. There are many other examples of how cheap it is to live in the south. Yet, for those who make a decent wage, say $60,000 a year(IT professional, business owners, medical professional, etc) fishing tournaments is easy. $60,000 a year in norcal is barely scraping by if you want to fish anything more than a amature event and still support a family, forget it. on top of all of this, fishing is a way of life in the south, while on the west coast, for most it is a hobbie. I could go on for hours but the truth is this, it is just different is california and you pay a high price to live there.
enjoy it if you like or think about alternatives. eithe way, tight lines and see y'all in february.

bob

[Joe]

Richie Rich,

Bob is correct! We are seriously considering the Del Rio area after I retire from the County. Its isolated, but has a AF base nearby and the houses are ridiculous cheap and the fishing is AWESOME!! We love California, but you pay the price plus some.

Joe

[jrbasspro]

Joe
the wife and I will see you in about 10 years. The cost of livin in Cali is way to damn high to bother and retire in this state.

[Joe]

Will be waiting for you! I'll have some good areas scoped out on Amistad by then.

Joe

[Hollywood]

I was just in the DFW area a week ago. Gas was no where near 1.10$/gal

Race trac was the cheapest at 1.64 a gallon.

The bass opens fill up every year.
Last year I was #118 on the waiting list fir the southerns and #67 in the central.

There cost of living is low but so is there wages for the most part.

Rich: it really is simply....in texas and surrounding southern states the cost of living is simply alot cheaper. Try this....My son's house(purchased new) is less that 2 years old, 3500 sq ft brick home, on 1/2 acre of land. less than 30 miles from downtown dallas. can you say cheap. while this house today would still be over $400,000 in norcal, it is less than $200,000 in Royse City. on top of that...gas $1.10 a gallon. There are many other examples of how cheap it is to live in the south. Yet, for those who make a decent wage, say $60,000 a year(IT professional, business owners, medical professional, etc) fishing tournaments is easy. $60,000 a year in norcal is barely scraping by if you want to fish anything more than a amature event and still support a family, forget it. on top of all of this, fishing is a way of life in the south, while on the west coast, for most it is a hobbie. I could go on for hours but the truth is this, it is just different is california and you pay a high price to live there.
enjoy it if you like or think about alternatives. eithe way, tight lines and see y'all in february.

bob

[100%BASS]

hollywood... a visit to dallas does not tell the whole picture. while some wages are low, people who fish big time tournaments are usually in higher paying jobs and their money goes alot futher than you think.. my son filled up yesterday and he paid $1.40. I misunderstood the info he gave me( I appologize). not $1.10.. that being said, i called the other one and he is paying less than $1.50 for regular in rockwall county 30 miles east of dallas. the housing info is dead on and food is alot cheaper also. i hope y'all enjoy the weather, because that is most of the appeal of the coast, and i cant argue with that. have a good day and keep a tight line.

bob

[Rich hamilton]

great to hear from you folks.

I agree with what you are saying. there was a price point in certain states that looked as or more expensive than cali as early as last year. (say the Cary area of NC) or the cost of living in oregon and or nevada.
At that point I stopped dreaming of the pot of gold (cheap living somewhere else). My entire family migrated from the bay area back and forth to out of state areas and then back again to cali and I thought I might fall into the same/pattern/trap. maybe folks get to the point where they are confident to pull the plug and deal with any unknowns. most of the things I like doing here in cali are either too expensive or sold out!

I guess I should start looking again!

[Hollywood]

hollywood... a visit to dallas does not tell the whole picture. while some wages are low, people who fish big time tournaments are usually in higher paying jobs and their money goes alot futher than you think.. my son filled up yesterday and he paid $1.40. I misunderstood the info he gave me( I appologize). not $1.10.. that being said, i called the other one and he is paying less than $1.50 for regular in rockwall county 30 miles east of dallas. the housing info is dead on and food is alot cheaper also. i hope y'all enjoy the weather, because that is most of the appeal of the coast, and i cant argue with that. have a good day and keep a tight line.

bob

Bob,

Same goes for the guys that fish the bigger events out here. They are usually in a higher paying job than the guys who are not fishing them. But you are right about food at the market being cheaper. But fuel isn't much different. I wont disagree on the housing. I saw some beautiful big homes for next to nothing.

[Joe]

Richie,

California has great fishing and weather, no doubt about it. I basically moved back here after the AF because of those two things. I started thinking some years back of how I wanted to live after I quit working. Did I just want to get by each month or live in an area that I could actually afford to have money left over for the real things we want to do. Unless this state changes, we are most likely headed out of here to some new challenges. You and your wife Val are always welcome to visit also. Take care ,

Joe