Would this work here?

[Gary Dobyns]

Brand new circuit launched and filled in 6 days. There were lots of guys saying it would not work but it filled quickly. It's set up to get guys to travel to different bodies of water. Schedule is not the best times because they dodged all the major events. Lots of thought went into this and it's a homerun.

Would it work here? We have the bodies of water and anglers to pull it off. Thoughts?

http://www.platinumteamtrail.com/

http://www.platinumteamtrail.com/Regist ... 20List.htm

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubb ... /9143414/1

[robertthornton]

I would rather see a Pro-Am circuit with the same entry but a different payout structure. 130% payout to the Pros and 70% to the Ams. $500 entry each. Plus a $200 membership to the Pros and a $100 membership to the Ams, that will slow down the cherry picking and still allow there to be at least a $30,000+ gross profit for the year. There is always plenty of Ams, and if you guarantied entry to the Pros by signing with a Am, then I'm sure the field would fill. Who wouldn't pay $500 for basically a 2 or 3 day guided trip with a chance to win $10,000. Plus it will make the guys on the back step up to the front. I think the 1 and 6 payout is better. We as anglers when signing up for a tournament are not thinking,"Man if I can come in 20th I can get my money back". I think the key is to build a big enough and consistent enough tournament and worry about the sponsors after the concept has been proven. Most businesses do not make a huge profit the first year. I'm sure eventually that 1st place money for the Pro and Ams would turn into full size boat and a small boat. I'm sure there is a boat company out there that would let you buy down 2 boats for $35,000 Wouldn't that be cool 4 or 5 chances a year to win a boat for $500 a tournament. Just my thoughts on how to get a more lucrative circuit.


Pro ------------Am
1. 25,000 1. 10,000
2. 10,000 2. 6,000
3. 6,000 3. 4,000
4. 4,000 4. 2,500
5. 3,000 5. 2,000
6. 2,000 6. 1,500
7. 2,000 7. 1,000
8. 2,000 8. 1,000
9. 1,750 9. 1,000
10. 1,750 10. 1,000
11. 1,500 11. 1,000
12. 1,500 12. 1,000
13. 1,500 13. 1,000
14. 1,500 14. 1,000
15, 1,500 15. 1,000

[Gene Buchholz]

Good question Gary I wish it would. The two day format is a great concept.

[Noluk]

I think we know the answer unfortunately. No, I do not think it will work if working equals 100 boats. We struggle to pull 100 boats in the top tier pro-ams. Most of the top teams are going to be those same boaters and their favorite fishing partner. (Or even worse it is going to be two of those boaters pairing up together as 1 team) A common problem is we let our personal desires cloud our vision. There are some circuits that are growing but since many "pro's" hate semi-pro trails (mostly because they can't get into them and thus make money off them) they continue to overlook the reality that many people are not willing to donate 300 bucks for a weekend team event, let alone 1000.00. Down south here there was great participation in Angler's Marine customer events. You had to buy your boat from Anglers to fish yet they drew great numbers (50ish) in their inaugural year. Low entry and lots of fun brings people to events.

[mark poulson]

I think we know the answer unfortunately. No, I do not think it will work if working equals 100 boats. We struggle to pull 100 boats in the top tier pro-ams. Most of the top teams are going to be those same boaters and their favorite fishing partner. (Or even worse it is going to be two of those boaters pairing up together as 1 team) A common problem is we let our personal desires cloud our vision. There are some circuits that are growing but since many "pro's" hate semi-pro trails (mostly because they can't get into them and thus make money off them) they continue to overlook the reality that many people are not willing to donate 300 bucks for a weekend team event, let alone 1000.00. Down south here there was great participation in Angler's Marine customer events. You had to buy your boat from Anglers to fish yet they drew great numbers (50ish) in their inaugural year. Low entry and lots of fun brings people to events.

X2 There aren't enough boaters down here to support it, and the economy is still too bad for $1000 entry fees.
Maybe up north, but not down here.

[Rick G]

I think we know the answer unfortunately. No, I do not think it will work if working equals 100 boats. We struggle to pull 100 boats in the top tier pro-ams. Most of the top teams are going to be those same boaters and their favorite fishing partner. (Or even worse it is going to be two of those boaters pairing up together as 1 team) A common problem is we let our personal desires cloud our vision. There are some circuits that are growing but since many "pro's" hate semi-pro trails (mostly because they can't get into them and thus make money off them) they continue to overlook the reality that many people are not willing to donate 300 bucks for a weekend team event, let alone 1000.00. Down south here there was great participation in Angler's Marine customer events. You had to buy your boat from Anglers to fish yet they drew great numbers (50ish) in their inaugural year. Low entry and lots of fun brings people to events.

