I think lake levels has a lot to do with it in west Texas. No water no tournaments.

It's like the good trails quit once the market got watered down.

They need to have more no practice tournaments. You might get a few more guys who's jobs keep them off the water till saturday entered because they feel they have a decent chance of winning.

"Just Saying"

If you fish a team trail, you are only out of $125-$150 per tournament and all expenses are cut in half, right? 1st place=A Truck or a ranger or a Tritin or a champion. Maybe $15K to $20K.

If you fish a draw tournament, you are out of $200-&300 plus expenses are all on you. 1st place is $2500-$4,000, maybe a thousand more.

Well, if you fish a draw or an individual tournament the 1st place money is not half of what the team trail is? I think a tournament trail should have their sponsors increase what they spend and the trail cut back on the entry fees. *note* the opinion of my post does not reflect the opinion of any company I may or may not represent ! Lol

You would likely see the same guys winning unless the off limits were 30 days or more. That would lower the number of entries and the sticks would still win their share. 90% of the tournaments are won by about 10 to 15% of the Teams. They are just better whether it be more effort, time or skill.

Was this a serious comment?

Spend $300.00 and try to win $100.00!

That would be a heck if a plan if there were actually any sponsors that were interested. Sponsors get very little benefit from smaller trails. Not going to be much sponsor money there.

I think its the economy, as overall fishing participation is down. the hourly mega bass events pull in good numbers but after that the numbers of rigs parked at ramps are down, and you just don't see the number of rigs being pulled down the highways. In the summer most of my fishing is night, and back in the nineties and early 2000's there would be almost the same number of boats on the water at night. this past summer it seem I had fork to myself, I think the most boats a saw on any Friday night was four, and this is in areas around Big Caney, Little Caney and Dale.

I quit "money" tournaments several years ago, after factoring prefishing costs, tournament cost (lodging, food, fuel, and entry fees) versus the potential winnings it was not worth the time away from the family. "Championships" had become a joke, no need to actually qualify, just enter all the series tournaments and you're in, the lakes chosen often favored locals, and the payouts were weak, though my partner and I did benefit on some deep payouts, it basically paid for dinner on the way home. Most boats awarded for winning were not worth keeping and the resale of the actual boat or certificate brought less than the taxable value.

For us in the TX panhandle. It is a long drive to fish most trails.
Take a trail like Bass Champs. We drive at least 6 to 7 hrs for one day of fishing.
If they would allow pre fishing, say on thur and Friday the week of the tournament
they would draw some more boats. It is not worth the drive for one day of fishing.

Wake up Bass Champs!!!!! your losing anglers.

In some parts of Texas you could argue the drought is hurting the turnouts as well. Some people worry about damaging their boats, dealing with a crowded ramp and a lake fishing even smaller than normal.

I know we are talking Tournament Trail, but there are also local club tournaments to contend with. I think it might be beneficial if there was a State Commission to regulate tournaments. Uh oh, did I just say that?Sounds scary, but if casinos can live with gaming commissions...it might work to the advantage of having so many tournaments at the same lake so often.

By doing this, annual scheduling might work out to be more organized. Could also limit the amount of tournaments and trails. Additionally, tournament championships would be forced to remain located within the State. This might also be applied to pre-fishing as well. Just a though.

vote for Windy and she may make it happen

sounds like a perfectly good waste of my tax dollars

You seriously wouldn't mind the Govt regulating pre-fishing?

I'd say bad economy for sure as well as other factors. Most of the guys I fished with back in the 80's and 90's are still alive and kicking but just lost interest in the sport. Most of them sold their rigs and bought Harleys, bought collector cars, took up golf, or just crappie fish. Some talk about getting back in but won't because of the initial cost involved...........
I was spending $500 a month just on fuel alone back when it was around $1.20 a gallon. I was pretty much limited to fishing club level tournaments with the budget I had back then. Fishing as a boater/pro pretty much dictates hauling to Big Sam or Toledo and renting a hotel room because of my geographic location. With that cost, entry fee, fuel, and food once or twice a year would be about as good as it gets. I figure a second tournament would only come if I did well enough in the first one to pay for a second.