A real fruit jar general discussion.

**Wannabe...** · 04-25-2011, 05:03 PM

First off, before you read on….everybody take off you underwear. Go on. Do it. Cause I don’t want nobody getting their panties in a wad or their knickers in a twist over this. Just a plain old discussion where we can all express our own opinions and see what we all think about it.

First off…I’ve been disappointed that this thing has not grown any more than it has. When I originally envisioned and dreamed it up, I was shooting for a low cost alternative to the other trails that was low pressure and high on the fun. For the most part, it has been, with a few bumps and bruises along the way. But since that time, we’ve expanded the lakes, the number of FJs and increased the fees as well as changed up the rules a little. In my mind, all in an effort to attract more boats and people….now, keep in mind, this has not been for profit on my or anyone else’s part…we’ve always paid back 100% and will just as long as there are no major expenses incurred that we can’t handle in some other way.

So, we’ve bumped along and grown very little, meanwhile the cost of everything has increased tremendously. Gas especially, but hotels, food etc will literally put a hole in your wallet just to go out of town and have a 1 in 15 to 20 chance at bringing home maybe enough to cover the costs of the trip.

On top of that, the South boys have always born a disproportionate share of the travel expenses. Take Maj for example….can’t remember a fruit jar he’s missed, but other than the 2 we’ve had at Ross Barnett, he’s had to hoof it every time…..I’m sure if I got ahold of his check book, I’d find he’s out several hundred if not a couple thousand dollars. Worse still, he took top honors at Washington this year and may have just about broken even on that one trip.

Now we find ourselves somewhat stuck….do we
increase the lakes we fish to attract more (say Columbus, Okitibee, or another Delta Lake)?
increase the fees to help make it more profitable?
keep everything the same, afterall, who cares if it’s 5 boats or 500, we’re only doing this for fun anyhow

or should we create a North and a South Division and combine for the championships? My thinking is, DD, Maj, Holic, Gene, Steve and Scott could form the core and get it started, pick their own lakes and schedules and work towards a championship. Then we could combine for a North/South fish off and either combine the carry forward pots or split it somehow for a 1st and 2nd pay down. Might be tough to set the schedules as to not compete against each other and I’d hate not to see those guys in the North FJs, but I don’t want them to go broke just so I get to see them once a month either.

Now, I don’t have a direction I want to take this thing in. I just want it to survive and grow. At the same time, just like ya’ll, I’ve got limited funds and limited time to devote to it. I’m just wanting to start a discussion to get ideas and opinions on what we should try next because I feel like we’ve stagnated to some degree. Maybe that’s OK. Afterall. I know I have fun whether it’s a Washington with 7 boats and 34 degrees or whether It’s Sardis and 30 boats and 97 degrees.

I’m sort of rambling I know and maybe this discussion is better left to after this season is over. Now, I like poking fun as much as the next guy (probably more so than anybody else), but this ain’t the place for it, so put a sock in it on the humor or smack. We all know we’ve had some major blow ups over the FJs and a bunch of hurt feelings and we certainly don’t need any more. Got an opinion? State it. If you want to discuss someone else’s idea, do so. But can the slings and arrows for the good of the FJs PLEASE.

Wannabe…

**majflyboy** · 04-25-2011, 05:18 PM

It IS expensive to travel, but since I've joined this group of merry fishermen, I consider the FJ's to be my annual vacation broken into shorter time frames. I don't want to see a "north & south" split because I enjoy everyone's company and would like to keep it together. And, I for sure don't fish these things expecting to make any money but do hope for some more bragging rights. I think the locations of the lakes we fish are good as they are but could be expanded based on the input of those of us who fish at least a few each year. This whole deal is just for the fun of it for me.

**EmptyStringer** · 04-25-2011, 05:26 PM

I'd hate to see up split up into 2 goups. I like everbody too much to have that happen.

As for going broke and not having enough prise $$$, raising entry fees would only cause the majority to be out MORE money if/when we didn't win. At some time or another I've heard a lot of different people state that "FJ's are for fun, not for making any money". That is the truth and that is the way it should be in my opinion. Heck, everything fun costs money. I have really enjoyed getting to know you all and fishing with you / against you the last couple of years.

As for the tournament schedule, I'd like to see more tournaments. Sure, add some new lakes! Why not? It's understood that we can't make them all, that's why we only have to fish 3 to qualify for the championship. Adding a couple more southern lakes would give the southern boys a fair chance to beat up on the rest of us and give me a couple more chances to get out and have a good time.

It's all for fun and braggin rights!

