Trust me you can fish with a so-called pro in any afs series you want to fish. Most of these guys are not pros Very few true pros and a hole lot of people who think they are.

IMHO tournaments do bring a level of competition to a sport that for the longest time was considered by many to be a laid back contemplative pursuit allowing the angler to get "in touch" or was a subsistence way of life. Tournaments have taken that aspect away when it's always a race between who has the fastest $60,000 boat and the lastest greatest electronic gizmos. Don't get me wrong I have participated in my share of tournaments but, I couldn't keep up with the guys getting bonuses paid by the latest and greatest boatmaker. It can be as addictive as anything but, Bass fishing Tournaments are their own worst enemy. Again, that is only my opinion.

Just a suggestion***********

Maybe form some type of handy capping system like they do in team roping. You start off with a 1/2 score, the better you do in tourneys each year or six months, your score is reevaluated to go up or down by a 1/2 or more depending on your tourney results or money made. The highest anyone can have is a 5. Then each big tourney has two divisions under/over 2.5. The team tourneys can use this as well using 4 as an over/under. The members on a team combine their rating score and if it is less than 4 they would be in bottom division and so on. This would allow a solid 3.0 fisherman to combine with a 1.0 rated fisherman. I know the start would be a little hecktic, but if the team ropers can do it nationally, surely it could be done in texas. my $0.02

On the topic of pro-am, I always thought the TTT (Texas Tournament Trail) was pretty good. Most of the people that talk on the forum are going to fish Texas lakes. It fit the build to a "T".That has gone the way of the dinosaur. I really see a need for more individual circuits. The only ones I know of are ABA, Weekend series, FLW, and a few Media events. None other than ABA are located West of I-45.

Pull the permits yourself and host one if thats what your looking for. Why wait for someone else to bring it to you. Back in Ct we do this all the time.

Just get the permit for 100 boats post on here the 300.00 entry fee and see if you can fill it. payout 95% and use the rest for expenses.

They cant get a $50,000 weigh in trailor for FREE hehe

Thats why its called a (BUSINESS)! TxFishman.

The reason tournaments only payout a certain percentage is because they are a business. Nothing is free. You can't expect someone to pay for permits, weigh in trailers, scales, and other expenses for anglers to be the only beneficiary. If you want to win the big bucks, spend the money and enter the big tournaments. If not just enjoy gods creation and have fun at smaller tourneys.

just my oppinion - if i work 5 days a week and fish a turney sat and got to practice the sunday before while my competitor fished all week doesn't seem too fair. Who has a better chance of winning - take-in luck out of the picture. So i fish local stuff and try to learn new lakes in between. Hard to do on a weekend schedule that juggles family, chores, etc etc etc. Guess you just need to fish what makes you happy - and try to cash a check.

YES!!!!!!!!!!! But trails keep adding more and more divisions each year.

I got my arse in a sling with alot of you guys when I posted on here about when is it enough. got blasted for saying there were too many circuits going on with too few fisherman too go around.you need maybe three good team circuits and and 2 or 3 individual trails, and you would probably have more paybacks.

FISHBUG, WE ARE LOCATED IN THE LAKE WHITNEY AREA.I FEEL WE PUT ON AS GOOD A SMALL EVENT AS ANYONE.THE FARM BUREAU OPEN TEAM TOURNAMENT. THIS MARCH 20th STARTS OUR SEVENTH YEAR TO HOLD THIS CONTEST AND WE HAVE YET TO REACH THE 50 TEAM ENTRY.PAY 1 PLACE FOR EVERY 5 ENTRYS-80% PAY BACK-F.B. ADDS UP TO $2000 TO ENTRYS & HAS MEMBER INCENTIVES-SKEETER REAL MONEY-LADY & YOUTH BIG BASS-"LUCKY 13"-PRIZES-OFF LIMITS AND MORE.THIS IS THE CONTEST YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.I THINK IT HAS BEEN A WELL KEPT SECRET.LAST FALL ON WACO WE HAD ONLY 30 TEAMS BUT PAID WELL.1st TOOK HOME OVER$2800 IN CASH AND PRIZES-6th GOT $506- CALL 817-239-4044 FOR EVENT INFO ON WHITNEY

As far as major players winning tournaments, some groups have a rule that if you paid an entry of 650.00 in last so many months you arent eligable to fish. Im not 100% sure, but i think its the ABA. A rule to think about.

I dont mind the 12%, If its done correctly there is insurance the club has to buy for tournaments to be put on, most groups have weigh in bags, and those need replaced often. People dont just volunteer to host a tournament, and usually several people working. an 80% to 90% payback is normal. I mean scales alone are over 400.00.

TTT

Folks I am talking about a true pro-am event with say 15,000 for first and so on down gthe line. 1000.00 entry fee and last paid spot will double the entry fee. It would fill up and have people on a wating list. Anglers Choice back in the 1990s did this and it was a very good trail to fish. It had big sponsors and the works. I dont know how to accomplish this but someone like Mr.Bill from anglers-quest may be aqble to do it