I know this is about tournaments but more people will see it here. Bud Light Trail listened to everyones concern about the multiple division problems. Go check out the new revised schedule for 2012 on their website. www.budlighttrail.com . I'll see yall at the Waco division.

Can they do something about their website?

Their website is confusing and hard to navigate and figure out.

You got that right. Number one reason why I never go to their web site.

No lie..What a beating.

I'm am wanting to make the jump to BLT but
they scheduled the regional Champoinship on
09/23/12 Tawakoni West Tawakoni
City Park REGION CHAMPIONSHIP - $10,000

This is the same weekend as McDonalds on Fork. I can see some of the Fork division on Fork that weekend. I know that's where I'll be. It's good that they addressed the MAJOR champoinship issue but this is still a MAJOR conflict for me. I know you can't please everyone...that's life. Ray Bob is the only other Championship I could Fish. At least they're listening, that's a good pattern. Bought a Legend and can't quite make it fit to take advantage of their Advantage Program.

Rmax

I understand moving a tournament for low water. Changing the championship after the fact, is just another black mark againt BLT. Too wishy, washy. Just shows they don't plan things out very well. Given the reasons they have for moving it. With the small number of boats at their championship it wouldn't be a problem having it there.

You guys are spot on with the website too. It's bad.

Sigh. Thanks for pointing this out. Guess I am looking for a new trail to fish next year.

Also, what "angler feedback from both Corsicana and Waco divisions" drove the merge? I have fished the Corsicana division since it started and I don't remember being asked anything about merging it or whatever. Nor do I remember seeing anything around the forums or on their website asking for feedback of this type.

The only thing asked for I can see is "Should we ban the A-rig?" "Is it ok we are bringing in the BnB guys?"

You are definitely right, we can't please everyone. Someone is always unhappy for the 10 people that are happy. We are trying.

In regards to "listening to our anglers." I talked to people in three divisions (Waco, Corsicana, and Belton) about lake grouping. An overwhelming majority said they wanted the "old" Waco division (which was split into Waco and Corsicana) to come back (Chambers, Waco, and Limestone). With Limestone being out due to water level, and a lot of people asking about Whitney, we decided to go with Waco, Chambers, and Whitney. Most people from the Belton area love Belton and Stillhouse (and not Waco as much), so with the Austin area lakes being out due to water level, we added LBJ and are going back to the "original" Belton division (plus LBJ).

I am not sure what the comment about changing the championships is all about... If we need to change a date due to a conflict, we will. I think our record on trying to schedule around major tournaments is clear- if we can, and our anglers want us to, we will. It is very hard to schedule 130-140 tournaments and NOT be on top of someone else.

In regards to the website- I am working on it now. Please feel free to let me know what you want changed and I will try to facilitate. We have to keep seperate division pages due to sponsors, but other than that, I am open to doing whatever everyone wants. One thing that might help is to email me (chris.davis@usabasstrails.com) or call/text me (214-616-5693) and let me know SPECIFICALLY what you are looking for or wanting on the website. We are more than willing to change things so they are easier for everyone, but I need to know specifically, not just "it's confusing." I hope everyone understands that.

Chris Davis

Scott, I asked people at every tournament I was at (almost all of them), plus took a ton of phone calls and emails about it. While the forum is a good place to ask people their opinions, there are a lot of people on here that don't even fish tournaments, but always have a lot to say about how they should be run. We are more interested in the opinions of the poeple that are actually fishing with us.

I hope everyone understands.

~Chris

What exactly are you talking about with us being too wishy washy? I am totally confused by your comment. We had to change the dates of some of our championships in 2012 because of our new Bass-n-Bucks merger. How in the world could changing a tournament a YEAR from now make us wishy washy and bad planners?

~Chris

Rmax,

We still have a year before the tournament. We will look at available weekends and try to change the tournament date so we are not on top of anyone else. I hope this will allow you to fish with us.

~Chris

Well, I won't argue about where the feedback came from and who it benefits, but I will say that you didn't really "merge" the two. You eliminated one and threw a bone out in hopes of attracting the rest of the division. If Limestone is out, and since you already had Cedar Creek on that schedule, a change that made more sense would have been to split Corsicana between RC and CC. The Waco division already had Waco covered and Whitney could have been added there. But that's just my opinion.

I still like BLT and enjoy the trail, there is just nothing there now that fits my constraints. So, I'll be moving on unless something changes between now and then.

Good luck

Scott,

I really hope you decide to keep fishing with us, but if BLT doesn't align with what you are looking for, then it makes sense to not fish with us. I hope you will reconsider.

In 2010, the Waco division was:
Richland Chambers - Feb 28, Mar 28 - Gander Mtn (Corsicana)
Lake Waco - Apr 25, May 23 - Airport Beach Public Ramp
Lake Limestone - Jun 27, Aug 1 - Public Ramp #2

In 2010, the Temple (Belton) division was:
Stillhouse Hollow - Jan 30, Mar 27, Apr 24 - Bell Expo Center
Belton Lake - May 22, Jun 26, Jul 31 - B.L.O.R.A

In 2011, we split the Waco division, creating the Corsicana division, and merged the Belton/Temple and (remaining) Waco divisions. After the 2011 Spring and 2011 Fall seasons, and speaking to everyone, the overwhelming majority was to bring back the original Waco division, which split the anglers when we split the division. This should be one of our largest divisions.

