So with BASS forcing each state to make pro am a must it's messing things up here in CT IMO. You guys in other states are you having issues with this in how you will form your state teams. We have more than double boaters than non boaters and majority of the guys don't want to downgrade to non boater for required tourneys. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Just sparking conversation....

It helped simplify things here. Everyone always wanted to be a boater because as a non-boater your chances are far less to actually make the cut. With it split now with boaters fishing against other boaters and non/boaters fishing against non it sort of levels the playing field. The non boaters can still make the classic although it's a little harder than being a boater, but they still have that shot, as well as the chances to win some awesome prizes.

Same here (Indiana) as WIGuide posted. We've been doing it for something close to 10 years or more now, and I'd bet most boaters if asked would state they would never want to go back to the old way. Keeps things fair for all. Most of our organizations that run this format have guaranteed entry into the field if you sign up as a pair. That promotes boaters going out of their way to find co-anglers to guarantee their entry, and sometimes the reverse. Seems to work just fine.

 

-T9

Do you guys have huge turnouts of non boaters? Here for example this past CBN 60+ boaters 20 +/- co anglers. Boaters don't want to be co anglers. So under the new format we can't have more than 20 boats because everyone has to be linked. It's basically making the state team stay with the same roster.

Our boater to co-angler ratio is always pretty close because all the boaters want to be guaranteed to use their boat, so they'll go out of their way to secure a co-angler for the year. Some have even gone so far as to cover all the entry fees for the co-angler just to get the commitment. That said, sometimes there are a few extra boaters in some events, and those guys (since they were not guaranteed) get paired boater-boater and have to go through the old school hassle of deciding whose boat and how to fish the entire day head to head as they are both still considered boaters. They do offer to let one of the guys change his status to co-angler, but they rarely choose to do so. Our first event this year was an even 67-67 split.

 

-T9

Our boater to co-angler ratio is always pretty close because all the boaters want to be guaranteed to use their boat, so they'll go out of their way to secure a co-angler for the year. Some have even gone so far as to cover all the entry fees for the co-angler just to get the commitment. That said, sometimes there are a few extra boaters in some events, and those guys (since they were not guaranteed) get paired boater-boater and have to go through the old school hassle of deciding whose boat and how to fish the entire day head to head as they are both still considered boaters. They do offer to let one of the guys change his status to co-angler, but they rarely choose to do so. Our first event this year was an even 67-67 split.

-T9

That's awesome! We just don't have the co anglers and the consensus is a lot of boaters would rather not fish than be forced co angler. I think bass has good intentions with this but participation is down. If we could utilize the high school kids 16yo + then it may workout.