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| J_c_outdoors
Bluegill Username: J_c_outdoors Post Number: 183 Registered: 3-2009 Rating: N/A |
OK guys here is the deal. No championships this fall other than the Spring Championship on Texoma coming up in a few weeks. Going to start rewarding the AOY with bonus pay, change the points process to make for a brutally tight points race. Check out my other post and give us your honest opinions. I know or have heard that there are numerous present or former supporters of the JCO trail that are miffed in one way or another. If its broke I cant fix it if I don't know its broke. I have been friends with most of you guys for a long time and need your support if this trail is to continue. I am about to write a $10,000 first place check for a championship tournament that I dare say will be barely supported by any others than the Texoma anglers. I hope you guys will come out and represent, September is a tough month on the Texoma locals and some of the top locals will be BC championship. Trust me that money did not come into JCO this season and needless to say the miss's is a little pizzed. I love hosting the tournaments and want to continue but can no longer support it through my check book. I have dropped the fall entry fee,s. I will drop the spring if that is what is wanted. I need some advise and support from guys I can count on to tell me the truth. Soooo Lets Hear It! | |||||||||
| Picklefork
Crappie Username: Picklefork Post Number: 566 Registered: 12-2009  Rating: N/A |
It seems to me that it would be very difficult to make a living doing these tourney trails unless you had major sponsorship. Without the sponsorship it would seem to me that it would be more of a hobbie or a labor of passion that you made a little money on...like a part time job. While there are times that I don't agree with some of your decisions Mark, They have yet to dissuade me from fishing your series. After all, it is your trail. It seems you have been trying a lot of different marketing techniques with out much success. For me the old adage KISS [ keep it simple stupid ] has always worked for me. I have watched the thursday nite series grow from a few people to an average of 20 to 25 entries over the years for one simple reason....The directors were hard asses about the rules and how they measured fish and made every effort save for a stumble or two to be consistent every week....people respond to that having confidence that there is no cheating or mis behaviour or at least keep it to a minimum. It seems this creates a feeling of pride amongst the participants to be involved in the trail. I don't know just some thoughts...... | |||||||||
| J_c_outdoors
Bluegill Username: J_c_outdoors Post Number: 185 Registered: 3-2009 Rating: N/A |
I will agree I have been consistantly inconsistant trying this and that to find my niche. The reality is that I will not progress to the big trail status and with that being said I do not desire to make it to the big trail status with JCO. If our tournament headquarters the MB is the issue I want to hear it. They laid off the Edwards boys so that place is really going to go down hill now. I am done with championships!!! They are only supported if your giving away a boat or big money and only supported then if on home waters. I have really enjoyed the simple night opens this summer. We have averaged around 23 boats and there is no points to track or guaranteed championship payouts to try and accumulate. The niche I am looking for is to have a great group of guys have fun competing together without a lot of non-sense. I do not care the size of the entry fee, if you guys want $100 team events and $50 Individual events I am good with it. I think I have figured out one thing and it has taken me a while, I am thick headed. If the entry is modest then its not about the money. If the entry is high it is all about the money. With that being said I want to hear your opinions. Tell me where you want the entry fees set and that is where I will set them. I have proven over a five year period that as stated above by Pickle without large sponsorship it has to be a hobby and labor of love. I do believe in my heart that I am one of the best tournament directors in the business and try to run as fair of an event as is humanly possible. Thanks for chiming in Pickle, you and Barb are my peeps. | |||||||||
| Picklefork
Crappie Username: Picklefork Post Number: 569 Registered: 12-2009 Rating: N/A |
I like what you are saying Howitzer...A great group of guys having fun competing together without a lot of non-sense....For me personally..I don't care if the entry is 10.00 I still have to fish at the same level as when the entry is 300.00...And would prolly fish both...I moved to Texas to fish and have fun and that is what I'm gwana do. I am very greatful that you are here wanting to do this...especialy in the fall and winter and I agree with you that you are one of the best TD out there and will continue to support what ever you try to do....Billy stated that he became frustrated that he could'nt do as he pleased because of his sponsers...That is why I would never allign myself with a product to help offset the cost of fishing..but that is me. But that is why a lot of people didn't fish the jc..It wasn't favorable to their sponsers...What a joke. As far as the minnow bucket goes...between the sewer and no boat parking..and..the owner not putting a dime back in to upkeep..even on the moat basic level....I feel a new venue is in order. My vote would be popes..deep ramps,plenty of parking,new pavillion....and would prolly bring back Jon and his crew.I don't know if thats a good thing or not....hahahaa just kidding Jon.... (Message edited by picklefork on August 19, 2011) | |||||||||
| Picou