The majority of the people that love fishing Belton Lake told me that they also love Stillhouse, which made sense to go back to the original Temple division. Since both Travis and Buchanan have low water levels, that left LBJ all by itself with a lot of people that have told us they want to fish it. So, we added it to the Belton/Temple division.

I hope this better explains why we made the change to the Corsicana, Waco, and Belton/Temple divisions.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to email me at chris.davis@usabasstrails.com or call me at 214-616-5693.

Chris

Really Guys!!!

All these changes are next year tournaments!!! It's not like the tournament is next weekend and they changed locations or dates.

We have a serious water level issue in Texas right now and it is difficult hosting over 130 events... just imagine the logisitcs in trying to keep those dates and lakes on the books, because many of them have to be booked with an agency/Marina to host a tournament for many of these lakes months in advance.

I'm glad to see a trail that is actually, seriously, dedicated and attempting to listen to what anglers want.

Outside of the Website issues, The Bud Light Trail has made tournaments a lot simpler for anglers with trailering option, start and stop fishing at the same time for everyone and just be in line with fish by 4:00. Polygraphs are administered at nearly all events. How much easier can it be?

Much easier than having to wait in long lines at a single launch point and having to wait in flights for a drive-by livewell check that has never caught a single angler cheating by having a fish in the live well.I've been there and frustrated just like you when your in a late flight waiting to get on pad and to your spot.

Come on... the livewell check practice should be discontinued in ALL Trails, it serves no purpose in todays tournament process. If someone is going to cheat... those fish are somewhere else and we all know that.

Bud Light Trail has and is making investments in fish care procedures that have already made significant impacts to the way many other trails handle fish and the Bud Light Trail cannot be matched with the success of their Live release process by any other trail. The staff of Bud Light Trail are trained in fish care and handling by the Texas State Fish Hatchery.

If their schedule doesn’t match your schedule then that is not due to the fact that they didn't try...

I like the Bud Light Trail tournament philosophy and procedure...That's why I am one of their Tournament Directors and Emcee's.

Sorry for the long write... but Really guys... the same could be said for other trails that have had to make changes.

I fished 2 BLTs this past season and thought it was really well ran. They really are listening to the anglers. At both of them they were going around asking what we liked and didnt like about the trail. Keep up the good work BLT! See yall in the 2012 season.

I got 2 things the ft.worth divison on feb.19 is the same weekend as the classic witch is no big deal casue I wont be here for it and I hate whitney anyways, sencond is the trail was moved from Sat to Sun. and the March tournament on RayBob is the same day as the Media on RayBob. Just some things to consider

I'm with Cokeman... Should of done Chambers and CC together and added Whitney to the Waco division. I guess they did what works best for them though. Guess I'll be looking for a different trail again. Sure hope that another Corsicana trail comes back when the lakes feel back up.
Justin

I like BLT.....

The guys running it do care and want to put the absolute best product out there for the fisherman. I have fished plenty of their events and highly recommend their trail to anyone. The worst thing they do is ask for opinions because every whiner in the woodpile comes out to give their .02 about everything. BLT still listens and addresses their concerns and complaints. They even go so far as answering them on an open forum! That's a pretty strong commitment as most tournament organizations turn a deaf ear to complaints on a public platform.

Keep up the good work guys and we'll see you in 2012.

Well said and I agree 100 percent.

I navigate thru the website on my 4" smartphone with no issues... your Rayburn division is ran very well in my opinion and I like the Top Ten leaderboard marquee that y'all have. Looking forward to your Big Thicket division next year. Keep up the good work!!!

The website seems to be having some issues today, but I beleive it is because... Chris is working on it trying to make it function better...!

I'm going to fish BLT for the first time this year. I've heard good things and I'm looking forward to it!

I can already see that some changes have been made to the website - Chris, I like the way you have changed the schedule so that you can sort by lake, region, etc. The header there also makes it easier to get to your division page much faster.

We fished BLT this year (region 2) and will again next year. All good - nice guys - no complaints.

BLT is a good circuit and a nice change of pace from BassChamps. I don't feel rushed all the time having to make a check-in or draw a number. I fish both circuits and its a good change of pace. The payouts are good and the TD's are very helpful. I like how they display the cut-off weights to see if you get a check, so you don't have to wait around for two hours after weigh-in. I like the lakes they fish for most of the regions. Chris and everyone associated with the cicuit are really good guys and will answer any questions you have.

Just a few suggestions concerning the BnB merger and the championship. I wouldn't just fish Toledo or Rayburn each year. I would move the lake around the state each year for the Grand Championship. Yes, there are going to be locals at every lake, but at least if you move the lake around for the championship it makes it fair for everyone involved. I like Rayburn and Toledo as much as the next guy, but it would "behoove" BLT to have the grand championship at a different lake every year. I understand that most of the entries will come from the East regions, but everyone still has to qualify.

Thats it really, looking forward to 2012!