That is awesome the kids make a little scratch, what did the winners from this past weekend win?

How much was the winning check last week?

Not quite sure where TX spec got his info but I have never been on the board of setx. I have posted in previous years how well things have done but I will say it again for the last time what I posted was my experience.

The winners got $1000 each plus a few goodies.

Entry fee is $40 per boat and if I'm not mistaking, they hold some of the money back for scholarships that are awarded throughout the year and at the championship.

Sounds like a well run tournament with lots of incentives for the students. I'm hoping we'll get to fish some or all of of the series next year. It's our (Magnolia) first year and I was a little nervous about such large tournaments. We just don't have any students with boats which has been our biggest challenge. I really like the fact they get something tournament day also, big incentive for the students fishing.

ALL tournament organizations (that aren't charities) are set up to make money or attempt to, including the college and high school properties. To say otherwise simply isn't correct. To be clear I'm all for tournament organizers making money.

SETX is not set up for anyone to make money except the kids that fish the events. 100% of what we collect is paid out at each event. Nobody on the Board of Directors or an Officer of the organization is getting paid to be there. We aren't even reimbursing ourselves for our expenses to be there...which I personally think is crazy.

That's a pretty sweet prize!!


Congrats

We fished it, I thought it went very smooth...especially considering how many teams there were. From the time we pulled up to Umphrey to the time they were done weighing in might've been 30 minutes.

Best tournament organization out there. We are on our 3rd year with SETX and have ZERO complaints, well run from start to finish.

I have been to and no a few guys that captain for students that fish the SETX tournaments. I think they are a well run organization for tournaments. The only issue that I personally have is that (and this not just SETX) students have to be part of a high school team or club. The rules state that 7th and 8th graders are allowed to participate. However if your district will not allow 7th and 8th graders to participate then you are basically just screwed. I fill like these tournament trails for student anglers need to either drop the 7th-8th grade all together or make it so the districts have to open it up for the 7th-8th grade anglers. As a parent and angler I can't not understand why the districts don't allow younger students to fish. If you allow them to start out at the 7th or 8th by the time that they are in 9th a big part of the learning curve for tournament fishing etiquette is gone. That goes for there boat captains as well that new to the sport. I no nobody wants to see this taken over by UIL but with school districts and tournament organizations not on same page as anglers and parents it's just a matter of time before some school district twists the wrong parent off because Johnny wants to fish but can't cause he is in 8th grade, Rules say he can, school says no and it goes to courts and BA Bam UIL now sanctions it. Just my 2 cents.

I think it's great to let 7th and 8th graders to fish SETX.

FYI Seventh graders from SETX qualified for and fished the BASS Highschool classic in Oklahoma and represented Texas on the Bassmaster classic weigh in stage.

The curve for tournament fishing etiquette was well learned before they ever entered the first highschool tournament because they had tournament experience and success before that in Bass federation junior angler tournaments, all before highschool fishing was ever even heard of.

When you guys say the districts won't allow 7th or 8th graders who are you referring to? Our club, Magnolia High School, is solely an "after school" club run by me and my wife and any other parent that wishes to help out. We have a volunteer teacher who does the grade checks. My son started the club and this was our first year so I've been learning as we go. We fished the THSBA just because we were new and I preferred to start out with smaller tournaments. I'd like to also fish the SETX for the 2017/2018 school year.

The school itself does absolutely nothing to promote the club and will not even allow any announcements. I have had numerous parents inquire about their 7th or 8th grader and if they can fish or not. Personally, I think it would be great but only if I can get one of the parents of the 7th or 8th grader to handle that age group.

I think a lot of people, including schools, are confused. We have this same type of situation in our club, despite it being explained over and over and over and over.
Speaking for the THSBA (I don't know about SETX but understand it's the same), this program technically has NOTHING to do with the school(s). The schools don't run anything and most don't seem to acknowledge the program. THEY can't control whether a youngster fishes or not.
THSBA has rules for playing that mirror some of the UIL rules. They are not UIL rules, they are THSBA rules. The kids use the school name while fishing - which means they represent the school and should act accordingly. A lot of teams have a school employee who is a go-between for grade gathering, etc.
There is a line here that people get confused with. We have parents who call the school looking for info all the time, the school says that they don't have a fishing team......
IMO, if SETX allows 7th and 8th graders to compete in their program it is up to the parents to allow them to fish, not the school.