What do you as bass anglers look for in a bass club?

I'm seriously seriously seriously thinking about starting my own club/organization. I know exactly what I want to do to make the bass club the best it can be but I won't be the only one participating. I need a little feedback from anglers in what YOU would want see to not only fish but what gives you the confidence to STAY and fish for longer than one tournament. I see a lot of anglers fish a couple and fall off because of different reasons and I also have some of my own to stay or leave, every angler has a preface. Most, not all but most tournaments I've ever fished I've said to myself "If I ran this tournament, I would have done it differently." So...what say you?

I see you're from Quinlan. You're pretty much in the middle of two great Bass Clubs. Lake Tawakoni Bass Club is one of the largest Clubs in the Metroplex and they have an incredible operation. Their compound on Tawakoni makes them truly unique. I believe they have capped off membership at 120 families! That's amazing. Here in Garland is the Ray Hubbard Bass Club. I'm a bit prejudiced here, because I've been a member since 2008, but our Club has seen an amazing growth spurt in that time. We have been well over 100 members the last three years and most of our guys come back every year. I think we hit almost everything on your list other than "official" side pots but you can always count on Jerry Brown to have something going there. I think what makes the Club is having a helpful friendly attitude. It's not just about fishing tournaments. It's about learning and helping each other get better. It's about serving the community and making friends you will have for a long time. It's about having FUN. That's what makes it a Club, and not a tournament trail. Come out to our meeting on Thursday night and see for yourself. You may decide you don't need to start one of your own, but if you do, we'll give you as many good ideas as we can.

I've done a lot of research on clubs in and around the DFW area and seen some stuff I liked and a lot I didn't. I totally agree with everything you said especially about having fun and learning with each other. It's not all about fishing but learning with the anglers that share the same passion that you have. In my own opinion One of My biggest problems with clubs is the monthly meetings in certain locations at a certain time. A lot of people I know and fish against including myself cant make those meetings ever and/or everytime with work schedules, family time, home projects ect. Did you know some clubs actually penalize points off anglers because they can't make the meetings? I think I have an idea where anglers can be more inclusive in being apart of the club without having to attend meetings. I do appreciate the feed back and invitation and positive support it means a lot to me thanks!

So guys what would you pay for entry fees for Club team event? Including BB
1. $100
2. $80
3. $60
4. $50

What about lakes?
1. All bigger lakes
2. All smaller lakes
3. Good mixture small and big

My #1 requirement would be no separate monthly meetings

Doesn't sound like you are starting a bass club but a new tournament trail.

I am a member of RHBC and I do not always get to fish all the tournaments due to fishing conflicts or work schedule. I have cashed a check or two and it's nice to help pay for fishing. But, in my opinion clubs are more about the "club" than the tournaments. Helping others learn, learning from others, making friends through fishing and helping your community and the fishing community through volunteering to help with various activities.

I have been a member of RHBC for 5 years and I will always be a member, even if I cannot make many of the tournaments. It's enjoyable to fraternize with others that share my passion of fishing. If you want to make it more about fishing and payouts, a "trail" is a better avenue.

Mid to high level entries fees, clear rules that are strictly enforced, good lakes and the right type of schedule is what would make a "trail" successful in my opinion.

Though we have a lot of trails, so not sure you can succeed in a "watered down" market.

It kinda does doesn't it? The way I see it, apart of the club aspect and everything that goes along with it, money is still the biggest factor vs participation. If the money isn't there then the participants aren't either. You will always and forever in bass tournaments/clubs no matter the level you fish on, the monies spent will always be larger than won. But, when you do actually win an event or big bass, isn't it easier to come back and participate again when the pot is a lot better than most? I guarantee there is a lot more that's going into what I'm wanting to do other than money. Testing the waters really on certain criteria.

Respectfully disagree XPres - When a club becomes about the money it becomes no more than a glorified trail. There are clubs that pay nothing, maybe you get a trophy; but many anglers just like the competition and camaraderie and the money is really secondary. There are lots of club guys that for what ever reason will never or very rarely cash a check but stick with a club for a lifetime. If money equals participation then the only "members" will be those that know with some certainty that they will cash each tournament.

Here here! We also looked at the monthly meetings and have down sized the points you get for attending. Which still makes it possible for those that can't make it to still stay in the points for AOY. So it doesn't seem like a punishment for not making the meetings.

Couldn't have said it better myself!! You need to modify list, and add "for the camaraderie, not the money" and see what kind of response you get.

