BFL LAKES 2010

[Skip Johnson]

Not all of us are studs like you Mark 
I figured its likeley that Sandusky/FLW had a multi season agreement hence my greasing comment but that still doesnt mean they couldnt throw a grand river tournament in for the 2009 season.

[1javelin]

Let's just call it the LSC division then, and let all the other fisherman in this state drive over to the lake on the other side of the state so they can prefish, meaning taking time off of work, thus hurting their chances at remaining stable in an unstable economy, just so they can stand a fighting chance of handling the locals.  Yeah, that sounds really like a great idea!!  Sign me up on the 'not that stupid list.'   I'm with Skip here, Erie may be a great fishery, but it's out of Ohio; not Michigan.  Put some Largie tourneys in.  Bring something to the West or the North, doesn't matter, just even it out a little.  You guys get all the attention over there, and how many Elite's come from there?  Can we say 2 from the West, both K-Zoo, and one is the best hands down!!!  Not plugging none of the Easter's but man, you act like you are the only fishermen in this state keeping the BFL's here.  Make them all West side tourney's and see how many of us sign up.  Bring on all contenders, I can box with the best of them.

1Jav

[MadWags]

Here was the question asked.

"This is just me wondering does anyone think that the BFL in MI. would run better if it was ran like the LBL division where all they fish is one lake all year they fish Kentucky Barkley all year out of two launches. Does anyone think we would draw more numbers if we only fished St. Clair & Erie out of two launches. I dont think that I wouldnt like this all that much but I wonder if numbers would be better?"

Here is the answer.

"The number of participants will increase dramatically if all 5 tournaments are held on these waters.(LSC and connecting straights) I am willing to bet on it!"


As for being run better, I would reply that the BFL txs are for the most part always well run. I do not think they will run any better one way or the other. I do think that it would make it easier for Anthony and his crew to have it at one location.

[cr]

Thank-You Mad Wags .... I was thinking the same thing . Everyone was listing their choice of a schedule and not addressing the question as it was asked. It would be so much easier to pre-fish one lake all season than to pre-fish a new lake for each event. Many Divisions have the same set-up, Gator and Everglades only fish two places.
Looking at the results page, the last time the BFL that was on the Grand river (04) only TEN limits were brought to weigh in (out of 143) and the years before that weren't much better. I have to wonder, why go there?
BUT I understand the argument for having a west side event so how about this idea. How about alternating years? 2010 a west side schedule, Grand or whatever, 2011 a east side event, but have them on one lake system like the question was asked. FAIR?
Or how about trying to do Two separate Divisions, like Fla has ?

[TCook]

From what I have heard the Grand has been getting better since the last time the BFL was there. Anyways every BFL tournament does not have to be on a body of water where the fishing is generally easy. Tough fishing only makes you better in my opinion and thats what you will likley run into in the regionals. Maybe the weights were down because alot of guys are so used to big water smallmouth and were out of there element. This is where the all around fisherman would shine and show in the overall leaderboard.

[motocross269]

Thank-You Mad Wags .... I was thinking the same thing . Everyone was listing their choice of a schedule and not addressing the question as it was asked. It would be so much easier to pre-fish one lake all season than to pre-fish a new lake for each event. Many Divisions have the same set-up, Gator and Everglades only fish two places.
Looking at the results page, the last time the BFL that was on the Grand river (04) only TEN limits were brought to weigh in (out of 143) and the years before that weren't much better. I have to wonder, why go there?
BUT I understand the argument for having a west side event so how about this idea. How about alternating years? 2010 a west side schedule, Grand or whatever, 2011 a east side event, but have them on one lake system like the question was asked. FAIR?
Or how about trying to do Two separate Divisions, like Fla has ?

I think the Last time the BFL was on the Grand was 06...I fished it and it was tough but it was a fun change of pace to get away from open water fishing....
I'm with Skip....If the Economy picks up and I can fish a full schedule again, I am headed to the Strens...First year as a CO angler then hopefully as boater...

I love LSC and only live minutes from there, but they need to round the schedule out more IMHO.
The large circuits all hit diverse waterways to test who really is the best angler....Why shouldn't the BFLs follow the same mold but at an obviously smaller scale??

