I have the same thoughts as you Mike. Keep it all or nothing. It makes me try harder to help with expenses. I just look at it as an excuse to head east and fish some of those lakes.

I think that the rookie of the year deal would be incouraging for some people.  There is probalby a way to make it work and still have low impact on the TD and the entry fees. I think that if a angler is going to try out for rookie of the year they need to be a new member, say within 2 years. And they must declare that they will be fishing for rookie of the year at their first payed entry into a tournament. Take the top three finishes from that season, like angler of the year, and you got a rookie. I would guess that no more then four guys would try out each year for it. Then when they are signing up they put an * next to their name.

I would be against raising the rates too much. Some of us are paying for two people and other divisions on top of it. If I want to fork out a hundred spot so I can win gas money back for 8th place I will fish another circuit. I like the "all or nothing" of the club now.

Mike

With the current rate of return on our FUNDRAISERS I was going to recommend that 1/2 of the tournament entry fee go to the general fund since we are the ones who benefit from the club...(and the new member who is just learning to Bass fish.)
Our yearly Rod Raffle has gone to maybe it's last cycle and we are going to have to look at other options......An Open tournament.... possibly?
But if we cannot get 2000 tickets sold for a rod raffle organizing an open tournament and coordinating sponsors is way out of scope.
Hence directing tournament entry funds to the general fund......again just options and it is OUR CLUB.......all of us.
My 0.2 cents on top of my $1.57

Larry
I think one thing to look at and to consider, and you would know better than anyone else, is if we increased the trophy output, would the current entry fees cover the cost of the trophies? And possibly leave a decent return to the angler!? If not then you need to think about possibly raising the entry fees. I believe what was being said was that the cost of everything is going up these days, i.e. gas, campsites, food etc, along with trophy costs I am sure. But the 4th and 5th place certificates were given out a few years a go, in a nice picture frame, not sure what happened to that idea.
Just my .02

Ted

I think taking a small group of guys from the field (rookies) at the end of each tournament, and simply ranking them won't take much. The VP already ranks everyone in the tournament anyways. You just pull those guys aside. Maybe a good 2 minutes, times 4 events...8 minutes for the season.

So, we have yet more stuff for the TD/VP to take care of, in addition to the individual results and the couples results? Don't forget, there's another trophy to buy at the end of the year. What are they? $30? You think it's only $30, but it's got to come from someplace. It comes from the treasury, like all those end of the year awards, not tournament entry fees.  Otherwise, I think it's a good idea. Just wanted to mention the other aspects.

Well an Angler of the Year Award doesn't change anything to the tournaments. All that is required is keeping a seperate total of the rookies. We aren't trying to turn water to wine or anything. We all pay the same and fish the same. The rookies will battle the same. The good part is one may take 7th in a tournament, but he may have done better than all the rookies. So he/she, even though not placing great, would have the satifaction of a good event in the rookie race. The only expendature at all would be a trophy or certificate at the end of the year. We aren't buying them a fully rigged Skeeter or anything. I think it has a lot of benefits without really changing anything. We are still fishing as normal, just tracking another stat.

So.....again what this thread has lead to........without trying to.......is that more participation.....even for Rookie of the year........will require higher dues and higher entry fees to our tournaments?

I think the intent was to just reward the NEW GUY for their hard work and efforts and Frankenstien has again risen about increasing payouts for tournaments?
We are and have been a club based on education and conservation and we keep recycling the "Money Brings More and Better Members" Theory.
I am all for high paying tournaments but there are circuits for those and the club level...through the years has been understood not the place........just a vent or a rant but Rob came into a good idea that worked for his club in California but apparently will not here....sorry Rob.

Amen,
Russ

Rob,
  I agree with you also.  I got off track a little with the entry fees thing.  I love the idea of a "rookie of the year award".  I would certainly support that.

Lets just not forget what the original thread is about. The people I'm trying to get into the tournaments are the ones that I have heard say that they don't have a chance of winning because they are new and don't have the experience. I was hoping this award would be something for them to strive for. Revenue and payout can go on another thread. Thats another can, and I 'm ready opening one with the talk of this award. I will be submitting this idea for voting in October so I was seeing what people thought of it. If someone has issues with payout and revenue then attempt to do something about it. It won't happen on it's own.

Thanks Guys

Mark,

And the NW Series pays higher dollars for 1st,2nd, & 3rd from the get go. If you are trying to get more participation by paying to 4,5 and 6th and raise the fee's for entry you could lose some guys buy raising fee's. Look at Potholes, Ron and Mark didn't we have like 32+ guys there? Participation wasn't the issue. I'm all for a fair game and more participation, heck I would love to see 50-100 guys fish our club events. Only about 30% of the club now fish our events.
Just my 2,
Russ

Redchamp,
  I agree!  A very respectable 4th or 5th or even 6th has never meant squat in WBC.  Only problem I see with this idea is revenue.  The payout currently for tourneys is a simple 50%, 30%, 20%.  Unless we increased the tourney fees to $25 or even $30, first place wouldn't even pay for boat fuel.  I've always fished for the trophy an d the bragging rights more than for the money.  I'd be for increasing the entry fee to $25 oor $30 to pay out through, say 6th place, rather than our antique system of 3 places.  There's my 2.

Rob,
I think you got a good basic idea there but definitely have to work out some ground rules. IE: Just because a person fishes tourneys doesn't mean he/she is a veteran by any means.
My 2 cents: Increase tourney participation by paying more places. Our 1st - 3rd payment was set up waaaaay back when we only had a few boats show up. Now we have a very good turnout. I feel more would participate if they're odds were slightly increased.
IE: Northwest Bass vs ABA a couple of years ago. Lots of folks switched to NW because of more payout for more places.
Mark

sounds liek a good idea, but i agree with some sort of way of keeping track of tournament attendance.