Many years ago when I was a young bass angler, our company sponsored a local bass club. A buddy and I decided to join in October of that year to fish the last 3 events just to see what it was like. We had a good time and decided to join the next year and try to fish all 12 events.

We did fish them all and also attended all the meetings. I still remember thinking to myself, why aren't any of the top 3 finishers sharing any information at the club meetings? They show up to receive their check and offer very little fishing info. As a new fisherman, I was disappointed because I joined thinking I would learn something from these veterans. Many guys only fished 1 or 2 events and dropped out because they couldn't figure out how to catch fish. They felt they were making a donation to the same people each month. I told myself that when the day came that I had some fishing success, I would be as helpful to others as possible. It's all about the fun and sharing of information that makes bass fishing and clubs worthwhile. This is just my opinion based on my experience.

The perfect club would give out small trophies or plaques after each tournament. The money to join the club and small entry would pay for the plaques and year end banquet. Life is too short to take club fishing too serious! Enjoy each day on the water and the friends you make. Pass on your knowledge to your friends, children and grandchildren.

So, my advice is:

1. Make it affordable to join a club & enter the tournaments
2. Require top finishers in each tournament to share with other club members how they caught their bass...depth, lure, grass or timber, no locations...just good info to help the beginner learn more.
3. Don't pay out money, instead give out plaques or trophies.

Very simply...make the about fellowship, fun, and fishing...this is the direction my club goes and that's why I love it...if I wanted to be more serious in tournament angling it wouldn't be in the bass club it would be in one of the trails...and maybe one day I will join a trail but I will always be a member of my bass club.

I fish with Tyler Bass Club and this is one of the great things about the club. I think virtually everyone is very open and honest at the meetings, telling not only how but where they caught their fish. I was fortunate enough to have a good year last year and I made it a point to go into detail about where I was fishing, what I was throwing, how I was working the bait, and the reasons why I chose the locations and techniques. I think everyone else in the club did the same thing.

When I nominate or vote for a lake, my first concern is "will everyone have a good chance to catch fish and have a good time?" If we want our members to keep coming back and fishing with us month after month and year after year we have to remember that fishing...especially club fishing...is supposed to be fun.

The other guys in the club aren't just my competitors...although the competition is very good. They are my friends.

Guys, i agree with what most everyone has said on this topic and i think the bass club i am in has found a very good balance between competitive fishing and just having fun.
some of the points that were raised that we do in our club that i really like
1. we have monthly meetings but you are only awarded 3 points for each meeting you make so it doesnt really hurt you for your end of year rankings
2. our dues are fairly low with non mandatory side pots at pretty much every tourney (up to the judge of that tourney)
3. Lakes lists for that year are voted on at the January meeting
4. at each meeting the top 3 teams are asked to explain how they caught their fish to better help the other people in the club.
5. we also try to have guest speakers to come by. We had a tour pro come to our February meeting and explain how he works pre, spawning and post spawning fish.

check out our website, i think we do it pretty well for a small local bass club...

sorry for highjacking the post a little

www.thecolonybassclub.org

I am new to a local club, but we have the previous tournament top 3 say what baits, colors and presentations they used to catch their fish in our meetings. Also if they fished any other tournaments or are familiar with a lake that members are fishing a tournament on coming up we all share info as well. It's why I think I will be a member for a long time to come.

I started to look for a club to join. I don't catch enough to fish tournaments, my schedule rotates so can't make most of them even if I could fish worth a darn.

I used to be a member of a corvette club. It was a social setting where we helped each other out and helped new people. Yes we had races and such but they weren't for money and really weren't against each other. They were against other clubs. That built some camraderie and made each other help out your teammates and we all learned from it.

My short search of bass clubs seemed to be that they were mainly organized so they would have a group of guys to pool their money and have tournaments. Nothing wrong with that, it just wasnt what I was looking for.

Maybe one day I will be a better fisherman and seek out those types of clubs.

This. My club does not fish for money. We give out patches and an angler of the year plaque at the end of the season (and a dead fish plaque that you really don't won't to get), but we are about the fishing more than anything and commardire.

ETEX,
i like the idea of the dead fish plaque at the end of the year... was that for lowest qualifier after so many tourneys?

I would pay 80 to a 100 for a good ran tourney. That's cheap enough for us weekend anglers but enough to where if u Win you come home with something. I would prefer a mixture of large and small lakes. Depending size of club/field. A lot of great smaller lakes in east tx. And negative on meetings. I work nights and work 60hrs a week and don't want to be penalized for not attending.