What do you like and Dislike

I liked the "team" concept of the tournament. Tommy runs a good weigh-in and has the backing of some good sponsors. I just haven't found the right partner to fish the entire season with.

The only thing that I found negative was the schedule this season. I would have hoped to fish some different lakes. I understand the whole big lake, big fish thing, I just like fishing different lakes.

which west tx team trail r u talking about, i think there is more than 1

For me, I liked fishing Saturdays better. Sunday has been my Church and Family day for along time. Plus, I'd rather be up late Friday night getting to the tournament and fish Saturday then recoup on Sunday before work on Monday. Better than up late Sunday night after a long day fishing, trip back home, etc.. then have to get up early for work Monday morn.
just a personal preference.

I 100% agree with Tebam 11...........

+2 I much prefer fishing on Saturday. We tried the Sundays this year and it really wore me down.

I would like to see the AOY changed, in the current form teams get to drop their worth finish. I know this is done to include more teams and keep intrest toward the end of the year, but the true AOY in not represented. AOY means you have to catch them every time, no mulligans. Other than that I love fishing with Tommy, great trail

I would love to go to these but Sundays is for church and my kids. I gotta keep them in church. Plus, work is Monday. By the time you get home and unloaded itll be late late late. I can usually sneak away on Fridays easier than Mondays. Plus, us west TX guys no all these lakes pretty well cause were limited. I understand prefishing and would like to if time allows but in my case it doesnt. Most of us feel comfortable enough with these waters to show up and fish cause thats where we fish all the time. Its still mainly for fun not to feed and shelter our families if we happen to win something. I would love to go to these but right now cant make it happen.

I sincerely love hearing what everyone wants to see in the trail.

We tried the Saturday tournaments. I received a ton of complaining emails and phone calls about not being able to have a prefishing day because we fished on Saturdays. So, we made up a vote sheet that each team was asked to fill out and vote on whether to fish on Saturday or Sunday. It was 2 to 1 to fish on Sunday and prefish on Saturday.

We did the "drop one" on the AOY standings because of the complaining I got for us going to Amistad. "By God if you go to Amistad and we don't get to drop it, we won't fish it". That kind of stuff. It got frustrating to say the least. A lot of times if a team does terrible in a tournament and they see there is no way to make AOY, they just drop out for the rest of the season. If a team is allowed to drop one tournament or miss one tournament, then they continue to fish the rest of the year. This keeps participation up and the payouts up.

We included Stamford in the mix for next year's lakes. Brownwood is hated by 90% of the teams and they refuse to go there. I could care less which lakes we go to. I just listened to the teams. We are VERY limited on the lakes that we can put 70 teams on out here in West Texas. I would like for someone to name another lake out here that we don't fish that 70 teams can get on and not have a problem of it being crowded. Also keep in mind that we need motel rooms for at least 50 teams there that drive from a long way away. Not everyone lives close enough to drive to the lake that morning. Don't even think about naming Possum Kingdom after the alga kill.

Now I have teams complaining that they actually have to fish and weigh fish in at the championship tournament in order to get a check. We did a drawing last year for two big checks that were just handed out on the luck of the draw instead of the money being paid out in the true form of actually having to place in the tournament to get a check. I caught holy heck for that. So, we are paying out all the money in how the teams place this year. It was in the rules all year long. Now I have teams that say they didn't know that we changed it and that they didn't read the rules and are complaining that they actually have to compete and catch fish to win money. Quote: "But, all those other teams are better than we are". Give me a break!!!!!

List of things we hear:
1). You mean we have to check in at the registration and prepay before we can fish? Can't we just pay you at the weigh-in? (I still have a well known fisherman and boat dealer down in Killeen/Temple named Brian W. that owes me $200 from last year for that scenario of my having trusted someone to pay after they fished)
2). Why can't I prefish on Friday? Just because everyone else has to work on Friday, I don't.
3). Why do we have to wait until safe light to start? I know how to drive my boat in the dark.
4). Why can't we have a shotgun start? I love that kind of start.
5). I almost got killed in that last tournament when everyone took off at the start time and almost ran over me.
6). There shouldn't be any off limits period so I can go prefish all week for the tournament.

And to think that people wonder why tournament directors get grouchy sometimes.

I tell my teams that I want to hear any suggestions that they think can improve the trail. So, I'm glad to see this on here. Let's hear it!!!

Tommy,

If I was closer, I'd fish your trail in a heart beat. There's no way to make 100% of the people happy. But it sounds like you try and make the majority happy. The complaining no matter what you decide has soured me on being an officer in my local club at times. I can only imagine being a TD in a larger trail.

I feel for ya Hag. I cant imagine all the gripes and whines you get. To me, as long as your all on the same water its all fair. Theres fish to be caught right off boat ramps. There needs to be 1 set of rules that everyone follows. If they dont like it, dont come. I understand directors and committees have to listen and follow requests but like everything else, the gripes will never stop. Its so easier for someone to complain and make excuses than to go with it. My hats off to you and your patience. I completely understand why the tourneys or on Sundays. Im not holding it against anyone. Its nobodys fault that I cant do that but the price I gotta pay is that I cant make them. If they ever change Ill see you at the registration.
Oh yeah, I have litterally killing them, everywhere, with your F5 tornados on a shaky head. Keep it up. thanks

I would have liked to have gotten to vote for Saturday/Sunday fishing. I did not know there was a vote, that was not the reason I was given for the change. I am not whining or complaining, just saying.

when I said killing them I hope yall knew I meant catching them. didnt want to throw anyone off with that litterally word

set the hook when you first feel 'em.... They wont swallow it as deep.

good one Panhandle. I knew that was coming and Yes Im aware I asked for it too. I will say I woulda done the same had it been someone else. thanks for the laugh.