Wall Hanger Username: Picou Post Number: 4211 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Mark, I am torn on what to do next season. The only reason Corey and I are fishing Bass Champs is the 50% off entry for fishing with a Jr. But... It aggrivates me to finish in the top 20% and not get a check. That is my biggest issue with BC is the depth of the payout. I don't mind the crowds, it makes it tuff on everyone and I LOVE the 1 week off limits. If you are asking what I want to fish... Its a trail that offers some type of Jr. incentive (reduced entry, side pot, door prize, etc...), a trail with the 1 week off limits to give guys like me who cannot be on the water during the week a chance, a modest number of teams so that payout is in the 10 - 20 places paid, strict adherance to the rules and regs, a weigh in line that moves smoothly with plenty of tanks and treated water, post weigh in fish care capabilities, honest friendly tournament staff, and lastly, I place to launch and load that is not going to tear up my boat or force me to get wet/muddy in order to weigh my fish. I stopped competing in individual tournaments with my kids because it is a disadvantage with no incentive. I loved seeing my girls win all those Jr. plaques. No doubt they had a great time and those are memories we will cherish for ever. But the fact is, those were good keeper fish that would have improved my limit -- sometimes into the money or a first place finish. I would rather fish with my kids as my partner and count that fish as our total bag. Mark, I think you run a good weigh in but I do have 1 dis-like -- post weigh in fish care. Especially in the summer months... These fish are already stressed, they have been out of water to be weighed, then stuck in weigh in bags sometimes with no water, and hauled back to the shoreline to be released into some of the hottest water on the lake. Institute a 1 week off limits and a Jr. incentive and we are in....  I still believe that if you institute a Jr. incentive program ($50 off entry for a $150 entry fee) that you will see your field increase by 10 teams at least. I believe that some of the teams fishing now will split and they will fish with their kids. I hear it all the time from guys on the lake -- "I would love to fish with my son/daughter", or "my son/daughter really wants to fish tournaments with me". I think you will be suprised at the response.  Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
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| Tomc
Bass Username: Tomc Post Number: 900 Registered: 12-2006  Rating: N/A |
I have to head to Austin today. I will try to comment next week though it will be the same advise I have given in the past...... Thanking the Lord, all day long --- tomc | |||||||||
| Grant2
Bluegill Username: Grant2 Post Number: 118 Registered: 6-2008 Rating: N/A |
JC Outdoors you need to find a format and stick with it and stop changing it for this tourney or that tourney. I have seen on post in the past where you want your anglers 2 cents well do a poll survey to find out not just from a few. The reason BC is so big is b/c they never change the rules they have a good fish tank there lines run smooth and they have good sponsor money find that you will have a good turn out. I know you don't want to be big time but little things do add up like week off limits no guides and so on good luck. | |||||||||
| Ozziefish
Lunker Username: Ozziefish Post Number: 1970 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
I for one vote on Popes for tournaments...I was there this weekend looking around and the ramp is good and its cleaned up nicely and has the new pavillion which is very nice indeed. Guys I would fish all of them but the little ladies will only go for so many tournaments so I need to pick on choose carfully...I love the fall trail but after Media takes us into August there really isn't any break until the fall trail starts... OzzieFish "Glory to GOD in the Highest" www.visionlure.com www.doublezzcustomlures.com www.procullfishing.com | |||||||||
| Texfisher
Bass Username: Texfisher Post Number: 866 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
The main reason we didn't fish JCO last year was because of our work schedule. We had to fish Sundays so it was BLT for us. That being said my schedule has changed again and I will be fishing Saturdays for the time being. I really enjoyed the Texoma trail the previous year and it looks like it had a fairly consistant turnout again. Hopefully you keep a similar trail and I can fish them again. My one complaint is your website. I expected an improvement for this year but too me it's harder to navigate and slow to be updated. The no championship may be a good idea. I qualified for BLT championship but I'm not interested because they're no where close and I have no history on the lakes. They are giving away a boat or big cash but it still will not draw me. I wonder if you could take a percentage of the entry fees and designate it for AOY money or top 3 money. I wish you luck which ever direction you go. My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/ 
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| J_c_outdoors
Bluegill Username: J_c_outdoors Post Number: 190 Registered: 3-2009 Rating: N/A |
I wish I was better at the website stuff. A lot of the delays are my fault due to not having someone loading the info at the site as the anglers weigh in. I bought Diane a computer and she is getting more comfortable with it day by day. Hopefully she will be ready to use it in 2012. My current web host is building me a set of tables that he said will run real time updates to the site with a satelite card. That would make life easy. Also going to a points only system will simplify things as well as keep the competition close. |
