It has been a year since I made that original post and I have not visited it for sometime. I just read the additions that I had not previously read. I thank all of you for the input. I feel that I accomplished what my original post was ment to do in the first place. It made alot of people stop and think. All of us are better for every word that has been said here. I see that you are all strong believers in each other and in the fact that a free voice is an important voice. (Even if you might not agree or like what that voice is saying) To be honest I never excected this many responses. Stick together and stand by eachother and respect all the opinions put forth and you will all go far......... In fishing and in life.....
P.S. I still think there should not be Cameras allowed in a tourney.

We still like ya Russ....just change that picture of you and that 3rd place trophy.  Let's see some real hardware.  I know you have a lot of them stashed away somewhere.   LOL 

Wew!!!

I thought you guys hated me or something.
Amen to all posts good or bad. Hey we are not all that bad, now are we.
RB

Those... aren't... PILLOWS!!   

So......basicly......

WE LOVE YOU MAN!!!

no I dont like gladiator movies!

Quote:

Wow - very well said!  I love it when everyone catches limits. We all have a ton of fun.

Just to add my 2 bits (what the heck, this is an exceedingly long, rambling thread):  I recently got married, and 3 of my 4 groomsmen were members of this club.  In addition, even the reverend was a club member!  Plus, many of the guests were club members too. 

In addition, many of my vacations have been with other club members.  Can anyone else from other clubs say that?  We're like a family here.

Tell me, how many times did you beat on your brother (or vice versa)?  How many times did you get the urge to just throttle him?  or your parents?  Uncles?  Aunts?  Thing is, no matter how much they can get on your nerves at times, you still love them.

I may not have liked what Russ said at the time, but it doesn't mean I don't like him.  It's an important distinction many of us hold.  After reading Chuck's post, it cleared up the confusion, and made it easy for me to accept Russ' apology.

So ya, we bicker and quarrel at times, but we still value our relationships and commraderie at the end of the day.  That's the dynamics of a family.

What I've seen is no matter how many opinions bump into each other on this post, they never show when we get together at events. There are many, great anglers that are respective by each other in this club, and we are mature enough to voice our opinions and still get along. How great would this club be if we all thought the same?? How much would we learn?? Different ideas are what make people try new things. That's what a club is about.

It is understanding that only reading this forum makes us look like a back stabbing group. But nothing could be further from the truth. We are open about our opinions, thats all. Then we all sit around in a group after a potluck and laugh our b*tts off to Larry The Cable Guy. You don't see that on this forum. Like everyone has said, you need to come and visit to really get a sense of this club. The way competion is in this club is something like this....Hope everyone catches limits, but that yours is a little bigger.........

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Rich

I do not think we need to move the thread because of one post.

I think that the world should see how we handle our differences of opinion. That we accept our differences and respect other peoples opinions. We are not a club of continual internal bickering and fighting. We all have a passion for the same thing (this great sport of bass fishing) that in it self will resolve many differences.

Plus, I think that it should be know to the outside world that this type of discussion is how we come to the current rules of the tournaments.

This club has always welcomed outsiders regardless of race, color, religion, handicap, sex, or even opinion.

So, I put to the world, before deciding not to join our club because of this thread. come and visit us at a fish-in, club meeting, or find any individual you can that is a member or has been a member and I think you will see that there is a reason this bass club is the oldest in the nation.

" Quote:
”

I welcome anyone to come to a meeting or any club gathering and then tell me that this statement still holds true.

Things may get a little heated on this forum but I still do not think that anyone in this club would say that this statement holds true generally.

And, one final word...... Welcome man_with_a_view and thank you for your opinion,

Man with a view, I think you would be pleasantly surprised if you came to a meeting to see how well every person on this post gets along, respects each other and cares about the club.

I'd be happy to introduce you around. I think you would like us.

Stu


(Jim and Glenn, I'd like to suggest that this topic be moved to internal matters, as folks who don't know our members are clearly getting a different picture than we see. (Back to Chuck's post on writing vs. real life.))

If I may?

I am a fairly new member, 1st season, with the club. I was always against clubs and tournaments. I hated the thought of racing around a lake and trying to compete with other guys for a trophy. What fun is that? Does that take out the experience of fishing and make it more of a job? And what part of a "club" would be fun? A bunch of guys that are loose lipped with the complaints and tight lipped with the techniques and strategies. I for one would never had thought about sharing info. Those guys might catch my fish, right?

