Tournaments and the economy

[Durand Dan]

What is your opinion on the state of tournament fishing in this economy?  As a consistent donor  I have enjoyed fishing tournaments including, Top Bass, NBAA, ABA and several BFL and Stren Tournaments also with the Kent Lake group. I am sure the people that finish in the money appreciate that I show up for these contests as I have always contributed fees which I could afford to lose. Now as one of the recently laid off employees with skills useful to automotive production I feel that my donating days may be few and far between  . As the majority of the competitors are in the same category (an assumption ) as me I wonder how successful the tournament trails will be in the next few years. I believe we saw some of the decline last year in groups like Top Bass which in years past drew 50, 60 and even 70 boats per tournament. Last year they were lucky to get 30 to 40. There will always be the core group of fishermen who are consistent and make enough prize money to pay for their fishing. But will that be enough to sustain the industry?

[motocross269]

I think the hard core guys will fish TX even if they have to eat Ramen Noodles....

I also work in the auto industry and I am cutting back big time on my tourneys for 09..I am going to fish my Club tourneys and only 1 BFL (LSC)...I just can't afford to do all of the traveling and all the other expenses that go along with tx fishing add up fast...I promised my wife when I got back into tourney fishing that I wouldn't allow it to put a hardship on my family...That is why the drastic cut this year and if things keep getting worse I may have to shelve it in 2010 for a while...

[MBell]

I think the gas prices had a lot more to do with last years decline in numbers.  I didn't run my boat like I normally do.  I think the economy will have an impact on numbers this year, but if gas prices stay low I think you can expect about the same as last year. 
-Matt

[Bender]

Maybe we can start a $5 entry shore fishing tournament? Possibly the dollar store could sponsor it rather than WalMart.
Things just got pretty bad for me too. I didn't fish too many last year but I had plans to try some more this year and if things don't change soon I may be joining hunlee in the hunt for bass to eat. 
Just kidding, but things are pretty grim and I'm afraid it will limit my fishing, tournaments and otherwise.

[Flippin222]

We have not fished the bigger tournaments, but even staying with NBAA we will likely cut back the number of tournaments we fish and may even skip the classic to help even out the costs.

[Skip Johnson]

if gas gets back up over $3 a gallon I say we should start a trolling motor only trail 
we could have shotgun starts again 

I didnt fish much at all last year becouse of the economy and fuel prices, this years not looking any better from what I can see 

[Cheetam]

I had to cut back tremendously 4 years ago.  The automotives and tier 1 companies were cutting back on consulting costs, and it affected my business.  I actually had to get a real job making 40% less than I was just to pay the bills.  Throw in a couple kids...well you get the idea.

I'm still interested in starting a belly boat series.  A couple hundred bucks for a belly boat or inflatable pontoon (more or less) and $20 a guy for the fruit jar.  No tow expenses, little upkeep, and you'll actually be closer to nature  .  Seriously though, maybe keep it to 3 fish limit to reduce the stress of pulling the fish around during the day.  Keep it to smaller lakes and/or lakes like Kent with a no wake/10 mph speed limit so you don't get run over by pleasure craft.  Heck, even doing back water areas like around metro would be cool.

[dartag]

whats a Fruit Jar??  could you use a Kodiak can instead.??

[Skip Johnson]

float tubes?? been there done that!
chiropracter fees far exceed splitting the costs with a boater to go fishing  
grew up float tubing, the only times it was worth being cold cramped low and uncomfortable was jumping a fence to a closed resevoir in sandiego night fishing for 30 to 40 + pounds when I was a kid, dont get me wrong, if fishins in your blood "AND YOUR YOUNG" youl float tube but with the internet  nowadays non boaters have so much access to boaters you shouldnt get that desperate, call me jeff well go fishin before you get that desperate.

I rember when I was a kid I went out on sandiego bay with my dad in his skeeter on a sunday and whacked the pig sand bass on finn-s type jigs out in the main channel, the next day I ditched school and floatubed sandiego bay, nobody float tubes that bay out in the open channel but me being a fish junkie kid thinks its a good idea   , I had it all planned, the tide would  take me out to point loma then turn and Id come in, at the point Id get onshore and fish from shore till the tide turned in and brought me back to my drop in spot, well that worked for about 10 minutes of shore fishing after a 3 hour drift out whacking pigs, then the military police show up and tell me I cant be on "base property", I had to jump back in the water and stay 100 yards from the base, so I ended up out in the current and out to sea....that was funny and one long day, Im just happy to have legs, the pacific ocean's a scary place in a float tube!

huh ? wonder if a muskie could be a hazard?  LOL

[Cheetam]

float tubes?? been there done that!
chiropracter fees far exceed splitting the costs with a boater to go fishing  
grew up float tubing, the only times it was worth being cold cramped low and uncomfortable was jumping a fence to a closed resevoir in sandiego night fishing for 30 to 40 + pounds when I was a kid, dont get me wrong, if fishins in your blood "AND YOUR YOUNG" youl float tube but with the internet  nowadays non boaters have so much access to boaters you shouldnt get that desperate, call me jeff well go fishin before you get that desperate.

So you're saying that my bad knees, shoulder and (at times) lower back could be problems float tubing?    Thanks for the offer Skip.  I still have your number.  I'm pretty much always desperate, so let's get bakc out and stick some pigs this year.

[Skip Johnson]

sounds good, Im sure were both ready to go about now, my minnkota's faster than a float tube anyways.

[Ranger5Smallie]

Of course it is going to effect numbers.  I am fortunate to work for a company that is actually growing and will explode if Chicago gets the 2016 olympics.  But I am going to play it safe and stick around the house more and fish more "fruitjar" tx's this summer.  I have a calendar full of these so the actual numbers of tx fished for me is going up.  I also have slowed down on fishing purchases like rods/reels and lures.  Lord knows I have enough!!