well you must be new to fishing tournaments.

and LMAO!

I think most people expect a sliding scale when they see a "with 200 entries - Payout will be X CASH" - so that if there are half that number of entries then the payout would be half IN CASH.
I don't think anyone here would be too keen on being told that the payout was going to be different AT SIGNUP - at that point I've already spent all my gas/hotel and food money so not signing up is not an option at that point? Sadly 1 area of the tournament was guaranteed (HOURLY) and the other was not (grand prize) - I'm sure the grand prize winner didn't think he'd be the one to make the hourly money good with his prize money - I still don't get being told what the grand prize is before they even know the number of entries (during registration as claimed above) how exactly does that work if it's true?

+1

and before you pay the morning of, simply ASK! pretty simple

Lil'Louie. He is happy he won and he has had a very good year fishing. They didn't tell eveyone what they would pay if they didn't get a full field when we registered and I'm not whining and neither is he. I just feel they need to clarify what will happen in case they don't get a full field.

Don't let the troll get to ya..I think BLT is a awesome trail and yes if you put up a dollar amount then I think it should be honored..Some deals make money and some you loose.I can see this one being locked out soon but the guy should be happy he has bragging rights over everyone else and has alittle change in his pocket.He can always sell that power pole and bring his total winnings to atleast half the payout.

Ok Guys,
1st, let me send congrats to Mr. John Welker on a victory well deserved in a tough weekend of fishing....
2nd, I am the one who enterd Mr. Welker in the tourney, we were boats numbered 6 & 7.
tourney payout was never discussed at sign-up.
3rd, For all of you trashing the victor for so-called "whining and crying" you need to realize he has not complained of the prize or money won. And he did discuss the prize package with the director when he was notified of the win. He is very grateful man and feels blessed that he was given the privledge to claim 1st place in the BLT tournament. John is a class-act and deserves the chance to enjoy his win without the negetive vibe of those who do not even know him or the situation.

Ps Congrats John on your win as the Co-Angler of the year in the West Texas Team Trails!!
Sincerely
Jay Miller

I think that blt canceled an individual trail because of lack of pre entries, I wouldn't want to discourage pre entries by making the money to much of a moving target. Just be realistic about what you expect to draw. They have a sample payout for 500 entries for this on their site. The lowest is 200 on the payout scales, it's not false advertising it just oversells a little bit.

MAE, advertise 25 enties pays whatever, 50 entries pays whatever and so on. If they don't want to advertise that way then they can advertise what they paid out last year per number of entries. I understand some years are better than the next or the previous so maybe advertise an average payout.

I am not a "troll", I have fished several of BLT's tournies and have paid my membership fee for 2011 and have been totaly satisfied with the way they are run. I am simply stating my opinon. Being I have a paid up membership for this year and plan to fish more this year, I have a stake in his bashing of BLT. Since this guy ,who I guess isn't the winner, is 3rd party whinning and bashing a well run trail and that may make others not fish in future events. Just trying to understand the 3rd party after the fact whinning ,its wrong IMO.

(and I got yo troll, lmao)

There was not 110 people. We registered this morning and they started it at number 100 for whatever reason. So how ever many people that fished yesterday plus 10 is how many entries they had. I was thinking it was in the 80s for both days. They told us at registration that the overall winner would be getting $500 plus a power pole. Very well ran tournament in my opinion and very nice people. I would defintley fish it again.

Congrats on the win out of 110 entrants that's a great accomplishment..what was the winning weight? Also abt power pole I have been looking to buy 1 & I was being serious when I mentioned buying it if he wanted to get rid of it..

"Hourly winners money Guaranteed.... to come out of someone elses pocket (not ours)" - make the whole thing based on entries - you make a guarantee it comes out of the business owners pocket not your other customers pockets - at that point it IS all based on entries and the only guarantee is that 1 person is gonna be irritated when there prize money goes to make up the shortfall on all the other prizes if turnout is low.

I don't think anyone wants them to payout money that's not in the prize pool but when the prize pool has to immediately exclude a large chunk of guaranteed money... I think he wants the money he won to be paid to him - apparently it went to the hourly winners that had guaranteed amounts ...

2Gs, I'm glad you posted and clarified that they told you that this morning.

Doug E. Fresh, I'm not bashing BLT or their trail just their advertising. I dont think me coming on TFF and expressing my opinion on the big bass events will effect the trail or your chances of winning. I'm not a dem and them there are fightn' words were I come from.LOL

I'm not just a third party, I fished the tourny and thought that the advertised prize monies were BS and thought I would share.

Congrats to John as well.

I understand , been rather confused about the pay outs in some tournies in the past, and thanks for not leaning to the left, lol..

and Congrats to the winner!