Have my 6 in The Bass Boys but happy to have more!

[Eric]

Will that make me the only 2 time Bass Boys member?

[djkimmel]

Will that make me the only 2 time Bass Boys member?

Nope. You will have lots of company. I just got email from another past member (non-boater) and had 1 real 'old timer' join out of the blue a couple weeks ago. cameraguy came back after some leave too. You can all have a returning members party or something?!?

[djkimmel]

I will be more then happy to sign up with your club if there is non-boater that can join with me, so I don't have to run around at the last second (like I had to this year at Houghton) and look for a non-boater to pair with so I could enter as a boater.

If you join without a non-boater right now, the earlier you join, the better because I match up in the order you join. I just had a non-boater contact me today about coming back so hurry up. Get 'er done (I make no promises but so far I've gotten everybody fishing each year).

[djkimmel]

Hi Dan,

No problem, I'm happy to fish with Eric.....when he joins!

Okay. Not many people can say that

[djkimmel]

Id like to join but are there meetings or anything I would have to attend?  Or is it just a membership and a entry in the the TBF state championship?

No meetings. No local club dues either. Just the membership for the state, national and FLW Outdoors combined, and whatever the state championship entry free is if paid by the deadline (tba later).

If you sign up on your own, I match boaters and non-boaters who want to fish the state championship in the order they pay their membership in to The Bass Boys. www.greatlakesbass.com/bassboys/

[cameraguy]

I might go as a non-boater. Have to see how my work schedule next summer looks like.

[djkimmel]

Looks like I'll need non-boaters. So you should fish. You can probably remember how to do it!

[bigjc]

There is no actual deadline right now BUT any member who enters too late for me to get them in to TBF National by 12/31/2011 gets us no benefits back from FLW Outdoors thereby taking money away from our overall budget.

We get a significant monetary kickback from the FLW Outdoors dues for every TBF member we turn in to them by 12/31/2011. After that date, no kickback. That is lost budget money of about $18 per member. If 5,000 anglers wait to join nationally after 12/31/2011, that is $90,000+ in operating money we don't get! From what I'm told we leave that or more on the table every season due to late memberships. What a waste...

Ok... I will try no to wait

[bsimpson]

Dan - I just sent my payment in via your website and I would like to fish as a boater.  Thanks.

Bill Simpson

[djkimmel]

Got it.

[Eric]

I paid.  When my wallet was stolen last month, I think it was for my FLW and TBF member cards.  So I don't have them anymore, which means I have no idea what my number is.  I'll have to get that for you later.

[motocross269]

Eric, If you have a login and password at the FLW site your FLW number will pop up there when you login....

Dan can probably get it off from the "club manager" also...(Or whatever that is called...)

[djkimmel]

Yes. Since you are a past member, I will get it as soon as I update the roster in a few minutes actually. I probably already have your shirt size on file. Unless it has changed for some reason?

[Eric]

My shirt size is fat.  But probably not quite as fat as the last time I was in the club.  2X oughtta do these days.

[Frank]

So, what is involved if I join this?

[djkimmel]

My shirt size is fat.  But probably not quite as fat as the last time I was in the club.  2X oughtta do these days.

Well, I thought you looked a little more svelte last time I saw you. I definitely wasn't trying to get you to tell the whole world on here but as long as it doesn't bother you... thanks.

[djkimmel]

So, what is involved if I join this?

The Bass Boys is basically a holding club for people who don't have a club in their area or whose other activities don't allow doing more club tournaments. We don't have any meetings or club tournaments / events. We are affiliated with The Bass Federation of Michigan, Michigan's owner in the member-owned TBF, Inc.

Everyone who joins is eligible to fish the TBF of Michigan state tournament. I just have to send an equal number of boaters and non-boaters. If a boater and non-boater join together telling me they are doing that, as long as they both pay and fish the state championship, they are guaranteed.

Otherwise, I match boaters and non-boaters who want to fish the state championship (SC) up in order they paid their dues. The 2012 SC is July 15th on Lake St. Clair. If you finish in the top 13 in that event, you go on to fish the 2013 (September) TBF Northern Divisional Championship against the other TBF federations in the North. From there you can qualify for a TBF national championship, the BFL All-American and even the Forrest Wood Cup.

There's also the Jr State Championship (Saturday June 9 on Pontiac Lake) for kids 11-14 and 15-18 to fish that is possible by having the TBF of Michigan.

There's also the benefit of being organized and being counted when it comes to issues in conservation and the outdoors / legislation that affects bass anglers. Both federations helped with the Michigan bass season change and keeping the VHS virus from changing how we fish connected waters. The more members we have, the more we can convince the MDNR and other government bodies that they should listen to us.

You also become a member of FLW Outdoors and can fish the BFL and above. You get their really good bass fishing magazine. All TBF members who join before 12/31/2011 help fund national TBF efforts including money and activities that trickle all the way down to the local clubs, youth and conservation because FLW Outdoors returns $18.75 of their $35 membership to TBF Inc.

You also get a Players Advantage membership in FLW Fantasy Fishing if you want to go for the cash and prizes in that. Players Advantage gives you extra information to help you pick your fantasy team. Most of the big money winners use Players Advantage. The final prize winner received $100,000 this year!! It wasn't me.

[Waterfoul]

I may need a team this year.  Boater or non-boater... I can probably either depending.  Need to talk to my non-boater from last year yet though.

[djkimmel]

If you join with a non-boater who fishes, you are golden. Lots of time yet and more people talking to me about joining.

[bsimpson]

Dan,

I know I joined after your original six, I just wanted to see if you have had enough non-boaters sign up yet, or if I need to twist some of my friends arms to join.  I am trying to avoid the last minute scramble I did last year to be able to fish as a boater.

Thanks,

Bill