I don’t know about the rest of you, but i am very dissappointed in BASS for completely neglecting the entire northern part of the country for any weekend tournaments. I think it shows how BASS completely misunderstands the demand that there is for competitive fishing in our area and the surrounding states. Any comments on this or am i overreacting.
The fact we (WI) aren’t allowed to cull has a lot to do with it I would imagine, but hopefully that will change soon.
The ELITE 50 that’s coming here next year is one of a few tournies that are a “trial tourney” for the allowance of culling….
It won’t be too long b4 the law is changed and then you’ll see them come up here 
There are however plenty of BASS federation club tournaments that are held, if you belong to a federation club.
i’m not just talking about minnesota or wisconsin. there is nothing in illinois, indiana, ohio, michigan, iowa. Nothing. Even with the no culling rule. BFL still fishing in wisconsin. It just comes across as disrespect to me. Only my opinion.
flw and bass as well have held tournaments out of the quad cities il/ia area but thats the only real spot they can put one on at along the river due to the needs for lodging and ramp ability to hold 200 rigs and then some
then there is the running from pool 16 launch site to either pool 13 or 18 where it seems alot of the winners int he previous tourneys have come from
as for lakes in the state of illinois i dont see a single one that the fishing will blow you over enough to bring a big flw or bass tourney to the area
remember 3 years ago the classic was in chicago on lake michigan and they had a very low fish count very low weight total and hardley no audience so i can see why they dont fish here consistantly
just my thoughts
LaCrosse could easily house a field of 200 boats. This years BFL opener was 168 (or somewhere around there, I just know that I drew 150 
). Anyway, the weights are also pretty impressive most of the year and most contestants catch fish. I know that FLW was eyeballing LAX. However, now the city of LAX is wanting more $$$ for tourneys and that could put a BIG hurt on future big tournaments.
– d-nort
Just to clarify once more. I am talking about the new 6 tournament weekend tournaments that BASS has put out targeted at the weekend tournament angler. Similar to the BFL.
Perch,
I was pretty disappointed when I saw the new Bassmaster Series schedules. Being a Triton/Mercury/Lowrance owner (BASS Sponsors) I thought this would be a great trail to start fishing. At least I would be eligible for some of the prizes if I got lucky enough to win. With BFL even if I did win a tournament I don’t have the right Boat, Motor or Electronics to get the bonus money.
When I saw that the closest division to where I live was something like 600 miles away I was kind of mad. Especially when I saw that some areas in the south could actually drive just a few hours and fish more than one division.
Hopefully after they have a year under their belt, they will branch the Bassmaster Series up north.
JT Bagwell
Dusty in the early 90s Bassmasters came to Mn.twice.They fished Lake Minnotonka twice.The first year a #of records were broke that still stand to this day.
There are rumers of why they never returned but no one knows why. MN.has a # of waters that can hold these events.
I’m more concerned why they won’t return, than why they have past up MN.the first year of a new tourny trail.
The reason the BASS won’t return to MN is the same reason the FLW won’t be back to Tonka or some of the other lakes and that is the people who live on the lakes don’t want them there and in fact gave the boys a hard time last time they were there by zooming them with their speed boats and yelling at them at the launch ramos. Plus the DNR was trying to have the anglers spray their boats down before and after the tourneys because they didn’t want any infestations on Tonka or any other lake. But they don’t care about the pleasure boaters who are mostly responsible for the infestation problems. FLW caught heck from non-fishing people when they had their weigh in at the Mall of America because 24 fish died. Even some perch jerkers complained that they were taking fish from their lake (Tonka) and killing them. Plus to hold a big event like a tour event or an FLW event would take some room and the DNR won’t let them trailer their fish off-site. That’s why BASS and FLW (Irwin Jacobs) both say Minnesota leaves a bad taste in their mouths and why they won’t have these big events back again.
MNfish, I have heard some of the things you talk about in your post,what you said about spraying down the boats, my understanding was the most of the B.A.S.S anglers did not check in and spray down there boats at the D.N.R. spray staition,MN D.N.R over doing it? Yes,but when a national tournament comes to town the anglers must go by regs. set by the D.N.R just as a MN tournament trail must do.
As for off site weigh-ins Everstart has had off site weigh-in Red Wing.
It is never easy to hold national events but I do beleive MN. makes it harder than other states to hold these events.
My beleif is support national tourny trails that support your reigin and the big boys will follow there is no way to gauge # MN. tournament anglers because of the one circuit trails with no national exposure,clubs,single money events, and all the outlaw circuits.
Support only Tournament Trails that offer anglers a huge pay-off for there anglers, this raises the bar for any trail that is taking up space and breathing our air.
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