Just wanted to see who all from this site would be attending the National at Kentucky Lake.

I am staying at Piney campground

Boat is a LS-205 hydra-sport with a 200 johnson venom

Feel free to say hi if you see me.

Dale

Hey Dale,

I'll be there, staying at Swiss Villa Inn. Riding in a Triton TR 21X. You'll see me Sunday at registration out front.

Be care on the trip.

Hi Rick.

Look forward to meeting you. As I see you are a director for district 99, I would like your input on the new "pro" trail.

1- with the entry fee of $500.00 for a boater do you still get to fish the regular ABA trail?

2- if I fish the BFL Stren series next year as a boater with an entry fee of $825.00 will I be allowed to fish ABA?

I like the guys in ABA but as I work to improve my skill and competion level it seems like the choices are limited and or am I reading the ABA rules wrong?

Sorry to ask but I do believe it needs to be addressed with other members.

Thanks

Dale

Hey Dale,

I sent you an email on your questions. Not sure if it's okay post it on here.

If that doesn't answer your questions or you have others, give me a buzz (404) 323-2819.

Anyone else is of course welcome to also.

Thank you for your reply

I'll be looking for you next sunday

23rd for championship out of the 518 invited

2nd for navy team world wide

not posted yet but I bet I am in the top 10 of ten in the United States.

next week is my bfl tourney on smith mounain lake

wish me luck all..

Dale Gorrell

I for one am impressed  I never heard of anyone brag so much

I for one am impressed I never heard of anyone brag so much

Stick around and you'll hear a lot more of it!!!  This is a fishing forum, and we all brag a little from time to time!

As tough as it was........no problem with the bragging. Most guy's in the top 25 smoked the locals. Good job Dale. I came in 74 second to last place check and I'm good with that. As always, that one that I missed...lol. I went back for the Salute to the Screaming Eagles and the fishing was about the same but the joy of the soldiers was better than the best day of fishing.

See you around the block

wonder how tough it would have been if all the "True " top 500 would have gone to the tournament.I know of some anglers who pulled out early because of the way things went. If you would have looked at it with an open mind you could have seen the same. This was one tournament that I for one wishes I never would have gone to. I was discusted with the treatment of anglers who worked hard and fished all year to end up out in the cold (so to speak )because they dont belong to the so called family as I have heard it called.

i heard from two anglers 20 or 25 boats/anglers got mad and pulled out the 3rd day before blast off ( is this true? )

YES it is true and I dont blame them. I should have left myself.Not because of the fishing or weather.More because of the attitude of others who should have been hald to a higher standard.

I am not a big fan of the ABA tournaments.  I fished them for two years and did pretty good.  The second year every spot I did good on the previous year found my non boater from the year before or one of his buddies.  Guys ride along just to take spots.  Stupid.  We fish smaller lakes so it makes it real tough.  Now I fish alot of the buddy tournaments and fish alone or with closer friends.  Much more fun for me.  Oh and I hate how the nonboater gets to run the boat 50% of the time.  YEAH RIGHT!  They will have to DQ me before I let that happen.  They should be happy to get to fish out of a boat and stay in the back and have fun there.

I guess now they will loose the non boater because if a non boater qualifies for the Nationals he has to have a boat , every one has to bring an observer. That means a non boatet can fish all year and do good then he gets hig legs cut out from under him.I think over time people will see the overall changes will force a lot of anglers to look other places.I know I did.

i heard they dropped the college program

I loved it when it was MBAA and left it when it was Bassin America. No surprise to see not much has changed.

That is where you are wrong. It has gotten worse every year.I thought I had found a home but I was wrong, you cant have an open mind or express your feelings without someone leaving footprints down your back.Say something against them and see what happens.

I would stay in the ABA for now to improve!

Never fished the old or new series.     I can tell you from what I have seen on the forums, that the area Directors in Texas, like Texasbasser always seem to be available to help answer questions.

In every organization, there is a chain of command.     Instead of bailing out, maybe in that district, gather your members who have legitiment complaints and take it up with the higher ups.

If true, they will make changes hopefully, and if they don't, then move on.    

Don't let one or two directors ruin the whole thing, there are guys who works their butts off on their own time to make the events a succes in their areas.

I am curious as to what was done as to the treatment of some anglers that made them pull out.

Matt.

If you can't speek your mind or have them correct the wrong in the structure of things without being cast aside as a trouble maker,you need to move on unless you like being treated as 2nd class or less.are there any trails out there who do as they say and not lie to you?If so I for one would like to find it , it sure ain't this one.

a number of things happened to me. #1 at a toumament i said something about the nationals i disagreed with and a director got all mad (i mean red in the face mad) and said you need to go fish somewere else then. so i did. #2 a director told me to stay at a certain motel. told me we aba members get a discount. LIE! i was told by the motel staff that if there was 10 rooms rented by aba members that a free room would be given away to the anglers. the director kept the free rooms for himself. i was told by another diricter that its ok it says in are handbook we can keep the stuff/money for are selves. i know these sponsors give stuff to give to the anglers to promote there business or product.i talk to them. i will tell you more later.

Never fished the old or new series. I can tell you from what I have seen on the forums, that the area Directors in Texas, like Texasbasser always seem to be available to help answer questions.

In every organization, there is a chain of command. Instead of bailing out, maybe in that district, gather your members who have legitiment complaints and take it up with the higher ups.

If true, they will make changes hopefully, and if they don't, then move on.

Don't let one or two directors ruin the whole thing, there are guys who works their butts off on their own time to make the events a succes in their areas.

I am curious as to what was done as to the treatment of some anglers that made them pull out.

Matt.

I've written two very articulate letters to the ABA with no response.

In Michigan the districts are very spread out and 2 of the districts are run by the same guy I wrote my letters of complaint about.  This same guy is losing members for the ABA on a consistent basis.  The district in my area got cancelled mid season at 5pm the day before a tournament I had spent 3 days pre fishing.  I only got notified because I called him.  Other members showed up not knowing.  The list of my complaints goes on, just from a single season.  

The ABA will not receive any more of my money or waste any more of my time.

From what I heard from a couple of friends that went down there, it was weather related.  The bite was off and the weather was downright dangerous.  I think the jury is still out on what happened down there though.

B

As with any organization, the ABA certainly has its faults.  However, I fished it in NC (three different divisions if I remember correctly) and I was always treated with respect (which isn't always the case for young guys like myself).  All of the directors I had any dealings with were always very helpful, friendly, and took the time to answer any questions I had.  My experience with the ABA was all positive (especially winning a little cash ).  I'm sorry to hear that the ABA dosn't seem to be as great in other parts of the nation as it is in NC.  I guess you guys should just move to Carolina!!! ;D

The way I see it is that the ABA isnt really organized nor is it consistent.  Basically you can volunteer to be a director and run the tournaments the way you want as long as you mention their sponsors and adhere to some lose rules.  The rest is up for each director's interpretation.  This is fine for locally run circuits - NOT for a national circuit.  The members are at the mercy of the integrity(or lack of) of the local director.  From what I've seen, the ABA really has no idea what is going on with their districts.  They just get the stats reported to them and that's about it.   This is why it's great for some and very poor for others.

B

i called and emailed the aba office about drunk directors and heavy drinking by others at a motel we all stay at (in a dry county)one night when i was outside my room working on my boat the director and some others were cat calling 4 women staying at the motel. about 30 min. later the law pulled up. the officer gave them a good talking to lucky for them they did not get thrown in jail. some of those guys were under 21 years of age. this goes on today. the director is still working for them. just think that could have been your wife,sister or daughter getting harassed. or son getting that alcohol. NOT COOL!