The one thing I noticed on the guys already signed up for the Platinum events are alot of notable long time pro's that have teamed up for that circuit. My guess is there are just more back there then here so it will work in Texas and the midwest. The Anglers Marine Cust Appreciation Trail drew, 83, 70, 60 and 113 boats for the 4 events we ran. The entry is affordable, it pays 100% back in all divisions, keeps the Professional Team guys from the average weekender's money, has a great prize at the end and we make it fun. Personally Kyle and I would fish a team trail like that if it fit the schedule. Rick G.

[PHENSON]

I don't speak up much on here but this is making me speak up. Semi pro events are not what they used to be. They are destroying tournament fishing out here. I started in a semi pro league won angler of the year and was forced to move up. Also look at the Snag Proof with the am division they would of paid more spots if we just meet in the middle with the entry fees and make it a true open. It used to be an honor to go fish against the guys in the pro teams. Like any sport you get better when you compete against people with more experience. I don't mind paying the higher entry fees as long as there is participation. If lowering entry fees means more boats then that's the direction we should go. Going and paying 300 for a team tournament that draws 14 boat is retarded but then the next week semi pro events draw over 100 on the same body of water. There are names in these semi pro events that should not be there. If it stays this way I will just take a break for a few years and then come back and enter as a semi pro. We need a circuit that has off limits also. Not all of can pre fish for 2 weeks or live on those bodies of water. I can sit here and go on and on but I will stop venting!

AND FOR WHAT GARY IS ASKING YES I THINK IT WOULD WORK I WOULD BE IN AS LONG AS I NEW WE WOULD HAVE CLOSE TO A FULL FIELD

Preston

[JKumarbass]

Could it start with 50 boats in Cali, maybe start it on 2-3 water bodies? Would love to see it happen...even though I live on the other coast!

[robertthornton]

How many boats did Lucus Oil draw at Clear Lake. There is your answer.

[bassmeout]

Sorry but it will not work, 1k entry means another $600.00 of pre fishing gas - lodging - food - baits + truck gas. The real entry is 2 or 2.5k. If you do that 4 or 5 times a year for a guy who has a family that's a lot of disposable income - this numbers are not including the time he is loosing at work.

[scott h]

I think the OHI pro-ams would work, with bass and Flw not coming out west..............lower the entries to 300/100. It is a disposable income/economy problem, the monopoly money from inflated home values is gone its all about working harder for less money, you want to draw boats lower the entries, guys want to fish but simply can not afford it and its harder to take time off work due to the fact that we are making less money and could loose a job for taking to much time off, I want to fish so bad I can't stand it but I have to back off because I still do not have the extra money I had five years ago, pay cuts, furlough and inflation I just can not afford to fish, lower the entries and take sign up pairs I'm in.the tourney orgs are missing the boat here, listen to the anglers =draw more boats. And as far as "semi-pro" circuits, they would be ok if they actually were just that, a platform for guys to get basic tourney experience and move up..........

[blkdog812]

gary, it will never work here. there just isnt the support. look what happened when you tried it. you saw the lack of support you got from the pro anglers, i dont think anything has changed, do you

[Gary Dobyns]

Well, not many guys think it'd work here and honestly...probably right too. Many guys did not think it'd work in TX either for all of the same reasons...but it did work.

I thought this was worth posting because we definitely need a shot in the arm tournament wise. There's just not the excitement as in years past. I'll let everyone here know how it goes with Platinum Trail. I signed up for all of them and I'm confirmed.

FLW, is coming back and they have some ideas for changes that are better. Some still in the works. We should hear something in a week or so.

[mark poulson]

Good luck in Texas.

[RipnRog]

I really really really wish FLW would bring their BFL's here... I remember fishing the Redman trail years back and that was just plain fun and affordable.....

[Caudawg]

I really really really wish FLW would bring their BFL's here... I remember fishing the Redman trail years back and that was just plain fun and affordable.....

x 2!!

[bass king]

"FLW, is coming back and they have some ideas for changes that are better. Some still in the works. We should hear something in a week or so."

Hopefully they change the co-angler 5 rod limit rule. Make it 7 or 8 if you want to limit it.

[MikeSouza]

It's going to be a great trail. Wish I had the time to fish it, being the 3rd event is on my home lake(Texoma). There is a lot of heavy hitters signed up in this trail and some stacked teams.

I believe since they limited the field to 100 teams, it helped fill up so quickly. Guys knew if they wanted to fish it, they had to sign up quick or they'd lose their chance.

[blkdog812]

with the lack of support of our west coast pro's and especially all the small event turn outs, BFL and all the similar big named events wont come out because there is just not the support and lack of large fields that they need to make it profitable. most of those eastern guys wont travel out here because it is not worth it for the low pay outs. until we fix the broken pro circuits, it just isnt going to happen