Clear Lake Is a favorite lake among bass tournament anglers and has long been known as the Bass Capital of the West. That title came about not only because of the excellent bass fishing on Clear Lake, but the number of bass tournaments taking place on the lake.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) regulates bass tournaments and issues permits to the organizations conducting the tournaments. Bass clubs are issued an annual permit and these are valid for a year. Tournament organizations are issued what is called an event permit, which is only good for that particular tournament weekend. Twenty years ago it was not unusual for the DFW to issue up to 70 event permits per year for Clear Lake. In other words, there was a tournament held on the lake just about every weekend. That number has shrunk considerably. For example, the number of permits issued for 2023 is 31.
Tournaments themselves have changed dramatically. Years ago the number of boats in any given tournament would number from 80-100, and sometimes even 200. For example, the old Record-Bee/ Bruno’s Team Tournament annually drew 225 boats and the field usually filled up months prior to the tournament. Now a tournament is lucky to have 40-50 boats. Some have fewer than 20.
There are a number of reasons tournament participation has fallen off. One is the cost. Typically a team will pay an entry fee of several hundred dollars plus big-fish and option money. The total costs for a typical team tournament can run has high as $600, sometimes even more. Most tournaments pay back to one in five places. In other words, a 30 boat field will pay down six places. That means the other 24 teams receive nothing.
There are other costs as well. Gasoline for the boat now costs more than $5 a gallon and it is not unusual for a fisherman to pay several hundred dollars for a day’s fishing. Thirty years ago you could get a motel room fir $30 or less a night. Now the same room can cost as high as $100 a night or even more.
During a typical two-day team tournament fishermen will be in the area for four or five days while prefishing and actually competing in the tournament. Meals in the local restaurants can cost as high a $40 per person. Even a breakfast can cost the fishermen $20. Counting entry fees, travel expenses and meals the cost to compete in a tournament can approach $1,000.
A typical team circuit holds from five to six tournaments a year. When the wife, who is sitting at home with the kids, sees the credit card statement after a tournament she is often in shock. The other factor is that at least half of tournament fishermen never win a dime.
All this doesn’t take into account the cost of buying a bass boat and fishing equipment. Bass boat prices have soared through the roof. A new bass boat can cost as much as $90,000. I know of one local fisherman that recently bought a new bass boat and his monthly boat payments are $450 for the next 25 years. Bass boats always depreciate in value. Once you tow the boat off the lot the price drops at least 30 percent.
A new fishing rod can cost as much as $500 and a reel another $300. Even the price of fishing lures has skyrocketed. Swimbaits are one of the most popular lures for tournament fishermen and the most expensive ones can cost as much as $500. Even the cheapest fishing lures are $20 or more.
What is happening on Clear Lake and other lakes is that many fishermen have quit tournaments and have returned to recreational fishing. You don’t need a modern bass boat with a 300hp outboard to enjoy a day on the lake. The bass don’t know or even care if you’re in a high-speed modern bass boat or in a 12-foot aluminum boat.
