Just trying to get a handle on what fishers of men Michigan East divison is.
team/single, 5 fish 8 fish?
payout % at ramp?
off limits?
Average # of boats per event last year?
Thanks, Matt
??? ??? bassfisherman not no ??? ???
You can check it out and get most of these answers at www.fomntt.com (http://www.fomntt.com)
Matt,
You would not regret fishing FOM. It is a very good tournament trail. It's still in it's infant stage, but I believe it will only get better. I believe the payback is 1 in every 5 boats. I meet nothing but class act fishermen in the Michigan East division.
thomas
While looking around I found a website for the michigan divisions, www.mifom.com I like the schedule but don't think I can justify the pre-tournament meeting and the off limits for a series this small. The payouts looked good.
-Matt
I agree. The trail looks good like the schedule, some good lakes. However, I also can not see the point in a meeting the night before and the entry fee being sent in for a tournament like this a week ahead of time. You guys should have some fun this year though with that schedule.
We have a number of members from here that fished FOM last year - fishon1219, Wayne Carpenter both did well last year fishing this popular team circuit.
I just got email today from TD John Carter saying things were about all set for 2007. John is also a member here and visits from time to time (bigjc).
There was talk on a previous post regarding the launch site for the Saginaw Bay tournament. It currently shows launching from Vet Park.
Someone from this site knew the tournament director and was going to check with him to see if they could change the launch location to something located either at the mouth of the river or located on the bay itself. Did any one check???
Thanks
BS
I spoke with John the other day and he was working on it.
Excellent.....thank you for the up date. ;)
BS
FOM is a great circuit to fish. I fished the IN North div for 03 & 04 and then the first season of west. MI in 05 when i moved up here. (Then my jerk of a partner decided to start up MI East and left me hanging in 06 - thanks a lot John.. ;) )
Its a smaller circuit up here, but pretty big down south. It makes it pretty easy to qualify for the regional tournies which are always a blast and pretty decent payouts too. I would give John a call ... he's a great guy and would be more than happy to answer any of your questions.
I was thinking that maybe if we who are going to fish FOM would be counted for, that maybe we could get some new teams interested in fishing this tournament trail. My name is Thomas and I'll be fishing this year with my son John. We have already paid for all the tournaments and are ready to fish.
thomas
To all who fished FOM last year. How about sounding off about the tournament trail. The more we can encourage to join FOM the better the competition and pay outs. We have a small division right now, so your chances of winning this division is pretty good. Which means fishing a national event. Or you could make the regionals by being in the top twenty teams. I'm so ready for this coming season. Kevin and Mark I'm coming after you guys. They are the team to beat.
By the way, 2 of the nicest gentlemen I've ever meet.
thomas
I will be there. I am going to be fishing all 5 with another guy who transfered up from Oklahoma at the same time as I did. He has never fished tx, but he is a good guy so this should be fun. Never been to Sag Bay, Cass or Belleville so this will be a learning (donating) year. ;D
Can't wait for soft water!!!!
Seth V
Welcome aboard Seth,
Looking forward to meeting you and your partner. I hope to be on the water by next weekend. I'm getting my boat ready this week.
thomas
Hey guys, good to see some more interest in FOM. It is a great tournament and a great bunch of anglers. Thomas, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I have 45 ton of salt in my salt dome and I need the room for topsoil. I want to fish more than you know, but I really need to use the salt. So how about we all just pray for colder nights with a little moisture, just enough so I have to salt mind ya. No accumulating snow is good and we can all be off and fishing come April 1. What do you say. Anyone that is looking to join fishers of men, please consider it. It is a great time. As far as the Friday meetings, a time to get to know the other guys have some food and a short message along with getting your blast off #s and being able to talk about the lake. All of the FOM trails do this no matter what size they are, so don't let that hold you back. Just come on out have a good time and enjoy the competition. Hope to see you there. Remember a little moisture. hahhahahahahah.
Paul
Hey Paul,
Is that big yellow ocean liner of yours ready to go? I do believe we will have a much better turn out this year. I've been talking to John lately about having plaqes for first thru third place and big fish. My son and I are going to sponser for one of the events and I believe I have a sponser for another one as of right now. Looking forward to seeing you again. Will your church be one of our stops this year? If so, do you think we could have chicken again this year. ;D
thomas
so far looks like 3 teams
Yes sir, I have already talked with the Pastor and it is on the schedule. I believe Chicken, Ham, corn, maybe mashed potaoes and gravy. Whatever it is it will be a good spread I will make sure of that. I will also be making my world famours macaroni salad. I can't wait to fish and it sounds like we are going to grow in numbers this year as well. Did you get your trolling motor situation straightened out?
