Bass Fishing Oct 2017 | Page 116

2017 STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE YIELDS CHANGES TO JUNIOR, ADULT PROGRAMS
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2017 STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE YIELDS CHANGES TO JUNIOR, ADULT PROGRAMS

The mantra“ Recruit, Retain, Resource” was front and center when representatives of The Bass Federation’ s state federations gathered for the TBF 2017 State Leadership Conference in Camden, S. C., Aug. 11-12.

With that three-pronged goal in mind, the Federation passed a number of resolutions aimed at expanding TBF’ s highly successful youth and National Semi-Finals programs.
Youth Opportunities Enhanced
On the youth front, the state presidents council – with input from all youth directors, conservation directors and others in attendance – unanimously approved several changes to the TBF Junior Angler program.
Junior anglers will now fish out of their own boats in twoperson teams, accompanied by their own boat captains, at qualifying events and the Junior World Championship( JWC). Rules on pairings and captains will be similar to those of the Student Angler Federation’ s High School Fishing program.
Previously, anglers competed individually at the JWC, but were randomly paired with another competitor from their division and a volunteer boat captain, and they fished in the volunteer’ s boat.
The JWC was also expanded to three days. Beginning with the 2018 event, all teams will fish for two days, after which the field will be cut to the top six teams from each division for the final day.
“ Junior anglers and their families have requested these changes numerous times,” says TBF President and CEO Robert Cartlidge.“ So we’ re expecting an overwhelmingly positive response. In fact, when the new format was announced on stage during the 2017 JWC at Lake Wateree, S. C., the crowd of young anglers and their families reacted with cheers and applause.”
The TBF Junior Angler program age group was also adjusted, removing the lower limit of 11 to allow all youths ages 15 and under( as of Aug. 31 of the JWC competition year) to participate. Rules mandating that junior clubs be tied to a TBF adult club were also eliminated, effective immediately. Junior dues will remain at $ 25 per year, while scholarships and prizes will more than double for 2018.
State presidents also voted to continue the tradition of timing the State Leadership Conference to coincide with the JWC and Forrest Wood Cup. For 2018, the conference and JWC will run Aug. 8-11 in Hot Springs, Ark.
Small Adjustments
TBF leadership approved a new sliding scale method for determining how many anglers a club can advance to its National Semi-Finals event.
Previously, each club could advance one boater and coangler, regardless of club size, to the National Semi-Finals. Under the new sliding scale system, TBF clubs in good standing with up to 19 members will send one boater and one co-angler to the event. Another boater and co-angler advance for every 10 additional club members. For example, clubs with 20 to 29 active members advance two boaters and two co-anglers, clubs with 30 to 39 active members advance three boaters and co-anglers, and so forth.
“ The sliding scale rewards larger clubs and offers clubs of all sizes incentives to continue growing, while removing any temptation to split a club to gain extra spots in a National Semi-Finals event,” says Cartlidge. The new advancement system takes effect in 2018, as
2017 National Semi-Finals events have already begun.
State TBF leaders also voted to add another practice day to all National Semi-Finals events in 2018. Lakes will be off limits Monday and Tuesday of tournament week, with practice allowed Wednesday through Friday. Competition days will be Saturday and Sunday.
Conservation on the Agenda
TBF leaders also discussed a number of conservation and state permitting items, as well as best fish care and handling practices, including recommended procedures for different states and regions.
“ We also reviewed a number of studies conducted by state agencies and academic groups on the impact of tournaments on bass populations,” Cartlidge adds.“ Overall, every study discussed at the conference revealed that tournaments have negligible effects on bass fisheries. If TBF clubs follow our simple, basic rules of courtesy and fish care, public perception will match the hard data, and we will all be better off.”
The conference also touched on a variety of other topics, including the many benefits of TBF and FLW membership, internal and external communications, marketing, member retention, and more.
“ Across all levels of the Federation, our members, staff, volunteers and leadership want TBF to remain the leader in grassroots tournament bass fishing,” Cartlidge says.“ The work that we accomplished collectively at the 2017 conference will go a long way to ensure that we do.”
Robert Cartlidge( right) is joined on the Forrest Wood Cup stage by Hank Parker following the 2017 Junior World Chmpionship and State Leadership Conference.
FLWFISHING. COM I OCTOBER 2017
PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF