Making the Final Push Towards the"CACA Anglers of the year Award"

I love to follow these tournaments and see these great fishermen at work. Carol and I would love to fish some, not that we could compete, but for the camaraderie and the chance of learning something new. I'm sure that any new tournament trail is going to have some growing pains and I know with the group of guys that are involved, they will always strive to make things better and encourage more competition. What we did learn at the only tournament that I've ever fished is that even though it is a tournament, it is still fishing. While some will prefish and have them patterned, it is possible for a person who has never been to a lake until tournament day can catch good fish and end up in the money no matter who is fishing. I encourage all to jump on board and support this great group of guys and what they are trying to accomplish. Given time and support, we could see it grow to much more than what anyone could imagine.

Really you all! This is for fun! No one is going to win a Boat or a boat load of money in this tourney series. If someone wants to step up and make this an Arkansas Crappie Tourney Trail and lead the process, I am sure that all of us that fish the CAPA will participate, but I do not see this happing.

Brett please watch language no cursing . I removed the inappropriate wording (abh).

Have fun, that is why I fish!

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Originally Posted by arkcrappie

Russ and Greg , congrats to you guys on your lead in this years tournaments. You guys fish hard and do your homework and it pays off. Good luck to you guys on the July tournament.

As far as the lakes, I will speak up since I am the only regular from Blytheville that fishes. Yes I have been asked if there was a lake up here where we could hold a tournament that would have a place to hold a weigh in and yes I recommended a lake. I wasn't able to attend the meeting due to the ice and snow on the roads up here and it didn't get voted in. I am at the moment trying to secure not one but three sites for potential tournaments on the eastern side of the state so that I may present them at the next meeting for consideration on our tournament schedule. If they get voted in then so be it. I also have some other ideas that I hope will help the Central Arkansas Crappie Association.

This crappie club is what we need here in Arkansas. The club does promote family and fishing. The meetings, pre-tournament dinners, the tournaments and the weigh-ins have been rewarding in more ways than one for me. I have met some fine people and I have made some friends that will be life long friends just by driving to fish a tournament. I have traveled to waters that otherwise I would not have explored. I'm learning new techniques and I'm learning how far behind I am in the electronic world as I fish by trial/error and instinct as I don't even have side imaging, gps or some of the other equipment these guys have. I have not won a tournament. I did win 2nd big fish last year at Overcup and won a whopping $16. I am not in this to get rich with money. I am in it to fish with like minded people, to fish some new waters, to hopefully share some knowledge and to make some friends. With all of that accomplished, I am a winner and I have won!!

As far as driving distance, do some calculations from Blytheville to any one of the lakes we fish. 3 hours is the least time I drive, that's one way. Then add in any pre-fishing and I spend a lot of time on the road, and worth every minute of it. Will I continue to fish, yes I will. Dardanelle for me on average is 4 hours and 15 minutes. That's okay as I have found a lake I really like and I will continue to fish it when I can tournament or not. I understand that not everyone can fish every tournament. I hope all that can, will come out and fish or at least attend the weigh ins and enjoy the fellowship. You might be surprised what you might learn at the weigh-ins.

Why am I posting all of this? I think we all need to support what we have. Would I like to have a tournament at one of the lakes over here? I definetely would. Not because I think I can "spank" everyone, but I would like to show everyone else the waters I fish. I believe Russ said in an earlier post that anyone can win, well, that is true. I'll take luck any day and if you happen to do a little homework and it pays off, then you just might come out on top! A little bragging rights never hurt anyone. My day is coming. I will win one of the tournaments and I'll bet it's not on one of my favorite lakes on the east side of the state. The CACA is a rising club and it needs support!! If you choose not to support it, then that is your choice. I for one will stand for it and will be at as many tournaments as possible.

I know that many have put in many hours and resources to make this club and the tournaments a reality and I thank you for it. I'll say it here so all can see. I am willing to help in whatever manner I possibly can to help the club and the tournaments continue. If the club chooses to have a tournament in my "neck of the woods", I'll host it and will make whatever arrangements need to be made in order to make it happen. That's all I can do is offer. Barring bad weather again, I'll make the 3 hour trek to Little Rock to the meeting and put in my 2 cents about what I think. That's not a bad thing as it will most likely be on a Saturday and I'll bring the wife with me and we will have a nice day together and a great dinner. Who knows, we might even make a night of it in our state capital.

I'm trying my best to get where I can fish Nimrod in July with you guys, but no promises. I got a lot going on. I hope to see all of you there. I'd like to see one of our biggest tournaments in July!

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well said Kent , thanks for supporting the club and hopefully next year can have a tournament in your neck if the woods! hope to see you at Nimrod my friend!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by arkansasbowhunter

So Dustin, let me clarify by saying what I heard was hearsay and formally asking for a response and by stating facts on mileage I am a complainer. Come on dude for real. To make a meeting kent you the man as that's a Long drive for a meeting. As I have said hope ya do well!! Just not my cup of tea to drive those distances for the those lakes. As far a big sacks of fish other lakes that are almost the same distance can offer those same big sacks of fish. If I am gonna drive 2 hours to Dardenelle I would rather drive somewhere east of my house. Just my preference. Rumor spreader, well I go to the source for the info before stating information. We can just agree to disagree. If you don't want public opinions or suggestions then don't talk about it on the forum. There is a crappie tournament forum and the CACA has a sticky already on the arkansas page. Sorry to see you think I complain by posing questions and stating observations.


One last complaint. Put all the lakes in a hat, draw out the number of lakes for the tourney year and put the remainder on the next years schedule. Not all members will be able to show up at the meetings. If 30 people from south, east and west Arkansas showed up and voted on entirely different lakes than you guys have fished would you fish them?

Also another complaint. Maybe host a one pole tournament for folks. This would accommodate people who don't have spider set ups or long line setups etc.

Since I complain about everything just let me know if you need more complaints to help your drive to expand the club, be family friendly, and fellowship.

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Come on guys we don't need to argue or complain what the club is doing!!!

As the club President of the Central Arkansas Crappie Association I have put endless hours into getting this thing set up and I have asked for help in the past to expand the club through out the state but have had two offers for help one from a Arkcrappie (Blytheville) and LRJoe (Springdale) and I have plans of getting something set up with these guys as they have offered to host the tournaments and get everything set up so we can fish, this club does not pay me a thing and gas and motels are expensive for me to go to a lake I have never been to and try and set up a whole tournament! There is more then just showing up!!! With that said last year we put a tourney on in east Arkansas and had 3 new teams show up and only one of those teams fished again in a CACA tournament?? so should we go to areas where I might be the only one there the day of the tournament I know of small tournaments where this has happened? We need to build up a club where we get the support and make it large enough to start growing throughout but as I said we are planning to venture out with the help of others and we do have other plans for different kinds of tournaments but dang this is our second season Rome wasn't built in a day!! So you can chose to help or not????? Life is all about choices!!

On another note I have seen talk about weekday fishing tournaments, free tournaments, and even a wounded warriors fishing trip. Was this all talk? Because it sure sounded good but no one downed any one when it didn't happen?? I think its crappy when someone talks about something then Doesn't follow through??

I'm not sure why ABh and Meatgetter are complaining about going to the lakes we fish when I have seen them on these same lakes fishing on a weekday?? Makes no sense to me please explain?? I am just curious what the difference is??
When we voted on the lakes we based the vote from actually members that joined the club heck we have members that joined but yet have fished a tournament and they still support the club because it is the only legally established Crappie fishing club in the state and they wanted to help make the club grow!! We not only have tournaments we all have met for dinner and we had a fish fry at lake Conway for members, guests, and family where we had 80 people on hand.
So like I said before life has choices make yours.

Jason Westerberg

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Originally Posted by MEATGETTER

When and if yall would expand to some other lakes besides the ones that yall can fish every day it would grow, there is a lot of fishermen all over the state that would like to fish some tournaments but like I said the only places yall want to fish is in yall backyard! !!! Sounds like someone up there is scared! !!!

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Come on guys we don't need to argue or complain what the club is doing!!!

As the club President of the Central Arkansas Crappie Association I have put endless hours into getting this thing set up and I have asked for help in the past to expand the club through out the state but have had two offers for help one from a Arkcrappie (Blytheville) and LRJoe (Springdale) and I have plans of getting something set up with these guys as they have offered to host the tournaments and get everything set up so we can fish, this club does not pay me a thing and gas and motels are expensive for me to go to a lake I have never been to and try and set up a whole tournament! There is more then just showing up!!! With that said last year we put a tourney on in east Arkansas and had 3 new teams show up and only one of those teams fished again in a CACA tournament?? so should we go to areas where I might be the only one there the day of the tournament I know of small tournaments where this has happened? We need to build up a club where we get the support and make it large enough to start growing throughout but as I said we are planning to venture out with the help of others and we do have other plans for different kinds of tournaments but dang this is our second season Rome wasn't built in a day!! So you can chose to help or not????? Life is all about choices!!

On another note I have seen talk about weekday fishing tournaments, free tournaments, and even a wounded warriors fishing trip. Was this all talk? Because it sure sounded good but no one downed any one when it didn't happen?? I think its crappy when someone talks about something then Doesn't follow through??

I'm not sure why ABh and Meatgetter are complaining about going to the lakes we fish when I have seen them on these same lakes fishing on a weekday?? Makes no sense to me please explain?? I am just curious what the difference is??
When we voted on the lakes we based the vote from actually members that joined the club heck we have members that joined but yet have fished a tournament and they still support the club because it is the only legally established Crappie fishing club in the state and they wanted to help make the club grow!! We not only have tournaments we all have met for dinner and we had a fish fry at lake Conway for members, guests, and family where we had 80 people on hand.
So like I said before life has choices make yours.

Jason Westerberg

Thanks for all you do Jason. I think CACA is a great thing.

Good luck at Nimrod Guys. Hope to get to fish with you next season.

I will help support any way I can

Just wanted give y'all update. I talked with Jason Westerberg this morning and asked him if having a CACA Sub forum would help and have then asked slab to make a sub forum for the CACA so that you and members can post information and communicate with each other on it like the magnolia club and miss fruit jar has on the miss forum. Hope this will help ya out if slab approves it!!

Jason I am not complaining about the lakes yall fish, I know they are good crappie lakes! ! You have done a great job of getting club up and running what I am.saying is there is other.fishermen from.around the state that I believe would get more involved if there was some tournaments with closer driving distance like you said.it gets expensive quick but to be competitive you have to spend time on the water as You are aware .I have talked to several and that's the main issues is the distance to travel every tournament and some say if You can't go to pre fish that they could not be competitive . All we are saying is to share the expense with some tournament in other areas. !!!! I will be glad to help if yall decide on any of our lakes in S E Ar.