2023 Big Bass Tour - KVD Big Bass Classic - April 14-16 (Reg Opens Friday Dec 2nd)

[Ketchup]

10 hours ago, Champ188 said:

For your edification ... although it's generally prudent when you start throwing rocks (e.g., "has been") to either have a thick skull or be able to duck quickly when your target returns fire. 😂

 

Haha. My skin is thicker than the rubber mats in my stock trailer. 
 

I mentioned here a few years ago that i would give wrench a run for his money on any given day for poking at people. I do it with a grin, rarely if ever in a serious tone. Just never have been a serious type of guy. Life is way to short for all that, so chances are 99% when you read something on these posts from me in regards to stuff like in this thread, it’s just to pull a feather or 2 from those that have thin skinned feathers. No harm intended, but i do like to rile people for a laugh. 

[Champ188]

13 hours ago, Ketchup said:

Haha. My skin is thicker than the rubber mats in my stock trailer. 
 

I mentioned here a few years ago that i would give wrench a run for his money on any given day for poking at people. I do it with a grin, rarely if ever in a serious tone. Just never have been a serious type of guy. Life is way to short for all that, so chances are 99% when you read something on these posts from me in regards to stuff like in this thread, it’s just to pull a feather or 2 from those that have thin skinned feathers. No harm intended, but i do like to rile people for a laugh. 

I'd forgotten that but good to know. Agreed that life is waaaaaay too short for getting riled up over the little stuff. I've lost two close friends over the past week ... one to a case of pneumonia and the other to a brain tumor. He was just getting set up on home hospice and expected to have a few more months but a sudden brain bleed took him. Not to be a Danny Downer around Christmas ... just trying to underscore what we both are saying about not letting a little poking get to us. It's a fishing forum and beneath all the banter, we all want the same thing ... to catch another fish, and hopefully sooner than later.

 

[Big Bass Tour]

This really derailed quickly. We’ve beat this to death here but just a few comments.

1. Bass Pro/Cabela’s does not own BBT. They are a sponsor and not operating the tour and/or making schedule decisions.

2. We’ve discussed this here for years that our event is extremely fish friendly. We manage our fishcare, limit the number of fish in the live well and we touch less fish than five fish events half our size.

3. We’ve been hosting events for over two decades and visiting the same fisheries. BBT once a year, isn’t impacting any fishery to any greater extent than the hundreds of tournaments held on a fishery each year.

Appreciate everyone’s feedback regardless.

 

 

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, Big Bass Tour said:

This really derailed quickly. We’ve beat this to death here but just a few comments.

1. Bass Pro/Cabela’s does not own BBT. They are a sponsor and not operating the tour and/or making schedule decisions.

2. We’ve discussed this here for years that our event is extremely fish friendly. We manage our fishcare, limit the number of fish in the live well and we touch less fish than five fish events half our size.

3. We’ve been hosting events for over two decades and visiting the same fisheries. BBT once a year, isn’t impacting any fishery to any greater extent than the hundreds of tournaments held on a fishery each year.

Appreciate everyone’s feedback regardless.

 

 

I don’t think anyone here is blaming any single tournament. It’s the amount of them that has made it a problem. And with all that popularity the crowd starts to turn. 

Things we’re just a lot enjoyable without wrapped boats and jerseys. Don’t get me wrong, there were some of “those guys” back in the day, but they were overshadowed by people who could actually fish. 

[Champ188]

On 12/18/2022 at 1:23 PM, Flysmallie said:

I don’t think anyone here is blaming any single tournament. It’s the amount of them that has made it a problem. And with all that popularity the crowd starts to turn. 

Things we’re just a lot enjoyable without wrapped boats and jerseys. Don’t get me wrong, there were some of “those guys” back in the day, but they were overshadowed by people who could actually fish. 

Nailed it. It's nothing personal against BBT and yes, fewer fish are touched in this format. The fish are also handled more carefully than many other tournaments, and that's a very good thing.

My pipe dream, which I will advocate for until my dying day, is that MDC officials would come to the table with concerned fishermen and hear us out on fishing pressure --- particularly during the spawn. Arkansas Game and Fish officials sat down with anglers many years ago concerning a similar situation on Lake Ouachita and the result was better fishing for all in the long run.

There are lots of us out there trying to catch fish and we all have our own opinions about how things might be made better. Hey MDC, maybe at least hold some public forums and hear what we have to say? 

