Waiver of Liability and boat ownership have nothing to do with whether or not you are sued. It 'may' make it more challenging to win, but does nothing to prevent it. Your idea of boat ownership only competing would cause these kids to compete solo unless they have a brother or sister. That is one way to definitely reduce the number of participants (highly unlikely that would be received without objection). As far as high school age vs high school age tournaments, the answer was clear for my son and his partner. They didn't have much of a chance of being competitive against seasoned more experienced fishermen in TTT, Bass Champs, TTO or local clubs for that matter. It makes sense to compete in similar age brackets. You being an ISD basketball coach can recognize the difference in ability between high school athletes and college/semi pro athletes.

Ok tough guy. I fish 2-3 days a week year round, somewhere north of 35 tournaments a year, organize and run 26 tournaments a year. Was on the water both Saturday and Sunday last weekend. I know what I’m talking about, come see me when you’ve actually organized, directed, and fished half as many as I have. In this case your the key board warrior.
Limiting the size of the field is a very logical thought, not because I’m predicting the worst but because I fear the worst. Qualifiers could determine the people that get to fish the actual big tournaments, the anglers finishes would determine if they get to move on not a decision made by an individual. Your thought process it’s whats wrong with our country and why today’s youth can’t handle loss or being told no. Let em all fish... we can’t hurt anyone’s feelings...Heck give them all a participation trophy while your at it. [/quote]


Buda, which tournament circuit do you run?

Get the net... I agree that they need fish against someone of the same ability. The smaller schools to me don't have a chance to win the team side of it. Now how do you that? We have a freshman team a JV and a varisty team. I do not know what the answer is for that. Some schools have 10 teams and so have 1 or 2 teams and some kids just started fishing and some like my son has been fishing since he was 4.

I would like to see a parent be boat captain and then have their child fishing and then you can pair them with another kid. I love fishing with my son and he can flat out fish. We are not doing the highschool fishing this year but we will next year. No one at his school wants to fish. He is part of a small charter school.

Also I get all the Liability and getting sued and not sued.

No good solution on team points and evening the playing field. Rockwall HS is a 6A school and we are right on the lake, yet we are lucky to field 4-6 teams due to interest. You head out east, you'll find significantly smaller schools fielding 10-13 teams. Realistically, the only way I see the number of tournament participants reducing is if another high school trail is started. It would have to be trail that emulates THSBA's values and structure in order to capture some of THSBA's members. To all on this thread, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! (except for you Buda13, for saying I'm the problem with our country. I hope you get a lump of coal in your stocking)

The sky is the limit and you would've run some of the big sticks out of the sport

This thread is unbelievable. Seriously you want to limit the number of kids who participate in tourneys and somehow equate it to football, basketball, baseball etc? Not even in the same ball park. Not to mention aren�t you trying to grow the sport? Preventing them from fishing will sure help with that. You have a guy who fishes and runs a few tourneys and all of the sudden he�s an expert on high school bass tourneys. Then you have a coach of all people who equates his girls basketball team to this. Laughable to both. THSBA does a fantastic job of running tourneys and doing the best they can to make things the best they can for the kids. Instead of celebrating and embracing the growth of bass fishing in the high school ranks some of you geniuses want to limit it and discourage the growth. Unreal.

Growing the sport!

What you fail to understand is that many bass fishermen and the majority on this forum have no interest in growing the sport. In fact they want the exact opposite. They see high school fishing as more future competition. Even more, they see the growing numbers as added pressure on lakes and fish populations that they see as their own. They see the rising cost of boats, lures, tackle, etc and blame that exclusively on the growing numbers from youth fishing. That's just the unfiltered truth. Most of the the other negative comments are just excuses not to say what they really mean. There's an older thread in this section with the title "grow the sport" . You should read it because there is substantially less beating around the bush in that thread. It is pretty eye opening.