Thought about fishing this circuit, talked it over with my partner, and we decided to pass it up for the BBT tourneys instead. Maybe a bad idea, but I think I will enjoy the BBT's more. I don't like the off-limits rule, because I can't always make it to prefish the day before, and most of these lakes are a ways from me. Then a meeting, might as well say mandatory, because if you don't get the points from it (50) you are almost guaranteed not tom ake it to the championships. Just seems like a bunch of little rules I don't think I would agree with much. Maybe I'll change my mind after the season, we'll see. Have fun and catch lots of fish guys!!
Well, if you change your mind come on and fish we would love to have you. I also understand about the prefishing, I find it hard to get the time the day before as well. Good luck this season.
1Javelin,
Sorry to hear you and your partner will not be fishing with us this year. If you can, I would suggest that you fish the Cass Lake event and go to the Friday evening meeting. Silverminnow puts on one heck of spread. Worth the trip.
thomas
Paul,
I should have the trolling motor problem taken care of by tournament time.
thomas
I will have the tool kit in the boat just in case. Lets hope you don't need it and get to fish the whole thing this year. I can't wait to get on the water no matter what water, just need to fish at this point. I don't know how many teams but I do know that we had a good response at Novi and John has had a lot of interest it seems. The more the merrier eh!!!!
Amen to that Paul
thomas
My partner and I will be fishing the Saginaw Bay tournament this year. If all goes well...we may fish more.
BS ;)
Hey don't forget about Paul and I we finished second last year. What a classy bunch of guys that fished that trail last year. We had fun chasing one another up and down the standings. Kevin and Mark better look out this year, I don't know if I can handle 2nd again..... :D I am really looking forward to this years schedule, and Kevin if we are at the gas station again you will have to have another doughnut.... ;D Hope to talk to everyone soon.
Derek
I don't know I think those dounuts were lucky dounuts, I will have to pick a different kind this year...lol ;D ;D ;D Not to much longer now...
Great to see all the post for FOM, we are moving forward, BigJC and myself SODY are moving forward with building the East and West MI circuits. Any questions on dates or rules can be sent to either of us and we will get you what you need. I will send anyone who e-mails me their address a schedule/brochure. Or pick one up at DNR sports.
Rich's e-mail is rsoderquist@comcast.net and John's is bigjc77@aol.com
Just a word on the Friday night meetings, they are the best! FOM provides a cookout or food, we have a message and sometimes great give away's.
I must tell you I have fished a variety of circuits and I obtained more stuff during my first year with FOM than all my years with some of the other larger trails.
Art Furgeson was up at a church in Berrian Center a few weeks ago gave a shout out for our trail and signed my FOM hat how cool is that!!!
SODY
Guys,
Mark and my self are really looking forward to this coming season. I enjoyed last season so much I have entered into the Norther Kentucky Divison. It is a great tournament organization and a decent payout and if you are as lucky as we were you will get the points champions bonues money which made it very worthwhile.
I hope we do as well this coming season, but honestly we got lucky. We didnt catch alot of fish on tourny days, but we were able to get the 5 that counted.
So all of you guys gunning for us we are no better than any of you we just got lucky.
Hope to see all of you this season and good luck.
Ok, "LUCKY" We will just follow you then. I know I can keep up, Eh!!!! ;D ;D ;D
What do think Paul about Kevin? Just a humble guy? I think he's just got a good partner in Mark. Let's give Mark the credit.
thomas
OK fellas, It is a team effort (even though Mark typically catches all of the fish)
I spend to much time looking for bikinis. I know, I have a problem.
Funny story, Several years ago Mark and I fished the Tuesday night events on Belleville and several open team events and everybody always remembered Mark, but never remembered my name. So I was always known as Mark Clarks Partner. I even had it embroiderd on my jacket. To this day at boat shows and other fishing related events people still come up to me and say "Hey arent you Mark Clarks fishing partner".
I guess I am riding on his coat tail. Some day though I think the table will be turned and they will say "The winner of the Bassmaster Classic is Mark Clarks Partner Kevin Barrows" I cant wait. ;D
I will gvie credit where credit is due. I don't know who caught the fish that ended up securing first place for them. I do know that we didn't catch our fish that day and have to change that this year if we want to compete with the dynamic duo of Clark and ummmm, Ummm, Ummmm, his partner you know... Ummmmm, Ok,Ok, Clark and Barrows. Again, if we had to have second we were beaten by some good guys that is for sure. I am counting down the days until June 2nd you two and we will be ready to RUMBLE... Ok, wrong word, I can hold my own but Mark may be able to take me...READY TO FISH... Thats better. ;D ;D ;D
Kevin,
I would love to see you win the bass master classic. Looking forward to seeing all my FOM friends.
thomas