(Poll) Should AZ and FL receive a handicap in the SUB tournaments?

[Bakerlounge]

58 minutes ago, swimbaitunderground said:

The reason we even put this poll up is it seems like we see fish in the 8-9lb range from FL somewhat regularly but DDs are a bit more rare than CA. 
 

The handicap system is in place to try and level the playing field so states that don’t kick out 8-11lb bass regularly can still compete in the monthly tournament.  

Without the handicap someone from CA would likely win 9-10 months of the year. We want a system that allows members from all over the US to compete and have a chance at winning. As you can see from the Battle participants it seems to have spread winners throughout the US. 

What are the percentages of entries from CA as opposed to the rest of the country? 

[BayAreaAngler]

4 hours ago, Loudsplashbassn_ said:

If Florida gets a handicap then so should us Cali guys lol

100% agree

[DefectiveGlitch]

33 minutes ago, Tbird420 said:

What if the northern smaller bass factory states got a bump? Has Michigan or other surrounding states ever got a winner? Hard to catch a 6-8 to compete here.

I would like 4 for MN and no handicap for warmer states 

[Loudsplashbassn_]

3 hours ago, SumoNinja said:

I have no clue what would dictate whether a state should or shouldn't get a handicap added or changed. 

How does anyone know what the population is like size-wise? I'd imagine only the people that survey and shock the waters would know. 

Tons of members from other states who have never fished in AZ and FL or not fished it enough would not have a valid say in this poll. 

I just know brian catches big fish pretty regularly in FL. So it would seem FL has good size bass.  

 

Dpcredeur on ig was a hammer when he still was staying in Florida lol he logged plenty of 7s 8s and 9s for different only tournaments if there was an online tourney and he was in it you can bet he was gonna win it with his daily 7s and 8s lol 

[trav]

Having lived in both states in the last 4 years, I’d say a 1 pound handicap would be fair. 
 

Arizona is always losing a lake to a die off, and most of the big lakes in the Phoenix area are so over pressured and filled with vacationing tourist and googans, that it’s almost not even worth fishing there.  There are some big fish in AZ, but honestly how many bass over 10 pounds have you seen from there in the last 5 years?

 

Florida, though also having big bass, has Florida locals… These cousin f*ckers keep and eat everything they catch. And the tourist here pressure a lot of the lakes more than the guys fishing for sport. Florida also doesn’t get trout sticks like a lot of the southern states, so you get bass that are 25 to 27 inches long that only weigh 7-8lbs, where as if the bass was in Cali or Texas, it would weigh much more. 
 

Just my take. I lived in Yuma, AZ from 2013 to 2018, and now in the Florida Panhandle from 2018 to now. Tight lines everyone

[Jinxd12]

I could have won 1 month with No handicap, but I was an idiot and the excitement made me forget the code. I'm in Az.

[swimbaitrookie]

I'm an Arizona transplant from a Texas as of last Sunday.  I don't need no stinkin handicap!

Actually, I have no idea if I can even catch a fish out here 

[Mhuddfish]

Im in Arizona and with the Golden algae going through the salt river chain of lakes the last few years has killed a lot fish and you don't see the consistent 8 to 11's out of here any more.  

[bassbass]

14 hours ago, swimbaitrookie said:

I'm an Arizona transplant from a Texas as of last Sunday.  I don't need no stinkin handicap!

Actually, I have no idea if I can even catch a fish out here 

Give it time and you will be killing it.

[Csweitzer]

A 1lb handicap seems fair for AZ based on what I’ve seen. Florida has so many DD bass a handicap seems unnecessary. 

[bassbass]

Well I think there are many factors to this and no one will ever be able to keep it 100% fair and even if they did someone would cry.

For all the swimbaiters that think it's so easy to catch fish in CA, TX, AZ, and FL I think you should all travel and try it. Yea there are some that make one cast and catch a pig but that is not always the case no matter where you are. Also we are throwing a different bait, down here soft plastics and live bait are king for big fish.