Yes they are comparable since they are both highschool sports. I don't think the sport of bass fishing is going to be hurt if some kid who does not have a boat can't fish a highschool tournament. We did not have highschool bass clubs and I think the sport has survived. Never said THSBA did a bad job. I don't think anyone one here said that so don't put words in my mouth that I did not say. I have run more sports camps ( tournaments) than you can ever dream about. I have also run bass tournaments so i do know a little about it. Maybe not as much as your big brain. Not everyone gets to be on the football team not all should be able to fish since they don't own a boat. I want parents involved in their kids lives. Some schools are not big enough to do football so I guess we should just make it 7 on 7 football since it will grow the sport. A kid has No golf clubs and he wants to play Golf in highschool. He has never played before.and does not have the equipment. His parents won't buy him the clubs. Should someone provide the golf clubs for the kid and provide lessons and talk them to the golf course?

You have a big school that might have 10 to 15 teams in a region and in the same region another that has 3 teams. Why not limit the larger school to 5 teams? The larger school could do a qualifier before the went to next level.
Oh by the way I don't think the sport of fishing is in any danger of not growing.

Question... Have you been a captain yet? I have and my son who is 15 can flat out fish and I don't have a problem with youth fishing. He has a boat he can use and he still bank fishes.

Ok then you do realize that the UIL has no authority over bass teams. Nothing is sanctioned by the UIL therefore it really isn�t a sport in a schools eye. It�s a club. The school pays absolutely zero of any participants baits, rods, reels, boats insurance etc. If a kid gets all that together on their own and with the help of their parents then they absolutely should have the right to fish the tourneys. It�s a freaking club and NOT a UIL sanctioned sport. Therefore it�s not a sport like football, basketball, track, golf, cross country, volleyball etc b

By the way no football coach has ever cut a kid. That happens in other sports. I coached football and other sports in a public setting so maybe that�s where the disconnect is.

Captained for 4 years, thsba has made several adjustments to try to shrink the size of the field as well as improving weigh ins and fish care, they do their best at policing the rules and investigate infractions as they find out about them.
Can only say this is for the kids, some don�t play other sports so this is their big adventure, the kids follow the rules pretty well, some of the captains need time on the water to understand the reason the rules need to be followed. If all the experienced complainers would volunteer to their local teams for one meeting and discuss the rules it would help.
Most of them have a good heart and good intentions but just not the experience to know why the rules are important.
Most teams have a pre tournament meeting, volunteer to speak or just attend one of these meetings, it might help.

No need to slam THSBA on here, they started small and it�s growing like wildfire, it�s good for the kids , they get to experience all the highs and lows of a day tournament fishing for a low cost and in a pretty safe environment, most of the captains have some experience and those that don�t learn over time, just like we all did/do.

By the way no football coach has ever cut a kid. That happens in other sports. I coached football and other sports in a public setting so maybe that�s where the disconnect is.


You are wrong on that. That is a stupid statement. Sure football coaches have cut players who have come out. You must have coached for the YMCA since everyone gets to play,.

You never answered the question....Have you been a boat captain? I did not think so. Step up and be a boat captain.

Oh and by the way the big school vs little school argument is dumb too. They only use the top three finishers of each school to determine the overall school winners for each tourney. It�s been my experience that some of the smaller country schools have more teams than some of the bigger schools.

Also yes I do captain my sons team. This is my second year. Of course there are tons of teams that fish the tourneys. Notnonce did I look out at all the boats and ever think that we should limit the amount of teams fishing. Instead I looked out and smiled and marveled at all of these kids fishing and doing something cool that will make memories and last a lifetime and be something they can do the rest of their lives. I guess that�s just the difference between me and a few of you.

You�re an idiot. Let�s see I coached at Humble, North Shore, La Grange, South Grand Prairie, Duncanville, and Crowley and never ever once at any of those state championship winning schools did I ever observe, take part in or hear of a football player being cut nor at any other school that I coached against. That must be some privileged private school carp that cuts kids in football. You having ran a few clinics and what not doesn�t impress me. Good try though.

I can't even understand this post