Non-Pro Tournament anglers,

How do you decide which tournaments you will attend in any given year? Besides location (obviously a Texas tournament has little appeal to a Florida angler), what are the factors that help you decide whether a series is worth your time and effort?

 

Is it the payout amount, the competition or lack of competition, the format, the schedule, the Tournament director, how well things are organized, the accolades that come with winning?

 

Any input is helpful and greatly appreciated!

I'm fairly new to tournament angling and bass fishing in general but I consider myself able of competing at pretty decent level.  When I first started out it was for the experience and learning new stuff so I just fished smaller leagues or clubs.  Now I'm stepping up to tournaments that travel all over my state and have divisionals,nationals, all the way up to the classic.  I would truly like to fish at the Elite level so when I feel comfortable in my abilities and can afford it I move up to the next level.

 

So I guess I pick my tournaments by level of competition and if I can afford them.

Thanks Fishing_Cory! So for you it's mostly about the opportunity the tournament provides you to advance to the next level. Makes sense.

I also wonder about the guys who really aren't  concerned with moving up to the Pro level. Maybe they fish for fun or are past their prime (no offense to old-bassers! I am sure you could teach me more in one weekend than I think I've learned in the past 5 years).

The payout. 

Generally, entry fee, payout, location, and date, in no particular order. I prefer team format.

Team format....My partner, payout, lakes on the schedule (prefferably different lakes each time as opposed to the same one every month) date

Draw format...Payout, lakes on the schedule (see above) date.

Also for both format's if there is an opportunity to qualify to compete at a higher level within the tournament itself, both locally and state levels... i.e. BFL, TBF, BASS Nations, Team Trails

Mike

In order: Body of water, season,entry fee, payout, format

I only fish opens, I only fish team tournaments, I only fish local, and I don't enter high entry fee affairs.................and I pretty much only fish tournaments I run anymore. I got sick of the nonsense all the other team trails pull. Keeping money, raising entry fees to stupid levels, zero enforcement of rules for buddies, skewed payouts depending on who cashed, etc.......

My buddy Jim is putting together a couples only series. Small waters, low entry, should be tons of fun. I haven't looked forward to a new series in a long time. My girl and I plan to put the hurt on.

For me it's how the tournament is run.  I don't want any hassles, I'm there to have fun.  I also expect strict enforcement of rules no matter who makes the infraction.  Overall, I just want to see if I can figure them out better than the other fishermen that particular day.  Really don't care about the money, I'm just a type-a personality.  Competition is good.

Bass Champs, Bass-N-Bucks, Redman Tournament, Media Bass, C.A.S.T. & Fisher of Men.

These are the highest payouts & best organized

I'm retired so I pick & choose based on weather, aint fishing Toledo or Rayburn in gale force winds.

Don't know if any are in your area!

My buddy Jim is putting together a couples only series. Small waters, low entry, should be tons of fun. I haven't looked forward to a new series in a long time. My girl and I plan to put the hurt on.

The fish or each other? Sorry, couldn't resist

Thanks for the great input everyone! Running an organized event is in everyone's best interest.

 

When you refer to payout do you mean the 1st place check amount or how much of the entry fee is payed back to anglers?

 

Which is preferred:

100% payout event with maybe $1,250 to first place and pays down 5 or 6 spots

-OR-

An 75% payout event with $2,500 to first and it only pays 3 spots

My buddy Jim is putting together a couples only series. Small waters, low entry, should be tons of fun.

 

 

Don't even think about it Brad, I'm not wearing the wig.   lol

Don't even think about it Brad, I'm not wearing the wig.   lol

Your the one that went there...................

I prefer 100% payout paying down approx 25% or more of the field.

If it's a charity tourn it doesnt matter..100% should be donated.

Mike

For me it's dollar amount. There are 2 buddy trails that regularly fish on my home water. On the one I'm in, I could break even cashing a check for 8th place, and better than breaking even with the side pots. On the other, If I don't come in 2nd or better, for me, it's a waste of fuel. Between the truck and boat, I burn over $100 of fuel alone during an 8hr tourney.(My son is my partner so I eat all the costs except his 1/2 of the entry fee) If I lived closer to the lake(s) things might be different.The trail I fish also offers me an opportunity to qualify for the tournament of champions and compete for 1 of 3 bass boats and 25k in cash prizes. The other one does not.

Entry fee, how well it is organized and run, and location.

I hate giving money away so unless I've got somepretty good patterns i don't enter