[skeeterman190]

 I like CR's idea. I would be down with that. Alternating years with one year on the westside then one year on the eastside. But that will not draw the numbers. The ones who dont want that will not fish that year. Theres not a solution thats gonna make everyone happy so i really dont see much point in repeating ourselves post after post. The westside guys that want to compete at a larger level then just swell up and fish the big waters and make the best of it. (just so ya know my biggest complaint about the big water is if you dont have a 21 ftr your limited sometimes.) Im a nut, so ill drive through anything but to put someone elses well-being that i just met last night in my hands is not gonna happen.

[Skip Johnson]

how about we have them all on St Clair, we have 3 smallmouth only tournaments and 3 largemouth only tournaments  

seriousley though Id like to see 2 grand river tournaments every year and alternate the 2 dayer, 1 year its at elizebeth and the next year at the grand, I think that would realy make a good trail thats fair for both sides...come on west siders who luvs ya  

[stackenem]

How about all 5 in the middle of the state                                     Say ovid out of canoes

[skeeterman190]

 Eric i love your post and your schedule. Were never gonna make everyone happy. So quit making a deal about it. Im surprised on the Muskgon deal that early. From what ive heard your one of the best sight-fisherman around here. (ill trade my buddy TCooks prefish day with you on Burt and Mullet.) he can have my boat for the day and ill go fishing with you. ill pay.. haha thats not gonna work. but its one thing that makes us better for fishing the BFL's the best of the best are there.Be it largemouth fishing or smallies.the best largie fisherman may not catch smallies but the all around angler can catch both..do i need to drop names?(Chad Pipkens,Eric Bond,Skip Johnson,Mark Snyder,Heath Wagner)id give anything to go shallow water fishing with Mark Snyder....im good at it but hed make the things i do look like childs play.

[bshaner]

To directly answer the original intent of the post.  I think you'd get the most boats out of a St. Clair/Erie only schedule provided they were all launched out of the Detroit Area (Sandusky was a wth, over??).  I think we can all agree that FLW's decisions are based on what's going to get them the most  revenue.  (This is not a knock on the FLW.  Every good business has to operate on that principle to survive.)  To be honest, I would not care what lake they picked - I'd fish a trail that consisted of the same lake for all 5 tournaments.  Who wouldnt???  Talk about making life easy. 


Now for my opinions on the points made in this thread.  I've only been fishing Michigan lakes for about 3 years and I have to say I dont think you can compare any Michigan based trail to any other trail in the country.  It doesnt matter what lakes you fish in the BFL here in Michigan, they are not going to prepare you for any other tournament trail.  I just have to shake my head when people say in order to succeed at the next level you have to consistently be successful here at the local level.  The only way you are going to succeed at the next level is to practice at the next level.  Producing a well rounded angler on Michigan waters doesnt equal a successful angler on the Mississippi river.  We've proven that havent we?  How many of our top 40 in the past 3 years have caught 1 fish or less in a 3 day regional?   Point being a versatile Michigan angler doesnt have any more or less advantage on a completely unfamiliar body of water in my humble opinion.  I'm not being prejudiced against Michigan anglers.  What if the regional was held on St. Clair?  How many Kentucky boys do you think could spend 3 days practice on St. Clair and dominate the field?  Grand Traverse Bay?  Saginaw Bay?  The Michigan sticks would be at a distinct advantage.  I guess I said all that to say that this argument just isnt a viable arguement when making a case for what our schedule should be.


Then there's the expense involved.  I can't justify spending the kind of time and money it takes to practice new water and put myself in a position to cash a check in the BFL's.  A check that doesnt even come close to making a dent in the expenses let alone even cover the cost of entry fees.  If you look at it from the cost effective stand point you might as well bump up to the Strens.  With the exception of entry fees it's not much more expense to travel for the Strens than it is for the guys from Indiana to travel up to Cheboygan or the guys from Traverse City to travel to Sandusky.  Bottom line for me is I dont know these lakes very well.  St. Clair and Erie are unlike any lake on the planet, if I want to succeed I know I need to take the time to practice them.  If I'm going to dedicate the kind of time necessary to win or cash a check - I'm going to fish a tournament that I atleast stand to get my money back for a top 10 finish.