Ever place has people that keep fish, pressure, fish kills, very cold winters and very hot summers that will mess with the upcoming fishing.

All states have big fish, yes big for that state. So people should work on figuring out how to catch those big fish, no mater if that is 4lbs or 11lbs. There have been many 5 plus pound fish that have won these tournaments.

I would say it would be easier for me to catch a 5 plus in RI then it is to catch a DD here in FL. The effort someone needs to put in is the same no matter what state you live in, this is not easy. On that, many of the internet swimbaiters only see others catching big fish....oh thats because he lives in CA or FL but most don't know is you dont see post of all the hours spent learning the water and cast that do not catch a fish. There are a couple types of swimbaiters, ones that do this for countless days and trips for their own enjoyment and satisfaction and then others do it for the cool and hype factors. I fish for me and no one else, 99.5% of the time I am by myself and enjoy being able to get out on the water and could give 2 shits what other are doing. Dont get me wrong I love seeing others catching big fish, even if thay say it is 24lbs and looks like 4lbs, not my problem so good for them.

In the six years I have lived in FL I have gotten 28 fish over 8 pounds with 6 of them being DDs. 50 to over 100 fish a year between 5 to 8 pounds. So is it easy, no it is not. You need to put the time in, that go's for everything in your life. Back in RI I would catch over 15 fish over 5 pounds so that would be 90 big fish in 6 years and if they where in the tournament that would be 7.5lbs to 8.5lbs fish. See where this is going.

Ask people in your state that fish how many big fish they have caught, on a scale, as we all have those that always caught monsters. You will see it is not many. 

I think there are about 4,000 over 8 pound fish caught in a year down here. Documented so I am sure there are more but there are over 2 million fishing licensees sold, and we all know some that fish without.

Lets look at Georgia getting 2 lbs, there are some big bass in that state so why is that. Look back on all the tournaments and see how many CA and TX fish over 10 pounds won, now look at FL, I think there was one, and zero in AZ. I am going off memory so that may be off a little.

In closing I would say a 1lb handy cap would be fair or keep it 0.

Something that may be better is give the swimbait a handy cap similar to golf....that may be fun. So if you suck you can get a 10 point lead, but even with that sometimes a blind squirrel will find a nut.

Thanks,

Brian

[chevro1et]

Brian, your response is well thought out, concise, and includes real experience and personal insight from one of the true hammers on this forum.  However, this may be one of the most true statements I've seen in a long time.  As always, thanks for your contribution, sir.

27 minutes ago, bassbass said:

Well I think there are many factors to this and no one will ever be able to keep it 100% fair and even if they did someone would cry.

[Mossypumpkin]

3 hours ago, bassbass said:

Well I think there are many factors to this and no one will ever be able to keep it 100% fair and even if they did someone would cry.

Good read, Brian. But this was the most important part of all. Everyone in the country will argue that their state/waters are the toughest in the state. Hell, I’d even argue….I can go out and catch 30-40 fish on a day. A 5lber is a real good one and in spring I can catch a couple a week. A 7 is the fish of every few years. I personally only know of two 8lbers caught in Maine and have never personally seen one in many years of tourney fishing. Do I stand a better chance at catching a 5lber than others? Maybe. A 7lber? Not even close. But I’ve won a few SU tourneys because I fish hard. Anyone who fishes hard enough has a chance. So go fish hard and stop making excuses of why you didn’t win. 

[SumoNinja]

Shore banger here, this year in socal I got two 8 pounders, one or two 6, couple 5, but the rest and vast majority are 1 to 3 pounders

All but 1 or 2 from the bank. Straight grinding and lots of guessing and lots of luck, lots of skunking but also lots of time put in to learn my waters. 

Agree with @bassbass, u gotta put the time in to get results and consistency. No way around that no matter where you are. 

[swimbaitrookie]

9 hours ago, bassbass said:

Give it time and you will be killing it.

thanks Brian.  I'm looking forward to th challenge!