It cracks me up beyond beleif when people look at tournament fishing like a business and try to be "good with my money"

Are you kidding me? Entry fees, fuel expenses, boat payment,Insurance, equiptment, maintance and as we all know somehting is always breaking on our rigs.

If you wanna be smart with your money then dont tournament fish. People that actually make money after all the expenses are taken out in amature trails is probably less then 10% of tournament fishermen. If you wanna fish for a job join FLW and pay your 50 grand in entry fees and compete with the big boys. IMHO

I like BassChamp payouts of the winner getting a nice paycheck.

Make winning worth it.....

I didn't say it on my last response but I am perfectly fine with Guides fishing the events. They are no different than jackpotters fishing. If Champs makes this change they should couple it with a new off limits which is what I think that survey is about

You're funny ;-)

I was planning on fishing these with my son this past year, but had other obligations ad was not able to fish. We have plans to do so this year since he is only 12 we qualify as a junior team. He just wants to fish some tournies with me and we chose Basschamps because of the payouts and entry fee. Most other trails the fee would be the same and a lot less payout. I know the likeness of us winning one is few and far between, but if we are some fish that week we will be rewarded, plus he gets to walk across a somewhat big stage to show off his fish. I think it's great that they are doing this for the young anglers and for me because i am only having to pay for my share of the fees which help out in the long run. I was just looking at the payouts before I got on here and in the East Div. they paid out $1000 to at least the 12th-13th place. That is still quite a payday for the entry IMHO. I do not get to fish very often and w are looking forward to fishing these in 2012.

The East and North are the only division that still draw the teams it takes to see the kind of payouts BC is known for. I'll say it again, you East Texas guys have it good.

Agreed

Agreed

How on earth does it KILL the economy in an area basschamps is going to? Do you really think all 200 teams can practice the entire week before? In reality I would think that the boost to the economy with the influx of anglers the night before, morning of and going home would be welcome by the local business in the area? Not to mention the weekend before when "most working people get to fish" choose to go to the lake that basschamps is holding an event on....I like the off limits, I work durning the week to afford to go fish.

Someone said it earlier, the chamber of commerce that pays the most gets the tourneys, simple math. I fish champs and love it. I know they have to make money, but the central lakes are dink lakes, until that changes they will have lower numbers. I have fished and voted in the poll for the last 4 years, not much changes with the vote. Like someone else said, its marketing. I will continue to fish the south and have fun and maybe get a check one day if the guides dont fish it. my.02

Its not the lakes, its the economy and competition from other trails that has reduced the number of draws.

Actually if you want to be "smart with your money" don't buy a boat and go fishing at all. I seriously doubt if any of us went to Edward Jones and sought financial advice the answer would be to buy a boat, buy a ****load of fishing gear, and pay to enter tournaments at all...$20,000 first prize, off-limits, guides fishing, guides not fishing, paying just the top ten, fishing close to home...blah, blah, blah.

I love fishing more than anyone I know, but some of us take ourselves a little too seriously.

You hit the nail on the head. I think they shuold pay 10K for first and distribute more of the other 10K amongst the other places.

Not trying to beat this up, but really? am I crazy, I want to step up my game in 2012 and try to fish for the big prize, and Bass Champs seem to have it. In their last regular season event in 2011 on Cedar Creek 12th place paid out 1k, and 23 paid out $500. Not to mention 1st place paid out over 25k with bonuses....I am like those who realize this is a passion not a living, I work a "real" job for a living. Regardless of the entry fee for any event I fish, I pay the same for gas and boat payment and tackle regardless.....so to me it makes sense to pay a little more on the entry fee to fish a first class event with a good payout? Am I missing something here?????

^^^^No your not BassMan... well said... ^^^^

All the complainers....what is the next closest trail locally in texas that pays anywhere close to Champs, and dont give me some trail that pays $2K for first and $2K the rest of the paid places (likely down 7 places or something with that last place paying $86) as that is not in the same league. Champs hands back about $50k cash a week, doesnt take three hours at weigh ins, sticklers for the rules, no gift cards and to this point has not run off with all the money while everyone is fishing, free hot dogs and drinks and is a competetive field for those that wish to compete on an elevated level. If they went away what is your next best choice?

Practice and gas are a fixed cost and you should be doing that whatever trail you fish if you want to compete, so the only difference is the entry. Your payback chances are still better at Champs as nobody else can pay back $500 down like 20 something places.