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Nitro Boats xlxMercury Marine xlxTracker Boats xlx Bass Pro Shops xlx MotorGuide xlx Chompers • Marine Technologies
Denali Rods xlx Truman Fiberglass xlxSolar Bat Sunglasses xlx CarStar xlx Aurora Canvas xlx U.S. Reel
After the monumental presidential election, the theme of change is ringing throughout the United States with the same magnitude of the famous historical “shot heard around the world”. You may ask what has this to do with a bass tournament organization.
I think the main thing to do is remain steadfast loyally to the sponsors that have supported us throughout the years. We may not think of the boat builders, motor manufactures, lure makers and electronics companies as being in the same “boat” as private individuals, but the hard facts of economics are putting the crunch on all of us.
In order for us to support the boating industry, tournament organizations and lure makers we should avoid total withdrawal. Last years gasoline price hikes took a lot of anglers out of tournament participation and one can hardly blame anyone when it was costing over $200 a day for gas expense only, but many anglers made cost saving decisions like not prefishing as much, or not making that long run that they normally did. These decisions let them stay on the circuit and finish the year.
2009 may bring just as many challenges, we just don’t know the future, but there are some things you and I can do to make things a little better.
First, again support your sponsors, even if you cannot personally afford to buy a new rig, you certainly can help your dealership by working extra hours at boat shows or other peak times to sell their products.
Be positive, nothing can hinder the enthusiasm of a new club or tournament member as bringing out all the gloom and doom of economic predictions that you heard on the radio while driving to the lake. Being in the United States and having the freedom that we enjoy is one of the most positive things that we routinely take for granted.
Bass populations are at near record levels in every Midwestern lake, gas prices have stabilized for the time being, work hard for your sponsors and simply go fishing!
I have always sought to make Heartland Trails the best circuit for the working angler and Bonnie and I will continue to make this our goal, even if when you have to make tough decisions on what tournament circuit you decide to fish, do that knowing that Heartland Trails has your interests at heart and we will stand by our membership through these tough economic times. My record and reputation proves this.
God Bless and Good Luck in 2009,
Well, quite frankly, the very existence of the past history of bass tournament fishing as we know it now may take a drastic new direction. This direction rests entirely on every one of the men and women that have supported bass tournament fishing since that first bass tournament that was ever held. We, as anglers, have been proponents of tough conservation measures, length limits, smaller daily limits, live release and other measures have given us the reputation as leaders or even visionaries of the sport. However; as the old saying goes, all things change over time”, there is that word, change, again. So what do we, as group, need to do?
