Congrats to Kyle and Mike.Kyle is a great fisherman. I hope my kids keep going and are as good in the near future.Kyle does catch all his fish and can drive the boat.I cant wait until Spencer can load the boat.That will make things easy.Team Family Style fished 12 Striper tournaments this year. Spencer fished every one no matter where they were.Spencer has almost worn a Game Boy out riding back and forth to Arkansas,Oklahoma, and the small state of Texas.Connor has fished 8 tournaments this year.He also played football for Aledo or he would have fished all 12.Spencer has been to the region three championship the last two years.At both tournaments he has seen fish weighed that were as big as him.Both boys are pretty good deck hands.They both don't mind pulling anchor,cutting bait,deploying bouys.Both boys can net fish.We have lost some fish but most of the time we get them in the boat.At Whitney the boys let a 13 or 14lb striper get out of the net. Later that day they put the net right on a 17.3 that won the tourny. I had to lift it in the boat for them but they never let the net hoop get below the water the second time.As for reeling in fish?Most of the time I have to help them by holding the rod.Somtimes they can catch small fish by leaving the rod in the holder.I have had a blast fishing with my kids this year. They love it also.Thanks to Scott, Charlie, Brandon, and Todd who where guest aboard Family Style this year.If your not fishing with a child your missing it big time.Below is some of the trophies that we recieved from the NSBA.Thanks Warren for again providing these.Many of you have never seen the great trophies that the NSBA gives in region three.The first trophy is the Texas State Championship. Kyle and Mike won one just like it last year.I know that Mike and Kyle are as proud of that trophy as Team Family Style is this year. The second trophy is for the Lake Whitney division.There is three trophys at every TSA tournament and one NSBA kids trophy. Bring your kids or grandkids along next year.You wont be disapointed. I hope to see more kids fishing next year.
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I send my congradulations to Mike, Kyle, Randy, Spencer, and Conner!!!!!!! I have watched all these kids go from very small impatient little boys too being very good fishermen. I have had the pleasure of fishing in the boat with the Woods boys, and let me tell you when a rod goes down you better watch out or you might get knocked out into the water!!!!!!! Faron, and myself have taken Spencer, and Conner out in the boat with us several times catching bait, or running jug lines and they are a big help. I wish our son was still as intrested in fishing as these two, there is never a dull moment. I wish the TSA had more kids like the Woods, and Kyle. There is nothing more special when fishing and watching these kids bring in a big one!!!! I will never forget the smiles, and laughter I saw from Spencer, and Conner at Buchannan when they were bringing in there fish, it made my day!!!!!! I am just sorry we did not get to come to Arkansas to see all our boys fish. Congradulations to all the winners, and a big thanks too Warren, and the NSBA for another great year!!!!! God willing we will be able to fish all the tournaments next year like we have always done, we missed it alot!!!! Good fishing to all, and God Bless!!!!!!!!!!
Ronda Tankersley

Striper Stalker is right,

We are all kids when we are on the boat. Ronda has fished for a long time with the TSA. Unfortunately you may have watched me get older and maybe a little bigger around the middle

MWA

As the wife of a striper guide from Lake Ouachita, I had a blast sitting and watching as the fish were weighed and the winners were announced last Sunday. I would like to comment on the posting about quides having an unfair advantage. I do understand you concern and want to let you know that Greg Willingham fishes Lake Ouachita. He goes to Lake Hamilton on a rare occasion, as well as Lake Catherine to get bait. Rare because the bait is so small it is not worth the time throwing the net for it. The trick to catching the big fish is using the big bait. Greg drives hundreds of miles to get his bait. One place is a 90 minute drive one way, another is a two hour drive one way. It's all in the bait, keeping them alive and healthy. Greg has worked hard in the last two years perfecting his bait tanks. We have had bait that has lived for 3 months or longer. A far cry from when he first started back in 1999 and we had at least 10 dead baits a day. Happy fishing to all of you, I hope all of you enjoyed your trip to Hot Springs. I know we appreciate all of you.

I should have said that I have actually seen catch their own fish. I didn't mean to hurt anybody on my comment. I have seen Kyle catch fish and load and drive the boat. Randys children catch their own fish too. I have fished with them too and know they do. Sorry guys. Wrong choice of words. Let's just go fish and have fun okay. Congratulations to everybody this year. Texas anglers, lets go to Tennessee and bring home some more trophys. Good luck to everybody.