As for what schedule would be fair and what schedule wouldnt...  Unless you live dead center in the State there isnt going to be a schedule that is fair to anyone.  I refer back to the business aspect.  A successful business doesnt consider "fair", it considers cost effectiveness.  Fair is a consideration at a local club board meeting discussing the schedule.  FLW and BASS/ESPN are business models and conduct their affairs in that fashion.

I have many more opinions but I doubt most would want to hear them.

Just for posterity purposes - I live about 2 hours from Clair/Erie so you can't really say I'm suggesting Clair/Erie for the close to home selfish reasons.  I'm suggesting it because I think that would get the most boats which in turn would generate the biggest payouts.

B

[Buckeye]

Well, I might be the person who drices about as far as you can get to go to Burt Mullett.  7 1/2 hours from Cincy to Cheboygan. 

And, I love it!

I like the schedule, though I don't mind fishing new waters.  I love driving across the state of Michigan, as it is as scenic a place as I've ever been.  People are different there too, in a good way.  Everyone seems so decent, where as people in Ohio are in a hurry and rude most of the time.  If it wasn't for the winters, I'd live in Michigan.  Plenty of water to fish, so much that people aren't fighting over water like we have in Ohio.

And God Bless the MI DNR.  Just having someone at most if not all the launch ramps is a Godsend.  You can fish and not worry about your belongings in the truck.  My brother lives in Eau Claire, and it's beautiful too.

I guess, I'm a fence-sitter.  If it stays the same, or changes, I'd be fine with it.

Eric

[1javelin]

Guess I really shouldn't be knocking the schedule of the BFL's, just having to drive from the other side of the state to fish against the smokies is kind of intimidating, especially when you really don't have time to prefish.  I'll save my money and throw it in the Stren hat next year hopefully.  Good luck to all, whichever trail you choose to fish for whatever reasons!!

1Jav

[rufus]

I absolutely love fishing the BFL's no matter where they go. I do agree that Sandusky does not belong on the schedule. After all we are the Michigan Division and there are plenty of other options if we need them right in Michigan. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed Sandusky. I had a bad tourney there, but it wasn't for the fishing being bad. I just simply had one of those "Let's see how many fish we can get to the net and lose kind of days  ". I would love to graduate to the Stren's, but it is simply a money thing to me. I couldn't do the BFL's if my father-in-law didn't travel with me to split expenses. As I have stated before, for now they are my "pro" league. I agree with most of you in saying that we should have at least 2 west side tourneys. I absolutely love both the Grand and Muskegon and alll the lakes on the Lake Michigan shore. They are challenging diverse lakes and to be honest were my favorite stops every year when we went there. I don't know them that well and learn something every time I visit them. They fish like the lakes I grew up fishing here in NE Indiana, except they are much better. I just get tired of staring at my electonics all the time and it is wonderful to be abel to chuck a spinnerbait or flip a sweet beaver into weed mats, that is truly my knid of fishing. I have really had to adjust my fising tactics since I started fishing the BFL's to what Erie has to offer, I do love it and can't get enough of those big smallies, but I still love my largemouth fishing. I am very flexible on whereever the BFL goes, but do agree with the fact that if they were all on St Clair and Erie there would probably be a better draw. I don't know if 2 west side tourneys would bring guys over to the East to fish the other 3 or vice versa. I do agree that there are enough west side guys to fill that void, but for some reason when the BFL goes to the west side just a few of them show up. The Grand River event would usually lose 10-15 boats over the St Clair or DR events. I prefer the numbers higher, but honestly I could care less, the fact is I love fishing them no matter how many show up. My ideal schedule would be 3 out of the Detroit River and one out of Grand River and one out of Muskegon. I will see you guys out there soon so stop over to the Triton and say Hi, my father-in-law loves to talk fishing  .

[SODY]

My first Redman was on St.Clair and I would tend to agree, this water seems to draw the largest numbers day in and day out. People like to catch fish and enjoy a quality ramp with amenities close by."it fits the bill" so to speak.

I know it was around 2000 that we visited the Saginaw Bay and it was a BFL. We would have to check the records, but I had a ball and have missed it ever since, Danger yes! quality YES!!.

Mark my words there will be a 27lb sack from this water in the near future.

It is very very hard to draw a large crowd on the west side but I would love to see them add th Grand back in as it is 30 minutes from my house.......