I think we have seen the peak of bass fishing tournament numbers. It was a fad. The reality is that most people don't have the time, and many people have found more enjoyable ways to spent the massive amount of money that it takes to be even remotely successful at tournament fishing. The other side to the story is that pressure on our lakes has made fun fishing really difficult for the average weekend angler just wanting to catch a few fish. Coming from a guy that still enjoys fishing a tournament now and then........less tournaments is probably a good thing for all involved.

I'm a bit different. Since fishing is just a hobby and not a source of income, I prefer the smaller local tournaments where the math doesn't add up. My kids are at an age where my vacation days go to them; so, I like to show up, see some guys I know, and fish with a little money on the line to spice it up. The bigger trails would require a bigger commitment and although I have the money, I don't have the time.

With that said, I do really like the Outlaw tournaments on Rayburn that are trailer events. It takes away the morning hecticness and stress that comes with tournaments and helps make the weigh ins smooth. Unfortunately, I haven't fished this year due to a move but if you get burned on tournaments, try trailering events.

Speaking of pontoons, whatever happened. to the pontooners that showed up at Rayburn and Toledo, won a couple of tournies and pocket full of cash and have not been heard of since?

Used to fish quite a few back in the day, last 10 - 12 years mainly fishing a couples deal with the wife, it has been a lot of fun but we just have too many things going on now to commit to anything, we just going to fish when and wherever we feel like now. Its not been about the money, it will cost us min 200.00 to fish a tourney if we are not staying over nite or pre fishing, if we win we may get 700.00 - 1000.00 bucks.

You can fish a tournament every day of the week here in E. Tennessee... Most are just 4-5 hours night tournaments during the week with an Open for a cause, HS cheerleading team, death in the family fund raiser... The Open's that get me are the church tournaments. They're "free'' to fish if you show up for the pre tournament meeting, free food, and an inspirational speaker (been Jimmy Houston and Shaw Grigsby) as of late. The thing I don't understand is how they get the Skeeter Bucks program to kick in???... Dan

I’m probably the oddball out, but the only type of tournament that I enjoy fishing is a hourly big bass tournament. Less fish getting hauled around all day, better payouts and I just find it more exciting.

Oddball for sure.

You, fishing, tournaments and catching large fish? Now that’s funny.

Pfffft, when’s the last time your boat saw water?

They disappeared. Haven't popped up since.

May 24😔

Matter of fact I’m getting ready to take the gas out the tank today (25 gallons).

There are many reasons that people are not fishing tournament .where I live here in north central Texas the fishing has been the worst I have ever seen in 60 years of fishing for bass,the other reason people are not fishing tournaments is that they no that without the FFS they have no chance and last but not least is the cost of not only fishing tournaments but everything else in this country. Everything in this country has gone thru the roof .From food to building a home is way over the top.It's no wonder people take there buisnesses out of this country .We are pricing ourselves out of the the global market. Our labor costs are way more than any other country in the world and we expect to be a player when we have to charge way more for our products? Japan is getting rich off of us by making baits for cheap and selling them to us for way way more than it cost them to make them . Their mark up has got to be 1000% or more and we just keep buying them.

Bass fishing and boating in general hit it's peak with the covi epidemic .It was one thing many found they could do while off work which did not expose them to the virus and OMG did they go to the lakes boaters from h ell were all over the lakes and boaters who thought they owned the lake had no idea how to act on the water. It was almost impossible to fish with the school tournaments and the boaters. It was enough to turn your tummy .I think bass fishing will never recover from what has happened .It took from 1972 till the year 2020 to get fishing as good as we had it . Now look at what we have

Harsh

You don’t like FFS….we get it already.

Just get a bobber and a box of worms.

Gonna have to carve a bobber out of piece of driftwood and dig his own worms... Even then, the sky will probably fall on him.