Gregsfishingangel, thanks for the post. I truly know that guides work hard because I personally know some several of them and I know what they go through.

But the fact of the matter is, that folks in my skill range simply can't compete with guides.

If I were a guide and couldn't place in the top 5 on lakes in my home lake area, I'd be looking for work at Home Depot.

Just picking but I hope you get my point.

While I could get lucky one day and catch a 50 pounder - on a lake I've never fished - probable - it ain't.

Warren says the the NSBA can't afford different classes and that's OK with me. I am a far cry from being in a position to direct the NSBA. I just pay my Family Competition dues each year.

But, like many members, I use the money I would have paid for an entry fee to pay for my room and board and fishing expenses. Then attend the weigh in to show my support. I love watching the gals and guys get the recognition for their hard work.

I love the striper fishing sport but common sense tells me that my chances of being able to compete with Randy, Mike, JD, Mark, your hubby, etc. are slim.

I think Warren realizes that tournament participation would be better with several classes but apparently it's too expensive to do that.

There are many that feel as I do but simply choose not to "fight the battle".

One would think that I myself would learn, ha ha!

I don't see the NSBA as making changes in this area for a LONG time to come - if ever.

But, I guess I'm slow because I continue to state my feelings.

If things follow true to form, I'll receive several email rebuttals to this posting (like as every time in the past) telling me to quit whining and learn to fish, ha ha! And that's OK.

I'm hoping that the coming year here in TX sees more novice and Pro-Am type tournaments through the TSA. Interest in the tournaments will be higher because the way it is right now, you pretty much know who the top 5 will be - year in and year out - unless that improbable statistic pops up and someone gets lucky.

The TFF is sponsoring a lot more tournaments in 2005 and I'll probably not pay my NSBA dues and use those to fish the TFF tourneys. The TFF tourneys are fun and I learn stuff. At the NSBA sanctioned tournament, no one will tell you anything and when they grab the checks, they are outta there in 5 minutes and the guys like me - who starting fishing tournaments to learn stuff - go home with no knowledge about the patterns that worked, the lures, the strategy, etc.

So, maybe folks are right. I need to quit whining.

Based on the folks I talk with who are NOT guides, the only way they will compete is in some amateur or novice or Pro-Am class.

Randy Wood, Prez of TSA, can correct me if I'm wrong, but the number of teams competing in the TSA tournaments this year was about 7 to 10 per tournament. I think Buchanan had 5 teams. If there was an amateur division, the number of teams competing would be higher.

$100 to $250 to $500 entry fee for most of us "week end" guys and gals is a lot of money when we know we have a one-in-million-shoot at outfishing the guides and "pros".

Speaking for myself, I don't care about winning $2500, $5000, or even $10,000 at a tournament.

I'd just like to go out and fish with folks that I know I can compete with.

First place prize of a pack of sassy shads would be exciting to me.


So, summarily, the guides do work hard and I applaude them for that. The tournaments are a chance for them to compete for bucks with their peers - and for them to supplement their incomes.

But guys like myself, who don't get to be on the water 200 days a year, should just keep their tournament fees and spend it on lodging and food because odds are, we won't even be close to the pros. And, like I say, that's understandable.

I'm not going to challenge Hulk Hogan to a wrestling match because he'd crush my head. Why would I spend $250 on a tournament entry fee to compete with guides? Doesn't make fiscal sense.

But, like I say, I'm slow and that's just me.

I respectfully disagree that the guides have the best chance to win a 1-fish or 2-fish per day tournament. I will agree that they are on the lake more than most of us. However, in almost 20-years of tournament fishing, I can count on my hands the number of tournaments around my area that are won by fulltime fishing guides.

Here are some facts about 2004 and the NSBA. We put on 7-Megafest tournaments in our Region-I and II. In the 1-day-2-fish tournaments (Saturday of the Mega-Fest) we offer 2-classes. First was the Open class with a $150/boat entry fee. Anyone can enter it. Second was the Fun Class with a $25/boat entry fee that guides and our Gold Cup Series teams were not allowed to enter. An Amateur team could enter in both if they wanted.

