Let me start by saying that I'm an officer in two clubs as well as having been a state level officer in BASS so I've seen a lot of the things that make you crazy. Unfortunately, the last couple of episodes pushed me over the edge. In one club I am president, treasurer, and tournament director. I do it willingly because it needs to be done and as most of us know, in bass clubs, 5% of the members do 95% of the work.

As a BASS club we have to supply two boats a year to captain the juniors/high schoolers. With the vast majority of club members doing little more than showing up and fishing I don't think that that task is overly onerous. Yet every year it's a struggle to get two $%^# volunteers. It happened again this year and I swore I'd never go through this headache again.

The second thing that got me going was that I had to penalize a team for returning 6 minutes late. Our rules state that the penalty is one pound a minute and after 15 minutes you're DQ'ed. All the other anglers were back and all pointing out to me that they were late. I enforced the rule and was met with resistance rather than acceptance. I was told I was being unfair because I don't enforce all the rules. It was brought up that at times when people were idling around without a vest I told them to put it on rather than DQ'ing them. Technically I could have and so could anyone else. All they had to do was file a protest and I would have had to make a ruling. Since no one did in those situations I handled it my way. I, nor anyone else, is obligated to protest. You can if you want to. No one did and neither did I. I think my way was not only within the rules but was more of a teaching moment.

So after almost twenty years with this club I decided to walk away at the end of the season. I am not questioning my decision with this post, I'm just venting. Thanks for listening.

no good deed goes unpunished

Misery love company. Any of you have any good drama stories?

I think you made the right decision based on your comments. Props to you for stepping up for those 20 years.

I was the member of a bass and debate club,once. If they could not beat you at the scale they resorted to the "rules".

This^^^^^^^^^
I bet you will enjoy just fishing in tournaments after this without all the headaches-
Just don’t be “that guy” after you turn the reigns over, let it be how it will be, and don’t sweat how it is run-
Life’s too short-

I fished a few years in a BASS club and know the work that goes behind the scenes to allow everybody else to basically show up and fish. I don't think you are in the wrong at all here. It stinks that after all the years in that club it ended the way it did but I don't blame you at all. Sounds like it's time to fish for fun and enjoy the time on the water

Plus 1

When I sold boats the two type of people I hated dealing with were tournament bass fisherman and guides.

I had to do more or less the same thing about 20 years ago. Father/son team and they were a full 30 minutes late because they had the wrong weigh in time. Dad said he didn't care if he got DQ'd but he was trying to get his son enough points to qualify for the Top 6 at the end of year and this was going to just about guaranty he didn't make it. Tough decision but they got DQ'd.

people should be thanking you for the service you have provided WITHOUT complaining . Doing volunteer work for the benefit of others !!
How many people on this forum have spent time doing services for others without the benefit of pay ?
I coached baseball programs for 12 years ---never made a dime . My wife volunteered at a food shelter for 4+ years while she was taking care of her mother and our grandson ---never made a dime .

You made the right choice --- congrats on your extended service to benefit others ---- hopefully a quality person with see fit to follow your footsteps .

its a thankless job, I held every job as well as starting a new federated bass club from nothing in the early 90's... so i can commiserate with you, as it sounds like you care and that makes it worse... back in the day since we fished for points more than money, the BASS Federation required a club do one Environmental Project and at least one Youth Function a year to remain federated, and we had to turn in to ma'BASS a record of the events and they would be judged with awards given at the year end state banquet... for environmental we would pick up trash at a lake, and youth functions were Casting Kids events and we had points assigned to them equal to winning a tournament - 100 point for everyone who came and worked, and at the end of the year that made a difference, so all the guys who strive for angler of the year but never wanted to do the work required to stay federated had to come to the event, they always be'otched but afterwords would concede it was a good time...all thats changed... i just chalk it up to the good old days, I have too many good memories from those times, met too many good people, wouldn't change it for the world... enjoy your retirement !

You said the magic word , CLUB!!
It doesn't matter what it is it's gonna be filled with drama. You've got your matriarchs and groveling minions who will do anything to step up in rank. Any club reminds me of the movie Lord of the Flies.

The rule infractions that give a competitive advantage should be enforced with penalties. Not wearing a life jacket doesn't provide an advantage. Fishing longer than everyone else does.

You did the right thing.

I was asst. director of one of the divisions (4) of sooner bass club when it was around.

the director and I agreed that any infraction reported would be decided by 3 members not involved in whatever it was, showing up late was the same 1# per. min. and was enforced no matter who it was. I had to forfeit my total weight when I went to tow another member in who lost power, blew up his outboard, I may or may not have been in the money and will never know as I tossed all 5 of mine when it was obvious I would not make it in time. would rather make sure all are safe and able to come back to fish than run in and weigh while they waited.

rules are rules and if someone does not want to play by them they have no business doing whatever the rules pertain to.

jmo

remember volunteering at a hs championship on fork about 5 yrs back, one kid came in on the bow and no life jacket. when he got off the boat I asked if he realized what he just did and BOOM it dawned on him he screwed up, dq'd himself with one of the judges which made me respect him for his honesty. it was just the excitement of the moment as they had a nice sack but one slip up and they got nothing.