I've always viewed them as a good thing, but have recently seen a number of posts from people who don't support them. We have opportunities for students of all ages to participate in almost every sport available. Why not bass fishing tournaments? Just curious what the other side is. I think THSBA is about 10 years old now and I don't recall seeing people having problems with these tournaments in the past.

Moritz Chevrolet is a sponsor of the Texas High School Bass Association and we are proud to be a part of it!! Just like anything else there's growing pains and this organization has grown like crazy...

I don't have a dog in this fight since I just avoid a lake if there is a HS tournament happening that day. But my best answer to your question is that the total number of boats involved has grown to the point where it has finally reached "critical mass" and that is what's causing the friction. Then add in a significant number of relatively inexperienced boat operators and you get even more friction.

I have never been around an actual event but have many friends who have captained and the feedback is generally the same and it's stayed that way for the last 2-3 years. Great orgs run by great guys but the feedback remains that there are numerous boat Captains who have no business being boat captains. I've heard everything from issues simply launching boats to being dangerous on the water to flat out running in on someone and cutting 25 yards in front of them. Most of the comments are around ignorance vs actually knowing they are cutting someone off. I am sure these are the exceptions vs the rule, but this type of feedback has been heard over and over again for years.

This was my first year to do it. My boys have 3 more years to go. I actually enjoyed watching them fish and go thru those tournament decisions and stress. And they actually did pretty good. Seeing they missed the first tournament.

BUT….will say this. I consider myself a knowledgeable and pretty seasoned tournament angler. So I know “rules” and also know the right things to do on the water. Especially when it comes to fisherman code on stuff you do and just absolutely don’t do. And teaching my boys that. The right way to compete on the water. But there are some Captain/Dads in this deal that do not have a clue. And most should not even be operating a boat from what I’ve seen. So it’s scary sometimes knowing those kids are being taught that way on the water.

Other than that, it was a first class set up at each tournament. It’s kinda a beating going to Academy on Friday nights to get wrist bands. But all in all. Well put together.

Chris hit on this in a big way.
A lot of inexperience on the water, in mass, is going to lead to some issues. I honestly think that most of the time it is inexperience more than outright just being a d$#*.
I also know that a whole lot of the captains/anglers don't read the rules and/or understand them. Attending a mandatory safety meeting will tell you that really quick when the same question gets asked 25 times.
A couple of us were talking about it the other day. The top kids are starting to hit the local circuits and they are doing well. They have spent 4 years actually fishing in a very competitive organization so they already know how to play the game when they get out of HS. The last 3 big college events were won by THSBA alumni. (2 National Championships and the College Classic)


There's also the whole "get off my grass" group out there as well.........

100% of the issue I have with it is anyone and everyone can enter. There are entirely to many "captains" that don't know jack about operating a boat much less tournament fishing. Those captains are teaching their kids the absolute worst way to go about things so they automatically are starting off bad. It's not the kids faults.

Ditto. Been HS team advisor for 5 years and captained full time for three. Main issues I see are common courtesy out on the water. I honestly believe these captains don’t know and when I have talked to a few, they get defensive and go with “it’s public water”. And way too many boats qualifying for regionals and state tourneys. It’s ok to say a smaller % or number advance and “thanks for fishing, good luck next year”. 230+ boats on Palestine make sit fish small. 300+ on Belton in 2 weeks. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Ex.

Pulling up on a dock we are fishing and fishing the opposite side of the same dock.
Cutting inside of someone fishing a point with their big motor running as we are trying to wave them off the area.
Motoring around someone fishing down a bank and starting 75-100 yards in front of them

Just a little courtesy would go a long way. Coach

Too many boats and trailers at extremely crowded weigh ins. It is a nightmare trying to get in and out of a weigh in pulling a boat. The other stuff has been said, too many inexperienced boat captains which to their credit are just trying to help and support their kids. In my opinion having captained a couple events now, I think there is also some room for paying for unfair advantage type stuff. Hiring certain boat captains to give junior an advantage type stuff etc... To the positive, I captained a couple of young men as a favor to one of my wife's friends and the boys were polite, offered to pay for my expenses though I declined, and all and all pleasant to fish with. I will steer clear of a lake if I know there is a HS tournament going on and I am not involved, just too many boats!

Ive not really gotten involved in these threads as I dont have a dog in this hunt. But glancing thru this Im surprised none of the advisors or more experienced Dads have made videos teaching the fishermans code of ethics. I would think that would be a primary focus on high school fishing sports, teaching th rights and wrongs of the sport

I think that high school bass fishing teams are wonderful. Yes, there is issues that should be addressed with incoming captains in a mandatory setting.

But what I don't like is when some "kids" that want to fish cannot because their school requires $500 down. For the kids I talked to their dad just doesn't have it and apparently, they have no way of earning it. For the two brothers $1000 is unattainable.

I could go on, but it has been covered in previous posts on here.

My son and I would like to do this in 2.5 years when he’s a freshman. This is the first I’ve heard of this and that sucks.

I have captained every tournament in our division, including Regionals on Texoma and will be at Belton in a couple of weeks. I haven’t witnessed any of the problems some of y’all are complaining about. It’s a great thing for these kids to be in.

I wish they would have had them when I was in school. The issue I see on the water are tournaments twice or three times the size of a Basschamps type tournament. They completely take over a lake and half of them have no knowledge of tournament ethics and some just very little knowledge of boat operation. The fields are so big that you are having more and more confrontations on the water. To many boats and not enough water for all of them.

That is all up to the team not us. We charge a $60 membership fee per year and a tournament fee.