Federation Nation State Champ 2010

[jgip087]

So the state championship is going to be voted on for 2010 already at one of the remaining two meeting of the federation nation. It's in stone for 2009 for St. Clair yet again JUly 24-25. Three clubs voted Muskegon and some more clubs want to put the vote on Muskegon, anyone else who wants this vote should pm me and I will give you some info on who to talk with and when we can all vote together to stand a better chance. It was hilarious the reason they gave for not fishing over here, "low water levels" which on Muskegon I have no clue how you can not launch in that deep channel and be fine all day including the dredged channel to the lake to run and not being able to catch fish lol are you serious? I had 11 or 12 pounds off White and took like 65 in the BBT so not catching them its so great. I really think its that they are scared to move away from the backyard of St. Clair because they all might get whooped lol

[jgip087]

I just looked at Lake Drive's page and last year 69 of 75 teams had a limit, very similar in BBT events. So how are there no fish to catch in the lake?

[Dan]

As of now I don't believe there are any real requirements (other than memberships) for these state championships no matter which group you are talking about. You need to be national and state members and either be a part of a club or form your own paper club. (That's about $50 in total dues.)
It use to be you had to have say 15 paper club members to be able to have 8 guys fish. During those days we would pay 15 national and state dues and divy up that amount amongst the 8 guys. That way you were guaranteed to fish. Some people don't like the idea of paper clubs, but as long as the organizing bodies don't care, some say why not. Especially if you don't have a nearby club to join. Some guys just don't want to be in a club.
There also use to be a requirement from BASS any how that said you must attend two of their "Presidents Meetings." So, someone on the paper or regular club had to go to two state level meetings. In the last couple of years, both organizations now allow any one who signed up on a club to fish the state championship. The State Championships are not money tournaments. You pay your $100 entry fee and you fish. If you place in the top ten or twelve depending, you qualify for the State Team. You then fish as a team in the next level which is a northern regional. There are team honors and some money. The top angler on the state team at the Northern Regional moves on to the National competition. From there you may qualify for the Classic or Cup as a Federation angler. In BASS, at the Nationals, you don't have to qualify in the top six overall to move on to the Classic. To make the Classic you have to finish first in your region, which means you have about a one in around 12 or so shot at making it to the Classic. I'm not certain the TBF runs it exactly like that, but I think it's close. If you would like a day by day account of the BASS National event I have one on my blog in the archive section. I also have a video I made of the whole week.

[jgip087]

Still pretty much the same. Meetings all used to be in Detroit so st clair dominates as choice because west side clubs dont come to the same events only requiring two. We used to have 30 guys in our club but now about 7 because they got tired of St. Clair, St Clair, St. CLair, it's just not a fair game at all. It's not a true evaluation of a state championship in my opinion because it is constantly in the same places. Move it around, if it is a little tough isn't that fishing? It's not about who has fished a lake for 20 years and knows where to go because in the divisional and national championship you're not going to have that advantage. It's about who can figure out the fish, who can adapt to weather conditions, and who can execute. Even if it was a St. Clair, Saginaw, Muskegon, St. Clair, Charlevoix rotation or something it would highly favor the east side anglers again and give us a little appreciation as well.

[jgip087]

Where are your tournaments for 2009 and what is the entry fee? Club events.

[BryanP]

I think it's absolutely rediculous they scheduled the 2009  State Championship on the top of the Detroit Stren.

[motocross269]

I think it's absolutely rediculous they scheduled the 2009  State Championship on the top of the Detroit Stren.

Your kidding me???....

[motocross269]

I am not trying to point fingers here, but there is more to it than just personnel conflicts...
The Stren tournament could likely attract 200 boats, with probably at least half of those turning north to LSC or more if the weather is bad...That is alot of boats to put on the water for 1 weekend...Not even considering the Pre-fishing pressure etc...
The Stren and BFL schedules are posted in Late October..Those tournaments have the biggest boat draw on the lake...I would think anyone doing any type of scheduling on LSC and Eerie would have to take those schedules into consideration in order to ensure success for their event...
There are no secrets and that info is readily available..
Paul Sacks and his crew do a great job and I don't know the ins and outs of what went into the planning so maybe it was just an oversight that can be easily rectified...
I am not fishing the Stren either, but am looking forward to an opportunity this year to fish in the State Fish off...(My first one)
JMHO

[BryanP]

I'm signed up as a boater in the Stren and just saw the dates for the 09 Fed Nation for the first time today when I read jgip's post.  I'm not currently a Fed Nation member and haven't been for a couple years now.  But I was considering re-joining until this.

The Stren dates have been out for some time now.

[djkimmel]

dartag - go to http://www.michiganbass.net/ for their official web site.

[djkimmel]

just say no and think about fishing...

[ronhuntfish]

Wasn't the State-T on Charlevoix last year?  Saginaw Bay a couple years ago?  St. Clair is where most of the membership wants to fish, and gets the most participation.  Last time the State-T was at Muskegon it took like 6 or 8 lbs to win, didn't it?

That said, I do agree that it should go to the west side more than it does.  I'd like to see the Grand River again, and I'm an east sider.

[djkimmel]

Pretty tough to make everyone happy with one tournament a year. As long as I've been on various federation boards, heard this same talk year after year. Now that I think of it, heard the same talk every year too over picking sites for the MUCC Board of Director meetings, and they have a committee with members from around the state that did that. That poor guy (the chairman) would get hammered by a few people every time he got up to make a report on their progress and work.

[jnamo]

It also has a lot to do with $$$.

For a St. Clair Tournament you are looking at an angler turnout of 150ish...For anywhere else those numbers drop quite a bit (in half?).  Guess where the money comes from to pay for the anglers once they make the team?  From the anglers fees who were in the tournament.

As far as the date goes, it was all just bad luck/timing.  The Elites are up in Escanaba that weekend too.  I am sure none of the board members will be up there representing and there will not be too many anglers up there checking things out because everyone will be fishing! 

We can't have it all every year!  We just have to make a choice of what is best for us and roll with it. 

I do like the idea one gentleman had with having prequalifiers on the West side and East side of the state and then meeting in a neutral site for a championship to make the team.  I will definitely be bringing that idea back up to Paul and the board members for serious consideration.  That my up angler turnout more so than just having the one big event...

Tight Lines!

[motocross269]

Prequalifiers on the west and east???

I thought that was what the club tourneys throughout the year were suppose to do??? I know alot of "Paper Clubs" don't have tournaments, but I guess that is an issue they need to work out..
I know they have been pretty much letting everyone fish the State Fish off , so I am not so sure there is a need to break it down further and add another tournament to  already busy schedules.If the Federation grows to the point of having too many anglers that want to Fish in the SFO I would agree that having and east/west qualifier would be justified...JMHO