January 2004- At Lake Hartwell, SC a Man, wife and 11-year old daughter fishing together for their first time won the Open tournament and the Fun tournaments. They beat 79-other teams. On Sunday, another father-son team fishing together for the first time won the Gold Cup Series (GCS) tournament.

February 2004- At Lake Lanier, a brother-brother team won the tournament. One of the brothers helps a local guide when he gets over booked, but the guy had a full time job working at a mail sort company. On Sunday the GCS tournament was won by a fishing team that had been in the NSBA for 3-years and had never won a tournament before.

March 2004- Lake Norman-The Saturday tournament was won my a local club member fishing with another club member. They held on to their lead and won the Sunday GCS 2-day event as well.

March 2004- Lake Murray The Saturday tournament was won by two elderly retired gentlemen one on oxygen. Neither were guides. They won the fun and the open Class tournament. The Sunday GCS tournament was won by a member of the local striper club wishing with 3-of his fellow club members. He had never won a tournament before.

April 2004- Lake Cherokee The Saturday open tournament was won by a GCS team who had won their first tournament in 3-years at Lake Lanier in February of this same year. They also held on to their lead to be the second GCS team to win on Saturday and also on Sunday.

May-2004- Lake Cumberland. The Saturday open tournament was won by a local guide who was also one of our GCS teams. However, his 2-fish 49.5 pound win on Saturday did not win the GCS event when a man-wife team who had never been on the lake before came from 6th place on Saturday to win the event on Sunday with a total 75-pound 4-fish 2-day weight. The local guide did pick up his 3rd fish at 25-pounds in the tournament and also had 75-pounds of raw weight but not enough to beat the other team.

June-2004, Thurmond Reservoir, A man who owns a auto shop won the Saturday tournament. He was a GCS team but had not won a tournament in 3-years with the NSBA. And another GCS team came up with the win on Sunday.

All in all about 50% of the time the team that won the Saturday fun class (no guides allowed) also won the Open Class tournament. We have had one occasion where the winner of the Fun tournament did not enter the open tournament but would have won it if he had.

Our Championship tournaments are set up so that anyone has a chance to win. Last year at our National Championship the top-3 on day-1 had never fished the lake before.

I must say that I agree with Greg�s wife that bait is the bigger difference, not the guide when you are looking at a 1-fish per day 2-day event. I watched as many people at Hamilton put bait in their tanks and as a competition fisherman I would not have bee pleased with the bait if I had to use it in a tournament. If I were to give all people one bit of advice, if you are going to be a live bait fisherman, learn about the bait and how to take the best care of it first. Once you do that, the time on the water with the baits in the water will be more productive.

I hope everyone reading this uses it as positive and productive information. That is how it was intended!

Warren

See. Told ya.

I hear ya Warren but if I fished a new lake I wouldn't even know what to look for.

But, if I had an opportunity to fish against folks at my own level, I'd feel like I had a chance.

Just me. Apparently.

I think you guys are doing a great job and I hope as the NSBA grows, it can find a way to have different divisions, that's all.

Right now, I'm better off spending the tourney fee on room, board, and gas.

SCStriper1...I am glad you were successful with the "Fun Class" and I am looking forward to being able to join that level of competition in 2005 here in Region 3. Randy Wood did a great job with the TSA with a lot of help from the TSA officers.

Those are some encouraging statistics for the Region 1 and 2, however that is not the same experience here in Region 3. I have not researched this, but of the tourneys this past year - I do not remember anyone other than a TSA officer or a guide that placed in the money in a Region 3 tourney.

I want to see the NSBA grow in Region 3 like it has prospered in the other areas. I hope you will share some of those "Lesson Learned" on how to grow this association in this region. The TSA elections are coming up soon and I am sure the "New Blood" will be very interested in your ideas.

Fuzzy.....did you forget my thrilling second place finish on Texoma last NSBA/TSA tourney?
Caught an 8lber on a perch to get second place and second biggest fish.
One thirteen pounder messed up our first place finish.

Paul, you ARE the exception to the rule.

We were all duly impressed that day.

I did forget about that...but not those 4-5 foot waves I got caught in, not to mention the water was COLD and I got soaked!!! You did good !!!

I was wrong...I found another one where a guy not from the area placed...

Bring on the Rookie League