The Federations

[JAMES MOORE]

If no one has done it yet they need to go to Bassfan.com and read the article there on the recent developments and goings on in Florida at the State Federation meetings.

 

[Jim B]

Yea, i read that this morning. It seems obvious to me that its time for the Federations to leave BASS. They have shown the presidents zero respect and it looks like they will continue down that path as long as the Feds stay affiliated with them.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I personnaly think that is the biggest mistake. BASS and the federations do a lot of things. I don't really care about any presidents getting respect. The Federation are not about them.



Its an easy band wagon to jump on. But truth be told 99.9% remain unaffected by any changes Bass has made..



I'm not pretending i know all the issues either.

 

[Jim B]

BMCD, you are right the federations are not about the presidents but by BASS not showing them any respect and treating them like dirt they are slapping us all in the face. The state presidents are elected by the members of the federation to speak for us. It seems to me like BASS dosent want to deal with them, so really they could care less about us with the exception of the money we give them.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

That pretty sums up my feelings of the new BASS since ESPN got involved. After the fiasco they put me through trying to get paid last summer for working as a press boat, this doesn't surprise me in the least. All the more reason to fish FLW sanctioned events almost exclusively.

BASS is shooting themselves in the foot. Once the old timers that are loyal to them, like Yelas, Brauer, Van Dam, Martin, Nixon, Klein, etc are gone, there will be virtyually no young blood to take their places. If you don't agree, just wait and see.

 

[TritonGlenn]

There are absolutely no winners in this deal at the time being.



Has BASS done a lot of things wrong? Yep. No fighting that. Have they done a lot of things for us? Yep. They have - no matter how you fight it, they have done things for us.



Now - the other side of the coin - TBF. What have they done for you as of right now? Nothing. Promises all over, but nothing hard core, in writing, with proof. They promised at first that it would be "business as usual". They they said it may be a few months interuption in tournaments. Then it was "up to a year". Now some members of TBF are saying it could be up to two years before things are "back to normal". However, in the meantime, BASS has promised that any clubs remaining with BASS will have tournaments to fish - and put it in writing. They even have a entire board on standby if needed - to step in and run things "as usual". Am I comfortable with that? Nope. But at least it is in writing.



I am in no way condoning anything that BASS has done in the past - far from it. They have made a lot of errors. However, TBF has made a lot of the same errors (think about the dues increase - the Federation representitives from TBF argued the increase from $15 to $20 in National dues, but at the very same time, our State Federation dues did the exact same thing - with the same explanation - increased costs!!! - no proof!!!!), and they go one step further by putting out information that isn't the whole truth, in order to lure people away from BASS and to whatever organization they end up with. We may never know what exactly happened between those Reps and BASS, but BASS must have thought it was harsh enough to dismiss them and remove their memberships. Think of this - If we, as clubs, refused to pay the $5 increase in State dues, what would they do to us? Probably the same thing - "dismiss us" - in the form of not accepting our roster to let our members participate in their tournaments due to non-payment of funds required by them. They have that right.... why wouldn't BASS have the same right? I will agree that removing their memberships was way over-the-top, but maybe there were reasons for that we may never know.



End result - As one of the club presidents at our Region meeting said, "Mom and Pop are getting a divorce, and the only ones that are really going to get hurt in this deal are the children (us). This sucks for the Federation, no matter who ends up running things, as it will end up causing splits throughout the Federation - some staying with BASS, and some going to ???? (as soon as TBF makes up their minds).



I, for one, have seriously considered just fishing open tournaments - Pro/Am teams, Danny Joe Humpfries, etc.... and club tournaments for the time being.



I hope we all make it through this with as little pain as possible, but I have a feeling that wish will not be granted.



All the best to all of you.

Glenn

 

[Jim Brone]

What I suggest is simply ignoring these "arguments" between ESPN and TBF. Pay your extra 5 bucks and carry on as normal. Maybe it's time to get some "new blood" to run TBF anyway. Has it really been that good in the past anyway? Last year our (Illinois) classic only paid the top place. That was it, and no one knew it until the tournament was over.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

OK, What does the TBF do for you? I just wasted an hour on the MDBASS site reading their crap and still don't know? Right wrong or other wise this is my .02.. B.A.S.S provides the Insurance for your club tx's, Conservation and saftey informaton and training for free, tools and tackle for Casting kids, spots and prizes for Casting Kids, a chance at the Classic. Bass Times, Heck even if I am fishing another series I am covered under their umbrella. I not saying everything has been done properly. But what does the TBF do for there money?

The MD federation has 4 boaters and 2 non boaters signed up for next years trail? Bottom line I don't like politics, I don't see a need for a go between, I understand that with X number of clubs there is no way for everybody to be happy. I look at Mr Jacobs offer's in the past and think wow. Does anybody else ever get bored enough to read the rules? To enter the Ranger Cup you not only have to own a Ranger but you must be the first owner? To get the extra dollars, for haveing a genmar boat it can't be over 2 years old?

Sorry took so long, I guess it just built up and I had to speak my piece.

Take care

Bruce

 

[TritonGlenn]

Bruce - Yep.

I have been appauled as I find out some underhanded stuff that TBF has done in the past - our reps tell us patial truths, and speak out the sides of their mouths. I don't trust them. Like I said about BASS also - they have (and still do) a lot for us, but they have done plenty of messed up stuff also. If TBF actually accomplished something as the "go-between", I wouldn't have a problem with them. But they pissed it away for three years, and their solution to the problem is "get away from BASS"??? What a bunch of bull! They havn't accomplished anything with BASS, so they just quit and go elsewhere..... yeah, that's who I want running things! Yeah, right! :wacko: I think it was a huge mistake when the state Federations became members of TBF - which, by the way - check it out in your state and see if this is the same for you --- Our State Federation President told the Region that it would cost the state $50 to become a member of TBF. When the check was written from the state, it cost $200 according to the books. He "couldn't remember" why that was. Heck, that's 4 times the quoted amount! What else do you think they aren't telling us the exact / whole truth about? I think Texas and one or two others aren't members of TBF. Wish everyone else had followed suit.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Texas Transplant]

Went to our District meeting last night. All of the information seemed to be very one sided - slanted directly against BASS. I'm with others. The State Federation doesn't do that much for the clubs - at all. The biggest thing they do is simply run the Federation Tourney's, which are only averaging about 60 boats at best.



It will be interesting to see what actually comes out of all of this. We have a state meeting in 2 weeks.



Tex

 

[Jim Brone]

Like I said fella's. Pay your small increase and hang in there for a while. Everyine is on the take these days. Concentrate on the tournaments, the fishing and let all the bull go on between the people that are going to carry on whether we all squabble over it or not.