Our club, Houston West Bass Wranglers, is way too boater heavy. I'm sure this is an issue with many clubs.

How do other clubs recruit non-boaters?

Thanks in advance!

Advertise that you do not need a boat to join the club

Where are y'alls meetings?

most of the clubs around NTX are full and have a little room. I'm sure if you advertised that you had room...you would get people.

Wish I could send you ours. Don't mind fishing with them other than when you go back another day there they sit with someone else and you can't even fish the fish you have spent LOTS of money on hunting down. More power to all that can do this without having any hard feelings about this. I work hard to find fish and spent plenty of money and time doing so. What are your thoughts?

Yep. Sucks. It's hard to turn the boat and go the other way. But, it's what you should do. Pot licking turds.

I dont think clubs appeal to non-boaters. And too many good ole boys that are not friendly enough to spend a day with on a draw. I hear about non-boaters fishing with guys on the bigger circuits and if they are fishing piles for instance, you carolina rig all day on no structure, you fish used water all day etc. I think we have 1 non boater in our group that fishes with 2-3 guys but the rest are owners. Think you will find that with most clubs.

Why would you want them? More membership fees, ultimately donaters?

Not trying to offend, just asking, seems that for the most part they would be just that.

Kyleguest......we meet at a private spot off I10 just west of BW8.....anyone interested will get directions and phone #'s of course.

Jim

Skeeterjack....yes, as anywhere it can be an issue. Doesn't seem to be the case so much in ours. Our club is a cantankerous bunch of old guys, at 49 I'm one of the youngest members. Many are in their 60's and up and don't fish tournaments other than the club. However, we do have an awful lot of knowledge in the club. we did win the TABC championship a coupla years ago at Rayburn.

Kisndismis....For the most part we try and treat anyone in our club with respect, that means sharing running the trolling motor, spots, whatever. We aren't in it for the money....our pots are low, 20 for bag, 10 for big bass for each member. But like you said, most of our members have boats....about 15 boaters vs maybe 5 non-boaters. And I am asking for other opinions.....maybe we can't get anymore nons, but then again, maybe we can.

Jim

That is a problem with almost all clubs, because most times the non boaters become boaters. IMO the best thing to do is advertise on your club website, along with advertising at club functions, that you do not need to have a boat to be a member. The club members have to do their share of the work in recruiting the NBs as well.
You might give some sort of bonus points toward your top 6 or angler of the year for the member that recruits the most non boaters over the course of the year.

Outreach. I'll tell you, before I started looking for a boat, I had no idea there was such a thing as a bass club. If you see people bank fishing for bass, or fishing ponds, or in Kayaks and small boats, strike up a conversation!

wow a club with to many BOATERS... never hear about that, we always had the opposite...

I know for me at least, right out of college i couldnt afford a boat. I joined as a non-boater so i could learn some new lakes and get some tournament experience. I had a good experience for the most part and now am a boater in the same club looking forward to this year

Yeah I'm all for helping people learn and don't mind putting them on fish but, that don't mean you should carry and show all your buddies and other club members next tournament. I like fishing with different people but I was taught to always show respect when someone does something nice for you and that don't always mean money. We don't have that many nons but do have a few. Some don't want to show up for meetings or to help out with benifits just want to fish and that's usually the ones that do this [censored].

Thanks for all the replies.....we can only keep trying!

Jim