Lower entry is more attractive

Michael J. Baranowski Nestor Falls, ON.

Letter to the Editor, One of our favourite Bass Tournaments was the Morson Bass Classic; when it was changing to a new site and logo Morson Bass International we were not concerned until we found out that a change from a two day tournament to a three day and the entry fee was increased to $500.00 from the $300.00 fee. They had set their sights too high for for their initial trial as well as family participation. This had to be the reasoning for their decrease in entries. If they has stayed with similar format as Buena Vista’s morson Bass Çlassic they would have gotten all the fifty five teams plus for their start. Then they could have built on this and when they were better established to run a three day tournament and a higher entry fee. The way I look at tournaments in general there are two divisions what I refer to as “Givers” and “Takers” which runs at 80% givers and 20% takers. The majority of participants go home empty handed with their only thoughts of a challenging outing of fishing while the minority are awarded prizes from breaking even or making a little and they are usually the consistent winners that make up the top fifteen. We realize this going into tournaments but we love the challenge as well as the fun of fishing and the excitement of the tournament itself. As the price of entry increases as well as the rise in gasoline and oil makes it costly for the family entries and eventually they have to drop out of some tournaments whereas the cost is split in half for individual anglers participating. On the other side of the equation you can have a two day tournament for standard fee of $300.00 and have a full slate of entries consistently every year and I am referring to the Atikokan Bass Classic where they are filled up before the present expires. There is no one that knows this anymore than I do as I was late signing up at the prize presentation of the 2004 tournament and went on the waiting list; but was lucky because of a cancellation. In 2005 I was late again in registering and this time not so lucky as I missed out in the 2006 tournament. They had one opening on Sunday and believe me I grabbed it.You can bet that before heading for home after the next tournament I will be first in line to register. With this system of theirs it is going to be difficult even in getting new teams at all. Even with their success in filling entries immediately each year they have not changed to a higher entry fee which I can honestly say that it could be raised without changing the process of filling up every year of their existence. My sincere advice for the Morson Bass International (MBI) is to stay with the two day tournament as they did this year and bring the entry fee back to $300.00 otherwise they will be mired down with a thirty team tournament or less. The Morson Bass International was another that set their sight too high but I think will not be as lucky for as $500.00 entry fee for a two day tournament. You can refer to your sister’s event Bassin For Bucks in Sioux Narrows who started at $300.00 built up a three day tournament successfully before making their entry fee at $400.00 and yes a $100.00 less than your initial trial. Think about it
–Michael J. Baranowski Nestor Falls, ON.