Introducing The West Michigan Power Pole Tour

[djkimmel]

NBAA News

Introducing The West Michigan Power Pole Tour

The two biggest names in Michigan bass fishing have teamed up. That's right, NBAA & BBT have teamed up to bring you "The West Michigan Power Pole Tour". The former BBT 100's are the foundation for this new NBAA tour division. Along with a great staff to run the Power Pole Tour, you need a great sponsor. The name says it all – Power Pole. Power Pole is the leader in Shallow Water Anchoring systems. NBAA couldn't be more proud to have Power Pole on board sponsoring such a great tour.

Some of the highlights from this NEW tour division include:

• FREE – 8' Power Pole Raffle at First Tournament
• Eligible for Captains Cash *See details below
• Thompson Center Muzzleloader Big Bass Raffle at each Event
• $2000 First Place Based on 50 Boats

Read complete story on GreatLakesBass.com Tournament News.

View The West Michigan Power Pole Tour Flyer. More details to come.

[Waterfoul]

Wonder if Lake Michigan will be open or closed.  I sent Jack an email asking that very question.

Update!

Wow, Jack got back to me in about 3 minutes.  Lake Michigan will be open to run for these tournaments.  Kind of a bummer for guys like me with smaller boats... Don will run in almost anything!!  LOL!!

[fish hound]

Can someone provide a payout chart for a 50 boat field?  Also,
is this an Open or is a NBAA membership required? 


Matt

[djkimmel]

According to the attached flyer above, you qualify for the various NBAA championships so I'm betting you have to be an NBAA member. To be sure and as far as payback, I suggest you contact Jack Horning or Russ Hirdes. Their contact information is on the attached flyer (PDF format), or in the news story.

[Dashforcash]

Is this a Open Event I know the lake is Open but do we pay the BBT membership,NBAA Membership Im sure nbaa would never run a open. I do know that the BBT on Memorial day was always a open event. It dosn't say anything about it in the flyer I think alot of guys wouldn't be very happy to have to pay $170 plus 40 or 50 extra for a NBAA membership they sould consider putting it in there some place.

[TCook]

I am also interested, I need to see the payout chart what memberships I would have to pay.

[KLAKE]

NBAA is $35 bucks.

The Power Pole Tour is listed as just a regular old NBAA Division. At least on their website.

[bigjc]

Man,

That is a nice looking division.  If those west MI hotels weren't so expensive, I would be considering it.
LOL

[TCook]

Who is planning on fishing this circuit? As of now me and my partner are leaning towards WMPP but need to get a good idea on how many boats they will draw and how much of our money will be paid back. Entry into two championships is nice but the history of NBAA and BBT payouts has me very suspect. Do you guys think they will draw 50 boats or so? Anyone know what percent they will be paying back?

[jgip087]

I bet they draw about 15-20 boats.  That's all the any of the weekend divisions pull On Muskegon/White.

[Cy]

I bet they draw about 15-20 boats.  That's all the any of the weekend divisions pull On Muskegon/White.

I think that estimate is low.  The BBT opens normally draw between 25 and 35 boats per event.  The numbers should be better with the addition of NBAA.  This is also an opportunity to breath some new life into this circuit.

[LGMOUTH]

Cy is correct. In the past few years they have been right around the 30 boat mark. I know I am planning on fishing this tournament circuit and I know a few others that dont normally fish it that are going to. I think its going to be a decent turnout with decent payback. Personally I dont look at payouts. If I think Im going to have fun fishing it then I do. Thats why I fish just about everything. Especially Monday nights.

[1javelin]

I would agree with you Don on the payout response, IF it was what I consider local. One team I know of will be coming from indiana, which is a little bit of a haul if you're not going to stand a chance of winning your money back. Guys fish because they love it, but broke guys love it too, so we have to be a little more particular in our choices. We may think we can make our money back for one, but winning all of them is not a reasonable gamble.

1jav

[Wolverines]

I know I'm fishing it....

This is an NBAA division, therefore you'll have to pay the NBAA membership.  Most guys that will fish it already fish NBAA so it's really not that big of a deal.  The only thing BBT has to do with it is Russ is the director and he's using his former "open" tournament schedule.  This is totally separate from the BBT qualifiers.

Don, does this mean we'll be seeing a Power Pole or 2 on the back of the Skeeter?   

[LGMOUTH]

Only if I can get one that will reach 12 feet deep.

[ROI Outdoors]

It should definitely hit 50 on Memorial Day - no other competing tourney that day on this side of the state and the only time of the year the entire Lakeshore fishes good......Add in the fact that it is the ONLY Series that doesn't tell you where you can or cannot drive your boat and 50 on Memorial Day is almost a lock.

Payouts aren't really a factor when you consider it is the only true American series around - might as well start banning Side Imaging beacause it's not fair if you don't have one.......The whole "level the playing field by everybody competing on the same water" line is a joke.  Let's just start calling the "Open" or "Running" tourneys what they are - "Freedom" Events or "American" Style Tournaments which sounds alot better to me.  Maybe we should all just get into canoes with the same rod/reel/lure and rotate casts on certain areas so we can "level the playing field".  The most amusing thing to me is that there are all these "lakeshore" series tourneys out there but the only thing lakeshore about them is the fact that you can almost get your boat close enough to catch a glimpse of the actual Lakeshore........When in search of "fairness" all there is to find is less of it - even Alice knows not to go down that rabbit hole.

Was that a tangent, rant or both?  I'm going with both. 

Tim - are you heading to Newton again this year?  Newton Lake Winterbreak Open may be a winner......

Can't wait until 2014 when we'll have tourneys to fish in April & May up here - foreshadowing sure is fun! 

[djkimmel]

I thought they told me they were coming out with a jumbo unit this year? I had breakfast and dinner with Robert Shamblin last year courtesy of the Strickers and Hook 'N Look and asked if they would come out with a 'clear Northern water sightfishing unit' - something about 18 feet and he told me to stay tuned... something big was coming out this season?

I need a 16 or 18 footer of some type. Not that I'll be buying one brand or the other any time soon... 

[TCook]

It should definitely hit 50 on Memorial Day - no other competing tourney that day on this side of the state and the only time of the year the entire Lakeshore fishes good......Add in the fact that it is the ONLY Series that doesn't tell you where you can or cannot drive your boat and 50 on Memorial Day is almost a lock.

Payouts aren't really a factor when you consider it is the only true American series around - might as well start banning Side Imaging beacause it's not fair if you don't have one.......The whole "level the playing field by everybody competing on the same water" line is a joke.  Let's just start calling the "Open" or "Running" tourneys what they are - "Freedom" Events or "American" Style Tournaments which sounds alot better to me.  Maybe we should all just get into canoes with the same rod/reel/lure and rotate casts on certain areas so we can "level the playing field".  The most amusing thing to me is that there are all these "lakeshore" series tourneys out there but the only thing lakeshore about them is the fact that you can almost get your boat close enough to catch a glimpse of the actual Lakeshore........When in search of "fairness" all there is to find is less of it - even Alice knows not to go down that rabbit hole.

Was that a tangent, rant or both?  I'm going with both. 

Tim - are you heading to Newton again this year?  Newton Lake Winterbreak Open may be a winner......

Can't wait until 2014 when we'll have tourneys to fish in April & May up here - foreshadowing sure is fun! 

I agree not a big fan of the closed circuits which is the main we decided to give WMPP a shot this year. Can always backout if the payouts are a joke after the first event. Last I heard Cy, thedude, McCarter im assuming, skeeterman190, jason fowler, myself and a couple others not on the board were planning on going late feb early march. Prolly should start up a group message on facebook to get the ball rolling will put you on the list.

[Wolverines]

Only if I can get one that will reach 12 feet deep.

   I figured you'd say something like that....more like 15 though.

[LGMOUTH]

Only if I can get one that will reach 12 feet deep.

   I figured you'd say something like that....more like 15 though.

But when they do!!!