ABA takes over the running of the Bassmaster Weekend Series

[joshimoto son]

I thought that a "TBF board member" could not be affiliated with the Federation Nation?

Or was it the other way around?

I'm not trying to start anything... I was just trying to remember all the things that was flying around in January.

[Anthony Adams]

Seriously, I hope BASS doesn't come out and say you have to choose. I don't see how they could since you work for ABA not them.

Bass wont have a say in anything - the entire BASS Series will be ran by the ABA and they get to call all the shots. I talked to the ABA about this back in October and I had concerns with my contract and I was given a provision in my contract to allow me to work with the TBF just incase a problem came up.  All is good and no worries.

I thought that a "TBF board member" could not be affiliated with the Federation Nation?

Or was it the other way around?

It is the other way around.

IMO this is a mistake by the Michigan BASS Federation... All us anglers today are fishing more then one trail, club or organization. We should be working together instead of driving wedges.

[Anthony Adams]

all this to try and fish a regional 600 miles away

The Bass Master Series will not have a regional ...

You will fish 4 one days and one 2 day locally to qualify for the Championship. Which by the way will be worth over 200K in cash and incentives. The payout will indeed be larger this year then last year.

I think it is cool that you will only have to fish 6 events to have a shot at the Bass Master Classic and at least 5 will be on your own home waters.

The format is changing completely and will be a true boater non-boater format with the shared weight idea tossed out...

[djkimmel]

Sounds like it should be attractive to some anglers. Regardless of my affiliations, I still would have no trouble having a shot at the Bassmasters Classic. Heck, I want to make both major championships!

I do keep hearing lately that there's confusion again about who allows what affiliations.

ESPN/BASS has said that no state officers for BASS federation nation can hold an office with their competition. That is the reason I resigned from my conservation director position with the Michigan BASS fed nation - BASS staff told me they would not recognize me as the BASS conservation director if I held that position with TBF also.

ESPN/BASS also sent out a letter that said, while individuals are free to affiliate with whomever they choose, BASS clubs can NOT also affiliate with TBF. BASS says you have to form a new club. TBF does not have this requirement or limitation. Right from the letter from Don Rucks - then VP and GM of BASS (no longer with BASS), "This applies to TBF/FLW, and any similar multi-tiered organization seeking to sanction your club if that organization is affiliated with a commercial entity in competition with B.A.S.S."

If your club wants to affiliate with BASS and TBF, you have to form two separate clubs - two sets of bylaws and two sets of minutes to keep from having your BASS club agreement withdrawn by BASS. Neither TBF nor its major partners have any similar requirements at the club level. TBF is owned and operated by the anglers who make it up.

[Skip Johnson]

So where in the heck is the BASS schedule! its the last week of november and its still not posted, if BASS wants to compete with FLW for entries they sure are disorganised and lagging!
for the past 5 weeks I have talked with bass several times and ABA headquarters now too, for the past 5 weeks they have been saying the schedule is made and will post  in the next week or two and the same song and dance for the ABA schedule!
I have till nov 30th to submit my time off for my 2007 MDOT contracts so it looks like Im only fishing FLW.

[djkimmel]

I'm told we are within a few days to a week at most for the BASS weekend series and ABA in Michigan both.

[HellaBass]

So where in the heck is the BASS schedule!

Here it is - http://www.americanbassanglers.com/2007_BWS_Schedules.pdf

[Skip Johnson]

tell me your playing a sick joke and holding out on the michigan schedule becouse I dont see it there.

[HellaBass]

considering they only had about 25-30 boats for each tourney, I can see why they may have dropped it.  It seems as they dropped a few others that did not have good turnouts.

[Skip Johnson]

wow!!!!
well if I have to travel to ohio to fish the closest B.A.S.S. tournament I think Id rather just fish ohio BFL as well as michigan BFL and drop B.A.S.S. from my schedule.

[Anthony Adams]

if BASS wants to compete with FLW for entries they sure are disorganised and lagging!

The ABA has had the contract a little over a week and now we are lagging and disorganized?   Skip you know more about what?s going on then anyone on here. Why are you so quick to bash this?

The ABA in the last week has had contracts to sign, directors to interview and schedules to get out. I think they have done an excellent job so far.

We had a Major set back here in Michigan - My Nephew was killed in Iraq over the weekend and this forced me to step back and I could not give the ABA the insight they needed to get our schedule on the books.

There are a few roadblocks here in Michigan that need to be resolved before the ABA can commit to a schedule here.

I am working on it.... Please bare with me.

[Skip Johnson]

Anthony sorry about your loss, that would set me back also, family before tournaments!!!!

can you tell me or maybe guess what happend to the BASS wolverine series.
as far as the weekend ABA schedule I can live without that becouse I can pay at the ramp if I can fish but the ABA pro tour and wolverine is what I am(was) waiting for becouse of pre pay to hold your spot and no refunds.

Anthony dont take my frustration personel, you know me I spend a very large amount of money and time fishing and take my fishing very serious! if I dont submit my scedule by 5pm november 30th to my client I wont be able to schedule my fishing= no tournaments, I have picked up some state freeway work and alot of it is done nights and weekends so we can close lanes.