TBF Expands Qualifying System

New National Semi-Finals Program expands championship-qualifying system from seven to 20 events

The Bass Federation is expanding the adult National Championship qualifying program from seven TBF Division Championships to a TBF National Semi-Finals Program comprised of more than 20 “close-to-home” events beginning in 2016.

“It is time,” was the theme that resonated throughout the 2015 state presidents’ annual conferences, which were held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup in August in Hot Springs, Ark.

Both programs (the Division Championships and the new National Semi-Final Program) will run concurrently in the 2016 transition year.

The basic structure of TBF’s current adult program was voted into place in 1990 by the state Federation presidents and has served the Federation well for more than 25 years. The first hurdle in making such a major change is getting all state presidents to agree on a basic outline. The new concept outline was approved unanimously by all states attending TBF’s 2015 annual meetings.

The TBF National Semi-Finals Program will make competing much more cost-effective, with travel costs reduced and cash payout to individual anglers increased. No longer will Federation members have to travel across the nation to attempt to qualify for the National Championship and the chance of a lifetime to “live their dream.”

Highlights of the new program include:

• All National Semi-Final Program events will take place in two- and three-state groups, so travel and expenses will be reduced substantially.
• Prize money will be an added feature.
• State events will continue and provide incentives for each individual TBF-affiliated club.
• States with larger memberships will qualify more anglers to a TBF National Semi-Final, presuming they have more members competing.
• All TBF-affiliated clubs in good standing will be able to qualify their top two club anglers directly from their clubs to a TBF National Semi-Final.
• More anglers from each state will advance to the TBF National Championship. In 2017, that amounts to at least two boaters and two co-anglers from each state. Depending on National Semi-Final entry numbers, some states might advance even more.
• All payouts will increase significantly.
• For full details contact the state Federation president or the link on bassfederation.com.

An Overview from Robert Cartlidge

“Drastically expanding something that has been so successful was not taken lightly,” says Robert Cartlidge, TBF president and CEO, of the changes. “Of course, we’ve made improvements over the years to the program, such as the national insurance program started in 1991, the TBF/FLW ‘Living The Dream’ program, numerous member discounts and even doubling the number of anglers from each state advancing to the Federation National Championship in 2006.

“As North America’s longtime leader in fishing, youth programs and conservation at the grassroots level, TBF has been laser-focused on the High School Fishing program for the last few years since we founded it nationwide in 2007,” Cartlidge continues. “The High School Fishing program is well-established and continues to grow annually by leaps and bounds.

“All of our programs are widely imitated in the industry, in part because they are so successful, so we do recognize that this change will affect a lot of folks,” Cartlidge adds. “I’m sure the new program that the presidents built will be imitated as well, and change will spread.

“As the industry leader in grassroots fishing, we have a responsibility to look ahead to the next 25 years and recognize that the world is a different place now than it was in 1989, and it will continue to change. It’s time for us to turn the same laser focus we used to found and develop the High School Fishing program toward our adult program, and we are doing exactly that.”