A little interesting information about the American Bass Anglers. http://www.drawtrail.com/Info.php

One of the few districts where Partners are paired the morning of the event. Boaters that bring their boats will be able to use them. Boater and non-boaters share locations for the day and expenses but the boaters does not give up operation of the boat. The top 500 national point holders plus 30 Active Duty Military will be invited to compete in the National Championship. If one or more of the top 500 do not accept the invitation, the remaining slots will be filled from a list of qualified anglers by points.

There will be three winning positions in the National Championship every year

�The National Champion will receive a Triton/Mercury boat package. *First place is a new Triton/Mercury Boat and Motor package + up to $7,000 Triton Gold if contingency guidelines are met.

�The National Angler of the Year will be held during the annual championship with each divisional AOY having a shot to win a 21XS Triton boat with a 250hp Mercury Pro XS Motor, also loaded with sponsor products like ODYSSEY batteries, T-H Marine Hot Foot and Jack Plate, Carlisle Tires with Blackrock wheels.

�First place Non- Boater will receive a Triton/Mercury boat package

Three ways to wins A boat in one national tournament...WOW

What if 50 boaters show up and 5 non boaters ... 5 boaters have a disadvantage?

It's a draw each tourny. Boater still has front of the boat.

Yes boater still have the front of the boat and i do not really see a disadvantage.

I agree, it sounds like it would be a huge disadvantage for the 5 guys that drew a non-boater. You need a full day of fishing, not splitting time.

Thisguy3836...I don't understand your comment "You need a full day of fishing, not splitting time". As the boater I control the boat all day, fishing my fish. I'm not spitting time, the non-boater is not allowed on the front deck except to net the boaters fish. Don't knock it till you have tried it.

I've fished a few of them. You should see the look of relief on the faces of the guys who didn't draw a co....then look at the faces of the guys who did. There's your answer.

It's really not an issue. Can be tuff day for non boater if you're cranking a bank or moving fast. I think most non boaters are begginers and prob don't know lake very good to have you split fishing spots anyways. If you're on fish I'm sure they won't have you up and leave that spot.

I have fished the aba for years as a non boater. The rest of aba the boater fish aginst boater non boater aginst non boater. Why would a non boater want to fish back seat aginst 50 boaters?

Not all trails have a lot of non boaters. I've only fished 4 but there's been I think in those 1,0,3,4 for non boaters. So you couldn't have non boaters against other non boaters. Again most are new to tournament fishing or bass fishing and in process of learning. It's a good start.

Last time I fished an ABA there were only around 25 boaters and one non boater. I drew the only non boater there was and he was fishing against me and all the other boaters. We both ended up with a strong limit and I had a few more #'s than he did but he also had a few I could of culled with. Had he not been with me I believe I would have won the tournament. We were not bank fishing, we were fishing an area of mine and the fish he caught I most definitely would have caught myself had I been alone. How was that fair ???

Sounds like a positioning issue lol. Could also look at it as you had a net man and the others didn't. I would have loved to have one to net a good fish I lost in the last one I fished

There was no way to front end the guy in the back where we were fishing ... if that was allowed, I don't know, maybe It is.

If you don't want the possibility of a co angler don't fish this. Simple.

Not trying to stir the pot but I suppose I don't understand the disadvantage of being paired with a boater or a nonboater.

no disadvantage, some people just don't like others in their boat during tournaments where they have to compete against that person. On a monthly basis, we witness a person with a non-boater win and many times a non-boater wins the whole tournament. However here is something to think about that happened in the 2016 national championship.

One regular boater blew his motor weeks before the national championship tournament, so instead of not fishing he went and fished as a non-boater. For his efforts, he won the non boater category and took home a new Triton 19TRX fully rigged with a Mercury Outboard, MotorGuide trolling motor, GARMIN electronics, and TH Marine products. A GOOD FISHERMAN IS A GOOD FISHERMAN, no matter what the boat situation is.

All I am saying is if you are interested, give the ABA a try. As fish 4 5 said..."If you don't want the possibility of a co angler don't fish this. Simple."
There are numerous tournament trails as far as the eye can see in the Texas and the local area .

This is a great opportunity for those of us that, for one reason or another, don't own a boat. I have fished this trail for the last 3 years, as a co, and have never had a problem with a boater or heard any of our boaters have a problem with their co-angler. Without trails like this, what would you suggest that we, those of us not fortunate enough to own a boat, do to be able to bass fish and compete. I also agree that this has been a great way for me to learn a lot from the more experienced boaters that I have fished with. It also allows the building of some very good friendships.