Annual tournament

[MotherNature]

Really it's ok.... talk about next year I am already excited about the coming years!

I just wanted to take the time to welcome our newest Ultimate Bass Team Member! Welcome To The Team Rattle! I look forward to many future events and I know that they are going to be outstanding!

Mother Nature

[Wildcat26]

Is there an estimate yet of how many from each club will be fishing this tournament.  I would like to know.

[Mike Noble]

My best guess on north Louisiana folks is 4 teams (8 people) and 2 people from Alabama (Bo Crawford and partner).  There is a chance that we could pick up one or two more people from north Louisiana.

[Jared LeBlue]

Hopefully after our meeting tonight I will have a good idea of how many to expect from our club.

[Wildcat26]

Go Alabama, proud of you guys for making the trip.  I have played a lot of golf all over the state of Alabama, from Birmingham to Gulf shores to Auburn.  I guess it is time I start fishing Alabama.

[DundeeMike]

Laurie, Glad to hear you are thinking about next year. If the tournament can be moved to lets say Santee Cooper in South Carolina, I know my club and I am sure other clubs would fish it. Moving it to other areas on a rotation would be great for the Ultimate Bass members that live in different states..I already talked to my club members, and they said that they would fish it, if it was closer, about 1/2 way between states. Then us northern boys can show you all southern people how to really fish.....

[Jared LeBlue]

Yeah North would be cool, we could take a little vacation and show those panty waist, 4lb line throwing Northerns how to fish.LOL

[Mike Noble]

So Rattle....really, what is your opinion???

[bocraw]

Make that two guys from Mississippi...we do fish in Alabama though.

My best guess on north Louisiana folks is 4 teams (8 people) and 2 people from Alabama (Bo Crawford and partner).  There is a chance that we could pick up one or two more people from north Louisiana.

[Mike Noble]

Sorry Bo...got confused on states.

[DundeeMike]

Hey Rattle, If they do move it closer up north, next year,I want to see you use 4 lb test, and all you will catch is a cold. I can see now by that statement, It's going to be like stealing candy from a baby[southern baby]...!!!!  Waaaaahhh

[Mike Noble]

I definitely would like to move it up north or wherever is closer for more people.  But we are going to have to talk about "timing".  Dundee, you said catch a cold.  When I think about a cold, I think about winter.  I AIN'T DOING NO ICE FISHING.  Ice is meant to keep your drink cold...not fish thru.

[MotherNature]

Ok here is my thought on Next Year, and remember that for now it is just a thought as we have an Events Organization Team Captain and we will work on all of this together, but I would like your thoughts...

My thought is to get more clubs active on the forum (hence all the work we have been putting into the whole site) so that we will have more places to choose from.

I figure sometime in January we will announce that we are looking for a club to host the 2005 Annual Club Shoot Out in their state. The clubs that are interested will have to post or submit their proposal and then we will either draw from a hat or find a fair way to pick where we will go. There are several things to consider when hosting a tournament and having been the Tournament Director for Ultimate Bass for several years I will tell you right now it is not a walk in the park.

I fully intend to have this be a rotating event where it is held in a different state each year to give everyone a chance to fish it and host it if they so choose. I do not want it to turn into a free for all so one of the restrictions will be that to participate your club and hopfully you will have to be a member of this site.

This is by no means a way for Ultimate Bass or the club itself to make money it is simply a way to get all of the forum members in a place where they can interact and meet one another. I would like to see us get some sponsors for next year so that we could offer some nice prizes.

That's the thought for now...

Tight Lines,
Laurie

[DundeeMike]

Laurie, Our club just hosted an open tourney, to raise funds for the club. I am also the tournament director, and you are correct in saying, it's not a walk in the park. There is a lot of preparation, and planing that goes into one of these events.....

Mike, I do not ice fish either. We have fished here in January, along as the water isn't frozen.

[Wildcat26]

My idea of holding the tournament up north would be around Shreveport.  Thats north to us.

[DundeeMike]

  Wildcat, I guess if you come up any farther north, you'd get a nose bleed, HuH? I know you southeners can't take the altitude change. If you can catch fish up north, then you become a real bass fisherman.....


Bring the Shoot Out "NORTH" next year if you Dare...[/size][/color]

[Wildcat26]

I get cold if its below 80 degrees.  But I guess for the sake of Bass Fishing I would put on the long johns and go up yonder and teacher you yankees how to fish. I would rather do that than have ya'll pack your little carpet bags and come down here.  God if ya'll got a good old taste of southern bass fishing we would never get rid of you.

[Jared LeBlue]

Not counting today, we have 24 days to go.

[Rickoos]

Hey Guys & Gal's,

There's a Days Inn about 3-4 miles from the launch, the price is 47.00 a night I think, that's booking over the internet, I'm trying very hard to work things out so that me & the wife came make this tournment. That's why we are checking out the area motels, in case we do make it on spur of the minute!

I will post more on the area motels & hotels in the morning for the others who may not have a cabin!

Ricky

[Jared LeBlue]

Ricky there are a bunch of hotels and motels in the area. Lake Charles is just down the road.

[Rickoos]

Rattle,

Are there any extra things one should know about running the river there???  Any info for someone never fishing the Calcasieu? I want to prefish there, but this tournment trip to Ala. kind of has me short of days & time to run & visit the  river and see how it is.

Thanks for any help & info,

Ricky

[Jared LeBlue]

Ricky, from where we will launch the main thing to worry about is the no wake zone by the camp ground. Other than that the South end is pretty good running, about the only danger is floaters (logs), but you shouldn't have to worry about that especially since we haven't had any floods in the past couple of months. Now if you go North above Hecker it gets hairy, the river gets narrow and shallow in some places. You defenitely do not want to run WOT up there. Depending on the speed of your boat you are looking at about a 35 to 45 minute run to get that far up though.

[Mike Cork]

Rickoos, don't worry about the prefish all of us northern LA. boys are going blind also. It's about the get together more than anything. I really do hope it works out so that you can make it.

As far as lodging, message Bo Crawford, he has rented a cabin and I believe he has only his partner going in on it. They sleep several and I am sure he could use help splitting the cost. That way you would be right there with the rest of us and don't have to worry about your equipment in a motel/hotel.

Bo I hope I was not to forward in posting this 

[Wildcat26]

While in the West Fork of the river, thats probably where we will launch, you do not need to run WOT.  The river has many bends and turns and there have been a number of accidents over the years from boats going around curves to fast.  Run on your side of the river and at a sane speed.

[Wildcat26]

I should have mentioned that the main river is a lot wider and not so curvey, plenty of space for WOT.