Big Bass Big Cash Next Year

[JimDicken]

OK, for the sake of argument... IF this were held in June is there any specific weekend that you guys would say was totally off as far as the tournament? Festivals, Charity Tournaments, Boat Races? (Madison) or other events on the river?
Jim Dicken

[Barry]

My 2 cents would be wait till about the boat show [Jan]. Most of the larger tournaments will have their schedules out. [Plapp's, BFL, KBF, Renegade] I'm sure theirs other I'm missing. I would think not conflicting with those would only help the turnout. They may also want to put a sight fishing rule, fish must be caught inside the mouth if the tournament is going to be held in June.

[redneckshadrap]

That's a BIG decision. It just depends who want to waste a weekend on the chance of 50g's. The more boats the more the odds. If folks feel that 50g was won with that many boats this year, things need to be in place next year. If there's more boats seems that there should be more payouts or a bigger prize.
It's honorable that the folks stood behind it. Dang honorable! Hat's off.

LOCATION>>>>>>LOCATION>>>>>>>

Kentucky Lake would be a lock. You can never predict the Ohio River. It got pounded by Ma Nature for a while.

I might could help a little with that one.

Billy


Redneckshadrap
www.thecreekbank.com
[email protected]

[JimDicken]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-17-06 AT 08:30PM (EST)[/font][p]OK, the reason I am asking, is that I want to see if we can get a date so OTHER tournaments would consider scheduling AROUND this one.
What I want to know is, is there a weekend that is DEFINITELY Bad NOW so we can avoid it.
YES the more that fish it the higher the odds... However the more that fish the higher the payout. The tournament this is designed after in Arkansas pays out $100,000 to the amatures. PLUS more for each pool, and more for first place each hour. The smart guys are going to fish for the HOURLY money. There is a ton of it IF the numbers are there... and with fewer tournaments to schedule against the more anglers who might participate.
With the OHIO River producing so many fish these days, and good fish in the 2 pound range, I think more and more will fish this tournament and the less resistance by other tournaments the better the payout.
I AM now repeating myself.
So I am done...
JIm

[JimDicken]

The object of the tourney is to promote the river as a resource for tourism. It is not just to have a tournament that pays big.
YES Kentucky Lake and Barkley would be good.. so someone else do it. This is a conscious decision to turn the river and the towns it supports into tourist destinations for fishing.
IF folks know about this tournament, guys will come and fish to practice for weeks and months ahead.
Jim

[jigfan]

The weekend before Labor Day. The river will be more likely to be stable. Put in at Concordia instead of Wolf Creek. Then add another pool for $50 extra you can fish a lake such as t-ville or Rough but limit the amount of boats on the ( bonus pond) that would get your early sign ups.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-06 AT 01:33AM (EST)[/font][p]what about a weigh in at greenwood for that pool?If you set this tournys date around the few bigger ones i would think most clubs would schedule around this one,$500 vs 50,000 should be a no brainer.If they go to any lake it would defeat the purpose of drawing people to the river towns.besides the river is better than the t-ville:)

[Danny]

Jim, I understand that this tournament was designed for the Ohio river towns and I appreciate that. I honestly think this is a fantastic idea. In fact, I'd love to fish it myself. I probably would have given it a try this year had my trailer been working.

I also believe there are no other trails that pay out a grand prize of $50 Gs to the weekend/amatuer angler.

So, schedule the tournament. I honestly believe that this thing has legs and will grow beyond your wildest dreams, and when you consider what the weekender is fishing for, they will choose this tournament over any club tourney. Once this starts happening, I guarantee you the others WILL schedule around this.

This year was the proving ground that they would keep their word on the pay out. Also, down here in the southwest, and I don't mean extreme southwest, I had not heard a thing about the tournament until it showed up on this board. Next year, I think it is important to set the date as far in advance as possible, and then build the marketing scheme so it comes to a climax, get your minds out of the gutter, right before the tournament.

This will be great for the river towns.

Danny

[MrChickyBaBa]

As long as its not a holiday weekend, I think the turnout will be better next year because people will be looking for it as long as they get the dates out early enough to plan to be able to fish it, would have loved to fish this year but I already had plans for the weekend, but I'm in next year as long as I know about it ahead of time.

[basstar]

Jim,

I think July is a great month for the tournament. If you have it in June, you may bring the spawn into play.

By July, most of the fish have spawned and moved and that allows the "luck" factor to come more into play. I personally think it makes the tournament more wide open without the sight fishing scenario, and also makes it more possible for the average weekend fisherman or young angler to win.

IMHO, keep it in July, schedule it early, and let the other trails decide if they want to compete against this one.

This was a terrific tournament, the fishing was good, the anglers who competed liked it, and next year, many more anglers will know about it.

If it aint broke, don't fix it! (except for scheduling early and getting the word out)

Count me in for next year!

Alan Johnson

[Devils Horse]

With the kind of money they pay out, others will schedule around it as long as they know when it's going to be. On the other hand some events are held the same tim e every year regardless. Our charity tourney for example is always the first weekend after 4th of July week. Since it's the oldest of it's kind in our area, others usually work around it.

The biggest mistake of KRA's event was lack of publicity. You cannot draw well when you announce it a couple of weeks before it's to happen. For the kind of draw they need, you have to work on it months in advance to get the word out to not only Ky anglers, but those in neighboring states as well.

I'd recommend having it next year the weekend that starts the 4th of July vacation week. This should help fill those seats in their restaraunts and nobody else will be putting on a tournament that weekend. You'll miss some hard core anglers who lay low when the tourists are out, but you'll pick up a ton of people who only come out once or twice a year.

[JimDicken]

Actually.. the word went out well in advance to Local Tackle Shops. KRA mailed tournament entry forms to almost every tackle store in the state and to Bass Pro Shops. I had seen it, but not being a tournament fisherman normally It just did not catch my eye. I think that they have realized that this form of promotion is not going to work as well as contacting clubs and putting it on the Strader Show and posting it on the Club Bulletin Boards. They did radio for the 3 months before the tourney but I did not hear it till it hit WHAS in the afternoons and early in the day. It was on other stations I believe that belong to Clear Channel.
As for June - it has to do with the Fiscal Calendar and the budget of KRA why it needs to be in June. I do believe that spawning will not be a problem. River fish tend to spawn in Early to Late May and normally are finished by June... (NORMALLY)
Warmer waters lately has meant earlier spawns.. but this year was a bit different.. due to the 2 week cycle of warm and COLD air moving in and setting the water temps back.
Jim