It takes a special breed to volunteer your time and watercraft to shuttle around kids that aren't yours. I applaud you. I'd have it on the trailer by 9:30 am with a phone call to the parents to pick their heathens up at the ramp. I hear more s*it show stories than positive ones.

I was at Ray Hubbard yesterday and there must be a HS tournament soon at the lake was covered in kids and bassboats.

If the organization made it easy on captains it wouldn't be so bad. But they dont...

I said this from the beginning, unless its a draw on draw format it will be fraught with cheating and it was with Captain daddy catching big fish and letting the kids weigh them in. But then here come the parents screaming about not wanting to put their kids in a boat with strangers, can't have it both ways.

I agree, I am off work all week and would like to go fish Somerville with a friend. A friend that has never fished Somerville. But, according to the rules and the way I interpret them I can't do it within two weeks so I can't fish in my own boat with a friend. I'm done after my son graduates this year. It's fair for a parent to pay the top guy around any amount of money they want but I can't pre fish with a friend and it's just me and my son fishing the tournaments. I do it myself, I don't hire out the top guys around like many do. Like I said, it's their rules and their series so I get it. If I don't like it I don't have to do it.

I've kind of done this both ways.
I've captained for kids that I had never met and I've carried kids that I have an ongoing relationship with.
The kids that I've never met - it's been 95% a mess. Kids didn't really have the drive to be competitive, didn't listen to directions very well and just didn't fish all that well. They were, as a whole, respectful and polite. Only one trip was a total disaster and left me with a really bad experience.
On the other hand, I've had two teams that wanted to be competitive as they could be. One team didn't really have the skills but they had the want to, I fished with them their senior year so time was limited. I still talk to one of them pretty regularly and he is a stand out young man. My current team, I've had since they were freshmen. They are willing to put in the work, work on their skills, have a positive outlook and fish to the last minute. This shows in their HS "career" and they have racked up some scholarship money, have some wood on the wall, won a lot of gear, etc, etc. None of that matters as much as the things we've experienced and watching them grow into the young men they have become. This is something I wouldn't trade for anything and they aren't even "my" kids.
IMO, that bond is as much a part of THSBA as winning or competing. It doesn't matter if they are your kids or just "borrowed" kids.
I don't mind pinch hitting every once in awhile but, If it went to some sort of "draw" for captains, I'm out. The odds of getting some kid that didn't really want it are too high and I'm not going to waste my time with kids who aren't dedicated to whatever pursuit they are involved in.

Why are all these kids that do not want to be there involved? Makes no sense

after reading all this,...maybe High Schools aren't ready for organized bass fishing.

I've donated tons of bait and gear to my local high schools but there is no way they're getting me to captain in one of these fiascos.

I agree, I don't think it would work. I think it would be more fair but that's about the only benefit. Too many boat captains wouldn't do it if it went to a draw type deal. I have really enjoyed the three years I have done it. Overall, some great kids with some great parents. Unfortunately, the one set of really bad parents has me ending the season and my sons final year not thrilled with the current way things are run. I should have taken care of it the first year, I didn't and it just got worse every year. The good news is the dad gets to run his own club now and start from the beginning.

I truly wish I had an answer.
I think that some kids don't realize exactly what a full tourney day on the water entails.
I think some "think" they want it until they get into it. Some think they are the greatest because they are tackle junkie and want to be the coolest with the greatest stuff.( adults are the same btw)
Some just want a day on the water to go fishing.( as long as I'm aware of this one from the get-go, I can live with this) and don't really care as long as they catch a fish or two.

It takes a special kind of person to stand on a deck for 10 hours throwing a bait in the water looking for a jerk on the other end.

That�s been my point all along. That, and having your �fate� determined by the very ones you are competing against. Seems as though it would be easier to cruise around in a boat taking pictures until you eliminate the competition. Lol. Vs, just fishing and beating them fair and square.

We have a winner!

Having a few 'referee/officials boats' on the water may be a good idea.