TBF

[Redbone]

How does TBF work?  I went to there website and I still dont get it.  Qualify, qualify, then qualify? What about the championships.  Is it an open? Huh? Darn rookies anyway...

[djkimmel]

Clubs
You qualify through a club first - it is up to each club how they qualify their state teams. Each club can send an unlimited number of anglers at this time BUT they must send an equal number of boaters and nonboaters designated by the club.

State Championship
Then you go to the TBF state championship with your club team and fish. Houghton Lake on June 4th this year (2011). There is usually an entry fee for this event. If you are a boater, you are drawn with another nonboater from another club. Vice versa, if you are a nonboater, you are drawn with a boater from another club.

Each angler should get half the day, including travel time, to fish their water from the front of the boat. Work all that out ASAP before you get in the boat for best results.

You weigh in your big individual limit of bass. If you finish in the top 13 overall, you become part of the TBF of Michigan state team. Places 1 through 6 are the designated boaters of the TBF of Michigan state team. Places 7 - 12 are the designated nonboaters. Whomever finishes 13th travels with the state team as the alternate in case someone can't fish the divisional.

Northern Divisional Championship
The following September (2012 for those fishing the 2011 state championship), the TBF of Michigan state team travels to the host water of the host state (rotates amongst the Northern division states each year) to fish a 6 day Northern Divisional Championship (NDC) event against the other Northern division states. There is no entry fee for this event. Official practice starts on a Sunday and the official tournament days are a Wednesday through Friday.

Each of the three days of the divisional, Michigan boaters are drawn with another state's nonboater and vice versa for nonboaters. You still are supposed to get 50% of the day to fish your water from the front of the boat (including travel time to your spot).

At the end of the NDC, the state team with the highest 3-day weight wins the big prize as far as team champion and the big money. Michigan splits this money amongst the team - boaters get extra money to cover the cost of gas since each state's nonboaters are responsible to give gas money to their own state's boaters.

Individually, the top two anglers amongst each state team advance to the TBF national championship. This is only your weight amongst your fellow state team members regardless of where your state finishes overall. So, if you have the highest weight of any Michigan state team member, you become the Michigan national champion boater qualifier. The 2nd place Michigan state team member, again only compared to Michigan team members' weights, becomes the Michigan national champion nonboater qualifier (or co-angler). The other important difference now is that from this point on you each stay a boater and/or co-angler regardless of how you finish.

TBF National Championship
Usually, the following spring, around April, each of the state boaters and co-anglers fish the TBF national championship (NC) somewhere in the mid-south to south because of the time of year. There is no entry fee for this event. Now you are competing individually, boater against boater, and co-angler against co-angler, and also you are competing against your counterpart from the other Northern division states.

The overall top weight boater at the end of the 3 day NC is the TBF national champion. (Only the top boater and co-angler from each division fish the final day.) That person automatically gets the Living the Dream package and a free entry into the Forrest Wood Cup championship for a minimum $25,000 winnings. The overall top weight co-angler also goes to the Forrest Wood Cup event later that year.

That is the individual part. For the division level, the top boater and co-angler from each TBF division gets a free entry berth into the upcoming FLW BFL All American championship too. Regardless of where  you finish, if you have more weight than the other boaters (if boater) or co-anglers (if co-angler) from the other Northern states, you get the All American berth.

Tons of money, TV fame and fortune on the line including the Living the Dream wrapped truck and boat with paid entries and stipend for the overall national champion to compete on the following season FLW Tour if desired.

Does that help?

http://bassfederation.com/tournaments/tbf-federation-national-championship/

[Redbone]

I just didnt get the club portion of it. And club into state was a little confusing.  Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[troossien1]

if you need a club the tulip city bass club is always looking for new members

[Waterfoul]

That is the best explanation I have ever seen Dan!

[djkimmel]

Glad you liked it.

[LipRip]

Whats the minimum amount of people that can be in a club?

[Redbone]

Now I feel like its a pop quiz.

I think its six boats min to be considered a club. But I wouldnt take my word on it.  It could be 6 members total and not boats.

[djkimmel]

6 members minimum per club. Nothing to do with boats or not to be a club, but you must send an equal number of boaters and nonboaters to the state championship if you send a club team.