USAC Announces Pro-Am Pairings

[Bill Cook]

We are trying something new at USAC in order to help our pro-am anglers. We have set up a pairings sheet that will enable you to see the status of sign-ups for our pro-ams in the weeks preceeding the event. Our Oroville sheet is up and running today and will be updated every couple of days until the event. Please understand that this is a new endeavor for us and it may not be perfect right away. Go to http://www.anglerschoice.com/pairings-oroville-2011.htm to see the initial sheet. We currently have 28 pro anglers signed up and look forward to a great event. We also are going to have extended coverage of our top 5 pros and ams in BassWest magazine and I am currently testing my video capabilities (which appear to be limited) so we can get some on the water footage.

Look for more to come and let us know what you think.

Bill Cook
USAC Pro-Am Tournament Director

[Robert F]

Cool idea. Looks like some of the Co's need to nut up and bring out the boat. That lake is so fun.

[RougeBass]

Great idea Bill!

[McLovin]

Cool idea. Looks like some of the Co's need to nut up and bring out the boat. That lake is so fun.

Is it really about (NUTTING UP) OR is it about being able to come up with all the extra money it takes to fish the pro side. In most cases the only difference between a pro and a AM is how much money you can afford to gamble.

[Robert F]

Is it really about (NUTTING UP) OR is it about being able to come up with all the extra money it takes to fish the pro side. In most cases the only difference between a pro and a AM is how much money you can afford to gamble.

I agree with some of what you are saying jess. Unfortunately the event needs to balance and Oroville is a perfect lake for a tweener to make their boater debut. Shared weight really favors a boater in controlling your destiny. Fishing the back of a shared weight is about paying to learn and playing the lottery. AC or WON are great places for advancing skills on both sides.

[McLovin]

(TWEENER) I resemble that remark . I wanted to go to the front this year but now that its time to write the check Iam having second thoughts. $1000 is a lot to gamble.

[RougeBass]

Hey Robert F. I just got a phone call from a 19 year old kid who was talking to me about signing up as an AM for this event, he just read this post and said "It is not worth it if the Pro's think the AM's are Tweener's or are only AM's because they don't have the nuts to fish as a Pro". He told me for this year he will stick with his club. I just hope when i take him to the ISE show and he can talk to some real Pros he will change his mind. Just thought you should know.

[ricky]

Well, I would tell the youngster that every pro got their start somewhere.

I had a very well known pro tell me that the only difference between a pro and an am is the guy that is smart enough to pay less money and stupid to pay more. This was after I caught all the fish during a shared weight tournament when I was 18.

If his goal is to learn he should know that Brent Ehrler, Jimmy Reese, and several other well known "pros" all started out in the back of the boat. All were right around his age...give or take....

[Robert F]

Hey Robert F. I just got a phone call from a 19 year old kid who was talking to me about signing up as an AM for this event, he just read this post and said "It is not worth it if the Pro's think the AM's are Tweener's or are only AM's because they don't have the nuts to fish as a Pro". He told me for this year he will stick with his club. I just hope when i take him to the ISE show and he can talk to some real Pros he will change his mind. Just thought you should know.

Hey Rogue, I said SOME of those AM's. Not every one. Obviously if he doesn't feel comfortable with the front he is not a tweener. From the pairings list it looks like they are getting close to what will show as boaters. If some of those AM's that do have experience move up then new AM's have room to jump in. Soon enough the shared weights are drawing 100 plus boats again. As it looks right now your buddy is not getting in with that many AM's waiting. Wouldn't it be better to make room for new participants like the kid? A tweener is not EVERY AM.

[scott h]

I hate to un-hijack this thread but I have a question on the parings.Is that pairings list representitive of actual fishing pairs or is it just a list of confirmed pros and cos?

[JT-Madera]

Good Idea Bill..I believe it will give everyone the feel of how things developed on your end...it is odd to me when I hear all the naysayers attempt to drag everything down and find fault instead of offering help.. this internet can be a force for good...if the negative people would learn to keep a cork in their hole..

This schedule is great for timing the best fishing at each event location, if my health were just a little better I would be right in there..

good luck Bill and USAC

JT-Madera

[swordfish]

The confirmed list of anglers is just whos in, signed up, the draw happens later.

[barse41]

Bill, maybe you can post a date and time last updated on the list?

[Bill Cook]

Great idea Nick. I added a date to the form.
Thanks,
Bill