The captains aren't suppose to be paid beyond a modest gas reimbursement, we got $50 race track gift card for gas. Which doesnt begin to cover expense usually

Because they are not paying to have their kids taught, they are paying for them to win, with little effort actually put in by the actual competitors. Your son was taught and had to learn skills then apply those skills. These kids, not all of them, show up and are told exactly where to throw and what to throw. Do they learn anything by doing that? Not really.

I apologize for my comments on this thread. The longer this thing goes the more I realize that I don't have near enough info to be posting negative things. I think I realize that with me it really is a "Stay off my grass" issue as TxDuckhunter posted.

This whole thread is unconscionable! High schoolers have no business fishing in competitive bass fishing tournaments. It never was even thought of back in my HS days, and I'm only 58. These HS kids need to mature, first, before they start doing adult things. It looks like it brings out the riff raff, too, to help guide these kids....but it's in the wrong direction.

Burn me to the stake, but sorry...I can have an opinion, too.

This whole thread is unconscionable! High schoolers have no business fishing in competitive bass fishing tournaments. It never was even thought of back in my HS days, and I'm only 58. These HS kids need to mature, first, before they start doing adult things. It looks like it brings out the riff raff, too, to help guide these kids....but it's in the wrong direction.

Burn me to the stake, but sorry...I can have an opinion, too.

...Some are getting more than that. I have mixed views on the whole deal. High school fishing is getting heat because it does have issues. Issues that tournaments on other levels don’t have so much... Overzealous parents that don’t know the rules, practices, and values that are second nature to most tournament anglers. Shortages of qualified captains and shortages of knowledgeable captains. The kids are the least of the problem! They just want to fish and learn. I think high school fishing is a great thing. I’ve done it two seasons but, there’s no way I’d do it if I didn’t have some relation to the kids I coach. I think THSBA is doing a good job but, there still needs to be more done to educate all involved that lack tournament fishing etiquette, knowledge, and understanding of rules. In the two seasons I’ve been a captain I’ve seen quite a few things that were questionable at best. You don’t take fish to the scales to see if they’ll measure (especially if they’re 12”)!! The “off limits” needs to be enforced or done away with. First of all, I talk fishing to a lot of friends and I don’t want to worry about violating off limits for something I’m not even fishing. Second, it’s such an unclear and grey area rule I think it’s violated all the time. These things need to be corrected because they’ll be fishing against us someday in our trails. That being said I think most will have a better knowledge of tournament fishing because of what they’re learning in high school fishing. How much tournament knowledge did you have in high school? Let’s just correct their mistakes and teach them the right way.

This whole thread is unconscionable! High schoolers have no business fishing in competitive bass fishing tournaments. It never was even thought of back in my HS days, and I'm only 58. These HS kids need to mature, first, before they start doing adult things. It looks like it brings out the riff raff, too, to help guide these kids....but it's in the wrong direction.

Burn me to the stake, but sorry...I can have an opinion, too.

No offense intended, but I find your post unconscionable. I was fishing competitive bass fishing tournaments with my pops or my uncle from early elementary school through high school in NE Texas in the 70s and 80s- and being competitive. You think competitive fishing is an "adult thing" that needs maturity? Hogwash. Driving the boat is an adult thing that needs maturity and that is why there are captains. I have captained one kid that I am not related to for the past two years in THSBA. He spends a minimum of 3-4 days a week with a rod in his hand. He reads everything he can get his hands on from reliable sources (not the trash on here I hope) on bass fishing. He does whatever I ask of him on boat/trailer maintenance, gear organization, etc. He does all of this while also being an FFA Officer, fishing team Officer, HS football player, and carrying a 4.4 GPA at a tough school taking tough classes. That is maturity in my book. I'm willing to bet a lot of these kids are on equal ground with the majority of the guys on this forum (fishing skill wise) and better than a lot of them. He has more business fishing in competitive bass fishing tournaments than a lot of the yahoos I see show up and donate at the tourneys I fish. I don't know you, but I generally have agreed with your opinion over the years of being on this forum and am honestly surprised at your post. But, like you wrote, you are entitled to your opinion. And my opinion is that yours is way off base on this topic.