I'm not sure I understand why some people get wound up in what lakes tournaments are scheduled on. I was looking at the post about solo tournaments; it seems like this format is the worst about lake choices.

Some don't like tournaments that start the series on Lake X and some don't like that there is more than one tournament on a lake in the series.

It seems to me as a tournament angler if you're going to compete in a series, you compete against the lake and the other anglers. If it's Lake Cisco, Tradinghouse, Rayburn, or Ray Roberts; why does it matter? You can either compete or don't go, but for an person to say "I'm out if this lake is on the schedule" or that lake is on there, to me, makes you either a non-competitor or you just want the deck stacked in your favor, ie: your home lake!

If you have to cherry pick the schedule to the point of complaining about what lakes then you probably don't have much confidence in your ability and shouldn't be entering tournaments.

I like my chances regardless of where I am because I have caught fish everywhere I've fished, maybe not a winning stringer on any given day but I can catch fish. I like the challenge of an unfamiliar lake or catching fish in another guys home lake. It's all fishing and competing!!!

So, why the drama over a schedule before it's even on paper?

I won't lie. I like certain lakes at certain times of the year because I have historically done better at that time, on that lake. If a circuit lines up with that, it's better for me.
I also look at how far I have to drive and overnight stays when I look at a schedule.

With that said, I fish because I enjoy the competitive format not because I'm using it to pay bills. Cash a couple of checks a year and I call it good.

I think that sums it up...Money and success would be the big factors.

Some lakes just aren't as good as others. Even though everybody is competing on the same lake, it's just not as enjoyable to me. Prefishing on a tough lake,even though it is challenging, isn't that attractive to me.

I basically don't like a tournament that's not on my home lake. Obviously I stand the best chance to win on it, so why would I want to travel somewhere else to reduce my odds?

People want to fish where they think they can win. If you plan it on a lake where more people think they can be #1, more people will sign up. Plan it somewhere they are less competent and they sign up less. You can't make everyone happy but it is certainly within any organization's best interest to draw as many anglers as possible so worthy of consideration outside the random complaint here and there which is unavoidable.

I would imagine local golf tournaments might be similar. Any high level competitor anywhere in the country would be expected to be amazing on their home course, but on an unknown course or one they play once a year? It's sporting competition where it is literally you vs. the environment 1 on 1, to compare to everyone else and see who did the best against said environment. Of course people care which location they wind up at as it directly impacts the outcome a lot of times.

An example even at the top competitive level might be Ike on the Delaware... there was a ton of fuss around that tournament location, and in the end no one seemed much surprised for the hometown local to take the W on it either. So with events like that at the highest level of competition ruffling some feathers a bit, you can certain imagine local sticks holding tight to their few preferred bodies of water local to them. "Un"fortunately for Texans, that means a LOT of local water bodies and a lot of fishermen who are going to prefer one locale to another a LOT of the time.

it's mostly people that don't fish anyways doing the complaining on the internet

Its fine to feel that way, as long as you don't turn around and complain about other lakes. If you choose to only fish your home lake then don't fish a trail

I dont mind fishing almost any lake except Texoma.

I like tournaments on good lakes that are fun to fish...as in most people catch quite a few fish most of the time. I mainly fish for fun and for a sense of accomplishment if I happen to win, not because I am trying to make money. If I go to a lake and fish hard all day to get three or four bites and weigh in one or two fish that's not fun to me. I can get all the work I want at my work, and it pays a lot better than fishing.

I also prefer 14-inch minimum lakes as opposed to slot lakes or 18-inch minimum lakes. Both of those tend to turn into either big bass tournaments...or biggest little fish tournaments.

I don't have a home lake. In fact, I like to fish a lot of different lakes. Lee Trevino said a long time ago there are lots of guys who can shoot in the 60s on their home course. The mark of a top golfer is the one who can do it on a lot of courses.

My motto is.... anywhere... anytime.... let's get it on.

To the OP,

It's pretty simple, most people dont like getting their A$$ handed to them.

I fish to have fun. I have never and will never use it for anything else of course because if I did i would need to sell my homes and everything I own because very few, maybe less than 2 or 3% can actually make what I consider a good living doing it. That being said, I only fish one trail (Champs - North) and for the most part I could care less which lakes they pick. That being said, if the entire schedule changed to lakes I don't normally enjoy fishing like Chambers or Texoma, I might consider not fishing it. It's not like I'm even good on the lakes we do fish but since I only do this to have fun I wouldn't want to fish lakes I don't enjoy fishing.