**tritonman** · 04-25-2011, 05:34 PM

Well, even though I am not one of the southeren boys(as per WB's description above) I will still chime in a little here. As far as costs go it is darn expensive for me to make one of these trips and the same probably goes for some more of us down here cause we have to put out all of the expenses for the FJ (i.e. Me/April, DD/Nessa, Holic/Deb, and Maj). I live 3 hours from Grenada so it is not easy to make this a one day trip, I can do it, but definitely would rather not and if I do have April with me I can tell ya she ain't going to get up at 2 am to fish. Is this my fault cause I live 3 hours away and I want my wife to be able to fish with me...yep sure is, so the expense issue here is almost a mute point. As well it should be for everybody else that lives far away from one of the lakes. Here is a run down of what this weekend cost for me and April.
Gas (truck) 120.00...gas (boat) maybe 20.00...supplies for the cookout 100.00...food around 125.00 (85 just at 33) entry fee 50.00 so that 415.00 bucks for Friday and Saturday. I think first place would have barely covered this and I may even be forgetting something.
Don't get me wrong at all here cause I love the competition and the fellowship most of the time. But it is very expensive for some of us to do it. My goal as of now is to fish one more FJ so I have my 3 and then fish Grenada.

What's a good answer here to make it all a little less painful...not sure. Like WB, I have also thought about having a north and south division and swapping lakes from north to south each year for the championship or either put a few lake in a hat and draw it out each year.

I do hope we can come up with something fair to ALL so that I can fish more than 3 times with you guys.

**torch** · 04-25-2011, 06:26 PM

I have said this, Me and Sat live in the delta and its 1 and 1/2 hours to Enid, Grenada and Sardis. 2 hours to Arkabutla and 2.5 to Ross barnett. Its also 1 hour and 15 minutes to Washington. We don't mind making the drive and it is expensive. I think we should slide the schedule later. I mean start them in Arpil and go through November to maybe draw some more boats. As far as the Delta lakes go it would be tough for them to handle 20 boats. Maybe we should try to make a schedule booklet and sell some advertising to up the payouts. Everyone has a favorite baitshop or restaurant they could solicit an ad from. Just some ideas. I am against a North and South.

**Speck** · 04-25-2011, 06:28 PM

I kind of agree with Major in that I consider the FJ's a big part of my annual vacation. As far as the costs are concerned, how much would it cost to participate in any activity. Fishing is my passion. Would it be any cheaper to follow the NASCAR circuit, hold season tickets to the St. Louis Rams, fish Crappie Masters (on a regular basis), ect... The FJ's are a great venue to enjoy the sport I love and do it with good friends. Travel and expenses go along with any activity. Even though I had a major sponcer, I spent a fortune in the 80's and 90's shooting competition archery. It's just the price we pay for doing the things we love.

**torch** · 04-25-2011, 06:30 PM

Well said Speck, I tell folks you got to love it cause you ain't going to get rich fishing crappie tournaments.

**Minnerman** · 04-25-2011, 06:43 PM

If we can get the Tenn Tom Ckub up and going, I'm sure an eastern division could be had. Increasing the tourney fees is the very first way to run folks off. If you give fitty dollers to enter a tourney, the fun is gone fer some. Specially ifn you drivin a couple of hours. I myself had a blast this weekend. I wasn't in it fer the money. If I had a been, I'd a had me a partner and went at it hard. I offered a seat fer Gottabe just because it was all about fun. And watchin a kid catch a fesh or dip one or knock one off is fun.
This was my first one with y'all gewbers and I had a good time. But it's hard for me to fesh with y'all when I'm already helpin run 2 clubs.
If we could join in with y'all at maybe a state wide classic next year, I'm sure I could get a few teams to do it. We could possibly take the top 10 teams out of each division and have a separate classic.
With this being said, ifn a team wanted to fesh in more than one division, he could. We'd jus have to watch our scheduling. And some will interfere with others.
Now I done went to rambling.

Triton, you oughta had a be in yo boat that said daddy didn't feed him breakfast. Cost me a arm and a leg tryin to get that boys strength built up jus enuff so he could operate the net. But it was werth it to hear him say "dang, daddy don't Neva ketch um that big".

**Minnerman** · 04-25-2011, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Speck

I kind of agree with Major in that I consider the FJ's a big part of my annual vacation. As far as the costs are concerned, how much would it cost to participate in any activity. Fishing is my passion. Would it be any cheaper to follow the NASCAR circuit, hold season tickets to the St. Louis Rams, fish Crappie Masters (on a regular basis), ect... The FJ's are a great venue to enjoy the sport I love and do it with good friends. Travel and expences go along with any activity. Even though I had a major sponcer, I spent a fortune in the 80's and 90's shooting competition archery. It's just the price we pay for doing the things we love.

Speck ifn you gonna follow the Rams, you in trouble.

**rockmike** · 04-25-2011, 06:48 PM

Although I've only fished a couple of the FJ's, I've enjoyed them and plan to fish more now that my knee is getting usable. It's a long drive, but it's worth it for me. Hope y'all keep having them.

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