[DADAKOTA]

Good luck with that Champ.  The Missouri Waterfowl Association was formed in part to give waterfowlers a way to express their opinions to the MDC.  Lots of time and $$$ went into the organization.  Yes surveys were conducted and meetings were held and in the end MDC did whatever THEY wanted.  MDC did not follow the opinions of the people.  They in fact misrepresented the data from the surveys.  That was established as MWA paid for copies of the surveys and tabulated them.  Totally different results than what MDC came up with.  After years of beating their heads against the MDC wall,  MWA pretty well disbanded.  Have fun playing against a stacked deck.

[crazy4fishin]

I just checked in on this after a period and it did turn to a different direction than the intended "boy am I glad I got a rod" thought.

First I'd like to thank Champ for thinking that I could even catch a fish to cash! Boy would my wife like that part! Then I would not have to lean on the "free rod" comment as much 😉

Second, This is only one of the many times I come to the Rock to fish and I like the format since it gives even the poorly abled a chance - but I also get to talk to a great group of guys, Like last year I met a couple of guys at Dana's that were fishing the tourney and it was great to sit and visit. Much like the OA get together...BTW Quill you need to schedule that. 

The conservation conversations are very enlightening and educational as each state looks at this differently...like upland bird hunting. SD stocks quite a bit along with private land owners while here in NE they are left to populate on their own. 

I think it is good to keep talking and thinking about ways to improve - times does not stand still and there may come a person or an organization that can and will make a difference! 

Have a great and safe  New Year

C4F

[abkeenan]

On 12/18/2022 at 11:30 AM, Big Bass Tour said:

This really derailed quickly. We’ve beat this to death here but just a few comments.

1. Bass Pro/Cabela’s does not own BBT. They are a sponsor and not operating the tour and/or making schedule decisions.

2. We’ve discussed this here for years that our event is extremely fish friendly. We manage our fishcare, limit the number of fish in the live well and we touch less fish than five fish events half our size.

3. We’ve been hosting events for over two decades and visiting the same fisheries. BBT once a year, isn’t impacting any fishery to any greater extent than the hundreds of tournaments held on a fishery each year.

Appreciate everyone’s feedback regardless.

 

 

In an unrelated note and I am not bashing or attacking but more wondering:

If the entry fee's go up in cost and also the number of entrants grow each year why aren't the payouts increasing in either prize amount or number of hourly places paid? I realize costs have gone up the last couple years on EVERYTHING so cost of putting on the invent increases but I don't believe the payouts have kept pace accordingly. 

[Ketchup]

On 3/15/2023 at 1:19 PM, abkeenan said:

In an unrelated note and I am not bashing or attacking but more wondering:

If the entry fee's go up in cost and also the number of entrants grow each year why aren't the payouts increasing in either prize amount or number of hourly places paid? I realize costs have gone up the last couple years on EVERYTHING so cost of putting on the invent increases but I don't believe the payouts have kept pace accordingly. 

Inflation in general. Those that run the event also deserve a pay raise like most working people, so those new fee amounts may go for the guys putting it on, and not showing up in anglers pockets. 

[Big Bass Tour]

On 3/15/2023 at 1:19 PM, abkeenan said:

In an unrelated note and I am not bashing or attacking but more wondering:

If the entry fee's go up in cost and also the number of entrants grow each year why aren't the payouts increasing in either prize amount or number of hourly places paid? I realize costs have gone up the last couple years on EVERYTHING so cost of putting on the invent increases but I don't believe the payouts have kept pace accordingly. 

For our budgeting purposes each year, we look at attendance for the entire Tour, not just one event.  We have 14 events now, so our travel costs have increased significantly in the last three years not only from the added events but the increased costs of our travel as well.

We've raised payouts and/or paid places over 150% since the start of the Tour and only had one increase in entry fees in ten years and it was the 4% increase ($5 and $10 respectively) this year. 

We try to maintain a 85-95% payout percentage across the board and a 5/1 ratio for number of paid places where possible. We hit that number every year with our budgeting.  Our payouts are also guaranteed, so anglers know what's on the line and aren't having to guess at what the payouts will be at an event. 

Lastly, events fluctuate 5-15% up or down each year depending on weather, lake level and other tournament trail competition. We don't chase them up or down or make dramatic changes to the prizes and payouts because we know it's going to play itself out over the year and land within 5-10% of our yearly budget that we set. The Tour is 14 years old, so we have the data and know the numbers inside and out.

We believe our league is one of the best values for your money and that our payouts are some of the best and most consistent in the amateur angling space.  We have no issue with the trade off that we are making between our entry fees and what's available in return to our anglers. Hope this helps.