I was approached by Russ Baker and a friend to check out the club. I thought I knew what to expect. I am very active in the waterfowl world and have been a member of several clubs and "clicks". I was not impressed with any of them and have not returned. After one meeting at WBC I was signed up for the tournament the next weekend and a proud member. I found all the members to be stand up guys that I could trust with anything I own. I have since bought a new boat and me and my wife are active members in all the tourneys. It is our monthly vacation. Last month my truck broke down two days before a tourny and I was stuck. I had four members offer for me to take their trucks. That blew my mind. How wrong was I in the past? I could not tell anyone how many times I have relied on a member to help me get out a bind, whether at a tourny or at my own house. I have become very good friends with several of the members.

I don't don't think that anyone can make a fair judgement of a club or it's members by reading a post. I know that is what almost cost me my future in this club. I would invite anyone that reads this forum to come learn more about the club, but more importantly the members. They are the ones that make this club great. Get to know all of them so you understand why they say what they say. I think if anyone participated in one tourny and potluck and reread these posts, it would read a little different.


With that, my fingers  hurt from punching these keys.

Mike

Well put both of you.....it is this kind of sharing of opinions and idealisms that allow us to survive as a club for so long and is the promise of a strong future.....as we all know, those seemingly heated discussions are just a way of growth and those involved will go on fishing together and sharing comraderie because we all know the ultimate goal is to share this great pastime with all.

I would like to respond to you post.  I have been a member of this particular club for a few years now and I can tell you while a number of member's may have a differing view on some topics this club treats all it's members well.  It welcomes all with no prejudice... not just people who think the same way, with the exception of our unanamious love of bass fishing.  I hope you reconsider your decision not to be a member of any local club.  There is a great deal of comradiary to be had and the opportunity to share with different generations your expertise and possible learn something as well.  Communication is the key to all good relationships between groups of people.  To feel passionate about any idea is a good thing.  While sometimes those beliefs can trigger reactions or comments that may not have been well thought out, its still part of being human.  I can imagine one might draw some of the same conclusions that you have, when you have only been exposed to part of the story.  I think any member that regularly particpate in all aspects of all the club's functions would be able to draw a much better conclusion about  the well being of the club and its members.  I certainly welcome you to be a part of our club and get to learn first hand about us and not judge us on a very minimal portion (website) of our club.  Hatred is not something Western Bass Club is about.  When your on the "outside looking in" you certainly can not see the anything except the shell of what's inside.

I have been reading your chat here. I am not, nor have I ever been, a memeber of Western Bass. I felt compelled to register and offer a view point though. First of all, as to the use of cameras and tournaments. My opinion (please note this is just an opinion and I don't want to be hated for it as it appears can be the practice of your club) is no cameras in a tournament. The whole spirit of a tournament is to put your knowledge and skill against both fish and fisherman alike. Part of that skill includes the ability to locate fish of the proper species and size. I am an accomplished fisherman with my fair share of tournament wins. You show me a pile of fish and the odds that I catch them is pretty decent. Or at a minimum greatly increased. For practice I guess it is ok but I still think it takes the spirit out of why we all fish in the first place.
As for the way individuals in this this organization treat each other.......
Poorly at best . One more bit of proof as to why I no longer am a member of any local club. I once was and l left that club for very much the same reason that I have been reading here. We are all individals with different beliefs an practices (In fishing and in life as a whole) Just because some one does not practice or believe the same as the majority does not mean that person should be black balled by the rest. Respect each other and learn from each other and most of all have fun....... why fish if you don't?
I know a few of the members of this orginization and I know two things for sure. One there are some really good fisherman here. Two that we as fisherman, sportsman and, most of all, human beings.....are better than what has been displayed in this forum........
Look in the mirror and ask the person you see how he would like to be treated and treat all people that way......Just an obsevation from the outside looking in...

Hey guys and gals,
  Faz, as you were also the T.D., you should also be aware of the clause, "all fish must be caught in a conventional and sporting manner".   Larry tying a crankbait to the back of his camera doesn't actually fall into this catagory.  I do agree that it is cool, but beware, your actions could be questioned next year!   FYI, dragging a dropshot or splitshot lizard or something will be much "SAFER" if anyone finds out how you caught them.  Food for thought!