Belleville Lake Tournament 6-24-07

[dhuff]

I understand your point on showing the members some respect.  That is great and all.  However, it is a competition so if they miss out by one point they shouldn't be mad at that one guy.  Perhaps they should be mad at how they did in the other tournaments for example placing fifth instead of fourth that could of gotten them more points.  If the guys want to make it then MAKE it but don't make guys not want to fish because it may take away a chance of one of the members going to a larger tournament.  They should just control what they can such as how they do and not what they can't such as how everyone else does or who shows up to fish against them.  Do I respect the other anglers? YES, very much.  Although if I show up to one tournament do I want to beat them? YES.  Will I feel bad if I only show up for one tournament and make them miss out on a shot at a boat or more money? Not at all.  There fate is in their hands.  It is up to them to get themselves there.  In fact good anglers should welcome these types of challenges and raise their game to the next level.

[bassinman#1]

Who won and what were the winning weights at Belleville?

[Team houston]

So what were the results?

[BassinGT]

I was lucky enough to scratch out the win. I had 10.81 pounds. Was a small tournout. Only 9 people. Big bass was 3.02 caught by Drew.

-Gary Tafoya

[McCarter]

There would have been a bunch more people there to fish, but like i said in a previous post, i had to call them and tell them the situation.  they all decided to not fish it.

I know a couple guys from this board wanted to fish it as well.  I really think the 'new rule' turned a lot of potential new members off to our trail.

I talked to several members about this and the feelings on this were split.  Half were in favor of the 'no jackpotter' rule and the other half didnt care.  I know a couple guys who are core members who were originally going to fish it but decided not to after hearing the rule change.  They were bringing some friends to the event but didnt show cuz there friends didnt want to pay 2 fees. 

Oh well, done and over with now.  I dont foresee Belleville ever making it onto the district 7 schedule again.  Just gonna have to put Ponemah and Lobdell back up there for all those Flint area boys.  Nothing like fishing the same old tired lakes year after year.

McCarter himself

[Cheetam]

If there were only 9 people fishing, than that meant Gary scored 189 points for 1st place.  If eleven jackpotters showed up (making it a full field of 20), and Gary ended up finishing 10th, Gary would have scored 191 points...makes perfect sense to me 

[dartag]

be interesting to see if he applies the same thing at Kent next May when he is asking for boaters.  bad decision in my mind.  but it is his event so he can do what he wants. 

[dhuff]

Well not really.  I know a few people talked with ABA and they said that they could not make you do that no matter what the director says. 

[Durand Dan]

Hey guys,
I had Anthony call me at home Monday and explain this in detail to me. there is much more to it than what has appeared here. If you get a chance talk to him about the situation and don't base your decision on the thead.

[McCarter]

I posted what Anthony asked me to post.  Nothing more, nothing less.

McCarter himself

[djkimmel]

My understanding of this issue is that is was not a rule, but a courtesy request - caused by some anglers not living up to earlier promises. The whole thing could have been avoided altogether if either the lake was never added to the schedule for anglers who ended up not fishing the series anyway, or if the anglers who asked for the lake to be added to the series with the understanding that it would get them to fish all of it had lived up to their end of the bargain. Maybe that is not exactly the situation, but it ain't like this is my first ride in the rod-a-o either. I've been a tournament director before and know how people work on you to do what they want that is in their interest, but maybe not in your interest.

Bargains usually go bad if all parties do not do what they said would do. Regardless, the tournament director always ends up taking the beating from any and all directions.

I appreciate that all the dirty laundry is not being hung out here, but I'm also a little disappointed that this even happened in the first place. I think the main lesson to any tournament director, always be true to your core group of supporters and do not spend much time trying to appease the unknown. The unknown often stays that way, and sometimes at the expense of your core support. Anglers need to try once in a while to search their own reasons for asking for things to consider if they are looking at it from their own point of view verses what would be best for the circuit/tournament director.

Not to say trying new things is bad, but you don't want to try something that you aren't sure will be popular with who you already have. It's like when I'm at a counter waiting to be served... I'm there. I have my product selected and just need to pay the man. Then the phone rings and the counter man spends 5 or 10 minutes of my time talking to someone - usually a stranger - who may never actually become a customer while I, already there ready to give my money stand there thinking how stupid it is to inconvenience a sure thing (me standing there with my money out) just to take a shot in the dark at an unsure thing (the mystery stranger caller)? Easily can be a lose-lose situation for all parties.

Never forget your core support or risk them just to maybe win the business of the stranger on the phone... I can tell you the names of some of the circuits who have spent too much time trying to attract new people without first being sure how changes would affect who they already had... but I can't seem to recall their names...